Students To Unite In Airing Grievances (Press, 19 April 1965)

At the Easter conference in Christchurch, held over the weekend of 19 April 1965, the council of the New Zealand University Students’ Association decided on the necessity of presenting a united front to address student grievances. The council resolved to set priorities and organise national petitions to effectively represent students' interests. This decision stemmed from remarks made by delegate Mr A. Taylor from Victoria University, who highlighted the support received from the watersiders' union for students in their fight for educational freedom. He claimed that they had already accomplished the boycott’s objectives and intended to maintain public awareness on these issues. Mr Taylor expressed concerns that the lack of consensus among universities regarding priorities left them vulnerable to government criticism and highlighted the association's failures to adequately advocate for student bursaries, stating they should have represented universities in a more unified manner. The council discussed potential strategies for advocacy, which included holding a seminar to refresh the Parry report, possibly setting up a conference focused on educational development, and applying continuous pressure on the government for progress. In addition to educational issues, the council adopted resolutions on other social matters. They advocated for the decriminalisation of abortion, suggesting it should be treated as a normal surgical procedure rather than an illegal act. They also called for the legalisation of homosexual acts between consenting adult males in private. The council recommended extending public bar closing times to 10 p.m. Concerns regarding the preservation of prehistoric Maori sites were raised, with the council deciding to urge the government to ensure that construction projects, particularly in sites like Turangi and along the Wanganui river, incorporated archaeological considerations. They recommended employing professional archaeologists to adequately investigate threatened sites before any construction commenced. The council showed support for initiatives by the New Zealand Archaeological Association and the New Zealand Historic Places Trust to identify important sites for preservation. Several remits passed at the conference were informed by discussions from a recent students’ congress at Curious Cove. Notably, the council also decided to separate the New Zealand universities' winter tournament from the arts festival, with plans for the arts festival to occur in the first week of the August holidays, starting in 1966. Proposed venues for future events include Otago and Victoria for the winter tournament and Massey and Canterbury for the arts festival, with Auckland scheduling for the winter tournament as well. Overall, this conference signified a proactive approach by the students’ association in tackling various pertinent issues facing students and advocating for social change within New Zealand society.

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