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Hay man! Ya heard the latest info on the cool magazine were producin' these days? Its called Salient Far out name, huh? Wanna know more? Drift along to the Salient pad, middle floor, Union building. And just look at the list of fantastic people who worked on Salient this week. 'Worked?' you may well say. Yes indeedy Sometimes even students work. Heavy eh? Well, these cool people are, in no order at all (No Order, huh? Gettin' a bit anarchy-wise there?) Lionel Klee, Anthony Ward, John Henderson, Tony Robinson, Quentin Roper, Lynn Peck, Ross Abernethy, Lisa Sacksen, Don Carson, John Ryall, Mark Derby, Chris Haggart, Stephen Prendergast. (the last two being advertising managers, Christine being contactable at 58 452) Freeda Patrick, and last as usual, Colin Fesliar. Your friend and mine, Bruce Robinson, edited Salient 6 (right on. brother) and June Strachan typesetteth.
Salient is published by our friendly local VUWSA and printed by our equally friendly but not quite as local Wanganui Newspapers Ltd, who live in Drews Avenue, Wanganui. This is John Henderson signing out for yet another week, folks. Remember, when you're smashing the state kids, don't forget to keep a smile on your face and a song in your heart.
Oku ke Poto He Lea Faka Tonga?
There will be a meeting in the Union Hall at 6.30 pm on Monday 24 April of students interested in learning or teaching the Tongan language.
Ofe atu.
Union Hall Monday 14 April 30 pm
In past years the Accommodation Officer, Mrs Mildred Brown, has collected information from students on their expenditure and income for the academic year. This information has been used to advise intending students of the cost of living for university students and to help document a case for increased bursaries. Information has been gathered from students living in halls and flats.
This year it is proposed that this survey be extended to cover students living at home as well as those flatting or in halls of residence. Mrs Brown would like to hear from students who would be prepared to keep records of their income and expenditure for the year and then to supply this information to her at the end of the academic year. All individual details will be kept confidential. Only average figures and range of costs to be kept can be obtained from wardens of halls by those students living in halls, from the Health Service (4 Wai-te-ata Road), the Gymnasium or the Accommodation Service (6 Kelburn Parade).
Do your bit to beat the bursary bug and help NZUSA in its efforts to get adequate bursary assistance for all students.
Discover Quakers at 8 Moncrieff Street every Sunday at 11 am.
Every year at enrolment the University collects Students' Association fees. Sometime later in the year it gets around to passing this money over to the Association. One might think that, this apart, Studass fees are solely the concern and responsibility of students. One would, however, be wrong.
The Calendar states that all students, other than those not liable for more than $30 in tuition fees, must pay the prescribed Association fee. This fee is fixed by students themselves. It is then, as a formality, approved by Council. Total, or partial, exemption may be obtained by making application to the Vice-Chancellor but can only be granted if he (sic) is convinced that payment of fees, in full, would involve hardship. The implication is clearly that fees may only be waived if people simply cannot afford to pay them. The Vice-Chancellor does not, incidentally, have the power to waive, or reduce, University fees under these circumstances!
It is interesting to note that while the calendar states that applications for fees exemption must be addressed to the Vice Chancellor such applications have, for many years, been processed by Dr Culliford (the Assistant Principal). Dr Culliford has many other responsibilities within the University to occupy his time. Besides, the only appropriate body to handle such applications is, surely, the Executive of the Students Association.
Studass fees are set by students who also elect an Executive to oversee the financial affairs of their Association. The Registry is only involved with those fees in that it acts as collection agent for them. To give the administrative head of a collection agency (or rather his deputy) the discretion as to whether or not to collect, is farcical. It is students who set the fees — it is their representatives who should have the discretion to waive them. No such discretion at present exists. While Exec actually considered an application for fees reduction this year, and approved it, it then had to approach the Vice-Chancellor to confirm this decision. His readiness to do so augers well for any move to transfer this responsibility to Exec.
In opposition to the above, it has been suggested that the Executive is not an appropriate body to rule on the possible waiving of fees, because it is biased and, by implication, irresponsible. The Vice-Chancellor (or presumably Dr Culliford) has been said, on the other hand, to be impartial and to have time to investigate cases thoroughly. Maybe one should get the Shah of Iran to decide on exemptions from New Zealand income tax — he would be impartial, no doubt, and have plenty of time to . . . Dr Culliford does not have time to make such investigations; nor should he have to find it. Anyway, students elect an Executive to be responsible. To baulk at fiving them responsibility because they are not them impartial is symptomatic of the type of logic we have come to expect from a certain well-known Minister of Education!
I personally feel that the current grounds for exemption are a little restrictive. Exec should be given slightly more leeway than exists at present to allow for unforseen circumstances. I therefore suggest a formula which stresses that, in the absence of compelling extenuating circumstances, all students should pay Studass fees, leaving the way open for exemptions to be granted in rare cases, on other than just financial grounds.
At this year's A.G.M. I moved the following motion:
That Association representives on Council be directed to press for the transferring of the power to fully or partially exempt individuals from the payment of Students' Association fees, from the Vice-Chancel for to the Executive of the Students' Association.
Part (ii) of this motion was designed to remove any implication that exemption could only be granted for purely financial reasons while deliberately stressing that such exemptions should not normally be considered.
Just before lapsing for want of a quorum the A.G.M. actually passed this but I am not happy with a mandate from only 50 odd people. Exec agreed and has called a S.G.M. to reconsider the matter. It will be held on Wednesday April 16 at 12 noon in the Union Hall. So think about this issue and come along prepared to discuss it fully.
P.S. Any other business to be discussed at the S.G.M. should be handed, in writing, to the Secretary of the Association, not later than 4.30 p.m. this coming Friday.
Haere mai, haere mai, haere mai.
Every Thursday evening -
Venue: Tennis Pavillion
Commences: 6 pm.
Learn, language, waiata, action songs.
Everyone Welcome!
MSSA Dance
Saturday 12th April 8.00 pm
Union Hall
Band: Nephrite Jade
This week's friendly Exec meeting started at 6.30 pm and finished, much to the general relief, at 11.05. During this time various items (as usual) were discussed, but the basic issue under consideration was the role of Exec vis a vis SRC. SRC is supposedly the policy-making body of the Association, but it has never been made tremendously clear what functions Exec has.
At this particular meeting, there was discussion on donations asked for by various groups, the general line being that each had to come up before SRC for endorsement before Exec could make any donations, unless we already have clear policy on the matter. This line was clearly argued by especially John Roseveare, but there are certain problems - as evident from the times when we have general policy on a matter but no specific policy. Thus, if the Association had policy on preserving wildlife in Nepal, would the Exec be able to donate funds to a speaker touring New Zealand, talking, among other things, on the habits of the yeti, or would this require a special SRC directive? The problem gets more complex when one considers that SRC has no financial Powers, only policy making ones, and the distinction between these two is often blurred. Applications for donations from visiting black feminist from the States, an overseas aid group and touring people from the PRC and DRV were briefly considered, and shelved or referred to the incredibly long SRC agenda for Wednesday. Other items it was felt needed policy were New Argot (which suffered a very long discussion before it was decided no agreement could be reached and consequently pushed onto SRC); student representatives on various committees and the question of Unicine.
Another item that took up a lot of time included the planning for Capping festivities, which include a Ball, a drinking horn contest and no chunder mile, with the possibilities of stunts. The drinking horn was opposed by some on the grounds that 'it to some extent lowers the tone of the whole capping thing', but generally people seemed to think Exec has no right to interfere in the habits of Studass members. While Mike Curtis wanted suggestions for activities etc. not much was coming forward (if you have any, drop them into the Studass office), and two Exec members abstained from the eventual motion to move onto the next business because they weren't paying attention.
Highlights of the rest of the deceptively short agenda included planning for the May meeting of NZUSA Council in Hamilton, to which VUWSA sends ten reps, and a two minute discussion on the uses and abuses mattresses can be put to. And some delightful quotes:
'Order, for God's sake! - Lisa 'We don't have a quorum - what a pity. Let's rush thru a motion of censure against someone.' - John Roseveare. Peter Aagard: 'Can we have an apology from the chairman for that last remark? Lisa Sacksen: 'No, you cannot. Fuck up.' and Lisa again (to John Roseveare): 'You know you do discuss silly things.' and finally, John (SRC power) Roseveare: Tuck the Consitution!' Peter Aagard in reply: 'I second that!'
The Teaching Aids Committee is a group set up ostensibly to provide such items as overhead projectors, slide projectors and tape recorders, along with advising people on the development and acquisition of teaching aids in the university. As it has a small budget, and departments are often interested in purchasing their own equipment, the committee has not had much political clout until recently. Impressive plans for teaching aids, organised centrally, have been implemented at Auckland and Otago, but Victoria has continued with an unco-ordinated approach.
This situation has led to some inefficiency, basically in two areas:
In these cases, the committee sees itself as a co-ordinator rather than wishing to set up a central teaching aids centre, although it has long pushed for a central technician to maintain its own equipment and possibly to look after departments' stuff as well. The debate so far has been essentially low key, largely one suspects because of the low amounts involved -overhead projectors come at around $100, which can be fairly easily met out of department grants. Maintenance and checking has been carried out by department technicians, who often help other departments on an 'ad hoc' basis. More expensive equipment, which is not only suitable for one subject, such as film projectors, is now planned into new lecture theatres (such as LB 3), and the committee has pressed for and sometimes purchased such items for areas without them, normally on a mobile basis to ensure flexibility for users.
