Harriers

In spite of a good run by Tony Gow (third), the VUC cross-country team ran fourth in the race held over a 6½-mile course. Conditions for the run were ideal overhead and underfoot. The Victoria team comprised Tony Gow, Rod Orange, Wilf Malcolm, Derek Pringle, Des Deacon and Dave Tucker.

VUC runners were fairly well up during the first stretch, but were unable to maintain their positions on the uphill section following. At the top, Gow. Pringle and Orange were with the leaders, and plascings changed little on the downhill section which was slippery and tricky. With two miles of relatively flat going to go, Gow moved up to second.

Despite an unfriendly bull and a herd of steers which tended to accelerate individual performances, no casualties were reported. Aimer, of AUC was leading from Gow, with Murray (OU) in third place at the 5½ mile post, but Murray overtook Gow shortly before the finish. VUC individual placings were: Gow 3rd, Orange 9th, Malcolm 17th and Tucker 21st. Auckland won the Dixon Trophy in the teams competition, from Canterbury and Otago.

Shooting

In a closely-contested competition for the I.C.I. Shield, VUC took seconded place in CUC In the smallbore rifle shooting held on the Christchurch Association range.

Brian Bradburn, back with the VUC team after a year with AUC, failed to reach the very high standard expected of him until towards the end, when he shot 200.15 for highest score in the NZU match, and an NZU Blue. Jim Mansell, another experienced shot who returned to the team after a year's absence, improved on his previous creditable performance, also to earn a Blue.

Ian Chatwin, a first-year shot, did extremely well throughout and gained top-equal score of 200.17 on the North-South shoot. Graeme Barnard, formerly of CUC, scoped and coached the team, and it was largely through his efforts that VUC did so well. Denis Middleton, another first-year shot, broke the former Blues standard of 990, dropping only one point in his last four shoots; his transfer to OU next year will be a serious loss to this college's shooting.

VUC was largely responsible for North's win over South in the inter-island shoot, and the entire VUC team was included in the NZU side to shoot against the Canterbury provincial team. Although NZU shot creditably, Canterbury showed why it is regarded as one of New Zealand's premier associations, and in dropping only three points won by 1997.163 to 1984.148.

Soccer

Table tennis

VUC were little troubled in the table tennis to take 21 points against the second team's four points on the internal points table. In the teams knockout competition VUC defeated Massey without loss, defeated AUC 16-5 and defeated OU in the final 15-6.

Alan Robinson won the men's singles championship for the third straight year and was awarded a NZU Blue. In addition he partnered Elisabeth Lesser to win the mixed doubles; Elisabeth herself taking the women's singles and teaming with Marion Morrison to win the women's doubles.

Stan Catley reached the final of both mens and mixed doubles, but won neither. Jeff Thomas was Robinson's opponent in the all-VUC men's singles Anal. Robinson, Thomas and Miss Lesser all made the NZU side to play Canterbury.

Robinson beat both the top Canterbury men in this match, and Miss Lesser won one single—the highlights of an otherwise disappointing performance by NZU.

Drinking Horn

Following the widespread publicity given to the Horn at Easter Tournament the Drinking Horn held in the public bar of the New City Hotel was a very sober and well organised affair compared with the "glorified shambles" that was witnessed at Easter.

Lack of concerted training was evidenced in VUC's defeat In the first round by MAC. In the final, after several re-runs, CUC defeated CAC by the big margin of two glasses. The superiority of the Canterbury team was later demonstrated when four of them went on to win coveted "Blue" awards.

Drama

The wide choice of plays chosen made an interesting two evenings in the theatre. But unfortunately only one play came anywhere near a satisfying production. The winning play was CUC's "The Utile Stone House," by George Calderon—the only one act play in the festival. It is a tragedy in a pesudo-Chehovian style, concerning a mother who has worshipped her supposedly dead son. He returns from Siberia and the mother's dream is shattered. It was well acted and thoroughly deserved the winning place.

AUC performed the Prologue to Act II and the Epilogue to "The Insect Play" by the brothers Capek. It was performed creditably and with high spirits and the satire and comedy were brought out well and kept the audience interested.

VUC's version of "Cat On A Hot Tin Roof" by Tennessee Williams was called "foolhardy and lacking in discretion." Mr. Newman, the adjudicator, continued that "the play is extremely difficult and would tax the skill of the most experienced players and director—here the situations wore so beyond the grasp of the players that the tragedy was received with laughter by a sympathetic audience," John Archibald played with "splendid intensity" and Heather Scott with "good pace," though they were unable to convey the deeper emotions of the characters they were portraying.

