NOT IMPERILLED

Evening Star, Issue 22557, 27 January 1937, Page 15

NOT IMPERILLED

FREE SPEECH IN UNIVERSITY SENATE DEEKS RESOTIOII UNNECESSARY [Per United Press Association.] AUCKLAND, January 26. Though individual members sympathised with the motion, the New Zealand University Senate to-day. by 17 votes to 7, refused to pass a motion endorsing the principle of freedom ot speech' in the universities. The resolution was moved by Mr *'. A, de _la Mare, who said that public expression of opinion within the limits or tjie law on controversial matters ivas not incompatible with tho position of a universitv teacher. The public should be educated to realsio that such expression of opinion was personal and not that of the institution. Seconding tho motion, the pro-Chan-cellor, Mr H. F. von Haast, said that at a time when freedom of speech was curtailed in other parts of the world it was important that New Zealand professors should have the right to express a free opinion on any question. Dr W. Newlands said that Mr de la l\lare was fighting a non-existent danger. If the Senate supported the motion it would make itself ridiculous. Other members, while expressing sympathy, said there was no need for the motion. Mr W. J. Morrell stated that the fact of passing it might create the impression that freedom of speech was threatened in New Zealand.

Replying, Mr de la Mare said that three years ago there had been reason for the motion, when Auckland t liad made the matter prominent. Now, when there was none to ‘attack, the time was ripo for the Senate to make a dispassionate statement of its point of view. He said that body, representing the highest university opinion in New Zealand, had refused to say nat it endorsed the principle of freedom of speech in its own university.