ACADEMIC FREEDOM

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21763, 31 March 1934, Page 10

ACADEMIC FREEDOM

STUDENTS' RESOLUTIONS NOT TAKEN SERIOUSLY POSITION IN ENGLAND [BY TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION]. WELLINGTON', Frid aj "I have heard something about that," smilingly replied Dr. A. J. Harrop, representative of the University of' New Zealand in England, who arrived by the Akaroa from Southampton today, and who was asked, in an interview what he thought ol: the restrictions placed by the authorities of Vic. toria College, Wellington, on the public discussion of certain subjects by students.

"There is very little restriction in English universities, but I have not heard that sex questions are discussed in the open debates of students in England," Dr. Harrop remarked, when it was mentioned that sex and religion were topics on which the authorities of Victoria College frowned. "I do not remember," he said,, "having heard sex problems debated in the Cambridge union while I was therej but, mind you, if you debar these controversial subjects, what is there left? Of course," he added, "there is always 10 per cent of students in any university who want to go to the left, and if they did not universities would be very dull places. After all, that is the value of universities, that there should be as free an interchange of opinions as possible. It was much better for university people to discuss things freely'" as a general rule." Pacifist Undergraduates Dr. Harrop, however, qualified his views by adding a rider that he' was not fully acquainted with-this local conditions. There might hav® been abuse of the privilege of free speech in Wellington. Questioned about the influence of the pacifist undergraduates of Oxford, and other universities in Great Britain, who had passed resolutions condemning, war and refusing to go to the assistance of their country in the event of hostilities, Dr. Harrop expressed the opinion that the views of students, although given wide publicity because they held something of novelty, were not taken very seriously. Nevertheless, the fact that large . numbers of students had succeeded in getting such resolutions through their various debating societies indicated a change of thought in universities since the war. "Whether this was a revolt against popular sentiment as they understood it, or was merely a phase which would pass, it was difficult to say at this stage. Majority Would Fight "I think, however, that although there is a distinct feeling against war, these resolutions arise out of the wish being father to the thought that there should be no more war/' said Dr. Harrop, "but if the test came,. I think the majority of young men would go." British Fascism was mentioned by Dr. Harrop, who said that the movement unquestionably was making some headway, and was interesting the youth of the nation. It was the outgrowth of the troublous post-war people were groping aftef any'movement which promised some stdvance toward a better world. Personally, he did not consider British Fascism would last, although some believed that it would become the future system of government. It contained irew of tha elements of permanency, nevertheless it was difficult to forecast European trends. England, however would probably save Parliamentary' government.