Women in lounge only at hostel

Press, Volume CX, Issue 32425, 12 October 1970, Page 11

Women in lounge only at hostel

(N.Z. Press Association)

AUCKLAND, Oct. 9.

A bid to allow women visitors to an all-male Auckland Teachers’ College hostel, Rae House, other than just to the lounge at certain hours as now, failed at today’s Auckland Education Board meeting.

Before the board was a motion that the hours of visitors to the hostel be from 1400 to 2300 on Mondays to Thursdays, 1400 to 2400 on Fridays and Saturdays, and 1100 to 2100 on Sundays. The board approved these hours, but did not change the policy of having visitors in the hostel’s lounge area only. The college principal (Dr K. D. McGhie) said the average age of the students in the hostel was 25. They came from all over New Zealand and about 10 per cent were married.

“The college is charged with promoting the growth of all students in every way. You cannot promote growth by strict authoritarian attitudes and control to govern student life and learning. “I have faith in the students. Giving them responsibility is the only way true growth can develop. I realise this is a marked quality change, but society and attitudes are changing. This move would go part of the way to achieving the students’ individual growth and responsibility, and would show trust and faith in the morality and goodness of our students,” he said. For many years women were barred from Rae House, but about four years ago they were allowed to the lounge only.

A board member, Mr J. M. Cowie, said he treated the subject with caution. “I wonder what effect such a move would have on recruitment, and whether parents would let their children occupy the hostels if this was accepted,” he said. “On the morality side, I do not accept that society has got to the stage of accepting or in fact encouraging females visiting the bedrooms of male students, as this move would allow. As a responsible organisation can we really give permission for this sort of thing?”

The board’s chairman, Mr R. McGlashen, said his thoughts echoed what Mr Cowie said.

Mrs B. P. Hanson said that parents had to protect young people from themselves sometimes and that the board members must place themselves in the position of parents.

During further discussion, Mr W. Beazley said the issue should be looked at carefully, but there were occasions when a man and a woman, especially when married, wanted to talk of something privately; and a bedroom might be a better place than the lounge. Mr A. G. Campbell said that such hostels “in these days of drugs and so forth are one of the key factors in the protection of our youth.” The hours were adopted with only one dissenting vote. An attempt to take the subject in committee was unsuccessful.