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The Public Relations Officer of the Students' Association, Rhys Harrison, resigned his portfolio last week and then withdrew his resignation.
These actions followed the circulation of a petition calling for a vote of no-confidence in him.
Rhys described the petition as "irresponsible". He
After "discussions" with Exec members, he reversed his decision.
The petition, initiated by arts' student
Simon said his opinion was reinforced after reading an article destined for last week's Salient. (The article later disappeared from Salient's Office).
But, after obtaining the 75 signatures necessary to call a Special General Meeting. Simon said he became "quite disgusted" with the situation.
The "petty intrigues and prejudices I encountered were quite repugnant", he said.
He indicated he had become sufficiently disillusioned with the petition to allow it to lapse.
"But I felt a responsibility towards the 90-odd students who had signed the petition".
He handed the petition to
"As association reporter I believe that
"In saying this I deny any desire to lake over Rhys' portfolio and in fact, would decline the co-option if offered it.
"Rhys demonstrated his lack of confidence in himself by resigning.
"But, in view of the imminence of Open Day I feel he should be given another chance.
"Denis was defeated by me in the last election", he said.
Commenting on his attendance record (see Exec column on page three) he said he was working until late into the evening during the vacation and, for the first term, did not finish work until 8.30 p.m. on Mondays when most Exec meetings are held.
Rhys replied to the charges about Open Day that his job was only to publicise it.
The accusations about his continual interruptions in the last Exec meting he felt were "petty."
He had suggested to the President of the Students' Association,
"Doug gave me his consent before the meeting" he said.
Rhys denied accusations that he could do more for the Radio Show. He was, he said, to publicise it not necessarily report it.
The NZBC feel that liason is unsatisfactory.
" Owen Gager's article in Salient 9 was totally destructive and completely negative," said Mike Hirshfield, presiding over a committee meeting of the VUW Labour Club.
After discussion, the club dissociated itself from Mr Gager's article and from a statement made by Mr
"I would be the last to consider the Labour Party as a God" said Mike. "But I am totally against using the public press to play such a negative view-point."
Mike said the reference to a one-armed man in the article was "totally unacceptable."
Owen had been offered editorship of the Club Bulletin, he said, but had declined.
"There was an opportunity to criticise the Labour Party."
Mike said notices placed on noticeboards by Owen terming the meeting a "heresy trial" were "ridiculous."
House Committee
But, the question of whether Mike had the authority to take the posters down was referred to Helen. She said he had none.
On the grounds that the branch would lose any influence within the Party if it did not do so
"We must take the right and proper action." he said, ''and do what is expected of us."
Murray emphasised that the club must function in a manner pleasing to the Labour Party.
Mr
He recommended a statement, analysing what Owen had said and a reply to it, be issued by the branch.
He attacked Owen's thesis of the Labour Party selling protection to manufacturers.
In defence of his article. Owen said he was pleased that someone, (even of the calibre of the last speaker) had actually debated whether something in the article was "true" or "false".
The only basis for complaint he said he had noticed was that the article was in "bad taste."
"Why didn't you put that in your letter to Salient?" he asked the three persons who had written the letters and were at the meeting.
"Not one letter contained any mention of a breach of bad taste."
Owen said that in his own experience he had found a "nice, polite and constructive article 'was' politely ignored" by the Labour Party.
His article was an example of what induced readers to "sit up and take notice."
Owen suggested the views of some members had been directly influenced by members of the Labour Party hierachy.
The meting passed the following motion:
"That this committee . . . dissociate itself from the recent article by
Also passed was a motion for a list of reasons, by Hirshfield and Turner, be drawn up this week.
Mr
The motion also pointed out that the Executive did not necessarily support Mr Blizard's opinions on the matter.
The Joint Committee on Student Participation in the University met for the first time last Wednesday.
The chairman of the committee, the Pro-Chancellor, Mr
The Students' Association recommendations will be published in Salient next week.
"The committee settled the procedures to be followed in hearing submissions on Student Participation in the University, and emphasised that the widest possible publicity be given to the work of the committee," said Mr Simpson.
"In order to facilitate this, the committee asks that submissions be made to it by Monday, 1st July."
The committee confirmed the terms of reference of the Committee as follow:
(1) To enquire into and report on the existing arrangements for the communication of student opinion to the authorities of the university;
(2) Where is is found desirable, to make recommendations for the improvement of these channels of communication;
(3) More particularly, to enquire into the desirability and possibility of increasing student representation on various university committees with the object of improving the means whereby student opinion is brought more closely to the attention of the authorities of the university.
It was decided that the committee would meet again on Tuesday, 9th July 1968 to hear submissions made to it.
The Government has given approval and is calling tenders for the construction of a new ninestorey building on campus.
The building, to cost three million dollars, will house the department of biology, and will be an extension of Kirk.
Tenders are to be called immediately and the building should be ready for occupation by 1971.
The Students' Association has been given funds to be invested for the establishment of a prize for a Salient reporter.
This is to mark Salient's 30th Jubilee.
The president received on Thursday an anonymous cheque for $420.
Conditions of the gift state that: "the prize shall be offered annually and shall be awarded to the undergraduate member of the Salient editorial staff (or any Students' Association Newspaper which may be published in the place of Salient) who writes the best news article of a length no greater than 750 words."
The judge is to be named by the Editor of the Evening Post
The President of the Students' Association has written to the Editor of the Post asking him to appoint a judge and will forward a bound copy of last years' Salient.
The first award will be made this year, for last year's best article.
No grants have been made to cultural clubs this year.
To alleviate this position, it is proposed that Executive-deal directly with grants to cultural clubs, said the President of the Students' Association, Salient.
It is also proposed that clubs, applying for grants under $100.00, submit only a record of expenditure in the previous year and statements of money required for the current year and cash on hand.
Cultural clubs applying for grants above this amount should submit properly audited accounts.
Clubs will not need accounts for re-affiliation.
Most cultural clubs seem unable to find a competent treasurer to keep financial records of the club and present accounts to the Cultural Affairs Committee when applying for a grant.
Pip and Doug say that they believe it is the Association's responsibility to provide cultural clubs with financial support.
But, the association must ensure that clubs spend this money responsibly.
The proposed temporary measures are hoped to speed the flow of grants to cultural clubs.
We apologise to Mr F. Levenbach for offence caused by the item concerning him in this column last week, and retract the statement.
". . . is a proven security agent," said
Seems expatriate Victorians is far south as Dunedin are interested and one has no liking for the Labour Club.
Sorry we can't print the name.
Mr
It is denied that the Labour Club has advised the National Club to dissociate itself from the writings of its president.
"I'm only trying to rationalize the status quo."—
Cost me 5c for a cardboard cup full of diluted orange juice from the coffee bar. Level of liquid was I6/I6th of an inch below the cup rim.
Salient depend on their lack of specificity." He has said, before two witnesses, that he would not admit to having made this remark.
It is heard
Salient has been deluged by the names of prospective penfriends from Japan and Pakistan. Any bidders?
This new column will include highlights from meetings of the Executive of the Students' Association. It will also sometimes compare claims with achievements. Today's report is on the meeting of May 20.
Executive was informed thet the Professorial Board had nominated Professors Minn, Richardson and Vignaux and Weir House Warden, Dr on student power. First meeting of the committee was last Wednesday.
Preparations for University Open Day on June 11 were well underway, said Education Officer
Anxiety was expressed by Public Relations Officer
Executive reached a compromise on a proposal from the New Zealand Universities Sports Union for a levy of 20 cents on every student to finance overseas sports tours. Money for this purpose at present came from the sports clubs and from the Golden Kiwi, said Sports Officer
The original proposal was defeated by seven votes to five. Gerard Guthrie then moved that the Vic delegates to the AGM of NZUSU be instructed to vote for a total levy of 20 cents Including the existing administration levy of seven cents. This was carried with one dissenting vote, that of
The debate on the sports levy, the only Important one of the evening, was subject to constant interruption. Public Relations Officer
Last item on the radio show was an interview in which
In an Exec not noted for a good attendance record, the Public Relations Officer stands out. Of 29 hours of Exec deliberations this year, he has been present at 13½, Of nine meetings, he has been absent from three and has attended only parts of four.
Executive will meet again on Tuesday. June 4. Students are reminded that they may attend as observers. All meetings are held in the Executive Room on the first floor of the Student Union Building.
"The role of youth at the Labour Party Conference was over-estimated," said Mr
"Until 1969, we can only speculate to what depth the ideas will have penetrated thick skulls of those formulating the policy manifesto."
Mr Blizard said that the "organised voice of youth" had been "meek and mild."
It was indicative, he said, of the tone of the youth report that it was received with "no discussion whatsoever."
Mr Blizard said not only was he dissatisfied with the policy of the parly, but also in the way it was formed.
Mr Blizard termed the conference "a rubber stamp."
He pointed out it had no effective power over the policy committee, which "is convened at the desire of the leader, submits suggestions to the leader and is altogether responsible to the leader and no-one else."
One committee was not capable of forming policy. "What is needed is a series of policy committees," Mr Blizard said.
"Unless there are transformations to the machinery of the party," said Mr Blizard. "Labour will not be elected in 1969. And they don't deserve to be elected if they haven't got a policy."
Mr
"Is it good enough to re-affirm the 1966 policy?" he asked.
"What is the Labour Party policy on the present negotiations, on American involvement in Laos and Thailand, on China, on the EEC?" he asked.
"There must be a constant debate, constant scrutiny on such issues as Rhodesia, China. United Nations."
