RIGHTS OF SPEECH.

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 250, 22 October 1935, Page 14

RIGHTS OF SPEECH.

UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

COUNCIL CONGRATULATED.

LETTER FROM OVERSEAS. There was considerable discussion on academic freedom of speech at a meeting of the Auckland University College Council yesterday afternoon when a letter signed by C2O members of universities in the British Isles was received, congratulating the council on a resoletion passed last year when the rights of university teachers in connection with public utterances were defined. Tlie letter said: —

"It has conic to our notice that the council of the Auckland University College lias recently adopted a resolution on the issue oi : academic freedom of speech, which roads as follows: — "'(1) Tlie university teacher has no less freedom of speech within the law than any other citizen, excepting that | there is a special responsibility on him to weigh liis public utterances. It must also be recognised that his position in the community may sometimes involve a special obligation to speak, and, indeed, to make a pronouncement not in accordance with tlie opinions and traditions of the majority of citizens. Tlie exercise of this freedom (as defined in clause 1) and, indeed, tlie obligation to speak, should not place in jeopardy a university tcaclipr's tenure of his post, or make him subject to supervision or correction by tlie governing authority.' "As members of the staffs of academic bodies in Great Britain, we, the undersigned, wish to express to the council our congratulations upon tliij timely pronouncement on a subject of such

fundamental importance. It maintains tlie best traditions of academic freedom and safeguards that loyalty to truth 011 which all advance in learning depends. We wish also to express our wholehearted agreement with the terms of the resolution itself." The eignatures included Professor Lascelles Abercrombie, Sir Maurice Sheldon Amos, K.C., Sir R. H. Biffen, Professor Ernest Barker, Sir. Edmund Blunden, Sir. G. D. 11. Cole, Professor J. B. S. Haldane, Sir F. Gowland Hopkins, 0.51., president of the Koyal Society, Sir. C. E. M. Joad, Sir Gilbert Murray, the Kev. Canon C. E. Haven, Lord lvutherford of Nelson, Sir Michael E. Sadler, Sir Arthur Salter, Sir Charles Sherrington, 0.M., Professor Frederick Soddy, and the Rev. Canon B. H. Streeter. The list included 15 fellows of the Koyal Society.

Anti-War Speech. The letter recalled that last year Mr. 11. D. Dickenson, lecturer In economics at Leeds University and at that time on the staff of the Auckland University College, made an anti-war speech in Auckland which caused controversy, and disciplinary action was demanded by a member of Parliament.

At the time the council of the Auckland University College refused to censure Mr. Dickenson and passed a resolution affirming the right of free speech for university teachers.

When the letter was read there were a couple of "Hear, hears," and one member remarked: "It shows we are known in London."

Sir Henry Horton considered that the council would luive to rescind the resolution before any appeal could be made with hope of success to the public for assistance to the college. Personally he would not act on any committee for that purpose until the council divested itself of a resolution which whittled away its rightful powers. He favoured lice speech, but the council should have powers which -the resolution deprived it of. He believed that those who signed the letter did so under an erroneous idea. There had never been any attempt to suppress freedom of speech.

Mr. W. H. Cocker expressed the opinion that the letter should not merely bo "received," and suggested that a suitable reply bo sent. Sense of Rc-sponsibility. The president, Mr. T. U. Wells, considered that an exaggerated view had been taken of the attitude of the council. All that the then president, the late Sir George Fowlds, wanted was that the members of the stall' should speak with a sense of responsibility. Sir Henry Horton said that according to a newspaper report the socialists of Leeds had held a meeting on the return of Mr. Dickenson, and subsequently the university movement had been started. Professor P. W. Burbidge said "that the movement had started before Mr. Dickenson left New Zealand. He thought that the signatories wished to thank the council for expressing in the resolution the custom in England. Mr. D. G. Grant asked whether it was the custom to subject letters to such a close analysis. Should the council attempt to analyse the spirit which inspired the letter ?

Mr. Wells replied that he thought the letter should be accepted at its face value.

An amendment to receive the letter only was lost, and it was decided to send a suitable letter of acknowledgment.