The debate now has moved into an entirely new field as far as costs are concerned with the advent of closed-circuit television. Many departments see this as a valuable teaching aid, and some have made arrangements to purchase. When the costs are as high as closed-circuit comes at, the necessity to avoid waste is apparent, yet at the moment the university seems to be charging on regardless.
John Panckhurst, of the Education Department compiled a report last year on CCTV for the committee and many of his findings are very interesting. Out of 28 departments replying to his questionnaire, two owned CCTV and two had equipment on order. Nine said they would buy equipment if they had the money, while 13 said they would use central equipment if it were available.
The Teaching Aids Committee considered the situation at its meeting on Friday 4 April and expressed concern at the way it seemed to have been left out of some of the discussions concerning CCTV. The committee considered various ideas, which can be roughly gauged from the following motion, for consideration at the SRC this week:
Moved Ward/
That VUWSA believes that the purchase of closed circuit television by the university be governed by the following principles:
Recently a fire evacuation drill was held in New Kirk. Academic staff involved were warned in advance. Despite this, the evacuation took nearly nine minutes! Fire officers who were invited to observe made eight recommendations arising out of this abortive, but salutary, exercise. It is easy to see why.
On some floors, alarm bells couldn't even be heard; many smoke stop doors were found tied open and staff and students alike demonstrated a lack of readiness to take the whole thing seriously. It was the time taken to complete the evacuation that was the most obvious cause for concern though. This is hardly surprising when one considers that Rongotai College can be and has been, evacuated completely in just over 30 seconds. Last week's fiasco was of course only a drill and probably suffered because so many people knew that.
All students got handouts on Civil Defence in the university during enrolment. If you haven't already thrown them away, take a look at them and give serious thought to becoming involved. The emphasis has been on using staff, but student participation is both welcome and essential. If you can help, contact Mr Rose (the university Civil Defence Officer) who has full details. Members of the executive hope to get funds allocated to send students to First Aid Courses. Wardens and Rescue Courses are also available. Watch for details in the Exec column here in Salient'
The experience of evacuating the Union building last year and finding later that the creche was the last area to be cleared, carries the same message as does the trial evacuation of Kirk. In a real disaster students would have very little idea of what to do. It is a frightening thought.
Would the people moving into 212 The Terrace please do so as soon as possible.
Wednesday April 16, 8 p.m. in the Lounge and Smoking Room. All very welcome, especially all Psych students.
Early this year, an ad hoc committee of staff and students was set up to organise an Internation Evening for Orientation Week, the idea being that if this was successful, then such events would continue. The first evening featured a variety of national cultural items, with folk dancing and supper afterwards. This was such an overwhelming success and we were unanimously in favour of continuing this activity. Another successful evening with a Fijian theme, was held later in March, and the third one is coming up on 11 April. We hope to continue organising these evenings throughout the year, centring each around particular national themes - Pacific, Asian and European, to give an extremely varied cultural basis. We charge only a minimal admission cost and aim to attract All students.
Please come to our next function:
The next International Evening will be held at 7 pm in the Union Hall on Friday 11 April. Admission of only 50 for a spectacular cultural evening,
You are reminded that the deadline for reaffiliation and grant applications is 4.30 pm Friday 11 April. If you feel you cannot meet this deadline for a particular reason, please come and see me about it and we'll work something out. Please realise that if constitutional requirements in regard to re-affiliation and the furnishing of satisfactory accounts are not met, then your club will not be reaffiliated and will thus not exist officially, with consequent disadvantages. Sorry to sound heavy about this, but remember the old scene about the weakest link in the chain.....
On
That letter, received by Salient as one of many letters on the Malaysian issue, contained a specific refernce to Mr David Cheung. One part of the letter stated that Mr David Cheung had taken part in a demonstration outside the Malaysian Embassy. Mr Cheung was physically present near the demonstration, but the Association has recently learned that it was not his intention to support the demonstration either by his presence or otherwise. The Victoria University of Wellington Students Association understands the embarrassment that such a suggestion causes to any Malaysian student, and is happy to print this explanation.
Further the letter suggested that Mr Cheung might be employed as a spy or informer by the Malaysian government and that a reward for such work might be political honours or other advantages.
This may have been the view of the writer of the letter, but the Association certainly does not agree with this, and has since late
At a time when dominoes are crashing down in a few overworked minds, Mr Lee Kuan Yew's visit has given a much needed filip to the sagging morale of some local politicians.
They received him with great enthusiasm. The leader of one opposition party went out of his way to condone political repression in Singapore because of the necessity to combat 'subversion' and the communists. The press showed much reverence for this darling of the Free World. In one paper an article carried the headline 'Listen to Mr Lee Kuan Yew' although Mr Lee so far had only said things his ingratiating supporters want to listen to.
However, not everyone was so enrapted by Mr Harry Lee as he was known at Cambridge University. At Auckland airport masked students demonstrated against his repressive government on
Dr R Vasil, political scientist, and Richard Norman, reporter, spoke at the Wellington meeting. Dr Vasil gave a brief summary of the political setup of Singapore and Mr Norman spoke about his impression of Singapore after a month's visit there. He expressed his complete distaste for Lee Kuan Yew's 'iron-fisted' running of the country in denying its citizens of their basic human rights. The Rev Don Borrie spoke from the floor. He remarked that Mr Lee and his type of government were anachronisms in a world which was moving forward for better things.
Dr M R Stenson, political scientist, strongly criticised the approach of New Zealand politicians at the Auckland meeting, (reported Dominion
At the meeting the MSA and MSSA in Auckland issued a joint press statement calling on the New Zealand government to withdraw all military aid to Singapore.
The Chairman of the Zimbabwe African National Union (ZANU) Herbert Chitepo, was assassinated in Lusaka on March 18 by agents of the Smith and Vorster regimes. Chitepo was a founding member of ZANU - the liberation group engaged in armed struggle with the Smith regime - and had held the post of chairman since ZANU's inception in
Herbert Chitepo was born in
In
Zanu is not just a fighting organisation. It takes large 'rests' from the armed struggle to indulge in political work among the people of Zimbabwe. Because ZANU sends political campaigners in advance of its military campaigners it has meant that the Liberation Army has always been well received by Africans despite Smith propaganda and heavy penalties for associating with guerrillas.
At the beginning of
'At the moment Ian Smith's chief concern is that practically all the African peasants and workers in these areas have come to espouse revolution. The reason is that they have seen the regime go from bad to worse, from year to year. Our people have been arrested and detained without trial, and refused even the most minor reforms. Therefore they have decided, like everybody else, to join in the confrontation, because there is no alternative. Ian Smith has tried to punish these people. Firstly he sent informers, police and military units to close the people's schools, shops, clinics and homes in an effort to make them stop working hand in hand with the units of the Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army. When he found that didn't work he sent bombers to go and bombard our people in these areas. And when that didn't work he decided to institute what is called communal punishment.
'What communal punishment means is this. If the people of a village or villages are suspected of containing people who
ZANU was formed when 'Constitutional Conferences' and discussion had failed. Today Smith aided by Vorster is trying to organise another 'Constitutional Conference'. The reason for this is clear: ZANU's armed struggle has been so successful that it had become a matter of time before ZANU would have liberated Zimbabwe. Vorster has realised that Smith's days are numbered (anyway he can't keep 2000 'policemen' stationed in Rhodesia forever) and is trying to ensure that a moderate African regime is eventually installed in Rhodesia instead of a ZANU led regime.
The 'Constitutional Conference' was supposed to lead to a ceasefire but Smith offered nothing in return so ZANU has kept on fighting. Smith and Vorster then signed a document unilaterally declaring a ceasefire and proceeded to try and con the liberation forces into surrendering but this failed also.
Smith had also relied upon ZAPU and the ANC (two other liberation organisations - not really involved in armed struggle) to force ZANU into giving up armed struggle - this had failed. From there it appears Smith has attempted to obliterate ZANU by smashing its leadership. Firstly Chitepo was assassinated. Then the President of ZANU was arrested for conspiring to murder members of the other liberation groups. His proposed victims have shown how farcical these charges are by demanding Sithole's release and suspending talks with Smith until his release. The attempted murder charges are not now being used - instead Smith is charging Sithole with breaking the ceasefire that he and Vorster unilaterally declared. Lastly, members of ZANU in Lusaka have been arrested on plotting Chitepo's death.
While Smith and Vorster have dealt great blows to the organisation of ZANU the armed struggle has in fact intensified as a reaction. In addition no-one can destroy the massive support for the ZANU led struggle inside Rhodesia. On March 2 two ZANU leaders arrived in the African township of Highfield for a meeting:
'Thousands of waiting supporters lifted both leaders and carried them shoulder-high into the meeting amid wild cheers and shouts of 'Pamberi ne chimurenga' (forward with the revolution): 'Freedom or death!' Fight to the hitter end!" (Alternate News Service. 24 March 1975).