Mr Alley said those who considered Labour policy on SEATO to be "radical" and "forward" don't realise what a "dead duck it has become."
ANZUS, he said, was the "sheet anchor" of NZ foreign policy.
Any radicalism was tempered by the platform's concern at the possible loss of votes.
The lack of policy, Mr Alley said, could be "a national embarrassment at best, and a national disaster at worst.
"There will have to be some slaughtering of sacred cows, illusions shattered and unpleasant facts to be faced before there can be a coherent foreign policy for NZ."
Mr
"Theirs are the politics of expediency, not the politics of truth."
He said the main concern at the Labour Conference stemmed not from self-concern, but largely idealistic reasons.
This was particularly so on the part of the young people.
The French coffee-evenines on Tuesdays in Kelburn Park Store are to be a fortnightly "regular".
At the second held recently, students gathered to speak French and listen to French records and folk-singing.
This type of programme is what is normally provided by the club.
At the last meeting, a student from French-speaking Laos, entertained the gathering with an instrument from his native country.
"Both the prevalence and incidence of psychiatric disorder in the community has increased substantially," said Dr
"Whether the increase in incidence is a true increase or simply a reflection of changing attitudes and improved diagnostic techniques is, as yet, undetermined. As Blacker pointed out some years ago, the descent of vast multitudes upon psychiatric clinics can be caused by nothing more than an alteration of standpoint among general practitioners."
Dr Mirams was speaking to the Social Sciences' Section of the Royal Society of New Zealand.
He discussed the dilemma encountered in planning changes to mental health services: "how to meet a rising demand when the true extent of that demand is difficult to assess and there is no general agreement as to the most suitable, or economic, design of service."
"The notion of an 'on call' type of mental health consultation freely available to everyone, is the basis of the 'community mental health centre' service acclaimed as 'the answer' in the USA." said Dr Mirams.
"I won't detail the socio-economic implications of this matter now, but it will be very obvious that the notion of a consulting service of this type, both freely available and free to all. will involve the community in considerable expense.
"And I don't question the potential value of the community-mental-health-centre concept. I see it fulfilling a most useful role.
"But I am unable to see it as providing more than a portion of 'the answer'," he continued.
"The notion of community care has very considerable attractions to administrators," said Dr Mirams. "It is undoubtedly true that many so called community care programmes are planned primarily in terms of expediency.
"This, in my view, is a crime only slightly less in magnitude than the unforgivable sin of attempting lo sell community care projects to politicians and the public, as cheap forms of psychiatric care.
"I cannot subscribe to the view that the only solution to the difficulties confronting us is to produce a vastly increased number of psychiatrists. In saying this. I am not implying that there is a satisfactory rate of supply at the moment or that I would not welcome the immediate addition of some psychiatrists to the medical staff of my division.
"But in considering the basic design of a future service I cannot see it as a sound plan except on the expectation that the general practitioner will continue to carry, as he does now, a substantial load of the services to those with psychiatric disabilities."
Dr Mirams suggested an increased number of postgraduate courses and training seminars for general practitioners on subjects of psychiatric concern.
"Training of psychiatrists must take account of this. If skills are to be used most effectively, the importance of their consultant role in their own profession, must be strengthened and their experience in this work increased.
"Uncritical advocates of community care frequently present their case as if there were a clear choice of alternatives —hospital care or community care. This is not so.
"It needs to be community stressed that hospital and community care are inter-related aspects of a total health service," said Dr Mirams.
At the 1968 Labour Party Conference, the Youth and University Branches played a significant role in shaping the policy of the Party. As the Labour Party is the party of change, the role of its articulate younger members is correspondingly important. The task of applying the concepts of democratic socialism to problems being faced by the country's economy, to a disintegrating system of social welfare, to the vexed question of civil liberties, were all questions which were discussed at a Conference of Youth and University Branches held in the weekend before Conference began.
Most delegates at this meeting were as critical as Mr. Gager of the Labour Party's policy-making procedures but they offered constructive ideas about how procedures for policy making could be updated. Delegates heard an excellent series of papers on the economy (
Although elements of the trade union movement with branches and Youth and University groups were able to win a card vote on the question of television policy against the "top table", the feeling that real decisions were- often being made elsewhere will pervade Conference. Because this Conference lay between an important constitutional Conference (when the Youth and Universities had been decisively defeated in their attempts at constitutional change), and the policy conference of election year, the party hierarchy had expected this to be a "low key" conference. However, the growing demand for effective leadership and strong opposition policy from political labour, revealed itself at this Conference and showed clearly that National Office and the National executive of the Party had misread the mood of the Labour movement. The best elements of the trade union movement, come to the Labour Party Conference looking for new ideas on how political labour was going to confront such problems as unemployment.
This demand that party leadership be in ideas and policies, was the reason for the hearing that university speakers got from trade union delegates. In a small way, an alliance between the unions and students seeking a drastic change in the policies of government of this country occurred at the Conference. Delegates from the universities supported the trade unions on issues such as the more frequent meeting of the Joint Council of Labour (F.O.L.—Labour Party). The union delegates in return, helped overturn many of the recommendations of the Justice and Licencing Committee. The Chairman of this Committee is Mr.
The reaction of delegates to Mr. Collins' report this year, set the mood for the Conference. For instance Mr. Collins claimed that there were enough safeguards for those demonstrating, on the statute books already, when Conference came to consider remits protecting the right of peaceful demonstration. The inadequacy of this claim was quickly exposed by Dr.
On the question of licencing, the Conference demanded that the party explicitly move towards measures which would facilitate the creation of trust control throughout the country. Following Conference, the New Zealand Alliance issued a statement that their organisation would support changing the licencing ballot to a straight choice between private enterprise and trust control. Further, Conference was concerned that in some areas where trust control had won overwhelming acceptance, finance was not available to establish a Trust. Conference was concerned that the state should make finance available for this purpose.
As I said earlier, a large proportion of the remits considered by this Conference were from Youth and University Branches. In the Foreign Affairs debate on the Wednesday. University speakers persuaded Conference that membership to SEATO would not be compatible with the aims and objectives a Labour Government would seek to pursue. Remits calling for opposition to SEATO have regularly appeared on the remit paper of Conference over recent years but invariably have been rejected. I believe the P.P.P. Conference and
The Secretary of the Victoria Branch, spoke frequently on the need to reorganise the whole policy-making structure of; the party. In connection with this the. breakdown in communication between policy makers and Conference became very obvious over the heated debate created by the recommittal of an earlier motion on Broadcasting. If Mr Kirk had called for "economic planning", delegates wanted to know) what Labour's policy would be on how precisely it would operate?
Mr. Kirk's speech showed Labour's policy in 1969, would be an amalgam of old measures and new concepts. The Youth and Universities Branches are in agreement with the points he made during an excellent address. However they are asking the question of whether or not the thinking has been done to turn vigorous praise-worthy statements into effective policy. Whatever the extent of their present effect on party policy unlike the National Party the lounge-suited pragmatist is not king in the Labour Party.
June 5, 1968
Opinions expressed in Salient are not necessarily those of VUWSA.
It is in the university branches that the problem of dissent within political parties occurs most often and with most urgency. This is a problem which has beset at various times both the National Club and the Labour Club at Vic. It is a problem that, when it occurs, it usually splits a club very seriously and can have permanent effects on its membership. But one hopes that it is a problem which will have to be faced by all the party political clubs again in the future, and frequently.
A political party is nothing more than a piece of machinery through which individual people can speak and work in the ways they think are in the best interests of the community. It is inherent in this that the interests of the community—as seen by any individual—take priority over the interests of the party.
The conflict is inevitable because the interests of a political party are so vast that is is inconceivable that they can avoid having points of conflict with the moral values, beliefs and opinions of all individual members.
The right to be politically effective depends on the right to be active in a politically effective party. This right is absolutely necessary to any Parliamentary Democracy that is not a sham.
It is so difficult for an individual who has a disagreement with every party to start an effective one of his own that for this right to exist at all it is necessary for all effective parties to accommodate even people who have strong disagreements with them. The parties must expect not only that the disagreeing members will express their opposition within the party, but that they will confront the party with this opposition publicly, and attempt to discredit those policies they disagree with from the outside.
Unless there is another effective party which would more adequately contain the views of the individuals concerned—something judgable only by those individuals — they must be allowed to remain within their respective parties despite dissent in particulars.
It is not stating the case too strongly to say that a party which does not allow active and vigorous dissent is undemocratic to an extent which is totally intolerable. A party officer who does not approve of such dissent, or at least permit it, deserves not merely relegation to the lowest rank and reputation in his party, but to public derision such as is now at least limited by the laws of defamation.
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Science Editor
The possibility of artificially creating life is a most recent development in the field of science. In December 1967 American scientists achieved the artificial production of "DNA" (de-oxyribose nucleic acid) and often referred to as "the molecule of life". This was an event which created not only a scientific upheaval but also a host of moral problems. Man is now closer than ever before to the possibility of creating life from laboratory chemicals.
Prior to 1967 scientists knew that every human being began as a fertilised egg cell, a fraction of an inch in diameter and weighing only 1½0 millionth of an ounce. Under the correct conditions this cell would grow and divide in a mathematical progression until at birth; a normal baby consists of about 5 billion cells. Scientsts realised that the initial cell must contain some "blueprint" which would direct it to divide and develop in an organised manner.
