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Salient. Victoria University of Wellington Students' Newspaper. Vol. 32, No. 20. September 4, 1969

Our Incredible Society

page 3

Our Incredible Society

No much radical action is eminate from the Radical Activist conference that wouldn't have happened at any rate without the conference.

One thing which the congress did help to demonstrate however was the designing way the Great Kiwi newspaper goes about the collection of "news" when the subjects for investigation can be viewed through comme-pink spectacles.

In classic "weight at the top" style the Otago Daily Times, August 19, commenced its report with the news that "in a panel discussion the congress was told self-interest governed direct action . by trade unions, 'ultra-leftist' action often defeated its object, and possibly the left had not been subversive enough."

In a tone somewhat reminiscent of the casual exasperation of a parent with a troublesome child the NZPA representative at the congress was able to make events which were capable of intelligible interpretation sound like the irresponsible burblings from a camp of delinquents.

Indeed the obviously satiric comments of Cock editor Chris Wheeler on the need for action and the fun making forms it should take — blowing up Waitangi flagpoles and all-out confrontations with Law, Order and Respectability — obviously fell like manna from eaven into the establishment Press.

The Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune of the same date triumphantly black-typed Wheeler's Waitangi flagpole call to arms leaving possibly mystified readers with the impression that Waitangi and its inexhaustable supply of bomb-worthy flagpoles and that ipso facto a revolutionary Red Dawn was just around the corner if Hawke's Bay bumpkins didn't immediately rally with a shower of letters-to-the-editor.

It is a compliment perhaps to the efficiency of NZPA that it can get identical reports published all around the country — one other newspaper at least, the Herald, ran the congress story — but the same efficiency bears inclinations of the sort of 1984 society awaiting New Zealand if the Kiwi propaganda machine can't break out of the Orwellian world at present being constructed for us by the Keith Holyoake, Brigadier Gilbert, and Hamilton Mitchells of our incrediable society.

Star

N.Z.S.P.A. took a beating at its meeting in Dunedin.

The report of the president, Mr A. Jaques, was received "with disapproval." The whole concept of the organisation was re-vamped and the present news service was abandoned.

A correspondent will be appointed at each university. This action alone cuts the annual levy from constituents nearly $60 in some cases.

Salient's Roger Wilde nominated Mike Meek, the former Critic Editor for president for 1970. Waikato's P. Fletcher was elected vice-president.

* * *

Focus will have a full-time Editor for 1970. An honorarium of $100 will be paid for each of the six issues.

A decision on the advisability of monthly publications will be made next year.

Star

A section of the Radical Student Activists (RSA) Conference held in Dunedin over the holidays.

A section of the Radical Student Activists (RSA) Conference held in Dunedin over the holidays.

About 80 students travelled from all over New Zealand to join over 2000 other students in Dunedin for Arts Festival.

One of the speakers was Wellington trade unionist Ken Findlay (pictured left).