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" Midnight on Tuesday last week saw the career of Kevin O'Brien, president of the Association since the Mad Ides of March in 1948, grind to an unexpected halt. Over those years and the years before, he had been a leading personality in many VUC fields: he had risen through Debating and other committee positions to the Executive; from secretary to President; he had been a rep and an Executive member on NZUSA: he was in and around the Building Appeal: he was appointed last year as student representative on the College Council.
On Thursday night last week, the gauntlet of his resignation was flung on the Executive table ... it was picked up.
When the "Red Dean" (the Very Rev. Dr. Hewlett Johnson) sallied forth from his Canterbury Deanery to take up the cudgels in the cause of world peace, little did he dream that the ripples would hit VUC as waves large enough to cause a Presidential resignation.
On Monday night, April 17, the Students' Association decided, on the motion of L. B. Piper (seconded by C. Pottinger), to investigate the possibility of inviting Dr. Hewlett Johnson to speak at the College during his possible sojourn in Wellington next month. Mr. O'Brien raised some small objection in the normal course of discussion, but did not even go so far as to have his dissent recorded. The majority of the Exec, both in their discussion and in their support for the motion, showed that they considered it to be in the true tradition of VUC to accord to such a prominent personality facility to address students on an issue which air of them must have opinions. Some of the Exec. probably didn't agree with the opinions of the Dean; but they saw no reason to exclude him just because they didn't necessarily agree with him. Unaware of the waves rising about them, the Exec. passed from the motion to other business.
The clouds darkened the next day when a letter was received by the Secretary to the Association—Neil Mountier—from the President. This missive contained his resignation from office, to take effect as from midnight on Tuesday. The reasons for his resignation were that, while he felt "the good to be strived for was peace," it was certainly not "peace at any price" such as "this man" was proposing. He saw in the visit of the Dean "part of a world play to play on people's feelings" which involved "mental, moral and spiritual submission"
The Executive held a special meeting on the evening of Thursday, April 20, to discuss the letter. The meeting aroused more than usual interest, most of the College groups being represented there in the gallery. With Vice-President Tom Heath in the Chair, the meeting heard the letter being read first: Mr. Heath stated then that he had information which would change the issue. This was that the chances of the Dean coming were now lessened owing to his fatigue on the Australian tour. Mr. Heath moved—and Vance Henderson seconded pro forma—that under the circumstances the resignation be not accepted. Chris Pottinger opined that as personalities and other private line would be dragged out of the cupboard, the meeting should go into committee. The Executive agreed.
Fifteen minutes later they emerged from committee, and the motion was now put and lost. The Executive, still apparently considering the matter one of principle, refused to admit that the changed circumstances would alter the case: they refused to have the majority opinion of the Executive altered in order to retain the President. Neil Mountier moved, Alison Pearce seconded, that the resignation be accepted. The motion was carried.
Almost immediately, on an open ballot, Alison Pearce, Women's Vice-President, was elected President by a majority of 6 to 3 over the other nominee, Tom Heath.
It was decided to retain the ex-President's services on the Finance Committee, where his experience would have been a loss. This was in accord with the offer made in his letter. The new President is now Extrav Organiser, and Mr. Health delegate to the Council Phys. Ed, Committee.
The ripples started some thousands of miles away had rocked the boat hard. One man had gone overboard.
This is the wording of the Executive motion which caused it all:—
"That the Students' Association inquire into the possibility of inviting Dr. Johnson, the Dean of Canterbury, to speak to the students, and to have Sir Thomas Hunter as chairman if possible."
Please note:—
Not "request the attendance of," but "inquire into the possibility of."
There is a marked difference. The misrepresentation of the Executive motion is obvious.
The boat had been rocked bard. But on Sunday night, amid the flurries of a southerly, it looked as though the lull had broken, and the storm was veering around to another direction.
There were enough people at an Extrav. rehearsal to requisition a Special General Meeting to censure the Executive for its "ill-advised action."' The Executive headed by its new President, was heading for stormy waters.