Despite the death of Herbert Chitepo and the imprisonment of other ZANU leaders the liberation struggle against Smiths white minority regime will continue until total liberation.
Just after the My Lai massacres were discovered came reports in the papers of a massive communist massacre in Hue which supposedly occurred during NLF occupation during the
But a recent article in the International Herald-Tribune (
A recent article by D. Gareth Porter looks at the facts behind the Hue 'massacre' and finds that the official story of Hue, for so long unchallenged, is not based on reality:
'The official version of what happened in Hue has been that the National Liberation Front (NLF) and the North Vietnamese deliberately and systematically murdered not only responsible officials but religious figures, the educated elite and ordinary people, and that burial sites later found yielded some 3000 bodies, the largest portion of the total of more than 4700 victims of communist execution. 'Although there is still much that is not known about what happened in Hue, there is sufficient evidence to conclude that the story conveyed to the American public by the South Vietnamese and American propaganda agencies bore little resemblance to the truth, but was on the contrary, the result of a political warfare campaign by the Saigon government, embellished by the United States government and accepted uncritically by the US press. A careful study of the official story of the Hue 'massacre' on the one hand, and of the evidence from independent or anti-communist sources on the other, provides a revealing glimpse into efforts by the US press to keep alive fears of a massive 'bloodbath'. It is a myth which has served US administration interests well in the past, and continues to influence public attitudes deeply today."
First news of the 'massacre' was given by the Tenth Political Warfare Battalion of the Thieu army. "It is on the word of this body, whose specific mission is to discredit the NLF without re regard to the truth, that the story of the 'massacre' reported in the US press in
In the March and April as the alleged victims were being dug up "the Saigon government did not allow any journalists to view the grave sites or the bodies, depite the fact that many foreign journalists were in Hue at the time." Meanwhile announcements were made by Saigon officials that; 300 bodies had been discovered southeast of the city - a french journalist asked to see them but was repeatedly refused permission; 400 bodies were being uncovered in the area of the Imperial tombs south of Hue — a London Times correspondent asked to see them but was not taken there.
Also official estimates of numbers varied widely: at the Gia Hoi High School sites the official US report cited 22 graves and 200 bodies, while a Vietnamese officer guiding a reporter over the site said that there were 22 graves holding 3 to 7 bodies each (66 to 150 in total) while a leaflet produced by the Political Warfare Battalion for Vietnamese consumption said that there were only 14 graves reducing the total once again.
A Canadian doctor, who was in the Hue hospital during the offensive, said there were 14 graves but only 20 bodies all told. The doctor, Alje Vennema, also questioned official figures on other sites. He said that one site contained only 19 bodies but the
Vennema's estimate for the four main sites discovered immediately after Tet was 68 bodies while the official report claimed 477. Vennema questioned other aspects of the report. Many bodies were not those of civilians but of soldiers still in uniform. Also the bodies all showed wounds which made it unlikely that they were buried alive.
In
All the actual sites were close to areas that had suffered from long periods of bombing and shelling and in an area where 357 bodies were found there had been reported in the Political Warfare Department's newspaper Tien Tuyen that 250 NLF soldiers had been killed in just one all day battle over Tet. The Saigon Minister of Health visited the sites in April and said that it was quite likely that the supposed victims of communist assassination were actually the bodies of NLF soldiers killed in battle.
The basic figures used to prove the case for a massive slaughter in Hue by the NLF are as suspect in the other areas bodies were dug up. About the body count at one site the Pentagon said that there were 250 bodies recovered in total and two months later the US Information Agency said 428 was the total. 'Eyewitness' accounts varied from one day to the next and from one newspaper to the next. The Baltimore Sun had a witness to 600 people being turned over to the NLF to be murdered. This same witness said to Tien Tuyen that 500 people had been taken not to be killed but to be reformed.
"In short, the inconsistencies of the various official documents, the lack of confirming evidence, and the evidence contradicting the official explanation all suggest that the overwhelming majority of the bodies discovered in
The undeniable fact was that American rockets and bombs, not communist assassination, caused the greatest carnage in Hue .... Don Tate of Scripps-Howard Newspapers described bomb craters 40 ft wide and 20 ft deep staggered in the streets near the walls of the citadel and 'bodies stacked into graves by fives - one on top of the other.' Nine thousand seven hundred and seventy-six of Hue's 17, 134 houses were completely destroyed and 3169 more officially classified as 'seriously damaged'... The initial South Vietnamese estimate of the number of civilians killed in the fighting of the bloody reconquest was 3776.'
It was a writer for the US Information Agency, Douglas Pike however, that created the story that hit the western press in such a big way. He contradicted Pentagon figures, Saigon figures and independent figures on just about everything to do with Hue but he succeeded in getting headlines like 'Communists admit Murder' and 'Reds killed 2900 in Hue' into major US papers. He used two main methods: firstly he indulged in 'creative' translations of captured NLF documents and so-called confessions of captured NLF soldiers which even the western press usually ignored and secondly he cooked figures. An example of the second is how Pike arrived at his figure for the number of victims of the 'communist massacre'. An initial estimate by Saigon of the number of civilian casualties in the Hue fighting was 3776 but this figure was mysteriously whittled down to 944 by the Political Warfare Battalion. Pike worked from this basis:
'In a chart which he calls a Recapitulation' of the dead and missing, Pike begins not by establishing the number of casualties from various causes, but with a total of 7600, which he says is the Saigon government's 'total' estimated civilian casualties resulting from the Battle of Hue.' The original government estimate of civilian casualties, however, again supplied by the provincial Social Services Office, was just over 6700 - not 7600 - and it was based on the estimate of 3776 civilians killed in the battle of Hue. Instead of using the Social Services Office's figure, Pike employs the Political Warfare Battalion's 944 figure. Subtracting that number and another 1900 hospitalised with war wounds. Pike gets the figure of 4756, which he suggests is the total number of victims of communist massacre, including the
D Garet Porter's investigation destroys forever the myth of wholesale slaughter in Hue during Tet
Over Easter weekend the New Zealand Universities Sports Tournament was held in Christchurch. Victoria was represented in all seven sports by a team of over 60.
The weekend not only involved playing the game for a series of piss-ups were held as well as a drinking horn contests and a ball. More about these later.
The tournament was notable for its lack of organisation in most areas but the general consensus of opinion was that it was a success.
New Zealand University Sports Union is the governing body of university sport in this country. You are automatically a member of this body if you are a member of any sports club affiliated to the Students Association. It has a resident exec which meets about three times a year in Wellington and a full exec which meets at both Easter and winter tournaments. A meeting was held on Easter Friday and sports administrative matters such as eligibility, finance and venues for future tournaments.
A very strong Otago side played against Vic in the first round with Vic losing 8 - 1. The second game was a fight against Canterbury with a 3 all draw resulting. We also lost to Massey 7 - 5. Finally an invitation women's team was played but we only succeeded in getting a draw here. Kevin Moriarty, Admiral Mike McKinley and Warwick Dewe succeeded in getting into the NZU team which plays in the provincial tournament next year.
We did not have very much success here but did achieve fifth place overall through two third place in the women's medley relay the freestyle relay.
This was one sport we were successful at winning by 12 points over Otago. Some outstanding shooting was seen by Neville Win who gained a total of 50 out of 50 on one day's events. Four Vic people, Kevin Win, Neville Wynn, Margaret Flynn, and Norm Robinson made it into the NZU team which was not quite up to the standard of the touring Australian shooters.
We had a team of four entered into this competition but the more experienced South Island teams of Canterbury and Otago beat us to give us third overall.
Vic was represented by a team of only three here which is in my opinion a pretty poor effort for a university of 5500. However everybody in the team did well with Shona Trass coming second In the women's discus, Ron Scott second in the javelin and Frank Nolan taking fifth in the 5000 metres and winning the 10,000 This was an incredible race for Frank opened up a 25 see lead on the field by lap four and held it until the end of the race.
This event was held on the Waimakiriri River where a major problem was the lack of water and another was the lack of wind. The races were held in Ok class dinghies and Vic was represented by Stephen Wagstaff, Phillip Dellabarca and Allen Jacobsen. Stephen got the best individual yachtsman's award but the team was beaten overall by Massey, Otago and Canterbury to take fourth place.
We were well represented in this sport and Vic defeated Canterbury A, Lincoln and Massey all by 3 - 0. The toughest game of the tournament was that against Otago who took the first set 15 - 13 but Vic came back to win by taking the next three 15-4,15-11,15-10. This meant Victoria came through the tournament unbeaten but we did not win the overall team's competition for we did not have a women's team entered and so we were beaten by Canterbury and Otago.
Four Vic members made the NZU team. They were Apu Fiso, Peter Thrush, Robert Wilson and Graham Steel.
A NZU Blue is awarded for an outstanding individual achievement in a particular field of sport. A blues panel of five travels to both Easter and Winter tournaments and makes their way around the various venues trying to select these outstanding sportsmen. Ten Blues were given out at Easter Tournament - six relating to this year and four relating to last year. Of this year's blues none were awarded to any Victoria team members as the standard set was very high.
Next week reports will be given of tennis, cricket, rowing and the drinking horn.
