FREE SPEECH

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXI, Issue 21879, 15 August 1934, Page 15

FREE SPEECH

Sir, —Having exonerated the dissenting professors by dismissing responsibility to a corporate body, loyalty to colleagues and college spirit as "mere" matters of etiquette, Mr. Cleghorn suggests 1 should ask the professors themselves what is the meaning of their change of front. 1 fear they would tell it not in Gatli. In'any case, I am more interested in their future than their past. There are two tilings I would like to know in this connection. (1) How far are these professors prepared to go in the cause of free speech!-' Supposing a situation rose in Auckland similar to that created by the famous Victoria College birth-control debate of last year —so warmly defended by certain advocates of free speech there —what attitude would be taken upp (2) What is the exact relation between the free speech advocates on the council and the professorial board? Supposing, for instance, the professorial board took a strong stand about sbme matter, and passed a resolution condemning a given debate. Then suppose that the free speech enthusiasts objected to the resolution, what would be the attitude of the most recent free speech advocate on the council? Would he support a unanimous resolution from the professorial board in the interests of academic freedom, or would he sweep aside the board's resolution at the instance of vociferous members of other organisations, in the interests of free speech? Should such a predicament arise on the council I hope the chairman will call for a division. The situation is a highly interesting one. B.A.