Students get ‘right’ answer

Press, 12 July 1980, Page 1

Students get ‘right’ answer

PA Wellington About 30 members of the New Zealand University Students’ Association were brought to heel when they tried to present a pair of left-foot - gumboots to the Minister of Education (Mr Wellington) at Parliament Buildings yesterday afternoon. The Students’ Association arrival at Parliament was the finale of a run from both ends of New Zealand as part of “The education cuts don’t heal” ‘’.campaign. The gumboots, which the students hoped to present to the Minister in person, were, designed • to symbolise Mr: Wellington’s “two-left-feet approach” to education, they said. But the students . failed to gain an audience with the Minister. Instead, they were given a statement by his press secretary on the steps of Parliament Buildings. Mr Wellington’s message applauded the energy expended by the students, but noted that while they had been running: — The Government had increased the 1980 education vote 32.3 per cent above the 1979 vote.

— University spending had risen to almost $2OO million and the maximum leve.l of the hardship grant had been increased by $3 to $2O. The Minister’s press secretary gave the Minister’s message to the students and received, in return, the gumboots.