Apology For Manners (Press, 7 September 1974)
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Summary: Apology For Manners (Press, 7 September 1974)
On 7 September 1974, the Interact conference in New Plymouth saw young delegates criticized for their lack of manners by the guest speaker, Miss Patricia Bartlett. Addressing the issue of censorship, Miss Bartlett noted that the conference featured unusually rude behaviour from the participants, including noisy shuffling and murmuring that distracted from her speech. She expressed her dissatisfaction, stating that if these were among the top young New Zealanders, she was "not impressed." When she asked the audience if they wanted her to continue speaking, there was no response, prompting her to request that they listen politely. Following this appeal, the delegates became quiet and remained attentive for the remainder of her address, which concluded with resounding applause. Mr G. McAlpine, the conference chairman, later apologised for the delegates' conduct, acknowledging that the criticism was justified. During a question-and-answer session, one delegate remarked to Miss Bartlett that he believed it was inappropriate for anyone to impose moral standards on others, also suggesting that she was not as harsh as some critics had portrayed her. In her address, Miss Bartlett challenged the notion that a vocal minority, advocating for the legalisation of pornography, had the right to dictate standards for the general population. She argued that authority has the responsibility to protect citizens from material that could be harmful to the public good. Additionally, she remarked on the composition of the Indecent Publications Tribunal, describing it as predominantly liberal and permissive. Miss Bartlett called for reforms, suggesting that no member of the tribunal should serve for more than three years, as she believed those on the tribunal were out of touch with the average New Zealander.
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