Overseas students protest

Press, 16 June 1979, Page 6

Overseas students protest

More than 500 overseas and New Zealand students attending the University of Canterbury and Lincoln College marched from Victoria Square to Cathedral Square in the lunch hour yesterday in protest against the Government’s proposals to increase tuition fees for overseas students. The Government has decided to increase the fees next year from $2OO to $l5OO. Miss Grace Lim, one of the organisers of the match, and secretary of the National Overseas Students’ Action Committee, said the event was very successful in spite of rain. It was held to coincide with similar rallies in other New Zealand centres yesterday. Miss Lim said that in addition td the protest the

rally was also a cultural exchange. Music and songs of Malaysia and other countries, were played or sung. The fee increases most affected Malaysian students, who made up 90 per cent of the overseas students in New Zealand. The increases did not apply to students from South Pacific countries, Miss Lim said. The gathering in Cathedral Square was addressed by Miss Lim and also by the member of Parliament for St Albans (Mr D. F. Caygill), a Lincoln College lecturer (Dr Goh), the president of the Canterbury Malaysian Students’ Associaton (Mr Chee Koh) by the '.ice-president of the New Zealand University Students’ Association (Mr G. Lindell), and a Malaysian high school pupil who will be affected by the increases next year.

Al the end of the rally the students unanimously carried a motion “strongly opposing the $l5OO discriminatory fses on overseas students, and appealing to the public for support, and urging the Government to rescind this policy.” Miss Lim said the text of the motion would be sent to the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon). The Government’s order was a blow to a “defenceless” group of people, the Labour member for Western Hutt (Mr J. F. Terris) said yesterday, reports the Press Association in Wellington. It was a measure which would appeal to a certain section of the New Zealand population, he said. The students affected were those “whose presence in this counfiry would probably

be resented by some, because of their colour, and by others because they believed they were a burden on the taxpayer.” Mr Terris was speaking after addressing a student rally on the lawns of Parliament grounds.

About 200 students from Victoria and Massey universities heard student union speakers and Mr Terris. The president of the University Students’ Association (Mr C. J. Gosling) said he believed the Government has based its decision on incorrect information.

On Thursday evening a deputation from the association met the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) and asked him to reconsider the decision.. He refused. The Minister also refused to address the rally yesterday.