When Paris Rose ...

"Guns Spluttered before the great closed doors of the Ministry, which were guarded by armed men. In the courtyard inside, men of the F.F.I. mingled with their comrades of the National University Front, with graduates, teachers, professors, civil servants, students and schoolboys. Some of us stood by with loaded guns, while others worked in the office with the heads of the Department, issuing orders against traitors and collaborators, and appointing trustworthy men and women to responsible posts."

Meanwhile, in the United States, six thousand Texan students became involved in the battle of Brains against Business. On November 2, 1944, the university board dismissed without trial the president for his unwelcome views on the poll-tax and land tenure in the South. As a result of the students' demonstration the Southern Association of Colleges appointed a competent committee of "leading southern educators" to investigate the circumstances surrounding the dismissal.

Fitt Affair

At home the influence of corporate action' was most noticeable over the "Fitt Affair." This estimable professor was "libelled" in a copy of the Auckland Students Capping magazine. The council subsequently banned all student publications. The following morning the streets of Auckland were white with slogans of the oppressed.

Events moved so rapidly that no complete account was published. Following the previous night's Press report, it was moved by a timely AGM "That the executive go into the question of publishing an Auckland edition of Salient—a motion which was carried with acclamation. A second motion was also moved and carried. "That this AGM learns with regret of the [unclear: suppsion] of the freedom of the press in Auckland University College and affirms that all student publications should be free from bodies outside the Students' Association."

The attitude of the student body received much publicity in the press.and this was partly responsible for the noted change in policy of the Auckland University Council.

John Child

No recent student function has caused so great a stir as the speech of John Child to the Otago University Students' Welcome Ceremony, last year. In contrast to the solidarity shown by the Auckland students during their row with the council the prevailing attitude at Otago was one of general apathy. Not only did the executive fail to give John Child the support that a president might expect, but they later dissociated themselves entirely from his action Salient could do little better than to give full, publicity and comments on the situation.

The following is reprinted from the issue of April 23. last year—

"It is a poor comment on the status of the OUSA when it is completely superseded in the democratic privilege of passing judgment on its own elected representative. Furthermore, it is unfortunate that the Executive of the OUSA should take such a gutless, apologetic attitude, smacking of the proverbial small boy who has broken a window. They have in fact, apparently deserted their own President.

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"John Child expressed certain immoral views. i.e., views inimical to the moral glasshouse of upright citizens and students. That these views were couched in such obviously ironic context has been overlooked by some, by others seen, but deplored as untimely or tactless, and by some accepted in a wholesome gulp, digested and excreted.

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"We suggest that the Executive of the OUSA take a more positive altitude towards the Council decisions, and that it maintain its democratic rights to manage its own affairs without peremptory, dictatorial usurpation by the College Council."