Minister: No letter

Press, 17 April 1980, Page 1

Minister: No letter

PA . Wellington The Minister . of Education (Mr Wellington) yesterday denied lie had received, a. letter that was forced into his Beehives office by a “Marxist” student leader. 1 A group of students from Victoria University marched on Parliament about midday yesterday as part of a nation - wide protest against the amount of university funding and th& tertiary study grant. The students were led by the President’of the New Zealand University Students’ Association (Mr Simon Wilson), whom Mr Wellington has labelled as a Marxist. The Minister has refused to meet the association while Mr Wilson is its president. Mr Wilson and representatives of Victoria Unvarsity were stopped from delivering a letter, spelling out their views on funding and business, in the main foyer of Parliament by security guards and the police. • Inspector C. R. Libby told Mr Wilson that Mr Wellington had left instructions that the deputation was riot to be allowed into the Beehive; the Minister

wanted the students to post the letter. The Labour member of Parliament for Island Bay, Mr F. D. O’Flynn demanded to exercise his right as a member of Parliament to take guests into the Beehive and said, “When a compromise is suggested that will prevent a potential riot, let’s do it?’ After negotiations, the head of Parliament’s security team (Mr R. M. Urqhart) escorted Mr O’Flynn and the deputation to the fifth floor. But security guards banned entry to Mr Wellington’s office. Mr Wilson barged through the guards and pushed the letter between the doors of the Minister’s office. Mr Wellington last, evening denied any knowledge of the letter. He said he had not received it. “I will not deal with a rabble-rousing Marxist who on February 5, or thereabouts, sought to make political capital out of and embarrass the Government by releasing to the public a confidential Cabinet document,” Mr Wellington said. He said the events of the day confirmed his views. Christchurch march, Page 2