Botanists were already aware of this development pattern. Parallel work with plant tissue proved that starting with a special plant cell or group of cells, it was possible under certain culture techniques to enlarge and increase the numbers of these cells. Then if a suitable chemical stimulus was applied, the amorphous mass or tissue culture began to differentiate and produce another plant. The new plant would be identical in all respects with the parent, the plant from which the initial tissue was taken.
A corresponding process for human tissue culture does not appear impossible. But while this process has possibilities it also has fundamental difficulties. For example what chemical could be applied to the amorphous mass of human tissue in its culture medium, which would result in the formation of a "baby"? Also, would the "baby" be merely a mirror image of its "parent"?
However these scientific problems are dwarfed by the religious controversy which would probably result if such a process was possible. Would the initial tissue be endowed with a soul, which by definition can be in all parts of the body as an integral part of it and yet in no particular part at any particular time? Would a soul be created when the tissue started to grow or possibly at the moment when it started to differentiate into a "baby". provided that a chemical with this power of differentiation was found. The moral issue could only be fraught with disagreement.
Now. with the discovery of "DNA" and its artificial production research has taken a definite pattern. "DNA" is found in the nucleus of all cells and has been proved to form a biological code—"the code of life". This code carried by the "DNA" molecule provides the master plan by which cells divide and develop. Each of the four nucleic acids which go to make up "DNA" arc like letters in a biological alphabet and when strung together in chains these "letters" provide instructions for the cells which are growing and multiplying.
Research scientists are attempting to decipher the genetic code and explain how various arrangements of the "DNA" components are translated into specific results. If some particular physical feature e.g. hair colouring, can be related to a fixed arrangement of nucleic acids in "DNA" then there is an opportunity of changing hair colouring. Obviously this .would give rise to numerous other possibilities.
Already scientists have been able to make basic changes in the hereditary factors of tissue cultures. This so-called "genetic surgery" is at present largely a process of trial and error, but once the genetic code is understood it may be possible to accurately predict the results of any changes in hereditary factors.
It would obviously be unwise to proceed further with attempted production of higher life from chemicals without understanding genetic patterns.
The possibility of producing physical and genetical misfits must be avoided at all costs. Much of this development is still in the theoretical stage and test tube babies are undoubtedly a thing of the future.
The implications of today's discoveries are sufficiently profound as to prompt Dr. Stanley, the 1946 Nobel Prize winner and discoverer of "D.N.A.". to remark that resent-day biochemical research is "a type of chemistry which bids fair to revolutionise the world." He and other scientists believe the great biochemical discoveries in the making may be so fundamental that we should now plan to control their possible uses or misuses, so that if and when the knowledge sought becomes available, it will be used to man's best advantage.
I'm a member of a lucky generation, in terms of freedom of speech.
I believe that the individual's right to say and write what he likes, indeed to think what he likes, is the most important value in any social system.
For my generation, now the middle-aged fringe, the only real threat to what we held most dear was from fascism and Stalinist communism.
We were lucky because both these threats were defeated for us—of course, not finally defeated because no evil is finally eradicated, only repressed for a lifetime.
Fascism was defeated for us by our older brothers, in the
I agree it was applied sometimes naively, sometimes stupidly. But, it did the job, and made possible ideals of freedom to assert themselves within the Communist bloc.
We were lucky, my generation, because we had ample opportunity to go our own ways.
We wandered over the village called Wellington in the early 40's like young animals who had never known a fence.
We had access to every idea expressed by man.
Our explorations took us from the Unity Centre in Cuba Street, headquarters of the Communist Party, to suburban halls where
We called on the churches, a favourite being St. Mary of the Angels because it had a good chair.
We were lucky because we were unhindered, and developed according to whatever talents we had.
As far as society was concerned, the only challenge I was involved in concerned a libel suit from the Y.M.C.A.- they lost.
Caught up in Latin American politics, I saw just how fragile freedom can he when soldiers of the State can steal off a street, drag a man from his house and shoot him dead while he struggled.
What horrified me, fresh from that village called Wellington, was that after it was all over the people around went about their normal lives pretending that nothing had happened.
The State had killed a man, and the ordinary citizen had to look the other way. The State had the power you see; the citizen had none.
Later there was a revolution that failed, and a friend of mine from those Wellington days was accused of complicity and briefly jailed.
I left in a cattle boat.
In the heat, sprawled in the stinking pens, I remember thinking back to that town called Wellington and how I left there thinking it had nothing except a rather provincial dullness.
Now I realised that it had, in fact, achieved, or at least inherited the achievment of, a quite incredible freedom and this was the most important value of civilisation.
It is still true today.
I don't know about you. but I am prepared to acknowledge that incompetence, stupidity, ignorance, corruption, sloth, pride, greed, all the sins of man in fact, may be found in our society.
Yet it also has freedom. I am prepared to be part of it and defend it.
Point to any social system that claims to have eradicated any of those sins but is not free, and I want no part of it.
Surely one of the saddest claims, in a political context, about a society has been made about Red China.
No flies, we are told, exist there.
I am willing to allow that there are all kinds of flies on us, and the more racial or revolutionary among you have plenty of swotting to do.
But, for God's sake, don't let anyone convince you that the presence of flies means that we should restrict our freedom in order to get rid of them.
If that should ever come to pass you'll find me on the side of the flies.
I have been in the business of journalism and writing for a quarter-century now and in that time there has been only one major deprivation of our freedom.
That was the 1951 strike's emergency regulations which denied strike leaders the right to speak at public assemblies or be reported.
It was a disgrateful episode in our history I regret to say it was condened by our newspapers but not by many of our newspapermen.
With that single exception, which still makes me ashamed. I cannot think of any genuine interference with our freedoms.
Instances of individual misjudgements, stupid decisions by authorities, yes; but not calculated deprivation of the rights of the individual by the social system.
Nobody with anything of importance to say has been denied the right to say it somehow or other.
Many complaints can be traced to passionate believers in a cause who believe the media is obstructing his message, simply because headlines and columns are not devoted to his argument or belief.
I do not regard a wrong decision or attitude by a newspaper, editor or broadcasting official as a threat to freedom of speech. It is ordinary human fallibility, timidity or predjudice.
The News Media Bill is pointing in the direction of deprivation, but nobody wants to prevent a particular form of journalism.
As a writer, I find the law on censorship unsatisfactory. But I must admit that, so far, it's application has been eminently sensible and allows us valuable liberal freedoms.
Yet the definition of what may be suppresed or censored haunts me—the law refers to material "injurious to the public good".
Surerly there is a danger that one day, a Government in some authoritarian convulsion, could have that interpreted to cover critical or dissenting political writing.
Anyway on occasion, it can be the legitimate purpose of a writer to "injure" what the public regards as "good".
Some day, I am convinced, we will regret that wording.
My real concern is that we New Zealanders are not worthy of the freedoms we have, simply because we scarcely deign to use them.
The dangerous restrictions on New Zealand freedom have been our own inhibitions, lack of imagination, lethargy, and unjustified fears.
An army general was once bellowing with rage at something I had caused to be written.
A aide in the next room at Army HQ who had tilted his chair back in order to have his ear to the wall without appearing to be eavesdropping, actually tipped out of it with an awful crash, so appalled (he afterwards told me) by what he heard.
I have recalled that clatter in recent years. My television criticisms have created a similar response from many onlookers.
If they haven't fallen out of their chair they have certainly expressed surprise.
It's surprising the number of people, some of whom approach me almost furtively, who have muttered "Keep it up mate . . . Don't know how you get away with it . . . but keep on going while you can".
Some highly intelligent people have actually told me, "You won't last much longer—they'll shut you up." When I've gone off the idiot box in some way it has been assumed I have in fact been suppressed.
My criticisms have been thoroughly documented and, even though I say it myself, scrupulously fair. I mean I don't shoot until I see the whites of their eyes.
The things I said were, given the documentation, pretty damn obvious, yet they lead to widespread assumptions that I was taking a personal risk.
Here I think is the great New Zealand weakness: fear of bogeys, a widespread belief that indepent criticisms of institutions or vested interests or prevailing thought, means that "they" will get you.
This is not true.
If you have respect for the truth, and the medium you're using, and not on some kind of propaganda mission under another guise, "they" can't touch you, because "they" do not exist.
It is timidity that inhibits freedom of speech in New Zealand—a timidity that people won't admit to, and excuse themselves on the ground that "they", the supposed suppressors, are too powerful to deal with.
Perhaps all this comes from our inborn respect for the "thought" of supposed authority; a part of being a colonial society.
All our cultural patterns are established by sources quite beyond the reach of the ordinary individual.
Virtually everything we see around us that has been shaped by man has been shaped according to the design of impulses quite external to us as individuals, or as a nation.
Given all this, it may be natural for us to fall into the habit of accepting prevailing through; to attribute to it authoritarian strengths it docs not in fact, possess.
I am convinced that too many New Zealanders feel guilty about responses that do not conform to an accepted pattern.
They have no confidence in these responses.
So much so that they abort them, rather than allow them to become expressed ideas. That is the greatest single threat to our freedom of speech—our failure to use it.
If we were to behave differently, we would have a much more interesting society.
We are a land of silent devils, because even they are inhibited, which also means our angels can also fold their wings and go to sleep.
I would like to hear prejudices, fears, emotions, ideas that appal me, expressed, so that all of us would be stirred to the discovery of our true nature.
Expression in a society should reflect everything that a people feel or think and our mediums of expression should be a stream of national consciousness.
I want the bad and the good that goes with freedom of expression At the moment we are not getting much either.
