Ban On Students’ Parade Possible

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31981, 7 May 1969, Page 1

Ban On Students’ Parade Possible

(New Zealand Press Association)

AUCKLAND, May 6.

A ban may be placed on the Auckland University student capping procession through the city on Thursday unless the students give an assurance that no collection for charity will be made.

That assurance, which must be given by noon tomorrow, is being sought by the Auckland City Council because of growing rumours that the students Will ignore a ban on collecting for a charity of their own choice. If the assurance is not given the Mayor (Mr D. M. Robinson) can be expected to call a special meeting of the council’s finance committee tomorrow afternoon to discuss banning the parade. In past years, the students have collected for the Auckland Community Chest, which distributes money to 21 charities, but this year they sought to make a collection to further the education of the physically and mentally handicapped.

Their application was rejected by the council at its meeting last week. Neither the Mayor nor the president of the Students’ Association (Mr W. B. Rudman) was available for comment tonight. Both were in Wellington, preparing a “Gallery” television debate on the Auckland students’ controversial capping magazine.

About 40 students are understood to have met Mr Robinson in Auckland today to support -his stand against the capping magazine. Town hall sources say the Mayor has been swamped by hundreds of telephone calls endorsing his views that the magazine is “sheer pornography,”