Your Contemporaries —Are They Thinking ?

The Editor of "Canta" makes a statement that could apply to Victoria: "This university suffers from moral turpitude, bourgeois conformity, and a shrinking from controversy all coalescing into one general symptom—apathy." There is the minority however the students that express their opinions and take an active interest in student affairs at every aspect as can be seen in the latest reports from the other universities of New Zealand.

Student Buildings: In Dunedin the new executive has begun to dream hopefully of a Little Theatre. An architect has at the request of the Executive prepared sketches for a modern and extremely versatile theatre. It has been decided to start raising funds as soon as possible. The Building Committee of Auckland University has drawn up a questionnaire which they intend to send overseas to other universities so that they can ensure the best Student Union building possible—and at Canterbury the students are beginning an intensive appeal so that they may carry out their aim of having a new Student Union building by 1965.

Capping Book and Procession: Auckland Executive is also planning to improve the general standard of Procesh, while this year's Capping Book is being severely criticised because of the large amount of material in it "lifted" from authors other than students.

Student Dress: In Canterbury a controversy is raging about the dress of students. It began when the Faculty of Law issued a statement ordering all students to wear ties at lectures. This was followed by the Executives' deploring the "sluttishness" of student dress and the start of a campaign for the improvement of the appearance of the students. A competition has been organised for the design of a new Canterbury University tie and blazer. Executive also congratulated Cannon Hall for procuring under-graduate gowns for its students. Not only the students but the staff also were criticised for their "scruffy appearance." There have been the usual criticisms and outcries against these suggestions on the grounds of "enslavement to conformity" and "encroachment of liberty, etc.," but on the whole Exec's attitude seems to be on the whole, supported. As a contributor to "Canta" states "If you want to live in a society then you must be prepared to make some concessions, and if that society sets a standard of dress—then you must conform or go elsewhere."

Chastity: A recent article in " Canta " on the subject of Chastity has sparked off a spirited and heated argument. The writer expressed the view that chastity was no longer necessary in our present society. He argued on four main points—that a "Back to Chastity" movement would only widen the already serious rift in our society between the young and older generations; that a modern husband's objection to the new virginity of his wife is purely the result of upbringing and education, and as it is not a basic fundamental feeling it has no logical strength; that the risk of pregnancy cannot be used as a valid argument for chastity as this risk is not at all accurately known —and finally that the "element of irrationality and hysteria" surrounding the restraint expected from couples in love certainly does not form the ideal basis for a successful marriage. Naturally the article provoked immediate and heated opposition defending chastity on the usual moral and religious grounds as well as the grounds of unwanted pregnancy and the break-up of stable family units so necessary in today's society. Whatever conclusion the writers reach they seem to be unanimous on one point; that the attitude "Sex is shameful, and must not be talked about" is rightly disappearing.

—S.D.B.