The following article is reprinted from the NZ Republican and is the second part of a three part series. The article was written by Bruce Jesson and has been slightly adapted for Salient. In the first part it was detailed how Sir Kerridge had fought his way to a monopoly position in the New Zealand film industry and then allied himself with the Rank Organisation based in England. This article shows how Sir Kerridge is supported in his position of power by law and tradition and the uses he puts his power too.
with an outfit the size of the Rank organisation backing him. He was safe from any competition within New Zealand: firstly because of the financial backing, and secondly because of the guaranteed access to films through Rank's overseas distribution company. The second point was crucial, particularly in the forties when internicine warfare was still raging in the cinema industry. As we have seen it was doubt about obtaining reasonable supplies of films that forced the J C Williamson Picture Corporation to sell out to Kerridge.
The New Zealand film business has two aspects: importing films, which is the job of the distributor and screening them, which is the job of the exhibitor. In New Zealand these two functions are closely inter-related. In one case a distributor, 20th Century Fox, owns an exhibitor, Amalgamated. In the other case an exhibitor, Kerridge Odeon, is controlled by a company with distribution interests, the Rank Organisation; and in its turn it controls a number of local distribution companies: International Film Distributors, Lion Film Distributors, Cinema International and Photographic Wholesalers (the biggest 16 mm film rental company.)
This sort of vertical integration (distributor-exhibitor tie-up) is in itself scandalous and is prohibited in many other countries. It gives some exhibitors (in this case the two chains) the possibility of an unfair advantage over others (in this case the independents). In the United States there have been more anti-trust and anti-monopoly prosecutions brought before the courts than in any other industry.
There are distributors in New Zealand who are independent of the two chains, but they are inhibited by the chains' commercial strength. There were 208 cinemas in New Zealand at the last count, and of these Kerridge Odeon owned 59 and Amalgamated 32. More importantly, the two chains own all but one of the city theatres - which is where the money is made. The 100-odd independent theatres are confined to the suburbs and the country towns.
Distributors feel that only a showing in the city can generate enough business to make importing a film worthwhile. However Kerridge-Odeon and Amalgamated have a habit of not showing films that have been premiered in independent theatres - which means that a distributor will prefer to let a film gather dust on his shelves, awaiting the pleasure of Kerridge-Odeon or Amalgamated, rather than release it to an independent. Worse, if the two chains aren't interested in showing a film at all (and they aren't interested in showing a great many) it will almost certainly be sent out of the country again. There is the occasional exception, like Slither which went to the Capitol (Auckland) but such exceptions are very occasional.
The chains can even put on ice films that have already been widely shown. For instance, Jan Grefstad (owner of the Hollywood) complained in an interview with Alternative Cinema (
Not only is there no competition from the independent theatres; the two chains even limit the areas of competition between themselves. Each chain has its own distributors, and they don't therefore compete for the same films (this is the 'Keep off the grass' policy). However, if one chain turns a film down it may be offered to the other.
The film industry is therefore essentially monopolistic. Kerridge-Odean and Amalgamated can inflict on the public whatever they like, even to the extent of determining the films that the independent theatres show.
This monopoly is protected by act of parliament. This might sound like an odd claim to make, but it is literally the case. Since
This was one of the things that the Committee was set up to examine; it decided that some degree of monopoly was inevitable and perhaps even desirable. However it didn't want to see the two chains get any bigger, but comforted it-self with the thought that the licensing system could cope with the situation.
Up to a point it was right. The two chains didn't grow any bigger, and after the advent of television they actually got smaller. But they already owned most of the city cinemas and already had first rights to all the films. The limitation on their size merely meant that up to
The most important effect of the licensing system has been to strengthen the two chains by stifling opposition. To open a 35 mm movie theatre you must be licensed by the Cinematograph Films Licensing Authority, a body that 'operates in considerable secrecy' according to Thursday's film critic, John Westbrooke (
- Jan Grefstad, the owner of the Hollywood at Avondale (the most lively independent theatre in Auckland) rented a warehouse in Queen Street with the intention of converting part of it into a theatre to be called the Classic. Both Kerridge-Odeon and Amalgamated opposed his application and the Authority turned him down. Its reasons? It wasn't allowed to authorise the showing of one type of film only (Grefstad wanted to specialise in old films). And it thought that Auckland already had enough theatres - which was a particularly stupid thing to think. The long runs of the films shown on Queen Street has resulted in newer films piling up on distributors' shelves. There is in fact an urgent need for more city theatres. Grefstad is appealing this decision in the Supreme Court - by the time this is printed the result should be known (we wouldn't actually give much for his chances; the Authority's powers are pretty arbitrary). In the meantime he is trying to run his theatre as a private club, which commercially speaking must be next to impossible. Grefstad would need an unusual amount of support from his patrons for his private club to work.
- Another man to feel the hard hand of officialdom is Barrie Everard of Auckland Amusements. He wants to set up drive-in movies in Auckland. However, before he can even apply for a licence he has to get the permission of the Minister of Internal Affairs (the Cinematograph Films Act harbours a Victorian prejudice against drive-in movies). The 8 O'clock reported (Thursday article mentioned earlier, he is worried about the effect on the existing exhibition industry. Perhaps the lobbying paid off?
About ten years ago the commercial interests managed to stop the Auckland Film Society screening 35 mm films on Sunday nights in an independent suburban theatre.
Licensing is a common feature of the commercial world in New Zealand. The powers-that-be have a fetish about
Thus, if the cinema chains tried to extend their monopoly too much the
In other words the Licensing
Movies are an extremely important form of art, entertainment, education and general communication (the leaders of the Russian revolution, for example, were fully aware of this even in the early days of movies). New Zealand in particular has always had a strong film tradition. One of the first theatres built specifically for movies anywhere in the world opened In Auckland in
The appearance of television caused a dramatic decline in the interest in
The cinema has weathered the full blast of television competition and survived. Films will continue to play an important role in the cultural life of New Zealand, which means that the choice of film available is important - especially as the cinema can escape some of the restrictions imposed on television. For instance, it is very unlikely that the broad casting bureaucrats would allow a politically-radical film to be shown on New Zealand television; whereas such films are available to the cinemas.
However the kindest thing that can be said about the choice of film available in New Zealand is that there isn't very much. New Zealanders only see a small proportion of the films made throughout the world: those made in the United States and England. And even among these we miss out on just
The bias against 'foreign' (i.e. non-English/American) films is basically a commercial one the two chains are associated with English and American distributors Kerridge's principal, the Rank Organisation is mainly active in the exhibiting side of the industry; but it does act as a distributor to Commonwealth countries, and this will be one of its motives for its involvement in Kerridge-Odeon - a guaranteed market for its products.
Obviously English and American distributors have no interest in peddling 'foreign' films (although the English distributors have an interest in peddling American films because of the business they do with the Americans in England). So apart from a small commercial wave of interest in European films in the sixties, we have been denied the bulk of the world's film production.
Kerridge-Odeon has a definite leaning towards British films, mainly because of the Rank link-up but also because Kerridge-Odeon shows what Sir Robert wants them to show and he likes British films He also liked to have the National Anthem (British) played in his cinemas despite public complaints but was forced to drop it because people were refusing to stand up.
Sir Robert isn't the only man in the film industry afflicted with pro-British sympathies. Anglophilia is endemic in New Zealand, and even if Kerridge-Odeon hadn't shown a preference for English films they would have been forced to show them anyway. In
The idea of these measures was to help salvage the film industry in Britain from the wreckage left by American competition. Similar, but more expensive, measures are in force in Britain. Their main effect is to encourage American companies like Rank, which still makes the occasional film, the bulk of English film-making is done by the Americans. This isn't completely to the advantage of Britain - they at least have a film industry of sorts, which is more than we have.
This discrimination against 'foreign' films means that the casual movie goer isn't even aware that films are made in places other than the United States and England. As a matter of fact countries like India and Japan make more films than Hollywood, and among the world's most respected directors are: Ray (India) Ozue and Kurosawa (Japan), Janese (Hungary), Godard, Bresson and Rohmer (I ranee) Bunuel (Mexico-Spain), and Bergman (Sweden). And brilliant feature films are made in Cuba and other Third World countries
New Zealand culture consists of an English base and an American overlay; New Zealanders are gradually becoming aware that there is more to the world than this. However the cinema chains are more English and American than they are New Zealand, and so can't be expected to share this developing awareness.
The chains are old-fashioned, as well as anti-'foreign', Films that are unusual, controversial, political or that require a little thought are inclined to be ignored. Kerridge-Odeon in particular is very conservative in its taste in films. People who work for them say that Sir Robert knows everything that is going on and makes a lot of the decisions. In which case the best that can be said for him is that he has the taste of a Mother Grundy.
Because of Kerridge's position of cultural autocracy, we are going to have to give his taste in films more attention than it deserves. He has stated his attitude several times: for instance in an article in the Artist and Connoisseur (The Critic and in a letter to the Herald entitled Exhibitor Replies (
Both of these statements are violent attacks on film critics in general (the Herald letter was a reply to an article of Wynne Colgan's criticising the long runs of the films shown by the two chains). Summed up, Kerridge's view-point is that what makes money is good cinema, and he quotes with approval (in The Critic) the famous Liberace comment 'I cried all the way to the bank.' He dis-likes critics because they believe that there are cultural standards other than the commercial.
