Professor Defends Students In Vigils

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30769, 5 June 1965, Page 1

Professor Defends Students In Vigils

It was grossly unfair that the student community should have been attacked in the terms used by Mr J. R. Harrison, member of Parliament for Hawke’s Bay, in the Address-in-Reply debate, said Professor K. Buchanan of Victoria University.

Professor Buchanan said that Mr Harrison inferred that there was some relationship between failure rates and the involvement of young people in some of the current problems being discussed in New Zealand. “More particularly he implies that if young people were to spend less time participating in vigils around Parliament and more in study, this would be reflected in a much higher level of academic achievement.

“I have, therefore, done a quick cross-check of the academic records of those students at my own university who have either participated in Parliamentary vigils or have in one way or another been actively associated with the Committee on Vietnam," said Professor Buchanan. “The total of students for which I have records is 23. The list includes two masters students (who have completed either the whole or

part one of their master’s degree with first class passes), eight students who have completed their bachelor’s degree (including one first class pass), one student who has completed four units in his first year of study, three who have completed three units in their first year of study, and one student who has completed six units in two years of study,” said Professor Buchanan. “The group includes also one senior scholar, one student who was a United States field service scholar, as well as others who have held, or who hold, positions of responsibility in students’ organisations at either training college or Victoria University. This list is available should Mr Harrison wish to peruse it,” he said. Professor Buchanan said he would be most interested to know the basis on which Mr Harrison formulated his 'charges.