Earlier this year I participated in a ten week Student Leader Project in the United States sponsored by the United States Department of State and programmed by a private organisation called the Experiment in International Living. Nine students representing different Asian and Pacific countries participated in this particular project and I was fortunate to have been selected as the New Zealand representative.
During our ten weeks in the United States the group visited some seven or eight different universities and met well over a hundred students. It has been said that students fall into four broad, sometimes overlapping, categories: academic, vocational, social and activist. I found students at the universities we visited no exception. The percentage at any one university falling into one category varies, but it is possible to say that it is normally "an active minority" who sit-in and march.
In the United States, of course, "an active minority" may consist of several thousand students at a large university whereas their counterparts in New Zealand may total only a few hundred. A great number, like New Zealand students, seemed to be at university to obtain a meal-ticket and enjoying themselves in the process. This was brought home to me, if I needed reminding, at the Ivy League University of Pennsylvania when we dined in Fraternity and Sorority Houses which are students hostels where we met students who talked of the day's exam and the next ball game.
One word, however, would make them think about things beyond the academic university world- "draft". With the threat of military service in a war zone hanging over their heads and with graduate deferments removed, the draft was something no student could or indeed did take lightly. I received the impression that it was the Vietnam draft which stirred the normally inactive student to voice his views on international matters, something which was relatively new in American university life.
The "active minority" who have always been concerned with United States foreign policy found their numbers swollen by students who for genuinely moral reasons or purely selfish ones felt that a visit to Vietnam was not their dearest wish. Opposition to the Vietnam War on the campuses we visited was undoubtedly strong and widespread. Harvard Law School has even set up a committee for Legal Research on the Draft which, I was told, advises anyone except those interested in deserting on matters of law relating to the draft.
As many of the students we met were actively interested in matters political not only on the international or national level but also on the university level, we were able to obtain a fairly good impression of student government and its relationship with university administration at the universities we visited. Student governments, as in New Zealand, seemed to be the concern of the few who were involved in the usual 'crises' and pontificating to an uninterested student body. There were not surprisingly also those who entered student politics to advance their views on international affairs as representing a campus of 20,000 or 30,000!
It was interesting for me to observe the varying contacts and relationships between students and administration. At the end of a lecture on South East Asian geography we attended at the University of Hawaii. Honolulu, the class filled in a computerised questionnaire on that particular course and the standard of the instruction. The instructor, a Chinese professor, did not object and in fact he finished his lecture early so as to leave time to explain instructions on the questionnaire. This course and staff evaluation scheme organised by the equivalent to the Students' Association at the University of Hawaii turned out to be a common feature at several of the Universities we visited. Perhaps the most developed was that arranged annually at the University of Pennsylvania where the results of the questionnaire were printed in booklet form by the student newspaper and published for the benefit of students who were trying to decide which courses to take.
The evaluation also had the commendable effects of providing information on the value of particular courses and the ability or otherwise of the instructor In each case the instructor would be asked if he consented to the questionnaire being distributed to his class and if he declined the offer that fact would be noted.
Examples of comments on courses and staff taken from the Daily Pennsylvanian Guide to Courses,
"Dr Boll is considered very poor by his students because of the irrelevance of his lectures to the readings and his stifling of any interpretation of the reading matter, other than his own."
"Both Dr. Hornberger and Mrs. Leach received good ratings from their students. They both keep the classes lively and keep the students on their toes."
It scenied to me that this type of evaluation. properly carried out, was an extremely valuable means of communicating the views of the student body on the most vital subjects at the University? their courses and their teachers? to the University authorities. On other levels the relationships between official student representatives and the University Administration varied widely: from an apparent lack of understanding at Berkeley, where the Administration had confiscated the entire Students Association income, to the very close contact at the University of Pennsylvania where there were student representatives on practically every academic and administrative committee.
The success or otherwise of "student power" movements varied tremendously. At the Universities of Hawaii, Berkeley. Brandeis and Hampton student leaders were pressing for more participation in the running of their universities. While their efforts are labelled as "student power", I think in reality this is no more than a useful newspaper headline. It is often thought that the slogan "student power" means that students in some way want to take over the runnings of the university. I am sure most student leaders would be horrified at the thought, The slogan arises in the situation where students have little or no say in the running of their University and they feel that they should be able to participate in all decisionmaking which vitally affects their future. In other words where students have no "power" or influence, they want some.
The most advanced university which we visited in this line was undoubtedly the University of Pennsylvania. With close liaison between official student representatives and administration, they "worked through the system" some years ago, their student president told us, and they now have representation on their equivalent of our University Council and most administrative and academic committees. This is in vivid contrast to all the other universities we visited where there were no student representatives on the governing body of the university and little more than token contact.
A crisis was reached at the world famous University of California at Berkeley when a student sit-in and strike took place in November 1966, As a direct result the Berkeley Academic Senate and the Senate of the Students' Association set up a student-faculty Study Commission on University Governance.
On the day our group visited Berkeley in January this year, the student newspaper published along with its daily paper the ninety page Report of the Study Commission entitled "The Culture of the University: Governance and Education." Amongst other matters the Commission made recommendations for decentralization at the University and for considerably more student participation at all levels of university government.
While overseas I heard rumours of a certain Salient editorial and it may be that the recent establishment of a Joint Committee at Victoria was a Berkeley inspired answer to a student power movement. The Report shows that co-operation between staff and students was the first step in a constructive re-appraisal of university administration at Berkeley.
We have taken count of our fellows, and found that some among us are not here. Waterlulu is nowhere to be seen! Therefore she must still be locked in some Aggabug dungeon. Charlemagne has offered to return and rescue her.
That he may more easily rejoin us, a brilliant suggestion has been made. Whenever we turn in our path, as well as periodically white we remain on a single path, we shall leave by the wayside a heap of stones formed in an arrow, and the whole coloured licorice-blue, the most characteristic odour of our people.
By this means not only Charlemagne and the rescued Waterlulu be enabled to rejoin us, but if any others of our people happen to see such an arrow, they will perhaps guess that the arrow shows our path.
Since we are passing through such fertile country, we are filling our wagons with the local foods. For my own part I find them indigestible, but others of us eat with much tongue-flicking. Tonight we shall have a feast to farewell Charlemagne and the tortle, which he will take with him.
Our progress has ceased, that Charlemagne need travel no unnecessary distance. While the feast is being prepared, I am to take a walk with Sparadrap and Cantilever, to discuss our route.
Our walk led us along a clifftop, where we stood talking. Sparadrap had brought the Great Device on which he showed us the lines marked on it, commonly thought to be a map of our homeland, and the flight to the Plateau of Misery (as it has now been named). After we had strained our eyes to see the faint lines, we discussed the multitudinous interpretations of these markings.
Sparadrap idly turned the Device in his hands as we talked. Suddenly his sure touch slipped, and the Great fell from his grasp over the edge of the cliff and rolled towards the dense jungle that grew below.
Without thinking, I ran over the cliff-edge, and fell as fast as I could, finally snatching the Great Device in time to prevent it from being lost, painfully arresting my fall by dragging my tail along the cliff-face.
Therefore tonight's feast is to be for myself as well as for Charlemagne; though I am not sure whether the honour (a dubious commodity) compensates for my present pain, and my extreme shame at having to be cut from the undergrowth as though I were a slippery pumpkin somehow escaped from its bush.
Lying on my belly-side, I fancy, looking back, that a sudden, powerful gust of wind impelled both myself and the Great over the cliff at the same instant; therefore perhaps I am only a utensil of the wind, in the way that I consider my hand to be a utensil for whose benevolent deeds I myself take all credit. Enough of these unhealthy thoughts: I must not become an invalid.
Perhaps, if I simulate a temporary loss of my faculties, caused by my recent severe jolting, I shall find out whether what I hope to be only a dream, but fear to be true, but dare not ask anybody, is only a dream or is true, and, if so, why.
We have arrived at a particularly friendly village, populated not by the tall pale heavy folk of Aggabug, but by people very like ourselves, except that they lack tails and are bodily a little larger. Their morals, however, are regrettable; extremely lax: too shameful to be spoken of.
Their chief occupation is to concoct a drink which causes them to sleep. (I find these drinks remarkably tasty.) Their language closely resembles our own in some words, but they have no writing.
Perhaps they are related to us. Perhaps they are the remainder of our own people, come under some terrible calamity! All of our chronological apparatus was lost in the fiasco at Aggabug, therefore we have lost all count of the centuries; it may well have been hundreds of centuries since my undignified passage down the cliff.
Nostradamus' services as chronologist are no longer wanted. Ottoman has been appointed chronologist; perhaps he will be more reliable. (I am still not convinced by Quidditas' explanation for the apparent lost day; it is possible though unlikely, that the lost day was recovered during the fracas at Aggabug.)
* A blank page, so that Ottoman shall not see these chronicles before it is time.
These people are not such barbarians as those whom we have encountered elsewhere. I am almost able to converse with some of them. Several dozen among us (including Sparadrap,) are even more fluent in their tongue than I.
We are plying them with questions, asking them whether they saw our ancestors pass this way. Having no writing, they do not remember such an event, but they showed to us a piece of rope, the strands of which were of many different hues.
This rope, they said, had been left long ago by travellers. It is possible that this rope was left by our forebears. Today Sparadrap asked these villagers of Polloma Lu whether they had met with the remainder of our people.
Their answer was no, but one of them, named Nacravac, added the following tale:
"As I was travelling in the upper Shajat district. during the year before the year before this year, offering my liqueurs for sale, I was accosted by a fellow who remarked that I had lost my tail."
