Lecture “Boycott”

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32351, 17 July 1970, Page 12

Lecture “Boycott”

Sir, —The public should be told of some points about the lecture “boycott" being held tomorrow. This so-called boycott was decided on at a meeting of the students* representative council, that elite body which is supposed to be the student’s "voice,” which voted on the motion and was split 22 for and 22 against. The chairman, Mr Cuthbert, then voted in favour of the [boycott and the motion was passed with a majority of one. which was deemed sufficient to call on all students to boycott lectures today. While this action may officially represent the student body as a whole, the majority of students, who have had no say in the matter, are more interested in attaining degrees, for which purpose they attend university, than in participating in some ineffective demonstration against the Vietnam war, a demonstration which by no means reflects student opinion.—Yours, etc., R.A.F.D. July 16, 1970.

Sir,—The Prime Minister’s statement last year pointing up the dependence of our Vietnam effort on New Zealand’s continued access to the United States beef market no doubt caused many twinges of the sensitive, liberal consciences that the protective ivory towers of our university nurture. On Friday we will be able to gauge the worthlessness and phoniness of these “liberals” when, threatened with personal inconvenience, they bury themselves frantically into their little worlds of academic meniality and general anonymity rather than express any concrete concern about the war. In fact, no doubt, many of these so called “doves,” if told it would involve no effort and they would get a degree or a day’s pay for it, would probably happily jump off the Sumner cliffs.— Yours, etc., THE ASTRAL BEGGAR. July 16, 1970.