The terms of the motion were as follows:—
"That this Association severely censures the Executive for its ill-advised action in requesting the attendance of the Dean of Canterbury without first consulting the wishes of the student body."
It will now be necessary for the Executive to meet and fix a date for the Special Meeting. This is not going to be easy, because Extrav. rehearsals, Process, preparations, Undergrads Supper and the Ball are all looming on the horizon.
Its task in facing a Special Meeting will be made no easier by the amount of sensational publicity which has been given to the question outside the College. So many side issues have already been roped in that it is going to be difficult to have the question debated on its own merits.
As we go to press, no date has been fixed, but it will probably be either late this week or early next week—to get it over before the holidays. The main worry of the Executive will be to defeat the almost inevitable conclusion that they are "Communists." For a liberal group, it is a difficult situation. If the usual red herrings are dragged in, then it will be hard to demonstrate that it is possible to hear views without committing oneself to agree with them. Students at a university should be capable of seeing that point of view if the issue is not clouded for them.
Another question which the Executive has to settle is whether the motion is tantamount to one of no confidence: the movers of the motion may not have framed it as one, but the Executive could well regard a motion of "severe censure" as casting such doubt on their ability to act, that they could refuse to carry on.
In such a situation, the Association would then be faced with another period of uncertainty—for
New President Alison Peace is faced with a stormy future; one which, as she and her Executive might well argue, seems to be largely complicated by sensationalism and misunderstanding.
No woman has ever been elected to the position of President of the Association so far as we know.
Previously, two women have filled the position, both taking over from elected men presidents when they left during the war. These were Durie Maysmoor and Pixie Higgins.
There is, of course, no reason why a woman shouldn't be elected to the job if she is better suited than any other candidate: we haven't been able to find out offhand whether any women have stood yet and been defeated. It seems rather a pity that, with the number of women there are at VUC, no women has been elected: maybe this will be precedent enough to bring this about.
Alison Pearce, new President; of the Victoria College Students' Association, has been in and around VUC since 1944. Finishing her BA in 1946, she went over to L.I.B. of which she is at present doing the last two subjects: she has been admitted to the bar.
She is on the Committees of ISS, the Debating Club (she is vice-president, and has been since 1949), the Tramping Club and the Women's Common Room Committee. She is a member of the Glee Club and the Swimming Club, and has been behind Extrav. since 1945.
First an Executive member in the Caretaker Executive after the revolution in 1948, she was re-elected in the 1948 elections, and was elected Women's vice-president in 1949.
Her age is something she prefers not to mention, but we gather that, though she seems to be ashamed of it, she isn't as aged as the length of her experience at VUC might indicate.
As the College shuts on the afternoon of the last day of term, and as Extrav. rehearsals and other commitments make it harder to bring an Issue out then, "Salient" will not appear next week—the last week of term.
There would be only one day to sell "Salient" in next week, and wo don't think it worth while.
The next issue will, therefore, appear in the first week after the vacation.
Between now and then, Extrav. will be on. Don't forget it.
When President K. B. O'Brien resigned, he must have known that many of the reasons given in his letter of resignation were off the mark so far as the rest of the Executive were concerned.
It is so fatally easy for the ordinary student—who takes an interest in such things only when they are brought to his notice in a startling fashion—to assume that this is a case of "the man of principle" being forced by a "Communist dominated executive" to resign to get away from it all.
We don't suggest for a moment that the ex-president didn't resign on what he considered principle: he did not feel strongly enough about it at the original meeting even to have his dissent recorded, but we suppose that he felt the Executive erred in not holding his view. But it would be lamentable if the students then proceeded to assume—as the movers of the motion to be raised at the SGM must have known they would assume—that the Executive was "Red." The fact is that most of the present Executive are people who, rightly or wrongly, would probably feel themselves hurt to be called Communist.
A lot of straight thinking is going to be necessary at the meeting: so many side issues have already grown round it.
The main questions are, first whether the Executive had the right to take the action it did, and second, whether their motives in so doing were justified.
