Literary page

Your Literary Editor, Mr. James, would be wise to stop his quest for this mysterious female plagiarist "Elizabeth" before he makes a complete fool of himself, and "Elizabeth" is exploited as en elaborate literary joke upon his solemn page.

If Mr. James refers to Pound's Canto XVIII he will discover that the extract: "That qrosbois is oak, ash, elm . . ." comes from a sub-section with the heavy black title "Elizabeth", but surely he has acquaintance enough with literature to recognize that "From 'Elizabeth' " suggests derivation from a large work rather than a non-de-plume?

He was wise enough to recognise th nerit of the poem "It may be genius or something quite different" (the razor's edge?) and rather gave the lie to his detractors . . . "She didn't think I would publish it".

A certain school of poetry is Poundish or rather, bad Mauberley, isn't it, Mr. James—The point, I suppose, of the joke?

Be not discouraged, Mr, James, in liking E.P. before his imitators you have proved your priorities are sound. By your own severe criticisms you must force our literary charlatans to improve their verse.

Richard King.

Of Course you were being facetious in publishing the poem by "E.P." In the last issue of Salient.

It appears to me that the writer is an ex-Fascist, and long-term in-male of a mental asylum. Should you read the rest of Canto CVIII my view will be confirmed.

"E.P." is alive and well in Italy and not about to "reveal herself" to you or anyone else.

David Avery.

A.G.M.

Last week I attended the Annual General Meeting of the Students' Association. I left considerably disheartened and saddened at the immature and unenlightened speaking which occurred there.

This should be an occasion at which serious matters are given an intelligent hearing and although it need not be entirely bereft of humour, could well do without the imbecilic inanities which flavoured the discussion.

The pitifully small audience In the theatre was another tribute to our glorious awareness and concern for politics, governing bodies and international affairs.

The token force of students present can hardly be a very accurate representation of student opinion.

But looking back I think I understand the meagre attendance and the irrelevancies of the meeting.

Only the most facetious persons with the undivided aim of avoiding true meaning or on the other hand, the most tenacious and genuine could have bothered to attend.

Please, could we have a little intelligent thinking and unselfishness on these matters of such grave concern so we can begin to use our influence constructively.

Alana Guinivent

Record reviews

May I further plead my case for classical music reviews in Salient. All I ask it that in this year of great recording triumphs, we would possibly share in some of the better pieces.

I don't ask that modern recordings should be replaced, indeed if I may quote my first letter, "I do not advocate a solid block of classical records, but a balance must be maintained".

It also seems a great pity that the last two issues of Salient have not had any sort of record review at all. If the reviewer is experiencing difficulty in obtaining records then I suggest that he notes the method used by the record reviewer in "Craccum".

Furthermore, why one record reviewer? There are several book and film reviewers, why not two record reviewers, then Mr. Hewitson need not worry about having to review records that seem distasteful to him.

Ron Pretty.

Apartheid demo

I Wish to thank you for the item attributed to me in last week's Salient. It is hard to find anywhere in New Zealand or Australia a weekly paper comparative to Salient in news Items, photography, including a high literary level.

However I did not intend to criticise the intentions of those who organised the apartheid protest. As far as I know, none of the unions concerned or the Maori people were aware of the demonstration until I circulated copies of Salient at Trades Hall.

If prior notice of possibly a week, had been given perhaps there would have been a thousand Maori-Pakeha trade unionists supporting the students.

I would sincerely suggest in future Mr Tom Potae of the Wellington Drivers Union, the Seamen's Union, Freezing Workers' Union and the Watersiders' executive be kept in touch to build a common front between the student radicals, the trade union movement and our Polynesian people.

Darryl J. Cunningham.

P.R.O. appointee

Without wishing to take sides in the argument as to who should or should not have been appointed P.R.O., I must express my astonishment and dissatisfaction with the way the whole affair was carried out. Incidentally, I do feel the emphasis of your lead story should have been on the latter rather than the former.

Last year at Otago, the executive, of which I was a member, was faced with the problem of finding a new member. Although exec has the power to coopt members for short terms, we felt the onus of appointing an officer for a whole year's term of office should not be on such a small group. In soite of the fact this was in October, immediately before finals, a sp al meeting of Student Council was called for the sole purpose of allowing the students to elect their, not exec's officer.

Admittedly we would have been coopting an officer on to an incoming exec, on which the majority of us would not sit. But in the present situation, a consideration of this sort is minor and far outweighed by (1) (he length of term to be run, and (2) the fact the A.G.M. of the Students' Association was scheduled for the same week.

Secondly. Salient quoted Miss C. McGrath as asking Mr. Simon Arnold if "this was fust an attempt to get his favourite candidate on to exec, for he would have more chance at an A.G.M.". Regardless of the accuracy of this premise, and we will not be able to prove or disprove it now, that an exec member could suggest maybe the students would prefer the candidate that exec rejected is the greatest indictment of all. The exec after all represents the students and their interests, not dictates them.

If this example of highhanded and authoritarian behaviour is what we are to expect from Vic exec as it carries out its administrative duties end represents student opinion this year, then the sooner Vic gets a Student Representative Council with a responsible attitude the better.

Judy M. Dey.

Super-graphics

There are several points I should like to make about Dan Bradshaw's article on supergraphics. Mr. Bradshaw says at one point:

"This brilliant colour would be directed into a thinner band of colour that would be directed across the walls and ceilings. By following this band the person would be moved along the passageways. At each separate room the band would branch and end in an arrowhead. Beside the room's entrance there would be decorative expression of where the person had reached in the buildinq."

Really, Mr. Bradshaw, just what are you proposing to smear on the wells outside the lavatories? Some of your own prose perhaps?

As for "softening the stark outline" of the Student Union by painting it R.A.F. blue! Really! This place is quite enough of an architectural "curiosity shop" already. May I suggest as an alternative a long, thin, red, cylindrical stick of dynamite!