The obvious conclusion to be drawn from this narrative is that the people of the upper Shajat district found a tail bearing the name of Nacravac. But Nacravac's people have no tails; therefore the Shajat people must have been confusing the tail-name Nacravac with the tail-name Erythromelagia.
So Erythromelalgia is near! Perhaps if we go to the upper Shajat district we shall find where he came from, was going to, whether he was the dragonfly, or whether he was but momentarily separated from the bold 880.
It is decided that our next destination is the upper Shajat district. But in the meantime we shall stop here for a year or two, savouring the food and fellowship of this fertile area. Many of the magicians have expressed interest in the processes by which the drinking fluids are made. Tomorrow our magicians and elders are to be shown this apparatus.
The apparatus of which I have spoken includes several enormous tubs, as high as four men, a cat, a pigeon, and an earthworm turned on its side; ladders go up the outside of these tubs. To see the contents of one of these tubs (said to be a sticky brown substance) Sparadrap climbed to the top of the ladder, paused, and looked down at the sticky surface; I was immediately behind him.
A bee buzzed near the top of the tub. Sparadrap started forward as if to catch the bee, and seemed to grasp the side of the tub to steady himself. Others aver that he was attempting to rescue the bee from a possible sticky death. There is argument as to his exact movements at the time, but what ensued was that, uttering a soft cry of surprise, he fell into the tub. The tub was filled to its brim; therefore its contents overflowed, and I was forced to wrap my tail tightly several times around the topmost rung of the ladder, in order that I should not fall back on to the stone floor far below and very likely bend a bone.
The effect of my exertions was that I plunged headlong into the tub, totally immersed in the sticky brown substance with the exception of my tail, on which a few minutes of near-suffocation I felt a strong and painful pull, which, however, led to my being extricated, glutinous, from the tub.
Alas! Sparadrap was lost in that tub; we are leaderless, and once more I feel intense shame at having made an undignified appearance.
As a mark of mourning for our beloved leader, I have chosen to black the entire previous page, and I have vowed, from this point onward, to pay my own respects to the late Sparadrap by writing in no colour but black; and to pay the respects of this chronicle by leaving, after each entry I make, a space for sad thought, thus: "( )".
We are thrown into confusion by the loss of our leader. What shall we now do without his helping hand, forceful foot, monitorial mouth, tactful tongue, trusty tooth? I scarcely know what to write here, lacking his sanguine suggestion.
I am terribly embarrassed by the praise bestowed on me; the common opinion among our people is that I am his resourceful rescuer; my piteous protestations are met with charitable cheering. There is to be a meeting of all our people tomorrow, that the course of our future may be decided "( )".
At a solemn ceremony this morning I was elected leader. I begged inexperience and incapability; my pleas were ignored. It is a tradition that he who is chosen must not refuse. I shall have to rely largely on the advice of such experienced men as Cantilever, Rigmarole and Ottoman.
Tradition demands also that our leader must devote himself to leadership alone; therefore I, as leader, shall have to appoint another chronicler. However, tradition also has it that the chronicler must not choose his successor.
I mentioned this difficulty to Rigmarole, who solved my predicament by means of a closely reasoned statement; the leader, he said, must appoint a chronicler but need not choose him; a parallel situation to this occurred when, on the death of Xanthagorian (from consumption), Niddle-noodle the chronicler was chosen as leader.
The olders, led by Dubelcoleph? [what resounding names were used in that period!], decided that Hunchforthworthness should be chronicler; the latter was then appointed by Niddle-noodle. (I am pleased that a parallel has been drawn from such a noble and distinguished period) "( )".
Emerging from their huddle, the people have recommended to me that Whirligig be appointed historian. This choice surprised me; he is somewhat tactless, somewhat impetuous, and, I think, too young; I had expected that an elder of the calibre of, say, Cantilever would be selected.
While awaiting the end of my seemly period, during which I am expected (I do not know by whom) to ponder on whether or not to agree to have Whirligig (or whoever has been nominated as chronicler), hut in fact I do not think that I am expected by anybody at all to ponder, but only to agree.
I should perhaps not be writing this at all, since I am acting as leader and chronicler together, in which case I should defend my own actions and opinions (which indeed I seem to be doing), but perhaps some short overlap (a few hours, as this has been) is acceptable. Otherwise, who would be writing these words, since Whirligig is not yet appointed?
So during my period in which I am expected (or not expected, as the case may be) to ponder the selection of a chronicler, I shall hastily search the chronicles of our classical period, in particular the end of the chronicle of Niddle-noodle, that I may discover whether a precedent exists for declining the appointment of an unselected chronicler.
It would seem, since I am given time to ponder, that I cannot enforce the results of my pondering to agree with the opinion of the multitude; but these assumptions are often misleading; it is safer to be able to quote a precedent "( )".
As I feared, the chronicle of Niddle-noodle ceases abruptly after mentioning the death of Xanthagorion. I suppose that Whirligig will adequately (if not brilliantly) perform his task as historian. However I feel that his mind is sporadic, great leaps are apparent in his thinking, it seems to me.
He has devoted himself largely to somewhat futile inventions and impractical suggestions. I shall have to carefully instruct him in the subtleties of his new craft.
To future readers of these chronicles; I recommend that Whirligig's chronicle be read in a sceptical frame of mind. Here my chronicle comes to an end.
* The new year entered in the hand of Ottoman (by particular request).
† which at first seems remarkable, since he has never demonstrated a great linguistic ability. However, his extensive knowledge of the most ancient forms of our language no doubt aids him in his understanding.
‡ who himself was later to become leader, on the death (from overeating) of Meccanico.
20th Century Fox and MGM have started their new '68 releases in Wellington with a science-fiction film, Planet of The Apes.
Soon to follow will be a new film from Larry (One Potato, Two Potato) Peerce, called The Incident, Our Mothers' House, with 2001: A Space Odyssey.
But for the undertones of black humour, Planet of The Apes, nearly succeeds in being pure science fiction. I am not sure whether it is
They eventually meet up with some dark humans (to be nice) and are attacked, bopped, killed, and cinematically reduced to scavenging animals by ape-faced people who capture simians—both men and wimians.
Their voices are removed and Charlton, seemingly the only survivor, meets up with a long-lost-tribe-lovely, who he names Nova (for some celestial reason).
Two devoted ape doctors (a pity seeing an anthropoidal
After much blood, teeth, and animalistic tracking shots, Mr. Heston tries to vocalise in a semi-trial — a conclusion about who came from who, from where, and who's belief in who would justify who's lies, etc. etc.
There is a nicely blatant shot of the three judges (one of them "defender of the faith,") miming the speak-no-evil, see-no-evil etc.
But Charlton is on the way to the gelding stakes, literally.
Kim and Roddy (the "animal psychologists", as they are called) help his escape with Nova into horizons and vistas that would make
They reach, by a beautiful sea, a big cave from whence this race of apes have evolved from, see? It's like waiting for the apple to fly back on the tree again.
Some of "our" bones are found, a pair of glasses, a plastic heart valve (a cash in there) and, most moving, a
The ending (not so far away) is really the most outrageous, laughable joke in years, which I won't divulge. There had been some nasty asides to it all the way.
Some classic lines: Heston, half naked (easy see, Edith Head didn't do these leather rags) crouches in his cell with Nova and whispers, giggling: "You Jane, me Tarzan"; when the female ape doctor is asked by Heston to kiss him good-bye, she reluctantly replies: "Alright. But you're so damn ugly;" This nearly brought the house (and my temperature) down.
It is one of the most adventurously stimulating films in years, full of the most superb vigour and technique.
Seconds with Vareseian noises of absolute barbarity.
Director (The War Lord, The Double Man) uses
God knows where it was filmed (He should) and it looks as though it's closer to Home, than we'll ever get.
La Traviata is an all-Italian affair in scurvied Eastman colour. The dubbing of Verdi's immortal music (till now) reminds one of hippo's catching peanuts. opera-noir since the brilliant finale of the Marx Bros' Night at the Opera.
The confusion that a well established "prepared audience" has over the performer, seems remarkably redundant.
Even during a concert at the Town Hall by Hungarian pianist
This is becoming tiresomely unbearable, and on the night that Vasary proved to be a gypsy (of sorts) of the keyboard, Wellington received him with rows of creaking seats, bellowing throats/nostrils (there's nothing that a packet of Vicks medicated won't stop) and a cheap display of nostalgic exhibitionism by clapping a middle movement of a Beethoven sonata.
A Pathetique Sonata, which he insisted on (mercifully) performing first, was naturally pedestrian, but suddenly during the Opus 31, No. 3 sonata in E flat, the magic began and from the Scherzo onwards, leapt into a frenzy of delight. The mood was held in Schubert's A major (D. 664) sonata, a most gracious work, and containing the sublimity of some of his early lieder.
A series of Bartok and Kodaly works, particularly that of the latter's Meditation sur un motif de Claude Debussy, was a passionate imitative compliment. The Kodaly nine pieces that followed, seemed at times to be even more evocative of Debussy, especially the Furioso where the footstomping of Mr. Vasary added an intoxicating flavour.
Evening In Transylvania and the Allegro Barbara of Bartok, naturally were all folky and pound, and because the audience by now had forgiven Mr. Vasary for playing works (and probably composers) that they had never heard of, responded ' marcato a la main". And so we heard nearly 30 minutes of Chopin encores. With the electrifying C sharp minor Etude, his face was one big gustic grin, and he lifted himself to his feet, still holding the final chord.