We can only presume that the Executive did students the justice to consider that they would be interested to hear the Dean, even if they didn't agree with his views, necessarily. The issues with which he is concerned are extremely live ones, and it would be tragic if students wanted to hear only people whose views they liked. The Executive has been censured for "lending the name of the College to one with whose views the majority are not necessarily in agreement," to summarise one if its opponents. This is quite silly; Salient lends its name to views with which neither its editor nor the majority of its readers may agree. Every association at some time will invite along a speaker with whom its members will disagree. Surely the Executive is not committed to a policy of supporting anyone, because they invite him here to speak? Too many facile assumptions are being made as to what the "majority of the students" in this place like or don't like. The Executive was quite justified in taking the action it did, and it is entitled to have its actions examined on reasonable grounds. In fact, since the present policy of the Association as expressed at AGM's is interested in such issues, the Executive can well argue that it was only pursuing Association policy in asking the Dean up here to discuss them.
Nothing will do more damage to "the good name of the college" than a repetition of the
Following the decision made last night by the Executive to inquire into and if possible inviting the Very Rev. the Dean of Canterbury to lecture under the Association's auspices, I must tender my resignation as President of the Association to take effect as from midnight tonight. This time is selected in order not to inconvenience the running of tonight's staff-student function in any way.
I view such an invitation as necessarily implying sponsorship by the inviting body. This to me presumes acceptance of the man's views, or, of him as a person possessing wide general appeal to students as such whom they have no alternative opportunity of hearing. To me the latter is not applicable in this case for the reasons later discussed and because he can be heard otherwise, while I cannot, associate myself officially with an organisation sponsoring their particular views in this fashion. I consider that executive members must act as trustees of the interests and good names of Association members in such matters. I further consider that the majority of those who elected me would be opposed to the invitation on the grounds set out. In addition it is liable to cause friction about the Executive giving the name of the whole Association to an action liable to weaken it by splitting when cooperation between all sections still needs so much to be built Up.
I consider that our members would be opposed to the invitation to the Dean as he is likely to use it to propagate his and a few other's peculiar views about peace. These views are well known to all who can read, and it is hard to see what new knowledge could be gained by listening to such a lecture. They are based on absolute mental, moral, and political submission to a structure of society which I am sure is opposed by the majority of our members. I consider that the Association's members do not, at least the majority of them, support such an idea of "peace at any price" even though they may be prepared to hold and should do so that peace is the good to be striven for. Nor I feel are most students of the College disposed to regard as warmongers those whom the Dean so regards. Rather are they likely to hold the contrary opinion.
These remarks are set out
My impression of the Executive action was that a section was supporting the idea as part of a carefully worked out world plan to play on peoples feelings in a distorted fashion for propaganda purposes, while the other section in support seemed to feel it was a bright idea so let's do it without considering its effect inside or outside the Association. This latter attitude strikes me as most irresponsible. I consider the matter as of great importance and consequently needing very careful consideration.
Personally I have tried to work for the Association in spite of decisions to which I am opposed in principie, but I feel this latest action makes it impossible for me to do so any longer. To appear to countenance this decision seems to involve any often expressed attitude about the province of Association affairs, and consequently my duty is to the members who elected me, as well as my personal point of ivew on these matters. It would have been a matter of satisfaction to complete a term of office which has been marked by some successes in student interests, but the other issues involved appear to outweigh points of personal satisfaction.
My resignation, I think, involves my membership of the Physical Education Committee of the Council and the position of Extravaganza Organiser. I am prepared to continue in these while required, but I feel the Executive should be given the chance to consider them so I place these positions in the Executives' hands. I feel an Extrav. organiser needs full Executive authority and I would be happy to act as assistant or deputy to anyone appointed. My withdrawal would not jeopardise the show as the organisation is well under way and merely needs supervision coupled with the dealing with emergencies.
Of course positions on Executive sub-committees are automatically vacated, and I expect that such offices as the new committee set up last night are more of a personal nature. I will also be happy to assist with the redrafting of the Constitution to provide for a Treasurer.
