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Salient. Official Newspaper of Victoria University of Wellington Students Association. Vol 40 No. 26. October 3 1977

Ferox replies to Smith

Ferox replies to Smith

Dear Sir,

The rather sad defence of the present Government's policies from Phillipa Smith (Salient, Sep. 19) spoke for itself. It was first clear that Ms Smith is an extremely arrogant young woman. ("I would be instantly recognizable as the only normal person there", she boasts). It was also clear that Ms Smith doesn't understand, or is insensitive to the financial difficulties many students are presently in, since she demanded "Why should tertiary students be given still more? ", and defended the pathethic $2 bursary increase.

Far more significant, however, is her total ignorance of the political scene. As the Chairman of a National Party Club (how can she be the Chair-Man? Is she the only member?). One would expect her to have at least some knowledge of current affairs. According to Chairman Smith, it is "thanks to Labour's three years of profligate spending" that New Zealand is verging on bankruptcy. I don't know much about Labour, but I do know that both Mr Muldoon and Mr Tempeton have attributed the current economic difficulties to the worldwide recession and the downtum in our terms of trade. Is this the work of the NZ Labour Party? Or are Mr Muldoon and Mr Templeton wrong?

Apparently she was one of the delegates to the National Party Conference. In response to the deep, angry voice of her messianic leader, [unclear: boomng] out the words "Rowling and his crowd are [unclear: welcome] to those thugs out there", she too creamed and stamped with hysterical approval, antalized by Muldoon's fascist style. (According [unclear: o] the newspapers this was the "high point of the conference). Ms Smith should think very seriously about this man she supports so loyally. Before she deludes herself any more, she ought to consider his motives and actions. It sounds to me like she's been duped.

Ms Smith refused to answer my question: How could a party supposed to be opposed to socialism introduce a socialistic pension plan? I suppose socialism is good if practised by National, but bad if practised by Labour.

According to Phillipa Smith, "no charge of incompetency has been levelled" against Walker or Gill or McCready or Lapwood or McLachlan. I wonder.

Yours in treachery,

Urtica Ferox.