If it wasn't enough for him (and us), we had a "war horse de resistance". Perhaps a too exuberant Liszt A minor
Sir—The brief respite afforded
Surely, with an annual revue such as "Extrav", constructive criticism which succeeding producers could utilise to the benefit of the show is worth far more than such destructive self-contradiction.
I am etc.
Sir—These Christian bods (
Me? I'll have this world thank you. Dying? Me? Gloop! Father I have sinned . . . .
Yours unrepentantly,
Sir—Hostels are being planned all over the place for students, but are hostels wanted by students? Or are they really suited to the needs of the students?
There are fixed meal hours and a host of other regulations. These could completely upset quite a few students. Some may like a stroll at 2 a.m. before carrying on with their work. Others may be naturally adverse to having meals in large groups or to having anything to do with large organisations. There are those who like privacy, and an absence of this could disturb them.
Perhaps a huge block of flats should be built. Modern self-contained flats could be ideal for many people. These should be built for students only and should be furnished accordingly. A multitude of flats of a respectable standard say in a 20-storey building, and close to the university, with reasonable rents, Would fulfil the needs of many.
The usual objection to any idea of building in Wellington is the shortage of space. I have a suggestion. Opposite the Easterfieid building, on the other side of Kelburn Parade, there are many old wooden buildings. The whole row of these houses could be brought down and replaced by one huge edifice. Parking space could be provided on the bottom floor. The next floor perhaps could be occupied by necessary university offices, while the rest of the building could be full of small modern flats which would provide independence, privacy when desired, close access to society.
Yours,
Sir—Something that is becoming increasingly more obvious is the difficulties one encounters in finding a satisfactory, legal, car parking space in the vicinity of this university.
Recently I received a traffic offence notice for parking in the zone restricted for motor cycles in Kelburn Parade, even though the time was 4.30 p.m. and only about one quarter of this tone was being used.
On Wednesday, 22 May at 3.00 p.m. I made some observations in
I do not begrudge the motor cyclists their parking area, hut I write this letter to bring attention to the ignorance or tnoughtlessness of the large number of motor cyclists attending this university.
M. J. Higgs.
Sir—With reference to your item captioned "
First, may I express the hope that the International Club does not make a habit of handing out for publication personal letters it may receive (would the Club have forwarded to you my letter if I had accepted the invitation?); secondly, since I have had the opportunity to read a good many of the utterances and policy statements of Mr. Malik and his colleagues in the press of Malaysia and Singapore, as well as in English and French newspapers, the innuendo in your captioning was quiet unnecessary.
Yours faithfully,
[I agree with you that the International Club is unlikely to have found your acceptance newsworthy.−ed.]
A recent on Hollywood entitled his book "The Haunted House". It is very appropriate, for their are many skeletons to rattle in the history of Hollywood. Perhaps the worst episode was the way it bowed to the Red Scare witch-hunt after World War II. At the centre of this episode were the "Unfriendly Ten", later the "Hollywood Ten"—ten producers, writers and directors who were sentenced to jail terms for contempt of Congress following the House Un-American Activities Committee's investigation of the motion picture industry for evidence of Communist infiltration in
They did not exactly refuse to testify—indeed they wanted to say a great deal. The crunch was that their testimony was not the sort desired by the Committee Investigators. The "Ten's" point was that the Committee was unconstitutional—it could not legislate in matters of Freedom of speech—and therefore they refused to answer the Committee's questions. Questions about their trade union and political affiliations. The Committee, as is clearly seen in the records quoted by
The Committee had little trouble in achieving its aim. Despite protests by many leading actors and film-makers, the industry did buckle down, abd the effects are still noticeable today. There is some doubt in any case as to whether Hollywood films, except for some notable exceptions, actually did have freedom of expression in subject matter and treatment.
The "Ten" themselves—The Ecstacy of Owen Muir; Scott produced
Although Bessie's book is mainly concerned with his own experiences and those he was imprisoned with, he makes it clear that the Blacklist was the most singular!) damaging instrument used by the studios to stifle non-conformist and critical ideas for well over a decade. As for his own experiences they were far from pleasant. It took three years of protracted legal proceedings and all his money before sentence was passed, and the jail term lasted another year. Of the ten only Trumbo has managed to return to a successful Hollywood career. One of the highest paid screenwriters in 1947, today he is probably the highest. Between 1947 and 1960 Trumbo wrote thirty screenplays under various pseudonyms and for other writers, and didn't receive his first real name credits until 1960 with Exodus and Spartacus. He had won an Academy Award under the name "The Brave One.
Other blacklisted writers did likewise. Ned Young, under the name "Nathan E. DoUglas" received an Academy Award in 1958 for The Defiant Ones, and The Bridge on the River Kwai (1957). Others went to Europe where they had successful careers, notably
The only director of the "Ten" was Edward Dmytryk who, before the investigations, had made some excellent thrillers with serious themes (the best was Crossfire) went into exile. His two best known films following his return were Broken Lance and The Caine Mutiny. He later went on to larger films like Raintree Country and The Young Lions, but since then he has degenerated into pap (The Carpetbaggers), except for a return to form in 1962 with Walk on the Wild Side. It is perhaps not without tragic overtones that we lament the co-incidence of Dmytryk's bad films with his "recantation" in 1957.
Bessie has written his part-autobiography with startling honesty and he genuinely surprises with his revelations. Only in one or two cases does he disguise real names, and the jacket of this paperback version lists the many famous names who crop up throughout the book. It is guaranted addictive reading to the confirmed movie buff, but Bessie's not surprising bitterness destroys some of the books's impact for readers who cannot be emotionally involved with the issues. Politicos will detect an almost embarrassing naivete about political ideas—at no stage does Bessie discuss his real affiliations with the Communist Party other than he wrote for several of its publications.
His attempts at satiric wit often degenerate into sareasm, but these are blemishes rather than flaws. For those with a yen for film writing, Bessie has presented much of his account in a form of a film treatment. A book about Hollywood that is worth reading—it is also cheap.
Inquisition In Eden by
The highlight of recent pop releases is The Avengers: Electric Recording (Hmv Csdm 6266 Stereo). This album contains the most professional sound ever to be recorded in New Zealand. The material varies in quality, from indifferent cover versions of "Rosie" and "Love is Blue" to outstanding accounts of "Morning Dew" (first heard on the Grateful Dead LP), a beautiful
New Masters (Deram SMLM 1018 Stereo) consists of twelve new
The Hollies continue to be the most underrated group on the English show-business scene. Mass adulation follows every new LP by the Beatles, Stones, Dave Dec etc. and The Who, but the Hollies continually produce outstanding albums only to have them glossed over by the critics and record-buying public. Their latest Butterfly (Parlophone PCSM 7-39 Stereo) is further evidence of their development and contains the best tunes they have ever written. The title tune is rather Donovanish−"We met on the shore of Lemonade lake . . . Butterfly lazily drinking the sun . . . and the top of the mountain covered with candy-floss snow . . . ." As usual the vocal work is excellent with their immaculate close harmonies. An outstanding stereo recording.
Some enterprising promoter should sign up the Kinks for a tour of New Zealand—he would be assured of a pop group that devotes itself to providing a good hour's musical entertainment. The Kinks Live at Kelvin Hall (Pye Nspl 18191 Stereo) is one of the wildest live recordings I have ever head. It won't appeal to purists because the sound is essentially what you hear at the usual pop concert—thumping bass, strident leads, bashing drums, screams, chants, and every now and then the odd vocal-line pierces the cacophony. And yet the record is marvellous. Unlike The Who, Yardbirds and many others, the Kinks don't neglect their musical discipline—they work to the formula that loudness is no substitute for controlled instrumental work. When the vocal work of the brothers Davies can be heard, it is effective. I have often thought that Ray's nasal tone was the product of studio recording, but it comes out well on "Dandy" and "I'm on an Island". Amazingly enough he manages to stop the teeny-boppers screaming long enough to sing the chorus of "Sunny Afternoon". The stereo recording is good, considering the location.
It took quite a time for the Tamla-Motown sound to catch on in England, but now it is well established on the pop charts. In New Zealand it is a different story. Despite constant publicity from HMV (NZ) Ltd. and considerable airplay on their two radio programmes, Tamla Motown artists have never achieved popularity here, and the company has dozens of albums that can't be released because sales don't warrant it; the only big sellers on the label are the Four Tops Reach Out (Tmlm 6002 Mono) the best of their LPs to be released here. As well as their hits of two years ago, "Reach Out", "Standing in the Shadows of Love" and others, there are their own inimitable versions of "Walk Away Renee", "I'm a Believer", "If I were a Carpenter", "Last Train to Clarkesville" and "Cherish". On Stmlm 6008 Stereo is The Four Tops Greatest Hits concentrates on their earlier work not previously released in New Zealand. Here's hoping that the sales of these prompt more releases in the future.
Geno Washington and the Ram Jam Band have established quite a reputation on the English dance-hall circuits, but they still haven't managed to have much recording success. This is mostly due to their ebullient, non-stop "rock" sound which goes over well at live performances, but sounds a bit forced and dated on record. Shake a Tail Feather Baby! (
Hotel St. George
The "Seven Seas Bar"
Best In New Zealand
• Nearest to University.
• Modern, comfortable surroundings.
• Cool, bright, fresh beer on tap always.
• Food available from our "food Bar", 11.45 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
• Mixed drinking—all facilities.
Entrees, Cold Buffet, Vegetables, Hot Pies
For Flowers . . .
Waughs Flower Shoppe Ltd.
