About 500 students witnessed the latest developments in the continuing farce of 'No Progress on the Bursaries Front' on Wednesday 15 June. Speaking were John 'I'm aware of the problems' Elliot and Peter Franks, one of the NZUSA Research Officers.

Peter Franks spoke first outlining the difficulties students face in the present economic situation given that their bursaries have remained at a constant low since March 1976. He highlighted some of the many anomolies in the present system, such as students who are married to nonstudents and having no children are given $13 a week because it is assumed that they are being supported by their spouse. At the same time the same student who states they are single but lives 'in sin' will get the full $24 a week.

Elliot then stood up, wishing to digress by talking about some of the central questions on education. He was quickly brought to earth again by a barrage of well timed high quality interjections. As he went on about his ten years at varsity, and the running of an election campaign while supporting an overdraft and a family, the tears ran down faces and the heckling got more intense. Although never put off his stride by the heckling he was at times struggling for effective and safe answers.

He spoke for something like a half an hour showing the deftness that is the hallmark of the new National breed (pronounced slippery). After much phrasemongering 'education is the key to the future of New Zealand', it became obvious that the decisions on bursaries, or anything for that matter, were not made at caucus level and that perhaps the Minister had bugger all to do with it either. He almost came to the point of saying that he would like to see us get a cost-of-living adjustment but was completely at a loss to explain the farting around that the government has engaged in, in the past 18 months. His only response was a 'wait until the budget'.

Question time followed the speeches. Elliot was up against it with a flood of complaints from the floor. Was he willing to criticise the Minister in the house if no progress on bursaries was announced in the budget? "Well yes, I would be willing to criticise the Minister, but not in the house". Enough said.

'Bursaries Action', said the posters up on campuses around the country. One thing to be sure of — they weren't referring to the doings of the of the weak, evasive Education Minister, Les Gandar (18 months of total 'Bursaries Inaction' is the only way to describe his record).

The posters did, though, refer to the growing anger of students who gathered on June 15th on each campus to express their discontent — in varied ways.

Auckland

2000 students gathered on campus and then marched down the city and along Queen St to the Post Office where Auckland students and the NZUSA Presidemt, Lisa Sacksen, spoke. The march was preceded by an enormous amount of publicity (including Auckland's own poster) distributed by an active group of students (ther ordinary type). The students promised further action if the July budget did not 'come up with the goods'.

Waikato

A group of students held a picket in Garden Place, in the city centre, where a large number of leaflets were handed out to the public explaining the students' plight and the government's inactivity.

Massey

A small forum was held on campus on the 16th and the NZUSA Education Vice—President, Mike Shaskey, spoke on a lively radio talk-back programme in Palmerston North that evening.

Canterbury

250 studentsattended a forum which was addressed by an NZUSA representative and a Labour MP, Jonathon Hunt, who managed to avoid promising anything on behalf of his party (as opposed to another party that promised much but delivered nothing!)

Lincoln

A very good turn out of over 250 students from this small college who heard an NZUSA representative and a National MP (who was not well received). The forum was particularly concerned concerned at the lack of governmemt action on the high costs of the specialized courses most Lincoln students took.

Otago

Two bus loads of students met Gandar at Dunedin airport and held him up for 20 minutes questioning him on government bursaries policy. Later in the day 700 attended a forum and decided to take strong action in the event of unsatisfactory budget announcements on bursaries.