NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY LIBRARY No. 753 Thursday, 20th November, 1986 Price 15p V NOT TO BE _ _ J | H C0Uk i£ R H NEWCASTLE UNIVERSITY STUDENTS NEWSPAPER Transport Minister, David Mitchell, faced severe criticism from students over the effects of deregulation on bus services in Smoking Newcastle, when he visited the Union last week. Secretary of the Labour Club, Darren Murphy (centre) called his visit to the Ban to be blood donor unit following the tragedy of the Scotswood Road bus crash a “ publicity stunt” . Extended in Union Following a General Meeting last week, smoking could soon be banned in many parts of the union. In the vaguely radical but percep­ tibly smoky atmosphere in the Debating Chamber last Thursday, victory was claimed by the non- smokers. Philip Matthews and Richard Cor- rigall (both Medicine) proposed a motion to ban smoking on Levels 2 and 6 between 8.30 am and 7.00 pm and in the Debating Chamber and Airport Lounge at all hours. Initial arguments revolved around the resentment felt by non-smokers subjected to a smoky environment. It was estimated that 1,000 people die of passive smoking a year whilst 2,000 die from fires ■ started by cigarettes. An amendment was introduced in which it was argued that the Third World was suffering in terms of health, economy and deforestation due to the tobacco industry, and therefore cigarette sales should be banned from the Union. Eilish Kavanagh (Sabbatical Treasurer), while accepting the su­ perior morality of this argument, demonstrated that the Union could not afford to lose the £3,000 revenue from tobacco sales. To murmurs of “ well in an ideal world, but. ."the amendment died. And so the debate returned to the question of extending No-Smoking areas in the union. The final vote resulted in a % majority for the anti-smokers. It may be some time before these proposals can be put into practice. They will now be referred to Union Council. If they approve them with a % majority a Constitutional General Meeting will then need to be called before the Union's smokers must indulge in a sharp intake of breath. Dominic Nutt PRIZES Tickets for the ‘Grand Christmas A marchDEMO by North East students to local Tory offices last ■reiterated this, using the FLOPevi­ polytechnic and then march Government’s commitment to Draw* organised by the Union Soc­ week should have been a major demonstration of dence of other countries cur­ through the city to Conservative Higher Education. iety are now on sale. rently using a loans system. He Party offices in Jesmond. A massive list of valuable and opposition to student loans. urged students to “Write to your Several days later he told varied prizes, from trips to Paris and But the region’s universities, colleges and polytechnics Here, the beating of drums M.P.; Protest and Survive." Courier that although he hadn’t Amsterdam, to bottles of spirits and shouts of “Maggie Maggie could rouse only 500 demonstrators, under 100 from this yet studied the charters in depth, await the lucky ticket holders. Ruth Briel, Union President, Maggie, Out Out Out” brought university. he would be contacting Educa­ Buy your tickets from Level 2 and drew attention to the abolition Tory Party Agent, Victor Burge Level 4, Monday—Friday at 1.00 pm Three speakers shouted at a scheme", which, he believed, tion Secretary, Kenneth Baker of Housing Benefit for students to the door. and watch out for tickets in Halls and dwindling audience outside the was part of a systematic attack and passing them on. the Library. Anyone interested in Union last Wednesday lunch- on the university system andin halls, which has already cut individual bank balances by President of Newcastle selling tickets, to aid the Southern time. - would have the effect of exclud- Meanwhile, for those whc African Scholarship Fund should hundreds of pounds per year.Polytechnic Students’ Union, Phil Powrie from the Associa- ing the access of working class, didn’t attend the march, bui contact Eilish Kavanagh, Level 6. tion of University Teachers de- female and mature students Such measures “have made us Derek King, presented him with despondent,” she said. 5,000 charters from the students would like to voice their opposi­ scribed the Government’s plans from higher education, tion to loans, copies of the as a “shoddy and inadequate Rob Mifishull from N.U.S. of the North East demanding the AIDS The despondency on Wednes­ rights of all young people to charter and letters to send to day was evident in the absence work, training, or education. M.P.’s are available from the A group of students in the Univer­ of protestors. Only eighty were General Office on Level 6. The sity are carrying out a survey to find angry enough to join the rally In return Mr. Burge handed Union will pay the postage. out how much people actually know Chris Holt about AIDS. with other students at the over 2 leaflets explaining the W e would be very grateful for all co-operation in filling in the surveys, which will be carried out this week. COURIER SUBSCRIPTION DRAW 422 wins - £5 worth of Jewellery donated by Tlllymlnt. Queen's Square. 