5 Bowen Street
Tel. 40-797
(After Hours 44-068)
New Hairdressing Salon
•
47 Parish Street And 23 Manners Strect
For All Student Styles
Why not try something new? Relax and ennjoy one of the many activities we offer — you need to get away from those books! Physical Welfare staff are always willing to help groups or individuals—so come along to the gymnasium now !
This term there are marvellous opportunities for you to participate in some form of physical activity which particularly appeals to you. Sports enthusiasts—join a club or play for an infra-mural team. If your time is limited—just come to the gymnasium and use the facilities available to you at any time.
Men's Fitness Training :
Thursday, 10—11 a.m.
Personalised training suited to the individual and individual needs. Train for your sport or train to improve fitness and Increase strength.
Gymnastics :
Gymnastics may be included in Tournament this year. If you are interested in competitive gymnastics see Mr. Stothart or Miss Polson at the gymnasium. Regular classes for advanced performers end beginners: Monday, 11—12 a.m.; Friday, 2—3 p.m. Other times can be arranged.
Women's Keep Fit Cusses :
Monday, 4—5 p.m.; Wednesday, 12—1 p.m.; Thursday, 1—2 p.m.
Join a regular class now ! Don't Think about it—come along to the gymnasium !
Modern Dance:
"If you can think, feel and move, you can dance." Come along and join in the Modern Dance Classes for Term II. Tuesday, 12—1 p.m.; Wednesday, 1—2 p.m., 6—8 p.m.
Ski Lessons And Training:
Whether you are a beginner or an experienced skier come to the gymnasium and train for this marvellous winter sport.
Lessons—held at the
The gymnasium opens 8 a.m. each weekday. Not all classes are shown. New classes can be arranged on request. There is nearly always opportunity for recreational activities like table tennis, badminton, etc.
Victoria University's Karate Club had considerable success in the recent New Zealand championships.
The team was runner up in the New Zealand Kyokushinkai Karate Championships held in Christchurch on 11 and 12 May.
Affiliated to the Kyokushiakai Karate-Do, the Victoria Club was also champion of Wellington in 1967.
Derived from the Zen religion Karate is not only a sport, but rather, a way of life.
Members seek enlightenment and perfection through meditation and very hard, physical training.
One of the most active clubs on the campus, it meets two nights a week and on Saturday afternoons.
Individual successes for Varsity team members at this year's championships were: Cyril Naqasi, winner of the
The Rembuden Club of Wellington which is combined with the Victoria Club, won the Teams' Competition.
This year has seen a revival of interest in the Victoria University Golf Club.
One of Victoria's oldest clubs, it recently applied for re-affiliation with the VUWSA.
This revival in interest has probably been stimulated by the fact that the golf events for this year's Winter Tournament will be held at the Miramar Golf Club.
Also an important factor is the effect a number of players of 5 handicap or better, competing for a place in the four-man tournament team, have had on the club's morale.
Besides catering for a tournament team, members of the newly-elected committee have decided to expand the operations of the club.
This term, the club intends to hold club days which will be open to all student golfers.
At present, the committee is investigating the possibilities of a match against the Wellington Junior Golfing Society.
It is hoped that this event will take place in the near future.
The first official activity of the club will be a trophy day to be held at the Miramar Golf Club on Sunday, 16 June.
This competition is being held with the view of assembling all players likely to be candidates for the tournament trials to be held later in the term.
The competition is open to all full and part-time students who hold a club handicap of 9 or better.
Green fees will be paid by the club, so players' costs will be minimal.
All players, interested in competing, should leave their name and phone number on a list posted on the golf notice board in the Student Union, or phone either the Club Captain
Well, now that the plague of frogs has subsided I thought that it would be as good a time as any to assess the NZBC coverage of the disaster.
Little did we think that the early Weather Bureau "Frog Warning" would be so accurate.
Full marks all round for that delightful shot of Dougal Stevenson wallowing in frogs whilst attempting to enunciate "Hawke's Bay, Taumarunui, Taihape, Wanganui and Northern Manawatu: frogs light to variable with scattered spawn about the Ranges later. . . . . . "
If only the News had come up to the same standard. Viewers found themselves forced to watch unimaginative sequences of swarming frogs with only the occasional load to liven the proceedings.
I don't know about you but when I've seen one frog I've seen them all.
Why wasn't the Prime Minister invited to hop down (if you'll pardon the expression) to Bowen Street to assure the notion thai all was under control?
Why were there no pictures of the search and destroy missions in Island Bay?
All we got instead was a boring list of figures flashed on the screen from time to time like some kind of referendum.
You know:
Not until the interview with the head of the Earthquake and Frog Damage Commission did the true heartbreak of the situation become very real to us all.
Tales of whole villages and towns ripped to pieces by the croaking hordes.
This was true television! (As indeed was the announcement the Earthquake and Frog Damage Fund now stands at $16.50).
But surely the most startling revelation of the whole period was Lindsay Maccallum's brilliant assessment of the political leanings of the frogs.
Apparently they had been dishing out tiny green editions of "Toad of Toad Hall" and hopping to death anyone who refused to read.
The highlight of the programme was the interview with a captured frog who croaked that he was "just obeying orders."
Once again it has been proved that the Corporation is at its best when there's a plain common-or-garden shipwreck or famine.
Certainty its rising star is Paddy O'Donnell. I'd love to see him given the chance to have a good crack (if you'll pardon the expression) at a moderate-sized earthquake.
Or is thai too much to hope for?
1-2 p.m. Forum, On Sub lawn if fine in Common Common Room if wet.
5 p.m. Ramsay House. Bible study, Anglican Soc.
8 p.m. Kelburn Park Coffee Shop. French Club, French conversation, records, folk singing.
8.20 a.m. Quiet Room. Holy Communion is celebrated by the NCC Chaplain, members of all churches invited to attend.
1-2 p.m. LB2. A talk by Toss Woolaston visiting painter and lecturer. Visual Arts Society.
7.30 p.m. Ramsay House. Combined Religious Clubs Seminar General theme "Responsibility and Escapism". This week "Mental Illness and Escapism" — speakers
8 p.m. Council Room, Easterfield. Dr Tom Richards University of Auckland speaks on "Saying and Disbelieving" Philosophical Soc.
8 p.m. Memorial Theatre. Opening night of Ngaio Revue production "Finnian's Rainbow". Book now at the DIC.
12.30-1.30 p.m. Ramsay House. Hunger Lunch 25 cents. Proceeds go to relief of world hunger. Anglican Soc.
1 10 p.m. Music Room. Hunter Building. Weekly Recital. Music by Beethoven, Liburn and Bach performed by
7.30 p.m. Women's Common Room. Camera Club AGM. All members are urged to attend and especially anyone interested in joining the Committee.
7.30 p.m. Men's Common Room. "Careers in Maths and Physics"—a panel discussion between Prof.
8 p.m. Memorial Theatre. Ngaio Revue presents "Finnian's Rainbow".
1.15 p.m. RB 108. Anglican Soc. Eucharist.
7.30 p.m. E006. Debating Society annual Sex Debate!
"That one a day keeps the doctor away". Whitehouse Currie, Mitchell. Coles.
8 p.m. Ngaio Revue Club, Memorial Theatre "Finnian's Rainbow".
9.30 p.m.-2 a.m. Student Union Ski Club Ball—supper and refreshments provided. Tickets $7.50.
8 p.m. Ngaio Revue Memorial Theatre "Finnian's Rainbow" Book now at the DIC
8.15 p.m. 39 North Terrace. Discussion on the role of student power in New Zealand. Te Rangatahi Club.
1-2 p.m. Memorial Theatre. First of a series of films on the Visual Arts sponsored by the VUW English Department. A scries of exceptionally interesting films have been arranged covering the period from the Bayeux Tapestry to the present day.
8 p.m Memorial Theatre. Ngaio Revue "Finnian's Rainbow''
Tuesday 11Th University Day
The public are invited to sec the University in action. Lectures and special programmes have been arranged and any students willing to act as guides should contact Caroline McGrath. Students Get Where The Action Is—Its Your University!
Tuesday 11th June—Executive Meeting Room. Committee set up by the AGM will conduct hearing on Student Representative Council—all interested invited to attend.
Friday 21st June — Concert Chamber. Town Hall 62nd Plunket Medal Oratory Contest.
Sunday, 23rd June. 8.15 p.m. Discussion on Conscientious Objection and Military Training in New Zealand, See noticeboard for venue. To Rangatahi Club.
Every Monday, 7.30 p.m. John Reid Squash Courts—VUW Squash Club Night
The SCM Cabin is available for club meetings during the week. Contact
The Sandwich Lunch Bar will be open during the 2nd and 3rd Terms on Saturdays from 10.30 a.m. to 1.30 p.m.
Students are reminded that submissions for the Joint Committee on student participation in the University are due with the Secretary of the Committee, P.O. Box 196, Wellington on or before Monday. July 1St, 1968.
Winter Term Lectures Series 1968—"New Horizons In Science"
1 p.m. Wednesdays in the University Memorial Theatre. This series is designed to stimulate discussion between students of various Faculties.
The first lecture "Crystal Ball And Slide Rule— New Developments In Civil Engineering" will be given by Mr Wednesday, 12Th June
One would be a fool not to recognise the extremely poor state of New Zealand's economy.
Although Mr Muldoon (our sometimes finance minister) stated recently that economic brakes applied last year appear to have worked and that the time has come to stimulate the economy a little there seems to me to be no doubt that the universities can expect a hard time in the near future.
