Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 2, March 16th, 1949.
Pithy
Pithy
The new year has, it seems, commenced with a bang. It must have been rather startling to the poor innocent freshers to find out the truth of the Socialist bogy in the College Camp. Yes, indeed.
But lest it should seem that all who are students are also members of the Socialist Club, I hasten to write this article. On looking over the description of "Victoria's Finest Hour," and on considering some of the actual facts of the demonstration. I cannot entirely agree with the conclusions arrived at. If we are to judge by the "Salient's" first issue, then it would seem that the procession day—"P. Day"—was a great day indeed. In fact, when I read that article I was so carried away by its eloquence that I made bold to suggest that the Stud. Ass. should have a motto of its own. After all "Sapientia magis auro desiderenda" is hardly applicable here; for judging by the actions which went to make Victoria's "finest hour." students who come here with both sapientia and auro, depart with neither. That was What made me suggest a new motto. "Why not," I said. "'In gloria, Victoria!'" Pretty good, eh? Neat, snappy, and. I think, pithy.
Eulogy
Yes "Operation Indonesia" certainly was a good show. It says much for the intelligence of students and watersiders that they are able to reach a conclusion at least a week before the United Nations—and furthermore, they did it without facts.
Where U.N. needed all the trappings of experts and their opinions, students and watersiders only needed their heads!. Wouldn't it! Of course, such of you as take-mathematics will be able to evaluate the chances of a correct judgment to be in the vicinity of 50 per cent. And, of course, U.N. could always be wrong.
The chief trouble with this Operation Indonesia business was that it set n precedent. Citizens began to look forward to Victoria's little bouts of recreation. Children began to tick off the days on the calendar before the next procession. And then after the successful capping procesh. of 48 it was too much to expect that the students could wait a whole year before their next procession.
Cerebration
I have tried to find the difference between the "No Conscription" procession of September 29th. and the capping procession in May. Of course the capping procession was composed only of students and excluded—quite undemocratically. I thought—such interested persons such as communists, watersiders and railwaymen. Furthermore, in the capping procesh, the literature was of a higher standard, and was sold to the public, and not distributed free, in pamphlet form. The capping procesh, was noisier—you know a Bigger and Better Show. Looked at in the light of utility. I would give full marks to the capping procesh. After all, it was openly admitted that it was advertising the students folly—the Extravaganza. But very few people realised that the second procession was advertising the students' other folly. Still as someone once said, "only 2 per cent, of us are stricken." On the whole though, both processions were happy, cheerful affairs, with streamers, flowers, wreathes, cops and whatnot.
And, do you know—I have quite changed my mind about that motto—"In gloria. Victoria." I think it would be better as "In gloria Victoria."