Salient sedate

Sirs,—Salient's sedate appearance on campus has now been accepted by most students. Once every two weeks it takes a 30-minute life. In an insect-like action it moves from the Salient box to the Caf table and then into the rubbish bin. During this short life students glean new facts which form the basis of the next two weeks' anecdotes around the campus.

Already the whole atmosphere on campus places too high a value on the role of learning of facts without stressing the need for even a minimum of thought. If Salient were run by the administration and staff its acquiescence to bourgeois respectability would be tolerable. However, when its role could be that of a stimulant, students should not accept the very inadequate substitute.

Though in the last few years Salient has been in capable hands and has developed an efficient and honest reporting system, not enough thought has been given to its basic purpose. What is needed is a force which will stand up and expound ideas and opinions on the issues which face us in our material and our ethical surroundings.

Far greater emphasis should be put on comment, which will not merely be regurgitated, but which will cause people to question conventional beliefs, discuss among themselves and think problems through to an independent conclusion.

I would recommend to both Editors and Students that they have a look at "Lot's Wife" and other Australian Student Newspapers. What do we students want from our educational system, what developments are mooted in legal reform—the problems and future of our society should be considered. If at a university this process of individual thought is not fostered then it will never flourish in a society, and if the mass media neglect the fostering of this thought then society is betrayed.

Impoverished no more

Sirs, — "Students Invest £10,000 In City"; striking, headline in the Evening Past? Striking, yes, and notable. Notable because the impoverished student is no more. We, the affluent students of Wellington, can afford to bestow our largesse upon the City Council. I never realised we were so wealthy; if this is the case could we also invest in student hostels, or could perhaps the Association fee be reduced?

In fact my reflections lead me to the conclusion that we should indicate our appreciation to our Executive at a General Meeting. You know the sort of thing: "That the Association invest £10,000 in student hostels," or "That the Association fee be reduced to £5/10/-" or "That the Executive be censured for the misuse of Association funds."

Article misleading

Sirs, — I should like to correct a false impression which could be created by two passages (in your article of March 17 on the Graduation ceremony) being read in conjunction. The first passage reads as follows:

"Although applications for conferment of degrees were sent out earlier than usual many Honours papers had not been marked by this date and the graduates did not receive their forms until the closing date for entries." This statement is followed later in the article by the following:

"Of the 28 Masters graduates in English only 16 managed to return their application forms by the set date (January 31) ..."

Taken together, these statements suggest that the English Ma scripts written in November 1966 were among the "many Honours papers that had not been marked" by some date late in January 1967.

The facts are quite different. All Ma examining and assessing in English was completed, and the results officially filed with the university office, before the end of November of last year.

Ian A. Gordon.

Head of English Department.

Promise to reform

Sirs,—In order to support the contention of my value, I have uncovered the following intelligence. I trust you will reinstate me as a mark of your gratitude.

A number of undergrad, students this year when applying for library cards, stated that they were graduates in order to be allowed those privileges which have been granted to graduate students only. They were able to do this confidently, knowing that there was no cross-check on library cards to verify their claims. Should I pass this information on to the secretary?

Fred.

Ps Please can I have my job back. I promise to stop storing my meat in the type-writer.

Editorial endorsed

Sirs,—I would like to heartily endorse your editorial in the last issue re the language requirement.

There can be little doubt in thinking minds that this regulation represents bureaucracy at its ugly best. Surely if academic pursuit is to have any real meaning it can only emerge from extensive study prompted by genuine interest.

Where the study motive is simply compliance with red tape entrenchment, I am at a loss to see how any lasting benefit can be conferred. I believe that it is quite unfair on staff to expect them to labour over an uninterested class.

May I also urge that these pleas go not unheard. Let the scurrilous provision be struck from the regulations.

Library users shut up!

Sirs,—Why cannot people shut up in the library, particularly in the Periodicals Reading Room? The latter is intended for the pursuit of knowledge, not for knowledge of the pursuit.

Anarchist extremism

Sirs, — Recently I was astounded to see on a notice-board in the Student Union Building a cartoon which carried a taboo four-letter word in the caption.

This is an affront to the moral standards of the aver-age student, and a further black mark on the slate of anarchism, since it was pinned in this section of the board.

This example of anarchist extremism should serve to draw attention to the need for censorship of the matter exhibited on the notice-boards.

The anarchists' lavatory wall language does not belong here.

Fred still willing

Sirs,—I demand to know your reasons for advertising for a "Layout Assistant" for 1967. I neither gave you notice, nor did you give me notice so I concluded I was to remain in your employ for the forthcoming year. Although my previous owner (the secretary of your Association) gave me to his mother in return for a car I am still willing, yea desirous, to share my talents with students, those generous people who took me in, fed and clothed me, when I was nobody. But I Do take exception to you surreptitiously taking my job off me without notifying me first.

I remain, keep out of my fur,