WELLINGTON STUDENT PROCESSION ALLOWED

Press, Volume XC, Issue 27340, 4 May 1954, Page 10

WELLINGTON STUDENT PROCESSION ALLOWED

(New Zealand Press Association)

WELLINGTON, May 3. Councillor. Stewart Hardy resigned | this evening as chairman of the Wellington City Council’s transport, traffic and electricity committee after the council, by nine votes to four, had agreed to peanut the, university students’ capping day procession on Friday. , , His resignation was taken in committee. Later, Cr. Hardy said he had resigned because the council’s decision amounted to a vote of no-confi-dence in his committee and himself as a committee chairman. Since last Wednesday, Cr. Hardy told the council, he had been pestered with anonymous telephone calls and threatened with personal violence. The Mayor (Mr R. L. Macalister) said he had also received anonymous calls at his Town Hall office and his home. Cr. Hardy had moved that the council endorse the transport, traffic and electricity committee’s decision to decline the Victoria University College Students’ Association’s request for permission to stage its traditional capping day procession. Cr. J. D. McGrath, the council’s representative on the Victoria College Council, then moved an amendment to grant the association’s request on the basis of undertakings given by the association in a letter to all councillors. This was carried. . x The students’ association, in a letter, said it would accept responsibility for any damage to corporation property caused by students durihg the whole of capping day, whether they were participants in the procession or not. It undertook to make good such damage or furnish the names of those responsible so that any necessary action ; could be taken against ttfem. r To minimise the possibility of inci- • dents, the association said it would take ‘ thorough steps to acquaint all its members with the undertakings.

The association suggested that the department should specify the route, bearing in mirid that the procession was popular and many people would be prevented from seeing it if it was forced on to back streets. . Also, that university colleges in other main centres are allowed to use • the main streets. Undertakings Not Accepted Cr. Hardy said the undertakings were not worth the paper on which they were written. The city solicitor would bear this out. The position would be no different from last year. Noone objected, least of all himself, to a day’s outing of good clean fun, but the processions were being used as a cover for acts of vandalism and students should remember that they had no more rights than had other citizens. Cr. Hardy said that last Wednesday two .individuals called at his officfe —a male student and a young woman student. Their demeanour was “anything but courteous.” They said they had been deputed by the executive to issue a warning that if permission for holding the capping day procession was not granted the association would not accept responsibility for the violent reaction anticipated from the students. “I regarded this as a straight-out threat, and I am. sure it would not deter myself or the council from protecting public property from organised vandalism,” he said. The deputation

was told to make written representations to the clerk. This had been done, j and a copy of the letter sent to each ; councillor. Two hours after the meet- ; ing he had been subjected to organised ; pressure by anonymous telephone callers. These calls at his office and ' home, in which there was serious ill- ' ness, had-continued till the last at 3.30 a.m. On Sunday. The callers, Cr Hafrdy said, were in 1 three groups:—(l) Those who pestered i his office staff and his family to bring him to the telephone. When he answered they rang off. (2) Those, “and there were many,” who abused him in obscene terms and rang off; and (3) Those, “and I view this very seriously,” who telephoned and announced: “I am a student.” They then warned him that if the procession was not permitted he would be threatened with personal violence and his home, office premises and council property damaged. Cr. J. G. Churchill, seconding the motion, said the committee, of which he is a member, reached its decision with some reluctance after very careful study. The committee w;as disgusted at what had happened last capping day. It was felt that such happenings should be “brought up with a round turn.” If the censure was heeded this year, then the council could possibly relent next year. But the committee’s refusal had not been taken in the desired manner. A deathbed repentance was too late, “and I stand four-square behind the committee.”

# Conduct Deplored Cr. McGrath said the conduct toward Cr. Hardy was to be deplored. The sympathy of all was with Cr. Hardy in his present family illness. “It is wrong that a man exercising careful judgment in public matters should be subjected to such abuse as has Cr. Hardy,” he said. However, in view of the students’ association’s letter tb the council, he felt that the students should be given another chance. He then moved an amendment that permission for the procession be granted on the basis of the letter from the association.

“In doing so I in no way excuse the deplorable conduct that has been related to this council, nor is it intended to override the committee’s decision in any way,” he added.