STRONG CRITICISM

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26451, 3 May 1947, Page 6

STRONG CRITICISM

UNIVERSITY INCIDENT

OPINION OF NORTHERN

STUDENTS

The storm in the university tea-cup occasioned by the unfortunate “freshers’ ball” speech of the president of the Otago University College Students’ Association has now abated, but students of northern universities, late in getting details of the incident, are still busily engaged in debating the pros and cons of the episode. Strangely enough, they are fairly unanimous in their criticisms, and do not appear to share the loyally defensive opinions expressed by many Otago students in letters which appeared in this paper. In a succinct editorial, Canta, the official journal of the Canterbury College Students’ Association, states: “John Child has had it. And my own opinion is that it serves him jolly well right. A president may have his own views on morality and religion, but his right of free speech must always be qualified by his position. To print, as a presidential message, an advocacy of atheism, sexual licence, and anarchy, was as foolish as it was dangerous.” The tone of student opinion is further expressed in a letter from a former Canterbury College Students’ Association president, who comments that “my own impression of Child’s words was that he was mistaken in thinking them worthy of publication, and foolish in having them distributed. Second-rate humour garnished with witticisms about sex and atheism is hardly a fitting introduction to Varsity.” The issue also contains a full report of the Otago University Council’s statement in the matter, under the caption “ Problem Child.”