This viewpoint owes more to self-interest than it does to common sense; nonetheless we will make a few comments.
Kerridge claims that he is giving the public what it wants. Firstly, his publicity machine is effective enough to arouse interest in any film. And secondly, he has spent 50 years showing glossy, escapist entertainment - people have be-come accustomed to this, just as they would have become accustomed to other sorts of film given the same exposure. Kerridge thinks that his financial success vindicates his choice of film. In fact his financial success owes more to J Arthur Rank than it does to his taste in films. As a monopolist he can't help but make money. Most people go to the pictures for a night out. Among all the films that Kerridge is showing there must be one that they don't object to too much.
Kerridge claims that 'unusual' films can't attract audiences - a self-fulfilling prophesy seeing that he makes sure they can't by not providing cinema space for them. Or else by dumping an unusual film like Medium Cool in an out-of-the-way theatre like the Berkely without much publicity so that he can say 'I told you so' when it bombs.
Kerridge did make one concession to the critics. In his letter to the Herald he said that he made the Berkely available for people with a taste for specialised or 'foreign' films. And he does give a day or two, now and again, to films like Medium Cool. However, The Dove is showing in the Berkely at the moment; Kerridge seems to have an unusual idea of what an unusual film is.
Even so, Kerridge is selling himself short. He doesn't judge films solely by their ability to make money for him. He has other criteria: his right-wing politics, his puritanical moral standards, and his personal view that films are escapist entertainment, not art or serious communications. He publicises this view in his newspaper ads which he heads 'K O Leisure Services', listing Pakatoa cruises along with the movies. Another example was the eight page colour supplement he put in the Auckland Star, advertising the opening of his two new thaatres last year: it was headed 'Leisure 74'. Films for Kerridge are merely leisure, to fill in time, not to be taken seriously. The opium of the masses.
He has been consistently uninterested in films with enough reality to break down this assumption. We are not the first to comment on this: The Listener's critic R H said in the right-wing policies, such as short propaganda films from South Africa.
Literally hundreds of films are rejected or ignored by the big chains, but it is almost impossible to find out what they are because of the secrecy surrounding the private previews (trade screenings) held in the small, private preview cinemas (Kerridge-Odeon's is in the St James building, Amalgamated's is behind the Civic). There films are accepted or rejected by a small handful of executives (perhaps only one) and on-one else knows of these decisions. Normally we can only surmise about films that stir up controversy overseas and that aren't seen here. For example, virtually all the films screened over the years by the film societies and film festivals are films originally rejected or ignored by the big chains.
However, we can mention a couple of specific examples that we found out about by accident.
- W R Mysteries of the Organism by the Yugoslav film-maker Dusan Makevejev has been hailed overseas as one of the great films of the last decade. It is a psychological study of Stalinism and of sexual attitudes in the communist countries of Europe and of the persecution of Wilhelm Reich (the title of the film is taken from his initials) in the United States of America. This wide-ranging film - which attacks aspect of both capitalism and communism - has aroused tremendous interest both for its controversial subject matter and its highly original techniques. The script has been published in many countries.
Aucklanders had no way of knowing that a long time ago this film was previewed in Auckland by International Film Distributors (Kerridge-Odeon in the guise of distributor) and rejected (presumably representatives of both chains attended the preview).
- Another film to get the cold shoulder is The Conversation, a prize-winning drama from the United States of America about the use of bugging devices It is still on the shelves of Cinema International (Kerridge-Odeon in yet another guise). This film has done well overseas, especially in the wake of Watergate and is directed by Francis Ford Coppola whose The Godfather and Godfather 11 are among the biggest box office successes of all time.
Despite these advantages the film has so far been regarded by local exhibitors as too political or too controversial or too intellectual for screening in New Zealand. After the film sat on the shelves for a long time Cinema International finally obtained a one-day booking for
No doubt Sir Robert would maintain that there isn't the same audience for films like these in New Zealand as there is overseas and that his own prejudice has nothing to do with it. If so, why did he waive his first rights to Woodstock and allow Amalgamated to snap it up, if it wasn't for the fact that he hated it (unless of course he had a lapse of commercial judgement)? Incidentally, Amalgamated is slightly more receptive to counter-culture films, mainly because of the influence of Michael Moodabe Jnr who likes to think of himself as a smooth show-biz swinger. Whereas Sir Robert obviously sees himself as the first line of censorship.
For some time now Youthline has been running fortnightly visits to Wi Tako Prison, but as the organisation alone hasn't the numbers to provide enough regular visitors, it is now looking for other folkses willing to fill the ranks.
These visits consist of names, chin hat, and a cuppa tea (and bikkis if you bring them!) and there is no emphasis on counselling - you're there as a friend, not as a pathologist or social worker, so we want all you scientists, accountants, mathematicians el al just as much as the social scientists and arty types!
Although things are reasonably relaxed out there (for a prison!) there are obviously a few rules and conditions which must be adhered to for these visits, i.e. no funny cigarettes, pills, knives, guns, etc. pleas! It's for the guys" good in the long run.
The next visit will be on Friday April 18, so come along! If you're interested, ring Russell, tawa H8538 or Robin 768-727.
The Central Intelligence Agency was established by the passing of the National Security Act of
The most controversial form in which the CIA performs its 'other functions and duties' is 'covert action' - attempting to influence the internal affairs of other nations by covert means - and an outline of the tactics of this aspect of CIA operations was amply provided by Richard Bissell, a former CIA director in a private address to a small group of intelligence men in
The agency uses about two thirds of its funds and manpower for covert operations and their support. Thus, out of the agency's career workforce of roughly 16,500 people and yearly budget of about $750 million, 11,000 personnel and roughly $550 million are earmarked for the Clandestine Services and those activities of the Directorate of Management Services, such as communications, logistics, and training, which contribute to cover activities. Only about 20 percent of the CIA's career employees (spending less than 10 percent of the budget) work on intelligence analysis and information processing.'
The CIA itself does not know how many people work for it. The 16,500 figure does not reflect the tens of thousands who serve under contract (mercenaries, agents, consultants, etc.) or who work for the CIA's proprietary companies .... CIA headquarters, for instance, has never been able to compute exactly the number of planes flown by the airlines it owns, and personnel figures for the proprietaries are similarly imprecise. An agency holding company, the Pacific Corporation, including Air America and Air Asia, alone accounts for almost 20,000 people, more than the entire workforce of the CIA. . . Well aware that the agency is two or three times as large as it appears to be, the CIA leadership has consistently sought to downplay its size ... Just as the personnel figure is deceptive, so does the budge! figure not account for a great part of the CIA's campaign chest. The agency's proprietaries are often money-making enterprises, and thus provide 'Tree' services to the parent organisation ... The CIA's annual budget does not show the Pentagon's annual contribution to the agency, amounting to hundreds of millions of dollars, to fund certain major technical espionage programmes and some particularly expensive clandestine activities. . . Fully aware of these additional sources of revenue, the CIA's chief of planning and programming reverently observed a few years ago that the director does not operate a mere multimillion-dollar agency, but actually runs a multibillion-dollar conglomerate.' pp 58-62.
The surprises do not end here, though: incredible as it may seem, Marchetti and Marks' figures reveal that the CIA is only one of 'ten different components of the federal government which concern themselves with the collection and/or analysis of foreign intelligence', and the CIA, the intelligence community's best-known member, accounts for less than 15 percent of its total funds and personnel. The head of the CIA is also the titular head of the entire intelligence community, but he is unable to exercise control over this 'tribal federation' of 'fiercely independent bureaucratic entities.'
In practical terms, what do such terms as 'covert operations', 'disinformation' and 'clandestine tradecraft' mean. Expressing itself as it does in a sterile, clumsy and jarring prose, the 'clandestine mentality' has devised a whole vocabulary of euphemisms for such activities as spying, lying, forgery, bribery, blackmail, assassination and war. Thus, the publication, dissemination or broadcasting of lies in the form of books (sometimes by reputable publishing firms), newspapers, apparently genuine documents and leaflets and radio items is simply 'disinformation' 'Finished intelligence' is 'data
Included in the series of 'special operations' described by the authors are: the use of the Pacific island of Saipan as a training base (in spite of the island being a UN trust territory), the training of Tibetan troops loyal to the Dalai Lama; the bombing in
This list is incomplete - CIA operations are more extensive and sinister than indicated, though that seems difficult to imagine - but it illustrates the extent to which the CIA is prepared to violate the norms of national sovereignty to achieve what it perceives to be the foreign policy goals of the political leadership. In effect it declares war on countries with which it is in disagreement, while the American government leaders continue to behave as peace-time politicians. Witness Cuba, Vietnam, Laos and Chile. Marchetti and Marks write: 'One of the disadvantages a secret agency like the CIA provides to a president is the unique pretext of being able to disclaim responsibility for its action. Thus, a president can direct or approve high-risk operations . . . without openly accepting the consequences of these decisions. If the clandestine operations are successful - good. If they fail or backfire, then usually all the president and his staff need do to avoid culpability is to blame the CIA;
'Presidents like the CIA. It does their dirty work that might not otherwise be 'do-able'. When the agency fails or blunders, all the president need do is to deny, scold or threaten. . . for the CIA's part, being the focus of presidential blame is an occupational hazard but one hardly worth worrying about. The CIA fully realises that it is too important to the government and the American political aristocracy for any president to do more than tinker with it.'
