W.E.A. CLASSES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume XLIV, Issue 1181, 2 December 1924, Page 6

W.E.A. CLASSES.

QUESTION OF POLICY

A meeting of the Palmerston North branch of the Workers’ Educational Association was held last night ior the purpose ctf considering the resolutions passed it the :WHC.A. meeting at Feiltling on Thursday last,/and whit it arose but ot the protests piude concerning certain statements of Ine president of. the late conference at Wellington. 'Air R.Rcss presided over a good attendance. In outlining the ohjei.is of the meeting, the chairman said that the resdulicns pulsed at Fedding hist wce,c had been forwarded to Drenches for their endorsement, or xitherwi.a; as the case might be. Dealing (trim the ' policy of tins W.E.A., Air Ross saic| that it - was never intended that the 'association 'should he used for purposes of • class or political propaganda. The association had been established for the purpose •of providing educational facilities, not for aiiy particular class or party, Out lor ail irrespective of class or party, .should they care to avail themselves of the opportunities offered. He deplored any attempt that might he made to use the associaioil'for class and party purposes, and said that theleontihuance of the good work the association had done and was doing in the interests of the whole community d-pended entirely; on keeping out the class element. , i Air Ross proceeded to review the prooeed--iags oft the recent meeting at Feilding and i fetid the resolutions passed thereat us ifollow ; —"Thai; this meeting of representatives bf ’tlie' Manawatu-Wanganui W.E.A. classes entirely dissociates itself from the partisan views officially expressed at the recent Wellington Conference.” “That this conference records the surprise and dismay of the branches in the Ai'nnawatu-Wanganui district learning of the. form of organisation and control, the financial operations, and the general idea of the purpose of the W.E.A. as revealed by the recent annual conference in Wellington, and is therefore forced, reluctantly ’and regretfully, to the conclusion that the Alan-iiwitu-Wanganui branches ought not to remain associated with the controlling council of the W.E.A. in Wellington.” “That this conference asks Victoria University College Council to allow the Alan-nwatu-Wanganui branches to withdraw from the W.E.A. organisation and to carry •ui 1 as University extension classes, t.’ie organisation of which will be in the hands of local committees representing municipalities, citizens and students, with due provision for the representation of tho classes on a joint committee corresponding with the existing tutorial classes committee.” Tlui resolutions were discussed at length, the consensus of opinion being in favour lof endorsing them. Some opposition views were expressed, but on the resolutions being put to the meeting they were endorsed. In conversation later with a member of the local branch of the association, a reporter elicited tho information that the position 'at'present was mors or less'“in the air,’’ and no further ac'.ion could be taken until it was known what attitude the Victoria University College Council would tuae up ; n regard to the proposal of the branches to secede from the organisation in tho terms of the resolution passed. He was most emphatic on the subject of keeping the organisation clear of party and class bias and he further pointed out that tlie public bodies which had contributed generously- to the support of the organisation did sc believing that the education given was general and thut it would not become class or party coloured. The association nail always steered clear of the class policy, arid it was highly desirable that it should continue to do so.' ■