Americans unaware of A.N.Z.U.S.—pupil

Press, 19 December 1986, Page 13

Americans unaware of A.N.Z.U.S.—pupil

Americans are largely unaware of A.N.Z.U.S., and New Zealand’s stance on the treaty, says a Rangiora High School pupil who has just returned from a month in American, attending student conferences.

Martha Gray, aged 16, represented New Zealand, along with two North Island pupils. The three attended school there and stayed with host families. Fares were paid by the Winston Churchill Trust Fund.

Miss Gray and the two Auckland pupils had been selected to represent New Zealand after attending an Auckland conference for International Year of Peace. There seemed to have been very little publicity about A.N.Z.U.S. in America, said Miss Gray.

“Most Americans we met knew about Granny Smith apples, and what they called the kiwi, their name for kiwifruit.”

Not surprisingly, New Zealand’s America’s Cup success did not feature largely in the news, with more time given to “Yank it Back,” the American campaign for the Cup, she said. The conferences Miss

Gray attended were organised by a national student group called Junior Statesmen of America. Among the issues discussed was American investment in South Africa, with American delegates strongly in support. They wanted to continue to take titanium and other metals, partly out of selMnterest, and partly because they argued that a withdrawal would lead to a Soviet take-over. Many delegates said they did not trust the Russians, said Miss Gray. The New Zealand group was given some time to speak at the conference, and chose A.N.Z.U.S. and the principle of non-vio-lence.

Miss Gray also spent a week attending a private school in Seattle. Lakeside School had a reputation for excellent teaching, and Miss Gray said she was impressed by the range of topics and the level of student understanding. Students did all their reading and writing at home and class time was spent in discussion, with all students interested and well-prepared. Miss Gray said she particularly en-

joyed the philosophy classes. The grind of the school day followed by five hours’ homework placed pupils under a lot of pressure, said Miss Gray. Pupils in the area had a “really bad” drinking problem at week-ends, she said. Miss Gray said her lasting memories would be of the diversity of people and places, from New York on United Nations Day to the “very beautiful” Princeton campus, then to that of a black man at one of the airports trying to make a living shining travellers’ shoes. “It’s a much harder and faster life there,” said Miss Gray. Students were not paid to attend college (university) and had to take out loans in order to pay fees. “This really limits their choice of topics, because they have to take subjects which will lead to a job. There’s no learning for its own sake.” Miss Gray said the personal contact with other young people was one of the most important aspects of the visit, and she will be keeping in touch with many people she met.