These ajustments will I feel result in the minimum of dislocation and that is the important matter.
On Friday, April 21, some 60 students heard 20 speakers debate "that Communist teachers should be excluded from the University." Mr. C. H. Arndt, a past-president of the Debating Society, judged the speakers and placed the first eight in the following order: 1. Mr. Newenham; 2. Mr. Garrett; 3. Mr. Bollinger; 4. Mr. Maclntyre; 5. Mrs. Garrett; 6. Mr. M. O'Brien; 7. Equal, Messrs. Harris and Sutherland. The motion was lost by 5-41.
Mr. Trudgeon defined Communists as members of the Party only, and said that he thought he would keep the discussion on the academic level. "Freedom of thought was being violated by the Communists, so they must be excluded from the University. A teacher must be free to inquire, but doctrine would limit the academic freedom of a communist professor. Communists were committed to a policy of revolution" (Goddard: "So is a bicycle wheel").
Mr. Garrett also chose the academic level; "criticisms, even heresy, are essential to the testing of truths which is the purpose of a university." Einstein overthrew the whole basis of orthodox physics, but the orthodox scientists did not therefore expel him. Ideas must be allowed to stand on their own merits. Both the University and the society in general depend on criticism for the correction of faults. Minorities must be allowed to express their opinion (Curtin: "Hear, hear!") It was once sufficient excuse for exclusion that the person was a woman—it was now nothing strange when we had a woman president.
Mr. Mutch sought to exclude the Communists as teachers only. "A Communist is a dogmatist, as must therefore be excluded." In wartime, we have Emergency Regulations: the Communists are here so dangerous that they constitute a national menace, so must be dealt witth accordingly." (Bollinger: "That's how Hitler started.").
Mrs. Garrett: "Exclusion is persecution, and persecution has alarming effects. If, as the affirmative declared, Communists relied on force, persecution justified that reliance. Those excluded became bitter." (O'Brien: "Like a person in a mental asylum"; Mrs. Garrett: "a suitable place for the interjector.") This would cause revolt, not prevent it.
Mr. Maclntyre would have liked to exclude Communists but was not quite sure it would be just.
Mr. Goddard: "The affirmative urge that the University be publicly raped, and prostituted to the base designs of clerical obscuritanism and to the greedy and evil purposes of big business."
Mr. Newenham was amazed that we should wish to stifle free inquiry here, as he alleged was the case in Eastery Europe. "You can mix paints as long as you like but you can't make white with two blacks."
Mr. Cook quoted the sad case of Alger Hiss- Dean Acheson did "not intend to turn my back on Alger Hiss."
Mr. Harris: "Both sides must be allowed to run the gauntlet of open discussion."
Mr. Sutherland: "If you suppress what you like, you have not a university but a School of indoctrination."
Mr. Bollinger wanted to know how the authorities were going to distinguish between Communists and fellow-travellers—pinch their satchels?
Mr. Curtin split hairs to show why Communists should be excluded but why they could not be excluded. He gave the affirmative a case.
Mr. Jennings wasn't sure.
Mr. Foy almost convinced us that Communist teachers were so convincing that in the interests of capitalist society they must be excluded.
Mr. Riddett: "Bloody Mary" persecuted the Protestants; following Mary (Curtin: "Little lamb"): Shelly was expelled for atheism but he died a confirmed (Bollinger: "alcoholic").
Mr. Werry also emphasized the strengthening effect of persecution.
Miss Foden didn't like rabbits—especially communist ones.
Mr. M. O'Brien extended academic freedom to include advocates of murder. Communism was murder of society.
Mr Robinson: "Exclusion is only dogmatism from the other side."
Mr. Williams saw no danger to New Zealand in the Communist Party. Was Mr. Curtin going to purge Marx from the Library too?
After the debate the meeting passed two motions, both by acclamation; one thanking Mr. Kevin O'Brien for his work in the Society and in the Students Association; the other congratulating Miss Alison Pearce on her election to the presidency of the Association.
