MILITARY TRAINING FOR STUDENTS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 69, Issue 268, 25 August 1949, Page 5

MILITARY TRAINING FOR STUDENTS

UNIVERSITY SENATE DISCUSSION (P.A.) WELLINGTON, Aug. 24. An objection to discussing military training for students in committee was made by Mr L. K. Munro at today’s meeting of the Senate of the University of New Zealand. The subject was most important, he said, and the Senate should not go into committee merely to allow members to speak freely. If they believed what they said they should lie willing to speak publicly. Mr Munro said lie would be the first to agree that the question should be discussed in committee if security matters were involved. The public should know the Senate’s views on other aspects of the question, however.

The Chancellor (Sir David Smith) said lie understood the army had gone pretty ,far with its plans and it might be desirable for the Senate to .take some action.

Sir Thomas Hunter said a New Zealand body of students had met at Auckland and had certain proposals to put before the Senate and the Government. He. was aware of the nature of the proposals, but did not feel lie could discuss then in open meeting. It was decided to ask the Minister of Defence (the Hon. F. Jones) to grant permission to the military officers concerned to discuss the question of military training for students in committee with the Senate.