It appears from the statements Mr Muldoon has made recently that he is satisfied with the inflow/outflow of university graduates, that he is not satisfied with the university standards as evidenced by the pass/failure rates and that possibly other tertiary education units must be set up.
The facts that we face are that since devaluation the salaries received by comparable Australian university staff (Australia being our major competitor) are 20 per cent higher than New Zealand university staff, that the price of all equipment we receive from overseas (this includes text books for the library) has risen by at least 20 per cent and that cuts or no increases have been made in public expenditure on various other social institutions.
It would seem that a holding back of expenditure on the day to day running of the university will be made. I will not go into the details of the quinquenium grant system under which universities operate, but it does seem extremely likely that for next year the quinquenium grant will be held at the same level as the present year's grant.
Next it seems that because the Minister seems satisfied with inflow/outflow ratio of academics (on strict utilitarian terms it would seem satisfactory in that he considers that more agricultural scientists enter New Zealand than leave) that university staff salaries will not be increased (in fairness to the Minister any increase in university staff salaries would presumably have to be followed by an increase in civil servant salaries).
Thus we the students are faced with two consequences
The first is that the various material aids to education in the university will spread more thinly over a larger group of people (it is not unreasonable to expect the university population to grow from year to year). The natural tendency would be that the standards of education will slip.
The second is that the university will employ fewer staff and probably staff that is of poor quality. Either quite obviously will also further lower the university standards. Furthermore, once low quality staff is attracted, raising university salaries will certainly not drive them away.
We are thus inevitably faced with a slackening of standards in this university and the others in New Zealand. This does not help anyone— you, me, or New Zealand both now and in the future.
The future actually is horrifying for New Zealand universities and thus its graduates and undergraduates, for through Government apathy New Zealand universities will slip to the level of second rate and third rate colleges that are not really worth the trouble of attending.
What can we, the students do? We can support Avt in its submission to Government, we can make submission to Government ourselves and last we can probably demonstrate.
I find the future of universities black and I consider there is little or nothing that we can really do to prevent this.
Incidentally, anyone who suggests that we, the students, should pay more for university tutition to alleviate the situation will find à la Governor Reagan that the Government would gladly reduce Government spending on universities by the amount we subscribe.
We must fight to preserve the standards of our education: the problem is how.
Bank BNZ
Phone 26-068
Kelburn Butchery (1965) Ltd.
(M. G. &
•
Choice, Tender 1St Grade Meat And Smallgoods
Ham - Bacon & Poultry Supplies
Suit Hire
•
Ralph Wilkins
*
Photographers
*
10 Willis Street
University
Open
Eleventh
June
James Soteros New Hairdressing Salon
•
47 Farish Street And 23 Manners Street
For All Student Styles
Margaret O'Connor Studio
Private Tuition Daily
Beginners only every Monday, 7—10.30 p.m.
Admission 50c
58 Lower Cuba Street
Telephone 45-618
Barry & Sargent Ltd.
Opticians
118 Willis St. -Tel. 45-841
Sports
The Sports Depot
(Witcombe & Caldwell)
Half-way along Willis St.
Long-standing connection with University sport. Every one of Vic's 24 sports catered for.
Coffee
"The Park"
is situated opposite the fountain in Kelburn Park, 200ft. from the Varsity.
Open every Wednesday and Sunday from 6 p.m.
•
Hosts : Rachel and
Victuallers
Reginald Collins Ltd.
Wholesale wine and spirit people. Vintners to the Students' Association. Carry stocks of all brands of ale, spirits, table wine (from 55c), sherry in flagons ($1.60) or quart bottles.
Free delivery—Cellars located at
No. 3 Ballance Street
(Customhouse Quay end)
Daysh Renouf & Co.
Members Wellington Stock Exchange
National Mutual Centre Featherston Street Tel. 70-169
Now that we learn the West Coast is shaking like a Jelly, (Dominion May 26) and that the first impact of the 'quakes was "just like turning on the TV set" (Sunday Times May 25) —quoting this guy whose first thought when the quake struck was for his mother-in-law, isn't time we did something constructive — like, say, abolishing the West Coast?
After all, most of their coal is too expensive to mine, their harbours get clogged up, their odd oil discoveries get featured on the Dominion's front page only to be retracted two days later, and all the West Coast children move off to Christchurch as soon as poss.
Isn't it time, now most of the houses on the Coast are in ruins, and they've exported ten o'clock closing to the whole country, to abandon the Coast to the seismologists?
* * *
Old Mongolian folk poem:
When I look at the writing in the mirror
I find it hard to read And now I see my own face
There is the same difficulty.
* * *
The Buddha Said Department:
The hungry snake
Bites its tail
And the willow bends
Rather than break.
* * *
At a seance the other day
The medium delivered a message from Che.
'I did not die; I live" he said
"You cannot be both dead and red.
* * *
Note for the religious—
Like a course of resurrection therapy?
Its what the medical boys call their treatment for an overdose of sleeping pills.
"There is less racial tension in South Africa than in other countries I have visited," the Mayor of Wellington, Sir Francis Kitts, said on Monday.
He was addressing a National Club meeting on a month-long trip ha made to South Africa recently.
"I am in no way advocating or supporting apartheid, but just stating the facts as I saw them," he said.
He was impressed with the way things operated, particularly Bantu hospitals, educational institutions and housing projects.
He was struck by the determination of each race and tribe to retain its particular historical and cultural identity, and language.
"In this sense the strongest supporters of apartheid are probably the Bantu," he said.
Sir Francis did not detect any desire for national representation by the Bantu exercising local autonomy over areas like the Transkei.
He said he could not comment on abuses of the judicial process to silence opponents of apartheid since he had no knowledge of such occurrences.
Sir Francis said he would not like to predict the ultimate outcome of apartheid.
But it was likely that the Bantu and other coloured races would join the whites in resisting an invasion from the African countries to the north, he said.
"They are South African first: concern with racial problems comes second."
After previous unsuccessful attempts to start a Visual Arts Club at Victoria University, one has finally been formed.
Sixty people recently attended a meeting to elect officers and plan a programme.
Professor Munz of the History Department was elected patron and Helen Kedgley was elected president.
Helen is optimistic though she realizes that in the first year there will be many restrictions.
But there is "unlimited possibility for expansion," she said.
Visual arts includes many activities such as film-making and photography.
The VUW Drama Club is sponsoring a series of ten acting classes this term.
The tutor for these classes will be
He has recently obtained his MA in drama at
Mr Webby feels that the chief objective of these classes should be to provide some technique which will equip young actors to approach roles which were previously too difficult.
The course will be adapted to fit the particular needs of those who enrol.
Inexperience is not considered a barrier if the course is approached with keenness and an open mind.
Wherever possible individual attention will be given.
"This last will have as its emphasis the place of the actor among other actors and his contribution to a total production rather than his ability to perform alone.
"No miracles will he promised, and none expected, but a great deal of pleasure, it is hoped, will be gained from developing the craft of an extraordinary art," he said.
A holiday camp for intellectually handicapped children was held in Wanganui in the May vacation.
About a dozen Victoria University students were among the 76 young people of the Society of Friends (Quakers) who organised the camp.
Nearly 40 people between eight and 40 attended the camp, which was held at the New Zealand Friends School.
"The Young Friends were put into pairs," said Murray Short, a member of the organising committee. Wherever possible, each pair with one handicapped person. Each pair of organisers took turns to look after the guest.
The daily programme began at 7 o'clock when the Friends helped their guests to wash and dress.
All morning the activities groups moved through the four activities provided. These were: art, music, games, and dress-up and make-believe.
Flexibility was the key note of the programme. If a child could not or did not want to do art, then the Young Friend or "pal" would go to an activity the child did like. In the afternoons sport was organised.
In the evenings there were songs, stories or television.
Murray Short said that quite apart from any value to the children or their parents, the experience was valuable for the Young Friends.
"We soon came to see the handicapped less as 'cases' to be coped with and more as people with whom relationships were developing," he said.
Cappicade sold almost 24,000 copies this year. Sales were well up on those of other years the editor, Dave Smith, said.
This year's magazine continued the trend of past years towards pungent satire, seasoned with jokes, both sexy and straight.
The combination provoked different reactions.
The 2,627 people of Foxton were deprived of Cappicade by their borough council.
This was the first time, as far as the distribution manager knows, that Cappicade sales had been banned.
Letters were written to the daily newspapers complaining of the "filth". "slander" and "ridicule" in the magazine.
There was concern at the "injustice" to the Catholic Church, and MPs.
But most of these attacks were balanced by letters in defence of Cappicade.
Moral revolution may not have taken place, but at least sales arc going up.
Students have always found entry into Adult Education art classes difficult, so the club intends bringing in
• By Charles Draper, NZSPA
Interference by the publisher in the journalistic side of Chaff, the student newspaper at Massey, is editor John McKay's biggest bugbear.
Massey President Ian Warrington had insisted that he check all copy before publication. He had a constitutional right to do this.
It was necessary to "check the facts", he told NZSPA.
Some other student newspapers have an executive member to check page proofs for libel and obscenity—but not accuracy.
Few editors would tolerate interference not restricted to protecting the publishers against possible legal actions.
Mr McKay is taking a strong line on this, and it is unlikely that the Massey executive will attempt again to "check the facts".
Massey's President -elect. Mr Greg Taylor, who will take over from Mr Warrington in July, has a different attitude to Chaff.
"It needs and deserves all the financial and moral support we can give it," he said.