Good Place For Nonconformists

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31440, 5 August 1967, Page 1

Good Place For Nonconformists

“If you are not going to conform or accept the conformist views which official propaganda and individuals try to ram down your throat, Christchurch is one of the best and fairest places in the world in which to live,” said Professor D. F. Lawden, retiring head of mathematics at the University of Canterbury yesterday.

“Christchurch is widely regarded, and thinks of itself, as a most conservative, even fuddy-duddy, city. But it is one of the few places where a man can say what he thinks without fear of victimisation. Thus it encourages original and honest thought,” said Professor Lawden. Professor Lawden admitted that he had been a controversial figure in New Zealand and elsewhere because of his views on space travel, theological matters, and political issues.

"However, I have never felt any pressure in any direction here to take care how I speak,” he said. “The United States, on the other hand, has victimised me by not allowing me to enter America for purely - -i n„moses. I had

professional purposes. I tu. influential invitations for

consultations on my space research, yet the United States Government would not let me in." Professor Lawden said that

New Zealand and England were the only countries in ' which he would consider Hv- i ing permanently. Asked; about Russia, for which he has expressed great respect, he said: “Russia and China would not suit, because, although the systems they have developed are the best possible for the circumstances in which they were placed, 1 was brought up in a different environment” England and New Zealand alone liked a varied society, springing from the tradition in which even counties as close as Yorkshire and Lancashire were quite different Professor Lawden said the danger he saw for youth was in "conforming in nonconformity.” They adopted > pop crazes, modes of dress, ’ and other antics which upset adults. But youth often did not know or think why they did it Nonconformity must ; be backed by reason. ’