The next debate. "That the Church exercises the greatest influence for good in our society", will be held on Friday June 2.
The annual meeting or the Drama Club was held on April20.
No financial statement was made—this unusual situation arose because all the accounts for "Coriolanus" were not yet to hand. Discussion ranged around the work of the next year, and it was noted that activities would include an entry to Winter Tournament, a play-writing competition. One Act Play evenings, miscellaneous readings, and a study weekend.
The Club will welcome suggestions for plays to be read or performed, and so that, if you're interested, you can get in touch with (he Club, the members of its executive for the earning year are given below:—
Patron: Mr. James Bertram. Vice-Patrons: Mr. Ralph Hogg, Mr. Mike Benge.President: Bill Sheat.Vice-Presidents: Audrey Cook, Chris Pottinger.Secretary: Tony Keesing.Committee: Maureen Ross-Smith, Betty James, Paul Treadwell, Paul Cotton.
After the discussion in Salient columns on the question of a Student Bookshop, we were glad to get this letter from John Hogan, the Managing Director of Technical Books.
Technical Books have been advertisers in Salient for some time, and students must provide a fair number of the firm's clientele. The remarks he makes—though they are not those of a student—are very acceptable as they give the other side of the story. He says—
"I have been interested in the correspondence in your columns concerning this proposal. The idea Is not, of course, a new one—it is indeed a perennial that crops up almost every year and in almost every University College.
"A.W.C. correctly states some of the booksellers' problems in giving adequate and satisfactory service to students. However, we are happy to be able to give a definite assurance on three points raised by him:—
"In point of fact, the greatest single difficulty that the booksellers have bad to contend with in providing for the textbook requirement for students has been the uncertainty caused by a curious tendency on the part of the faculty to change the set textbooks at short notice. Many booksellers have had their fingers badly burned as a result of landing stocks of textbooks only to find that they were no longer required, and virtually unsaleable.
"We understand that this problem is now being fairly recognised and dealt with by professorial staff and that in many cases they are prepared to give an assurance that textbooks will not be changed without six or 12 months notice so that booksellers can order with reasonable confidence.
"A further problem arises if orders are distributed between a number of booksellers or if individual students, for fear of not getting books they want, place orders for the same books with several different booksellers. Under these circumstances, someone is going to be left with unsaleable stock, or alternatively, everyone is going to order too cautiously and supplies will be inadequate. This problem, too, is quite capable of solution by proper co-operation between students, their associations and the booksellers concerned.
"The possibility of orders for textbooks being placed with an importing bookseller by the Students Association itself in return for a favourable discount for a bulk order is also frequently discussed. The dis-advantage of this approach is that there has never yet been a Students Association prepared to take responsibility for a specific quantity order and for payment within a specified period.
"Now that supplies of moat important books can be readily obtained and there is little occasion for specifying unprocurable books, there is no reason why students should not be assured of all' they require in future. All the bookseller wants is:
Ageing, observant novelist Somer- set Maugham was honoured in "Quartet" not only by the fact that he was allowed to wisecrack his verbal champagne on the bows of the story, but by the treatment accorded, these four short vignettes. The full treatment—a battery of four extremely competent and imaginative producers, a cast scintillating if not star studded, a faithful adherence to the spirit and manner of the original stories—was given the film: and it succeeded.
Only objection: that after having seen both Paisa and Shoeshine within a couple of weeks before this British effort Which laid the New York critics in admiring rows along the Broadway aisles, the film had an inevitable and somewhat unsatisfying staginess. This may be due quite as much to novelist Maugham's choice of settings, his accurately documented observation of the relevant minor material to illumine the lives of his characters.
