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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 20, No. 7. 30th May, 1957
We Protest
We Protest
A Special General Meeting of the Students Association was held on Thursday, May 2, to discuss banning the testing of nuclear weapons. Over 100 students were present and one member of the staff (all staff were invited).
The following motions were passed:—
- *That this house condemns all tests of nuclear weapons.
- *That this house condemns cooperation by New Zealand in the testing of nuclear weapons.
- *That a petition embodying these resolutions be drawn up, circulated among staff and students, and sent to the Prime Minister and the leader of the Opposition.
- *That the Executive take immediate steps to set up a staff-student committee to draw up and circularise a petition embodying the spirit of the motions passed this evening and those of the Auckland University College students' meeting. (See last issue of Salient.)
- *That the Executive be strongly recommended to organise a demonstration to express our deep concern in this matter.
The major arguments advanced were:—
- The danger of the tests: Clearly scientists disagree over the degree of danger from radioactive fallout; some hold that it is considerable. Tests should therefore be discontinued at least until it be authoritatively and conclusively shown that there is no danger.
- The question is a humanitarian rather than a political one. A world war in which nuclear weapons are used will mean wholesale destruction of millions and horrible mental and physical deformities for survivors and their descendants. This concerns us as human beings and thus in a wider sense than as members of specific political and ideological groups. Therefore, we should do all we can to prevent such a war and to promote world wide disarmament of nuclear weapons.
- From a political point of view, if countries cannot agree to disarm together then some power must begin. If Britain gave up nuclear weapons, as she had the opportunity to do, instead of actually spreading them among smaller powers, others would very likely follow suit. Anyway, the prospect of Communist (or other) domination is not as catastrophic as annihilation in a nuclear war—or survival from one.
- The fight of protest against a government's policies in inherent in belonging to a democracy. In a matter such as this we should make full use of this right; it was with this in view that the meeting passed the last motions.
It is the duty of the Exec. to put into [unclear: ecect] the motions passed at an S.G.M., which is representation of the whole student body. It is the duty of those opposed to a policy as much as it is the duty of those in favour of it., to attend an S.G.M. Anyone not present therefore forfeits his right to protest against the Student Association's policy in that mtter. It is the responsibility of the Executive to organise a demonstration and to ensure that this protest is an effective one.
—J.R.S.