Notes
(To be Continued Next Week)
'You've just got to trust us. We are honourable men.'
Salvador Dali was born at Figueras, in the Spanish province of Catalonia on
Dali went to Paris in The Secret Life of Salvador Dali.
The words surrealism and surreallist were first coined by Guillaume Appolinaire in The Temptation of St Anthony and The Garden of Delights. Before surrealism took shape, the cubist and futurist movements had made their powerful impact and the phenomenon known as Dada intervened. The Dadaists were so revolted by the cruelty of the war that they declared western civilisation bankrupt from beginning to end. They felt they must start from scratch, respecting only one law, the law of chance and only one reality, that of their own imaginations.
The Dada movement manifested itself after
Dali brought a fresh spurt of energy into surrealism from his first association with the movement in
One of the most important features that distinguishes Dali among his contemporary surrealists is his portrayal of the common everyday vocabulary of everyday 20th century life - telephones, clockfaces, cupboards, beaches. On this basis it has been said that what distinguishes Dali's work above everything else is the hallucinatory naturalism of his Renaissance style. For the landscapes of Ernst, Tanguy and Magritte describe impossible or symbolic worlds - the events within them have occurred, but in a metaphorical sense.
The events from Dali's paintings are not so far from our ordinary reality. Dali's paintings can be seen to have developed in a series of phases:
Dali in his autobiography wrote 'The specialised sciences of our times are concentrating on the study of the three constants of life: the sexual instinct, the sentiment of death, and the anguish of space-time.'
Dali published by Pan/Ballantine and edited by David Larkin illustrates in a collection of 40 colour plates showing both full works and detail, some of the works by Dali and includes an extremely well written and comprehensive introduction by J G Ballard. (It is available at Sweet and Maxwells for $5.50
There is in essay when an American art
And having said all this I want now to say that Richard Killeen's work is not 'theatrical' in the sense outlined above. It's a show which has much in common with Ian Scott's exhibition at the same gallery last year; and there is a further similarity to be noted in the styles of painting the two have formerly adopted and abandoned. Like Scott's recent work, these paintings present more or less stereotyped and certainly stenciled motifs on a pure white ground. There is the rectangular shape of the canvas, a targe area of 'empty space' and the central motif with its qualifications. Scott's work is, however, on an altogether larger scale than Killeen's and is immediately impressive on account of its size - which is getting close again to Fried's theatricality, though I don't mean to suggest that Scott's work precisely fits the hill either. More of that later. Anyway, Killeen's thing is rather like a comb, especially those fittings shearers fit into their woolshed machines - doublesided, an assemblage of triangular shapes Winged along an axis more vertical than horizontal, with the sharp points out. Though the paintings are not small they are smaller than Scott's, a size I would call moderate. Which gives a relationship between the motif and its surrounds that is rather more intimate and in many of these, rather more playful.
I mean that there is about some of these timings and drawings something that is very entertaining, something humourous in the fanny figures. Catalogue number 2 for instance, one of the four drawings in the show, has two vividly coloured lowers of the comb motif, the
So many of these works feel like puzzles or jigsaws, when they do not seem about to take off like kites. And yet none of those comparisons can be taken in any literal sense - for none of the motifs, in fact, look like anything but themselves. I have used terms usually reserved for representational and even illusionistic painting to talk about what is very definitely abstract painting. Partly because there is scarcely a vocabulary for use with abstract work and where there is one, it is often full of wanton obscurity and a deal of ugliness. But partly also because I believe Killeen's paintings relate back to more conventional styles of painting - (styles he has himself, in some cases, used) however much they may at the same time relate forward to his models among contemporary American abstract painters. His is not therefore, the minimalist attempt to 'nudge' unlikely materia into 'art', not that kind of confrontation. Rather he (and Scott) seem to be working from the established middle outwards to the border. And both seem unwilling to let too much go of what worked in the old. Or to put it back in Fried's terminology the important thing is not simply 'interes' but 'conviction' that we can still hope to express something other than the eternal lack in series, of anything to express. So if there is a kind of theatre at work in Killeen's show, it is not that of mere theatricality. These paintings are warm, entertaining, funny in an ironical way. If I have ignored their more formal concerns, it is because it is above all important that we first find a way to relate to any painting, but especially abstract work, in an ordinary involvement, that we and the paintings keep between us an area of human concern. Killeen proves himself adequate to this demand and we can go on to appreciate his wit, his formal control, his in many ways quite outstandingly individual approach, considering the field he is working in and even his national roots - I mean, does it come out of the woolshed?
It is difficult to resist the observation that simultaneous with the exhibition of Colin McCahon's religious paintings in the Manawatu Art Gallery, there is a show in the University Library of the work of one of McCahon's earliest and most vociferous detractors. A comparison between Tom Esplin's effete and pusillanimous chocolate box paintings, actually entitled 'Montmartre','Corsican Mountain Village', 'Memories of Portugal', and the raw power of McCahon's early works, would he ludicrous, let alone grossly insulting to Colin McCahon.
Not that Esplin lacks technique - his technique assures him of a perennial place in the National Academy. The pity is underneath the technique there is nothing. It may be that over 25 years, confronted with McCahon's single-minded pursuit of his vision, his constant preoccupation with the same themes, evidence, surely, of the painter's integrity, that Esplin, like other early knockers, has changed his tune. Not to have done so would betray an ossification readily apparent in his painting.
Admittedly, McCahon is a difficult painter to come to terms with. His preoccupation with and pursuance of, unfashionable and religious subjects in an irreligious age, is undoubtedly a contributing factor to his inaccessibility. More so, however, is his highly personal interpretation of orthodox religious themes, which frequently affronts believers and non-believers alike. He is derided as much by non-Christians for his iconography as he is by the churchgoers for what is considered iconoclasm and blasphemy. He also is still highly controversial, (for example, the furore created a couple of years ago by the purchase of the monumental 'I Am' by this university, shortly to hang in the new Cotton building.)
McCahon claims not to be a Christian. He says he has 'too many doubts', (although it is perfectly reasonable for a Christian to have doubts). It is these doubts that are expressed so powerfully in the paintings exhibited. Such paintings as 'The King of the Jews', 'The Maries at the Tomb' and 'The Virgin Compared' and 'the lesser known 'Valley of Dry Bones, 'The Promised Land' and 'Drawings for Charles Brasch'. Portrayals of recognisable figures, (his family and friends), in a recognisable landscape, (the Nelson hills), just after the war - doing what for God's sake - crucifying Christ? With speech bubbles coming out of the Virgin Mary's mouth like in a Buck Rogers comic! It is no wonder that McCahon was contentious.
It is useful to learn from the very good catalogue put out for this exhibition that the original impulse for the crucifixion paintings came from watching the erection of a power pole against a brilliant white sky in
That McCahon is not a Christian is not important. He has breathed new life and relevance into Christian symbolism from his own wavering faith and doubt, and from a deep religious experience of the New Zealand landscape. McCahon's god is present in the landscape, the hills, the trees, seas and sky, he worships and gives thanks constantly in his work. In his later painting there is a blinding white light transcending the darkness - hope and faith in the face of man's monumental s Stupidity and ignorance.
McCahon is a true visionary in our midst, and if the simplicity and directness of his work appals and disturbs the majority of us, I believe it is as Luit Bieringa says in his introduction to the catalogue for this show, that McCahon 'has made and continues to make us see what we have been afraid or unable to see'.
To conclude I would like to quote what Colin McCahon wrote in
This exhibition will tour the major galleries this year and, although scheduled for the New Zealand Academy of Fine Arts for August/ September, I understand it will not be seen in Wellington until December.
My partner and I should have taken ear plugs to the movies the other night. If we had we would have seen a rather tedious nature film comprised in the main of scenes' of seagulls performing acrobatics. Regrettably, however, we went without ear protection, and as a result we saw Jon a than Livingston Seagull, a penetrating exploration of the existential dilemmas of seagulls as interpreted by a number of leading seagull prophet/philosophers.
Jon a than Li Vingston Seagull, as you may have been told by a number of panting admirers, is not really a story about seagulls.
No! It is about our own human existence.
Oh!
Yeah, it is about searching for the meaning of life, and transcending the limits of our earthly existence, and seeing through the crass materialism of our own society and . . .
Go on! Well, what happens?
Well you see there is this gull, Jonathan Livingston Seagull, who wants to fly faster and higher than any other gull has ever flown before. But the flock, that is the society in which he lives, disapproves of such unorthodox behaviour and eventually expels him for not conforming to its demands. Jonathan decides to travel where no gull has ever travelled before and see things no gull has ever seen.
He goes on a quest, you mean.
Yeah, that's right, and at the end of it he is received into the fraternity of gulls who have also been divinely inspired to seek perfection. Jonathan studies under the tutelage of the Great Gull, who teaches him that his true place is back on the garbage heap with his flock, teaching the other gulls how to reach perfection. This Jonathan tries to do, without much success. He does, however, convert a small bunch of disciples to his faith and they keep up the good work while he flies on to higher places.
