Race conciliator urged to lighten up

Press, 9 March 1988, Page 8

Race conciliator urged to lighten up

A | Catholic newspaper has called on the Race Relations Conciliator, Mr Walter Hirsh, to “stop wasting powder and shot” on the Lincoln College capping magazine, “Ram.”

The magazine has been “fined” $2OOO by Mr Hirsh for what he calls blatantly racist humour. The Dunedin-based “Tablet” yesterday said the. fine would be "a reason for satire" were it not so "dangerous a pre-

cedent” for censorship

It called on Mr Hirsh to forget about the fine and instead take a look at the series of “cheap, badly printed booklets of jokes with titles like ‘The Worst Catholic Jokes’ and ‘The Worst Irish Jokes’.”

“Capping magazines were always curious crea-, tions slung together at the last desperate moment for lack of material," said the “Tablet.” “The editors were young and looking for a

laugh, but they were astute enbugh to know that if the content was shocking the) magazines would sell like hot cakes.

“Not j really shocking, just bawdy. Not malicious or racist and not really dirty-minded,” the “Tablet” said. i "Ram” was “old hat and passe” and should have been left to die in peace ; rather than face “this remarkable and dangerous j ‘fine’,” said the “Tablet.”

Alex Wyllie (rear), the AH Black coach, watches as aj former All Black and Canterbury player, Fergie McCormick, signs a giant welcomehome card for the Christchurch heart-transplant patient, Phillip Robinson, aged 14, at the Radio Avon studios, in Kilmore Street, vesterdav. The card, measuring three-and-a-half metres deep by two metres wide, will be available at the studio from today for people to sian A number of personalities have already added) their good wishes to the card. Phillip is at present staying with his mother at a flat at I the 'Auckland Hospital nurses’ home. He is expected back in Christchurch in a few weeks time. He had heart surgery at Green > V i.!! Lane Hospital in Auckland.