In this the four directors certainly did the old boy proud. Every little gesture, every article lying carelessly on the tables or decorating the walls was made to tell, without obvious verbal embellishment. The directors turn in a workmanlike job, dispensing in a pleasing manner with angles for angles' sake (except in the opening cell scene in "The Kite"). And with the directors were the cast—everyone of them counting, right down to the two-line bit player who stayed with us only for a couple of feet of film. True to the spirit of a novelist whose interest is a predominantly in conventional people in pretty conventional situations, the cast were largely typed: but few of them were in a rut. Maugham relies on the accuracy of his backgrounds rather than the behaviour of his people for realism, and the result was that the characters were pretty stereotyped. Chief exception was Herbert, in "The Kite," who, with the best of the four stories and the meatiest of the less conventional parts to put over, almost convinced that he must in real life be just such a narrow, suburban, unintelligent type. But in a part where he could so easily have fallen into a comic, he made the obsession credible, somehow tragic. The allegory which diffidently lingers just behind much of Maugham's reminiscing came out most strongly in this story of the boy whose only lift from the humdrum prosaic round of existence was at the end of his kite string. Made a rounded person in the background of the obnoxiously ordinary suburban villa and his nearly shrewish mother, Herbert in the "Century of the Common Man" may have been an allegory which the novelist didn't intend.
"The Colonel's Lady" was next in order (last on the bill) and next in merit. No anti-climax to the peak of the film, it had much of the paradoxical pungency combined with conventionalism which soaked through most of the Quartet. The more verbose, active Colonel Peregrine was out-acted by his silent static wife, but stayed a credible if stock character nevertheless. The O. Henry flick at the tail of the story should have brought tender tears to the eyes: it didn't, but the fault is rather in the
Of the other two stories there is leas to be said. The first is a flippant amusing little piece of the kind which suited Radford and Wayne. Fortunately it was lifted above the average by Mai Zatterling—also a flippant, amusing little piece whose over-exposure (nothing to do with camera at that) added much to the verve of the opening. The de Maupassant ending was well done. The second story was very well done by the main character—George the would-be pianist—but, however well acted it was, and though the cast and director were fully perceptive, Maugham is perhaps too superficial to get tragedy; it stays cynical, sad, but not tragic.
Quartet is well harmonised: the stories blend well, the actors and directors and the sets are without discord. It's an excellent film, but Maugham is definitely in the "light orchestral" range.
Athletic Club, Men's Basketball, Defence Rifles, Women's Basketball, Women's Indoor. Basketball, Association Football, Harriers, Women's Hockey, Miniature Rifles, Rowing, Rugby, Swimming, Swords, Table Tennis are all supporting and taking an active interest in a body which brings together to iron our differences.
We admit that we were surprised at the imposing array of clubs, but we were extremely heartened to see that sports clubs are doing what they can to help themselves. It shows that at last the apathy which has enveloped VUC is lifting.
That the first meeting of the Sports Council should accomplish as much as it did is astonishing.
On Tuesday, April 18, 14 clubs were represented, and one apologised. A chairman was elected and also a secretary to hold posts until the Council is officially recognised by the Exec.—when all the officials will be chosen.
A constitution was outlined and accepted; this will be sent to the Exec. The important part of the evening, though, was to work out from the Exec. circular just what the needs of sports clubs are. The Gym will take—it was decided—most of the room; it should be one of the best in New Zealand. Lockers for gear took up little space, although the individual lockers for students, will. The other main needs will be a swimming pool and a miniature rifle range in the basement.
The first meeting was a general success, and we should like very much to see the rest of the clubs—for everyone's sake, coming in also.
For Information, get in touch with L. B. Bennett, c/- the Men's Common Room letter rack, or get In touch with your club rep. on the Council.
For those who wish to play but could not attend the AGM, here are the people to get in touch with: Jack Matthews, Secretary. B. Hollingham, Treasurer. M. Martin-Smith, Chairman.
May 13-18: Annual IUF conference at Eastern Beach, Auckland. The speakers: Prof. Blaiklock, Rev. Graham Miller. Application forms with the Secretary Evangelical Union, Grace Kime.
Published for the Victoria University Students' Association and printed by the Standard Press, 38a Marion St., Wellington.