STUDENT SERVICE SIR,—The danger of inaccurate Press reporting is underlined
by the remarks of Mr. S. K. Ratcliffe concerning Bristol students. His opinions are based on a Press report in which veracity has been sacrificed for news value. It must first be made clear that students at the hall of residence concerned are not required to do household chores. Nor have they protested against the rumoured possibility of having to wash-up in the future. The protest they did make (and continue to make) is not directly concerned with housework at all ; the issue at stake is that of the high cost of residence at the university halls. It is popularly felt that the fees charged are not compatible with the services provided. That this feeling has become intensified is largely the fault of the university halls of residence committee, which has no student represen- tation and which has neglected to publish any account of expenditure and income for the university halls. In the absence of any contrary informa- tion, it is natural that students should believe that £101 for thirty weeks' residence is an excessive charge for this type of accommodation:
Your correspondent, in his ignorance of the situation here, has spoken scathingly of Bristol students. I can say that his remarks are entirely unjustified ; at the Students' Union general meeting (on which the Press reports were based), one student speaker took pains to emphasise that the Press should not interpret the protest as signifying objection to housework, but as an expression of dissatisfaction with the administration of halls, a view which was supported by all students present. I know, Sir, that Bristol students are not lazy and that they are prepared to do the household work if required ; but they do wish to ensure that student living conditions, already threatened by inadequate grants and the high cost of living, are not further depressed by the maladministration of the
halls of residence.—I am, Sir, yours faithfully, M. JOSEPHS. Bristol.
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