Otago started off by acting the "Don Juan in Hell" scene from Shaw's "Man and Superman;" then the four actors manoeuvred themselves behind four short pillars and started reading their parts. The audience began to lose interest as the play was not well read, and when an actor turned over a page his voice was lost amidst the audience's laughter.

In all a disappointing festival. The highlight of the week was seeing in rehearsal Ngaio Marsh's production of "King Lear" for CUC Drama Society. The first half was truly ex-Citing theatre reaching a magnificent climax in the storm scenes. Good luck to the cast for what should be a memorable production.—L.D.A.

Oratory

The triennial contest for the Bledisloe Medal was held thin year during winter tournament in the provincial chambers at Christchurch. Each of the four major colleges is represented by two speakers and the contest is judged on the same basis as our Plunket medal. This year Victoria was represented by Hector MocNeill, winner of this years' Plunket medal, and by Sue Mitcalf, a new orator at Victoria.

The standard of speaking was very high. The winner. Miss L. Jones of Canterbury University College, spoke in a fluent and experienced manner on Richard John Seddon. She is a very gifted speaker who spaced her words well and used her hands to their full effect; yet her speech failed to affect the audience as did those of the other speakers.

Hector MacNeill of Victoria was placed second for his sincere and powerful speech on Te Whiti Oronga-mai. His voice was powerful and he used it to the full. His sincerity conveyed itself to the audience and he well deserved his placing.

The speaker who took third place was Mr. Elliot, also of Canterbury, who spoke on Lord Rutherford, who did much of his early experimentation in the present rooms of the E.U. at Canterbury University College. He spoke calmly and with dignity, with excellent diction and command of his subject, yet at times seeming to stand off from his audience.

Two other speakers worthy of note were Miss Mitcalf of Victoria and Mr. Peter Gordon of Auckland. Miss Mitcalf delivered the most powerful and moving speech of the evening, on Robin Hyde, showing a remarkable insight and feeling for the subject's character and conveying this to her audience. Of all the speeches Miss Mitcalf's is likely to stand out longest in the memory of the hearers.

Sir James Caroll was the subject chosen by Mr. Peter Gordon, who, at times, seeming to find difficulty in remembering his speech, succeeded in appealing to his audience. Outstanding in his speech was the conclusion, which was delivered in Maori, and showed Mr. Gordon's fine oratorical power.

To many, the judgment was disappointing, for speakers seemed to be commended primarily for technical perfection and secondarily for sincerity and command of the audience. Nevertheless the evening was one of fine oratory and all speakers showed power, although none were without many defects.

Welcome

Too much emphasis was placed on winning in some fields of sport, said the Mayor of Christchurch (Mr. R. M. Macfariane, M.P.), when welcoming competitors to the Taurnament at a function held in the CUC Assembly Hall.

"Sport has an important place in the lives of New Zealanders, and we in Christchurch have taken pride over the years in the provision made for sporting activities by the pioneers," he said.

"Their decision to set aside Hagley Park as a sports and recreational area for all time showed great foresight," said Mr. Macfariane.

The university teams had a fine record for sportsmanship and contributed a great deal to the sporting life of the country, he said.

He was pleased to see such a large number from all parts of New Zealand attending the tournament, and he hoped they would make full use of the excellent sporting facilities the city had to offer. (Laughter.)

The team were welcomed on behalf of the Canterbury College Students' Association by the president, Mr. J. G. Rutherford.

Mr. E. Woodfield of Victoria College replied on behalf of the visitors.

Social

Taking full advantage of the best sporting and student recreation facilities in any University centre, CUC turned on first-class hospitality for Tournament visitors.

Organization proved to be CUC's specialty, and much credit must go to Tournament Controller Ian Mc-Dougall and CUCSA president John Rutherford and their helpers.

Climaxing a marathon week's social, administrative and Sporting activities, the Tournament Ball held in the Caledonian Hall was the usual delightful shambles. The sice of the hall dictated the style of play: seating and dancing space were at a premium and liquor wasn't, so the large crowd indulged in considerable imbibing and skylarking interspersed with some dancing.

Wellington's Winter Show is quite the nearest to ideal an a venue for Tournament Balls.

In the course of the night's programme. NZU Blues in sports and drinking were announced, trophies were presented, compliments were exchanged by college delegates, the delegates had a sack-race in which the mortality rate was startlingly high, and someone fell off the stage landing on a bottle (full) in his trousers pocket.

Prizes ranging from £A2,000 Customline sedan to Australian lottery tickets are offered in an art union organized by Tasmanian University students to raise funds to build a badly-needed student union building. 150.000 tickets at 2/- will be sold throughout Australia.