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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 10, No. 4. April 23, 1947

Safari

Safari

On Sunday, 9 p.m., NZUSA learnt that following rail restrictions seats were not available from Wellington to Auckland on the train. Arrangements were immediately made with VUC to have Tournament, 1947, in the Capital City. The Town Hall, Athletic Park and the Swimming Baths were immediately booked, billets were arranged and provision was made for AUC to be transported to Wellington in J-Force trucks. Meanwhile Secretfiry Campbell of NZUSA had made enquiries about transporting the southern colleges to Auckland. Buses were soon ruled not available, but a bargain was struck with Associated Carriers . . . ten trucks could be released. It remained for the Transport Department to ratify these ideas. This was done subject to certain provision—the trucks must travel in convoy, keep to a strict schedule and not exceed 25 miles an hour. Refuelling depots were allocated along the line.

Mathematically the problem was a simple one—256 students into ten trucks goes 25.6. But even 25.6 average students make a goodly crush in a light truck, and by the time Wanganui was reached they were all jumping for joy. Waitara was the next town of adjournment, but at 1.30 a.m. in the blackout it presented few attractions—a few however. From here events become more confused. Some were fortunate enough to sleep; for some, short periods of semi-coma were possible. Suffice it to say that Te Kuiti was reached considerably after the light of dawn. Here the more alert scrounged meals from surprised hotels—the majority survived till 12.30 p.m. when Hamilton, fair city of the Waikato, hove into view.

At 3.30 p.m., drowsily aware of the tumultuous welcome being accorded them, two hundred students stumbled through the portals of Auckland University College.