A scaring socio-political drama, action-packed excitement with a dash of humour, JLS is not. Instead, it is a clumsy re-hash of a number of religious and philosophical themes, primarily Christian, in an easily digested, easily marketed form. The use of the seagull metaphor, plus a variety of clever film techniques and pretentious music from Neil Diamond, comprise the sugar-coating on a rather insipid and ineffective pill, the message of which seems about as pertinent as cod-liver-oil and sulphur and molasses are effective for fighting disease. That the film's message is easily understood and accepted is the result of the familiarity of the themes to most people in the audience; the message is basically the same as that preached from Sunday School up-wards, and in fact if the story has any value at all it might as well be as an ideological aid for religious instruction or some other equally dubious purpose.
The extent to which biblical parallels are taken borders on the absurd. There is, for example, a seagull version of the laving on the hands. A young gull with a crippled wing stumbles pathetically across the garbage dump' to Fletcher Lynn Seagull and pleas for help -he wants to fly. What follows is a Pythonesque scene in which FLS touches the cripple with his beak and says the magic words, upon which the young gull promptly flies, though only after an agonisingly long take-off run.
One cannot review this film fairly unless one mentions its good points! In this category I unreservedly and without qualification include the superb acting of An Ordinary Seagull as Jonathan Livingston Seagull. Displaying an instinctive identification with the character, An Ordinary Seagull combined an extraordinary aerial dexterity with an awesome dramatic power power and presence. When one considers that this is the first dramatic performance of this young gull one is truly amazed. There is doubt, however, whether An Ordinary Seagull will ever perform again. Interviewed at his offshore nesting rock AOS said that he was content to fade back into obscurity now that he had financial security, besides which he thought it unlikely that a similar role would present itself in the near future. The Theatre will be the loser if it does not.
And finally an Oscar nomination. I nominate the Garbage Dump for the Best Supporting Set Award: a memorable performance.
Tim Weinberg; never heard of him. Right? Nor had 1, but wincing at the gaudy cover I ventured 'not another singer/songwriter from L A - city of fallen angels?' Let's face it, we need another of those like we need another Richard Nixon.
And what an atrocious cover. Sort of glossy pink with some grinning all-American guy reclining in a can chair. Back photo is of same, only now Weisberg is joined by his equally wholesome cohorts. One of the tracks is called 'Angelic Smiles'. Precisely.
First impressions decidedly negative. A quick look at the credits. A little more interesting. Judee Sill of 'Jrsus Was a Cross-maker' fame helps out on a few tracks. Tim Weisberg obviously fancies himself as a flautist, he's listed here as playing flute, bass flute, alto flute and
So he's apparently not just another guitar-picking lost soul.
Onto the music then. Side 1, Track 1 is 'Invisible Messenger'. A promising enough start with whirling synthesisers, cutting to organ, then flute. But it doesn't go anywhere. I've nothing against instrumental meanderings, some of my best albums are just that, but the music here is stilted, it doesn't flow. Tracks of only a minute's duration don't help.
A few grandiose titles are thrown in here, try 'Winged Invitation' or 'Flight of the Phoenix', and a poor Santa-esque percussion break there, but nothing of consequence.
I eagerly awaited the final track featuring Judee Sill on vocals, but all we get is 1:20 of a slowly fading soul chorus.
At limes the music seems tailormade for a score for one of those American cops and robbers series. And it is Ok to do crosswords by. But for instrumental music with some intensity and creativeness check out the real stuff; the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Weather Report, Return to Forever.
Pleasant enough, but ultimately pointless.
Here is an album that is all of a piece, a sort of New York 'Astral Weeks', its material supremely laid back acoustic jazz-rock that on first listening is pleasant and after several, more absorbing.
The basic instrumental components are Rush (vocals and acoustic guitar), Jeff 'Skunk' Baxter and Elliot Randell (guitars), Bob Babbit (bass) and Andrew Smith (drums) to which other ingredients such as the Memphis Horns, Carly Simon and James Taylor are added as need be. The sound, with the exception of the title song, varies only subtly from cut to
Rush possesses a broad baritone that is somewhat reminiscent of his earlier Elektra folkie cohorts without the hysteria. He phrases more like a cool jazz man, seldom using his voice other than as a leading line above a tightly co-ordinated instrumental texture. Though this approach de-emphasises the wistfully appealing lyrics selected by Rush to the point that they hardly count at all, it increases one's awareness of Rush as a musical thinker of exceptional sophistication. Among the better-known contemporary singer/songwriters only Jackson Browne shows a similar tendency towards such understated reserve, but Rush carries this reserve much further.
One of the album's ten songs - 'No Regrets' is familiar, having been previously recorded by Rush and a handful of other artists. Of the other nine cuts, the two most outstanding are 'Desperadoes Waiting for a Train', the album's impressive demonstration of Rush's hermetic ensemble writing; and 'Indian Woman from Wichita', the only cut in which a melody is allowed to absolutely dominate the instrumentation.
The final impression Rush leaves behind is one of prodigious musical intelligence
To the delight of many concert-goers Fairport Convention are returning for yet another concert at the Town Hall. The good news is that Sandy Denny has permanently returned to the fold so we'll probably be seeing a more mature Fairport this time.
Also, there will be a reception for the band on the 14th, probably at the airport and if you'd like a chance to chat with your heroes then it can be arranged - leave name and phone number at the Salient office.
Marat/Sade is set in an asylum. This is intended to be 'shocking' to the audience, to produce a feeling of 'distancing' so that the historical actions taken out of context can have a universal application. This however, did not happen to me. I felt that by placing the play in an asylum two things were achieved. The first was the degrading nature of the madness deplicted (and demanded by the script). It was only the physical forms of lunacy that were shown, not the unhappy mental
It is claimed by Weiss's translator Peter Brook to be "Marxist". If this is the case then why is the only sane person on the stage the Marquis de Sade? Why does he direct the play, and why eventually is he placed in the position of superiority despising those around him?
The Marquis de Sade was certainly an aspiring individual both impatient and afraid of the society which confined him. But he was only that. He never appreciated struggles other than his own, and for all his imagination had no concept of what it was to belong to a struggling class with aims and ideal other than his.
For me at any rate the play fails, it is certainly not marxist, nor revolutionary. Weiss attempts to say too much in a very complex form and the question arises "for whom is the play written?"
The direction is also to blaim for the reactionary nature of the play. From my reading of it Marat could have been shown to be much stronger, to have been at times victorious over Sade. Paranoics do not have to be morose, and that is all Marat was in Downstage's production.
Both the singers and the singing were excellent bringing vitality and interest into the
That may be how Dickens and Mervyn Thomson see
Colour
16 mm
English Soundtrack
NRC
France
Director:
Jean Luc Godard
50 minutes
Letter to Jane has been widely acclaimed as Jean Luc Godard's most exciting film to date. As in all his films since "Wind from the East' he has again collaborated with Jean Pierre Gorin. Using the barest essentials in terms of images and sound they have created a filmic essay, questioning amongst other things, '. . . . the part intellectuals should play in the revolution.'
Godard and Gorin deal with this question in a strikingly direct manner, stripping away all vestiges of narration, they present us with a series of photographs and provocative questions and statements.
The key image in the film, a photograph of Jane Fonda in North Vietnam, is analysed from political, aesthetic and emotionally evocative points of view.
For the film buff, the sociologist and the student of film criticism, there is an extremely interesting and valuable section where the position of Jane Fonda is studied in the light of an
France
Director:
Jean Luc Godard
93 minutes
Colour
16 mm
Subtitled in English
Tout Va Bien raises new questions about the possibility of viable committment by an intellectual to revolutionary struggles.
A strike is being held at a sausage factory. Jane Fonda, a broadcaster, accompanied by her lover, Yves Montand, a commercial film maker, has gone to report the incidents of the strike. The more militant strikers force them to remain captive in the manager's office. The militant workers desire them and the manager to recognise the drudgery and tedium of their work. These scenes show a tremendous sense of humour.
Later Fonda and Montand debate their own brand of radicalism and analyse their own lack of activism after their deep sense of commitment during France's 'May Days' of
Godard has turned again to the emotional resources that infused his earlier, more narrative films, and in Tout va Bien he began to explore questions of depth, angle, lyricism and music in films.
Having just read an article in Salient about the Fijian-entred international evening, I feel moved to comment. Although I was not present and thus did not see the film in question, I understand that this film was so appalling that it moved the Real Fijians in the audience to get to their feet to explode the touristy image of Fiji conveyed by the film. The organisers (an informal group of students and staff, by the way) were themselves displeased by the film and are making every effort to obtain better films for future international evenings.
However, in my mind, your article represents fair criticism and raises two points which I should like to discuss briefly.
Firstly, the contrast of the 'tourist myth' being propagated by the Fijian government, with the deflation of that myth by those who are clearly in a position to know the situation, is one of the aspects which I am pleased to see emerging through the International Evenings. These occasions are intended to bring together overseas and New Zealand students. How many Kiwi students would have been sucked in by the film's image of Fiji? Quite a few I guess. So to my way of thinking to show such a film and then destroy the image it presents can only be a positive step. This I feel is one of the benefits which can be gained from arranging International Evenings. Mixing overseas and New Zealand students cannot but be mutually beneficial since (to steal a line) 'communication is the beginning of understanding.'