314 wins - Dinner for 2 (value £10) donated by Joe Rlgatonles Restaurant and Bar, St. Mary's Place East. COURIER 289 wins — Lunch for 2 donated by Luckies Corner Bar, St. Mary's Place. STAFF MEETING 398 wins — 2 Bottles of Cider donated t>V Convenient Kandola, 16 Mistletoe Road, Jesmond. 384 wins — 2 free tickets donated by ABC Cinema. 3 pm Today 456 wins — 2 free tickets to a Union Event. 327 wins — Bottle of Wine donated by Grants of St. James. COURIER OFFICE 482 wins - £5 worth of clothing donated by Thrift, Handyslde Arcade. 472 wins - voucher value £5 - Kard Bar or Arcadia X-Army, off Percy St. before 31/12/86. Open to all Collect Prizes/Tickets by 21/11/86. NEWCASTLE'S ONLY POSTER SHOP AND THE ONLY POSTER SHOP IN THE WORLD WITH OVER 6000 TITLES IN STOCK, POP, ROCK, ART, HUMOR, All this and lots Arcadia BIKES, ETC. SCARVES £1.30. Over 2000 sew on patches 50p to £2.50. More only 250 metres Different GREETINGS CARDS without Greetings. 3000 BADGES 20p to from this Union OFF PERCY STREET £1.00 also badge making service. STUDDED LEATHERWEAR. VIDEOS, PIN Six Days 10.00 a.m. to 5.30 p.m. KARD BAR BALLS, T-SHIRTS. VIZ COMICS. 2 COURIER Thursday, 20th November, 1986 COURIER Student Stole Deregulation Mangoes and Trout Bus Chaos A Newcastle student recently escaped a prison sentence after being caught shoplifting for the second time. Whing Chung Lui was caught stealing a bottle Slammed of brandy, three mangoes and a trout from Prestos at the Gateshead Interchange Centre. “ Pig-headed and ignorant” is Union President Ruth Briel’s appraisal of The Judge, Assistant Recorder eat the food and sell the brandy as he Transport Minister David Mitchell. John Deguise Walford, was per­ was teetotal. Ruth's stinging swipe was pro­ about deregulation. suaded to give Whing a second Awarding a twelve month prison voked by the Minister's handling of "Deregulation is the govern­ chance after hearing that, though he sentence, suspended for two years. criticism concerning the recent de­ ment’s heavy-handed way of cutting was in breach of another suspended Judge Walford heard that Whing's regulation of bus-services. The cri­ subsidies to local authorities. The sentence, he had been in serious financial difficulties had been allevi­ ticisms were levelled at him during results have been nightmarish, both financial difficulties and was only ated and that his studies were his visit to the University last week for administrations and the public. I stealing ‘the necessities of life'. The proceeding well. to thank the blood-donor service for couldn’t tell you exactly how many court heard that Whing planned to Richard Leeming its efforts in the aftermath of the complaints we’ve received since D- Scotswood Road bus tragedy. Day, but it’s an awful lot. Ruth told the chauffeur-driven Minister that since deregulation, ' “ Erratic services and long queues City Boost to S.A.S. bus-services used by students have were inevitable after such a dramatic change of practice and it may take The Southern African Scholarship fund was bumped up to a whacking £8,000 become erratic. She expressed par­ some time for the new system to this week when Newcastle City CouncH pledged to donate £3,000. ticular concern over the services “ bed down". The transfare system In addition Union Treasurer Eil- from Fenham and Heaton - particu­ too is under severe strain, and a lot ish Kavanagh is hoping to raise a larly Henderson Hall - pointing out Tickets for the Grand Christmas of concessionary fares have had to further £5,000 in the newly launched that services from these areas are Draw, the proceeds of which will go be scrapped. Grand Christmas Draw. now infrequent and unreliable. to the S.A.S. fund, are now .avail­ Mr. Mitchell said deregulation The City Council’s donation able from Level 6. Among the range "W e've had problems with the would eventually make bus services staff too. A lot of drivers are very which has yet to be officially con­ of prizes are a flight for 2 to Paris, a firmed, takes the S.A.S. total to more efficient, and soon minibuses upset about the loss of several trip for 2 to Amsterdam and a mini could be expected to fill gaps in the over half the £15,000 target.