V.U.C. Wins Telegraphic Chess Match

On a memorable Saturday afternoon recently (April 6) eleven students gathered at the Wellington Chess Club Rooms wondering how a fine idea was going to turn out in practice. It was the occasion of the long-awaited Telegraphic Chess Match between V.U.C. and C.U.C.—probably the first inter-varsity telegraphic match in N.Z.

For most of us this was a completely novel experience of playing chess. But whatever misgivings we might have had, our enthusiasm soon warmed up. With [unclear: scrutineers] eagerly bringing moves hot off the line—the tense expectations of triumph or disaster—the drama was rather [unclear: incolsent] but it was certainly [unclear: engressing].

When the [unclear: cease-fire] came at 6.30, after four hours slogging. V.U.C. was [unclear: assured] of victory. But the result was more satisfying than the fun of following the play.

The V.U.C. Club thanks very much the Wellington Chess Club for the use of their rooms, their operator, Mr. Kennedy, their scrutineers and [unclear: oganisers] Messers, [unclear: Godtsechalk] and Kurta, the C.U.C. Chess Club without whom there would have been no match, and Jim Fowler who, as Secretary last year, sweated blood to bring this match off and who never even got a game!

—A.J.

The Middle Way

The night of Tuesday. March 19. saw the first meeting of the year for the V.U.C. Anglican Society, when Archdeacon Gordon McKenzie expounded to an audience of forty the classical Anglican doctrine of the Via Media, in a hard-hitting paper on the nature of the Church of England. The word "compromise" was conspicuous by its absence; in its place were such phrases as "the balance of truth," "a higher synthesis," and "the mean between the two extremes."

"The Anglican tradition," said Archdeacon McKenzie, "looks like railsitting, but the fact is that the Anglican conviction is that the whole truth is with neither, that some of the truth is in each, and that the way towards fuller truth is in a higher synthesis of both. The Anglican way does not lack courage. It incurs the wrath of both extremes and may well be destroyed in the fury of the conflict between them. But whatever happens, the others will eventually have to find the Anglican way. The other ways simply will not endure the test of centuries. The ship of humanity needs to find an even keel.... So easy is it to be an extremist: so hard to keep to the Via Media, to hold the balance of truth. Does that path sound tame and uninviting. It is very far from that. The Middle Way is a pioneer reed of thrilling, inspired adventure.

"This gives the awakened Anglican a strong sense of mission. The future of the world depends to a large extent on the faithful and forceful presentation of his way of life. While he can look to theologians equal to the best, he is more inclined to come at the understanding of the Anglican tradition by seeing it as an historical achievement."

The Archdeacon went on to describe from a historical viewpoint how the Anglican Church kept the mean between the extremes, taking as examples the apparent opposites of continuity and independence, tradition and reform, authority and freedom, and unity and diversity. "These are significant pairs of opposites." said the Archdeacon. "Look at them apart, Continuity, Tradition, Authority. Unity—here are the very points the Church of Rome would claim as her characteristic marks. Then Independence, Reform, Freedom, Diversity—the very points the non-[unclear: Episcopal] Churches would claim to stand for. Within herself the Church of England preserves all four pairs ... it has achieved the reunion which others are still talking about. The true foundation and the very essence of Anglicanism are to be found in the Book of Common Prayer even more than the Thirty-nine Articles. The emphasis is laid upon common religious practice, not on theological speculation."

—P.S.

Maths. and Physics

Physicist C. P. Bull spoke recently to the Maths Physics Society on his experiences as a member of the British North Greenland expedition in 1952-54.

The expedition went by boat to the pack ice. They then were flown by R.A.F. Sunder lands to Lake Britannia Here the main observation post was set up, and with this as base, a field party travelled light across Greenland, measuring the thickness of the ice and collecting various other data. Hardly any measurements were more complicated than those required for Stage I Physics. For example, snow density was estimated by weighing a tobacco tin full of snow on a simple balance. When staying at the Danish station of North Ice, Dr. Bull helped to dig a fifty foot hole to measure annual snow accumulation. Each year's ice layer leaves a mark like an annual tree ring.

The expedition benefited in many ways from their friendly American neighbours. On the ice cap near Thule the party passed through an American field station. It was supposed by helicopter and snow cat, and was blessed with every luxury. They even saw a showing of "Executive Suite" before its London premiere. When an R.A.F. supplies aircraft came too low and crashed, a U.S. amphibian Albatross came to their rescue and picked up the injured crew.

Even in the rigours of the Arctic the party managed to have a little social life. They made a successful home brew with an old petrol can as a still. Each week the men dressed up in a gaudy fashion, and entertained themselves with pantomimes, original verse and the like. But the greatest occasion was when an order was mistaken, and the Americans dropped Xmas supplies for thirty instead of for three: their luxury food lasted out till Easter as a consequence.

The talk was neatly woven around a showing of colour slides that Dr. Burns took at the time. These made it much easier for the audience to appreciate the work and fun of the expedition.

At Last—Spike Again

This year is to see another "Spike." V.U.C.'s triennial literary and historical publication. "Spike" is the oldest established magazine published at the college, though its form and [unclear: nunt] have changed considerably from the forum for student invective and literary work which appeared twice yearly in the early days. With the appearance of "Smad" and, later, "Salient. " "Spike" degenerated into a superior annual school magazine, and very nearly came to final disaster in 1949 with the financial fiasco of the Golden Jubilee Number. After a period of five years during which no "Spike" appeared, the V.U.C.S.A. decided to revive it as an historical record of the College with a substantial literary section in which the best student creative writing could [unclear: aon] and to publish it every three years.

"Spike" this year will contain articles written by students and staff on a general theme of "The University and the Community." Among the subjects covered will be: "Political Activity at V.U.C," "V.U.C. Composer" "Classics and Redbrick. "The Impact of the University on Religious Belief." "Sport." "The Expansion of the College," "Extrav." "Research in N.Z. History," "Law and the Community." "The Role of the Geographer," "Student Journalism." and "Science and Society."

The Literary Section will be edited by Charles Doyle who hopes to be able to print student verse and prose of a standard which will maintain the high reputation "Spike" possesses for outstanding literary writing. In the recent past "Spike" has published some of the best work of James K. Baxter, Alistair Campbell, W. H. Oliver, and Anton Vogt, to mention only a few names, and with the quickening interest at Vic. in creative writing this year's Literary Section man well bring to light some significare new name for N.Z. literature.

"Spike" will as usual print notes on the activities of College Clubs, but probably, as is also usual, two-thirds of the clubs will not be mentioned owing to the failure of secretaries to forward the necessary information. Circulars have already been sent to all clubs by the Clubs' Editor, Don Jamieson, giving details of the information he wants, but there has been little indication to date that any co-operation will be forthcoming. It is to he hoped that club secretaries will give this matter immediate attention as it will be impossible to publish an adequate and permanent record without this assistance.