Students Reject Reforms

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32016, 17 June 1969, Page 1

Students Reject Reforms

Moves recommending reform of capping festivities were rejected by a special general meeting of the University of Canterbury Students’ Association yesterday.

About 150 of the university’s 6000 students who attended the two-hour meeting clapped and cheered decisions to overrule moves proposed by the Student Representative Council. A motion of censure was moved against the association’s public relations officer (Miss M. L. Hobbs) who publicly urged capping reforms. The president (Mr P. Grocott) refused to accept it, but his ruling was rejected and the meeting voted 83-44 on the move.

It was, however, declared lost by Mr Grocott because of a ruling that to be accepted it had to have 100 votes. The meeting overruled a representative council decision to abolish the annual haka party and have it reinstated in the official capping programme. It was also decided that any parties and social functions organised in conjunction with capping need not be financially self-sufficient. Another decision reversed was that to hold a revue in

the Ngaio Marsh Theatre; if possible in the form of a more intimate revue. The meeting also overruled a previous decision of the representative council that the liquor allowance for the annual haka party be abolished. The students’ meeting con-

f sidered that the proceeds of 1 Capping Magazine sales should not go to charity. And 1 a move suggesting that it be i- stated clearly in the magazine j that money from sales do not a go to charity was lost. I- It was claimed that Student Representative Council memi- bers were sanctimonious,

smug, and self-righteous. Parties for those who worked hard to organise capping were their reward, it was stated. A bearded advocate of a liquor allowance for haka parties said the money was only $2 a week, “only enough for vocal stimulation.” Speakers for more and bigger parties were applauded. Other speakers maintained that Miss Hobbs, in putting forward her ideas and being named as public relations officer of the Students’ Association in the press, had overstepped her function. She should have first tested the opinion of students by an article in “Canta,” the official students’ newspaper, it was stated. Miss Hobbs said the most damning thing about the whole affair was that there should be so much concern about capping when students were content to “sit on their backsides over other more important issues.” “Five thousand students outside this hall couldn’t care less about capping, or else they would be anxious to ensure there were not changes,” she said. “I did not speak on your behalf,” she told the students. “I don’t care if you do censure me because I believe it doesn’t mean a thing.”