Weir Women

That most noble and venerated institution, that long-standing bastion of male supremacy, Weir House, is being challenged by idealised, over possessive and babbling women - or so it may seem. It is in fact no more than a proposal for Weir House to enter a new scheme of sexual integration of hostels in an attempt to instil into the residents a morsel of common sense and tolerance.

It has become evident that other campuses in New Zealand have thought that integrated hostels are a civilized atmosphere in which to introduce new students to the whys and wherefores of university life - and that is a sound belief. But whether or not it is practical and feasible to enact the changeover remimains to be seen.

Under the proposal, forty males and females would swap places in their hostels and move to the other - this is however an initial proportion only and it would probably rise so that nearly half of the residents in each hostel were in fact 'new residents'.

Several complications in the physical sense are obvious, toilets etc would have to be altered, and other facilities changed to accomodate the influx of new members. But more important (to the males) are the questions of restrictions on hours which might be enforced at Vic - appears none exist at Weir - similarly, they fear the loss or curtailing of drinking and entertaining rights which as everyone knows are pretty civilised at Weir, where they help to place the onus for one's behaviour on one's own shoulders. It is these rights which may be in jeopardy to those men who shift from Weir, that is making the student in Weir rather reticent to proclaim the scheme as a good one - and rightly so. After all, one would also have to climb a steep hill every day to Varsity, and there would be no cable car to bomb or to carry one's drunken self home on. There are distinct disadvantages for those who might have to go - but for those who stayed behind! Flocks of academic lovelies tittering in corners having their education in language attended to. What a thought!

No, although it seems a good idea for the Women's Lib, it might prove distasteful to the more important people - the men. Even so, it will probably go ahead, so the best of luck to all the wardens concerned.