Secondly, the writer of the article might do well to ask himself why this film was chosen for screening. The answer of course is that no other films on Fiji were available. In fact, tourist-orientated films seem to be the only ones New Zealanders can get hold of through the usual channels. Obviously, the 'usual channels' see no benefit in providing more realistic films: they couldn't afford to admit to the realities of life in their countries because, guess what? they'd scare those paunchy Yank tourists and the Good Keen Kiwis away from their shores. The availability of good films in this country is one of my grouches. Glance through any film catalogue (National Film Library. Unicine) and you'll find precious few films worth showing. On the other hand, how come the Wellington Film Society and the Sydney Film Co-op have catalogues which make you drool and quiver with jealousy because it's impossible or at least Extremely difficult to get hold of these films. These bodies are both independent of commercial distributors and the latter thus create giant hassles to attempt to prevent anyone from seeing their films. Read the Salient series of articles by Bruce Jesson and you'll see why.
Anyway, I'm tired of the dreadful stale of the film industry here. Good local film-makers are leaving because no-one here can use their services, and obstacles are being placed in our way to prevent our importing good overseas films independently of the commercial stranglehold. There are a few of us on campus who are interest in altering this situation at Victoria. If You too are tired of seeing the same old commercial trash, if You are disillusioned about the stale of films in this country, then call in to the Students' Association office and tell me about it. As your Cultural Affairs Officer, I need your support if I am to work on your behalf.
(PS Where have all the Salient letters gone this year? Diana Ford, where are you?)
Today (
At a time when students are being herded more than ever, any gesture no matter how small, of sympathy, empathy or understanding is infinitely better than a shrug and being made to feel like a faceless being.
I am a Person! I have a name and a personality, and I resent being treated as if I were a category or a number. Should a liaison officer's attitude be like this? I feel that the negative attitude of the people filling crucial jobs around the university contributes to the sterile atmosphere that pervades this place.
Any attitude is better than apathy!
Concerning that ubiquitous gentleman who, should we credit his own utterance, has the rare experience, has had these visitations, large winged lizards indulging their peregrinations around the inside of his head; concerning the stylish leader of our very own KCORROCK renaissance; concerning the king, no less, of the KCORROCK pages .... only a direct address will suffice me here: What are ya, Brian? Like, I mean it, many of us here in KCORROCK land are wondering. We spend our nights
Ah, but these stone-age dreams I have of you, maestro ... this is a fan letter, I cannot hide it. This last, shattering my sleep, with all the force of 15 Newman's buses, stuffed to the limit with pubescent Hawkes Bay schoolgirls, all on their way to Saxony, all with their knickers off and singing Do Wa Diddey Diddey, And you conducting madly from your tricycle and I kept asking, 'Where is Dustin Hoffman in all this? Where is he?' And on the corner a sad-eyed 30 year old peddling back copies of Rolling Stone ...
So that, the gist is, I got problems, we got problems and only you can help. Last Tango in the Populaire Milk Bar indeed; but can we somehow go outside of all this, sit for an hour on the ruined balcony above the sea, drip fat, gin-heavy tears on the programme nods and talk a little. Can we?
With the amount of concerts at present being staged here in Wellington and all the subtle connotations of rip-offs by promotion firms one has to ask whether it really is worth-while to support these so-called artists and their entourage of money hungry 'hangers on'.
Let the cry go out throughout the land for a second renaissance where art in all its forms can once again be perpetrated freely in the streets.
With winter approaching faster than summer a few students who consider foresight a virtue along with a lack of scruples, are getting prepared by stealing other students' coats. I warn all students who leave coats hanging in public places of the risk they take. I also offer a $20 reward to anyone who can supply information leading to the recovery of my own coat which was stolen from the library foyer. It is a full-length, leather coat of Salient or to the Students' Association or to Brian Cook (PRM 7877)
SRC has in the past shown its concern for government action in a broad field of education policy, including such areas as pre=school education state aid to private schools, special education programmer for racial minoritires and so on. This concern lies expressed in various policy papers, in the form of motions and resolutions brought down by SRC or at an AGM'
I would have preferred our march on Parliament to have originated from a demand for total government involvement in all areas of education, and not on a single issue which so happened to affect us.
SRC should now consider its stand on other pressing aspects of education policy, and furthermore, the action it intends taking.
The American violinist Jack Glatzer will give a recital in St Peter's Church, Upper Willis Street at 8 pm on Monday 14 April.
Mr Glatzer, who lives in Portugal, specialises in music for violin solo. His programme in Wellington will reflect his particular interest in the works for solo violin by Bach and Paganini, and will also include music by Ernest Bloch and Canadian composer Paul Gerard.
This concert is the first to be jointly sponsored by the Music Departments of Victoria University and the Wellington Polytechnic.
Admission by programme at $1.50, students 75 cents. Programmes are available at Beggs in Manners Street, from Mr Botham at the Polytechnic Music Department, from the secretary of the University Music Department, and also at St Peter's from 7.30 pm on the evening of the performance.
I hope you can print this news item which is extracted from The Age of Melbourne dated
Mr Frank Galbally is right to point out that support from international organisations and croups is essentia) for the release of Mr Tan Wah Piow, President of the University of Singapore Students' Union.
And I think Salient is equally in the right direction to combat, I quote from Mr Galbally, the "political persecution initiated by a reactionary and extremely totalitarian regime', i.e. Singapore as well as Malaysian government. Indeed, Salients Malaysian Special is a good start.
Melbourne barrister Mr Frank Galbally has launched a personal campaign to save a Singaporean student leader from one year's gaol.
Tan Wah Piow, 23, the president of the University of Singapore Students' Union, was sentenced to one year's gaol on Saturday after being found guilty of rioting charges.
But Mr Galbally is hoping to arouse enough support from the international and Australian human rights and legal organisations to guarantee a successful High Court challenge to the sentence.
Mr Galbally flew to Singapore in December to observe a week of Tan's 45 day trial.
Yesterday he described the trial as 'political persecution initiated by a reactionary and extremely totalitarian regime.'
Mr Galbally has sent a report of the trial and the plight of Singaporean lawyers to the Minister for Foreign Affairs (Senator Will-see).
He has also sent the report to the Law Institute of Victoria, the law Council of Australia, Melbourne and London branches of the international human rights organisation Amnesty International and the Hong Kong branch of the International Commission of Jurists.
Mr Galbally has asked Senator Willasee and each organisation to investigate his report and then protest to the Singapore government.
He said lawyers he spoke to in Singapore agreed that Tan's trial has been a 'political frame-up.'
'Tan was never given a fair trial.' Mr Galbally said, 'He was rail-roaded into the trial before he had obtained legal representation and any reasonable chance of conferring with his witnesses.
'It was not until he was half way through his own evidence in his defence that two of his vital witnesses were brought back from Malaysia to where they had been deported just before the trial began.
'This was a blatant denial of the accused's right to free access to his witnesses.'
'He was also constantly brow-beaten by the judge and was subjected to unreasonable cross-examination.
'He was not allowed to ask ordinary reasonable questions to the prosection witnesses.
For instance, he asked one of the key prosecution witnesses - a Member of Parliament called Phey - if he had a criminal record, This question was disallowed as irrelevant.'
Mr Galbally said that Tan later tried to argue that if Phey had a criminal record his credibility was questionable. He said he agreed with Tan that the question, was 'highly relevant.'
Mr Galbally said he had asked Senator Willasee and the organisations to which he had sent his report 'to investigate the atmosphere of fear and of political action against them under which Singaporean lawyers have to work.'
According to a joint statement released yesterday by Mr Galbally and the president of the Association of Young Lawyers (Mr Francis Gurry) Singaporean lawyers 'are striving to do their duty to the community under threatening clouds of political interference and persecution.'
We have learnt a lot from Salient over the past few years. We have learnt of the long struggle of the Vietnamese, after centuries of over lordship by the Chinese, then the French and Japanese and finally by the Americans. We have learnt in your articles on guerilla warfare that guerillas can only survive if they have the support of the people; in other words, that it is only American backing, plus the schemes of a power-hungry clique, which keeps the corrupt Thieu regime in power over the hapless South Vietnamese.
I should like to learn one more thing from the Salient savants. Now that the people of South Vietnam are at last being liberated by the guerillas they have been succouring for so many years - why, for the love of Ho Chi Minh, are they running away? Or are the pictures and films we are seeing lately merely Warner Bros extras with taped-up eyes?
(I'm glad to see you've taken such an interest in Salient over the last few years. I'm sure that being such a thorough reader you might have noticed that I have, in fact, been editor since the fourth issue this year. I cannot answer for someone else's decisions. However, I will try to answer your point about refugees. If you would refer to the story on the Hue 'massacres', the article from the International Herald- Tribune indicates that the refugees are not fleeing in fear of the PRC. In fact it implies fear of Thieu bombs and shellings, as well as fear of being caught in a cross-fire was predominant. Also reports of Thieu soldiers forcing people to abandon their homes and join in the retreat implies also that your reasoning is not correct. And for those who flee the PR($ because of fear isn't this understandable given the Thieu propaganda machine?
1.10 pm in the Music Room (Hunter 33-2) No charge for admission
Thursday April 10