‘Government Broke Faith With Students’

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30478, 27 June 1964, Page 20

‘Government Broke Faith With Students’

The Government had broken faith with the International Student Conference by barring the entry of student delegates from Jordan, Sudan, Rumama and Cuba, said the president of the Christchurch branch of the United Nations Association of New Zealand (Mr H. G. Kilpatrick) and the chairman of the association's international affairs

committee (Mr L. F. X Ross) in a joint supplied statement yesterday. “These nations may feel insulted and reply in kind, should New Zealanders ever wish to attend conferences to

their countries. It violates the spirit of Article One of the United Nations Charter and of the Universal Declaration <rf Human Rights, both of which state; (It is essential to promote the development of friendly relations among nations) and (to practise tolerance and live together in peace with one another as good neighhnrnrw) “Excluding students will not promote international understanding, good win and friendly relations with the nations concerned but will damage New Zealand’s international reputation as a democratic, free and open country of friendly people—eager to have others come and visit

“The students who are in attendance are influential in their various associations, and many may become future leaiders in their countries. They have expressed a unanimous

protest against this highhanded and inexplicable Government action. “It is too bad that they wffl i carry back to their countries .such a damaging impression lof ns—which unf ortnnately (they may convey to many' others during their lifetimes. This will not help our international trade and tourisn. ; It will also deter both the-

students and others from holding future international conferences of various types in this country. They will not risk potential embarrassment from New Zealand’s sudden and arbitrary excluffvism.

“Does the External Affairs Department really feel that a short visit by the four students cooeerned is that potentially injurious to New Zealand that our international economic interests, reputation and United Nations obligations should be so seriouslv compromised? One might well ask—whose interest was this exclusion order designed to serve? Were there any special pressures brought to bear on the Government to make snrh a decision? “What trouble, if any, could these students cause, that would be more than a fraction of that caused by the visiting Beatles? The Beatles’ presence has provoked near riots, blockage <rf traffic, civil

disorder, noise and howling, and additional expense to the taxpayers for extra police and escorts. Could the students match that?" conclude, the Matement.