MARCH ON HOUSE

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31724, 6 July 1968, Page 21

MARCH ON HOUSE

Organisation Explained

The march to Parliament by about 520 students of Victoria University of Wellington on June 26 was organised as a peaceful demonstration, said the president of the Victoria University Students’ Association (Mr D. J. White) in a press statement which he made after the demonstration. Mr White has sent to “The Press” his statement and copies of , letters to the Governor-General (Sir Arthur Porritt) and the Australian High Commissioner (Sir Edwin Hicks) because of the views expressed in some of the letters published on June 29.

Mr White says that the letters and statement show the factual inaccuracies on which correspondents based their opinions.

In his letter of apology on behalf of the association to the Governor-General and Lady Porritt, he said implicit instructions were issued to all students to ensure order in the march.

The letter to Sir Edwin Hicks said that after careful investigation the association found no evidence to suggest that students were involved in the incident concerning his car.

The association dissociated itself from those who were responsible.

“The march was organised as a peaceful demonstration,” said Mr White in his statement “Students deplore departures from this by some people.”