Septic Tanks?

Reference the article on the ASA conference. For your information the "tanks" in the photo are not actually tanks at all, and they are of US manufacture, not Soviet.

Disabled not Covered

Presumably the purpose of designing a covered way between Easterfield and the Library block was not purely an artistic exercise, but was for the purpose of limiting the weather's effect on fraught students rushing between buildings.

Why then, considering this year's focus on the disabled (who comprise 10% of the population), have they not been catered for.

The covered (partially coveted, mostly open) way between these two buildings seems to have been designed by the non-disabled for the non-disabled.

There seems a strange pattern of inconsistent accessways throughout the various buildings and this new covered access seems to continue the pattern.

The logic seems hard to follow; considerable research has been carried out and is available in the university Library which specifically focusses on the problem of access for the disabled within the university complex and yet this is another instance where they have been overlooked.

Perhaps there are plans in the pipeline to provide them with a series of underground subways - however, in the meantime they continue to be doubly disadvantaged. They face the prospect of a wet winter and the continuing problem of limited access affecting the range and scope of their studies.

Furioso e Con Forza

Brian Pike's reply (Salient 13 July) to Gavin Saunders' criticism is brilliant! Really gets my adrenalin going!

For a start, he points out it's all about a change in code, not risk. That's irrelevant, obviously the risk is there, the old codes were too loose. The new code demands higher safety standards. This works fine until noble preservation societies stop in. (Preservation of buildings, not students, not working surroundings and conditions).

Then he says FoH are doing "them" a favour by delaying the need to find somewhere else for us. Great! I really appreciate that! While FoH and "they" play tin soldier games we are the losers. Perhaps FoH could do us a favour and find us somewhere suitable (possible) to study and work. Then, who knows, you might find a few music students wishing to help preserve a building that was and could be (at great expense I must admit) magnificent.

We have to study there. There are 45 or so of us studying musical performance as a major. This entails lots of practice. There are five reasonable practice rooms (well lit usually, and not too decrepid) so long as you don't mind the lack of an) sound proofing. They are like ovens, not good for players or instruments. If we open the windows the telephonists complain. If we open doors the physicists and the rest of the music dept complain. Perhaps the physicists and telephonists could help us get out of here.

Meanwhile five rooms don't go far so we spread out into the further reaches of Hunter (poor physicists, we do sympathise) or into rooms like 318 - no windows, poor lights, shitty walls, and the sound of dripping water from the ceiling competes with sow metronome. The smell sometimes is unbelievable.

Frankly I don't give a damn who's responsible for keeping us here any more than they give a damn about us. I do object to the fact that there is not a plausible excuse; they even (take note Mr Pike) try and make out to be doing us a favour.

We are put off by peeling paint, crumbling plaster, burnt out lights, dropping ceilings, and the way the building shakes if people walk at more than snails pace. I suggest FoH members try working and studying here, take some of your own medicine and stop playing with my survival chances.

Salient Racist?

I am writing to complain about the notice on the back of last weeks Salient about the anti-tour March - it is blatantly racist. Why emphasize the "liberation" of the blacks only. What about the Chinese, Indians & Coloureds, not to mention those Whites who suffer the injustices of the Botha government.

Losing Weight the Easy Weigh

I've had a gutsfull of hearing about the Springbok tour. I couldn't give a bugger for gays', women's or anyone else's rights, and as far as I'm concerned the French can test their bombs anywhere they like - but Christ, when some twerp flogs the weights out of the Rec Centre that really bloods annoys me. I hope the nerd reads this 'coz then he'd know he's pissed off about 30 regular gym users and besides, the nerd could get better use from them at the gym than anywhere else, (unless he ties 'em 'round his neck and jumps off Queen's Wharf).

Hunter Highlighted

It appears to me that all this chatty business spreading over the front pages of Salient are not doing anything for the plight of students still using the Hunter building.

Gavin Saunders' article (two weeks back) highlighted the problems facing both physics and music students very well. The reply from Friends of Hunter and such like has not altered anything said in the aforementioned article. All this talk is getting us students nowhere. Why aren't these influential people who read Salient doing something about finding alternative accommodation instead of passing motions to the effect that they should slop sitting around talking about doing something and stop passing motions and actually do something.

Unless we students (and lecturers, too for that matter) continue to raise a stink about the depressing atmosphere and general decay of the building this whole issue will sink back into the woodwork. Good work, lads (and lasses); keep it up!

What Price a New Careers Advisor?

I understand that the present Careers Advisor, Mr R.B. Bartley, is to resign from his post as of September this year. I am sure that all students will join me in thanking him for his 10 years service to the university, and will wish him well in the future.

However the point which I wish to draw your attention to is that the university administration has not named the person to fill Mr Bartley's position.

Furthermore, I understand that the Board does not intend to refill this important position. I propose, therefore, that our students association has a duty to approach the Board to ensure that we do have a competant Careers Advisor in the future.

The Careers Advisors Service is a valuable asset to all students, and its importance should not be underestimated.

I (and all students) await a reply from both the Students Association and the university administrators.

Boundless Expectations

I was amazed and gratified that such swift action was taken in reaction to my "Hopping Mad" letter. You have restored my faith in democrat's (on a small scale).

Flushed with success I am now writing to the Rugby Union to ask them to stop the tour and Moscow to ask them to get out of Afghanistan. Expectantly yours,

Adams on the Rack

In reading the article "More than a paper tiger" I was quite surprised to see the extent to which Virginia Adams was fooled by the Iraqis.

Ms Adams completely ignored the fact that the ruling Ba'ath Socialist Party is a one man military dictator much worse than the "dictatorships" she mentions in her article, Even more importantly she ignores the gross human rights violations that are so common, oppression of minorities such as the Kurds (who have a large part of their homeland occupied by lraq) of the few Jews still alive (with many being hung publicly after being accused of being Zionist spies).

Free political expression is also banned in lraq but Virginia you are now in New Zealand so don't be afraid tell us about the real Iraq.

English 214 Defended

I would suggest to "Hende Nicholas" that instead of masking himself behind the anonymity of a pseudonym, he might take his complaints about ENGL 214 to the right people, if he feels that strongly.

I myself take objection to the majority of criticisms levelled at the course and its staff in your letter. I would agree however that the course probably was a failure as far as you were concerned. This is perhaps more a reflection of your attitude to it, rather than the course itself.

Classes are "boring and slow" because students with your attitude make them boring and slow. Reading a text through once and then relying on critics to gel you through your essays, seems to suggest that you were more interested in obtaining the 6 credits than with learning about Middle English Literature.

Films Underexposed

Vic has an excellent film programme, but buggered if its worth going out of your way to see anything. I've gone to see six films this year, and on three of those occasions I wasn't able to see the advertised film. I'm just grateful I haven't wasted my time more often.

On one occasion the wrong film was being shown. Why? Because two films had arrived oul of sequence, and rather than keeping the first one over to the correct screening time, thus inconveniencing only one prospective audience, it was decided to show each on the wrong day and piss off two prospective audiences. Brilliant!

On another occasion, the film I'd gone to see had been transferred to a later time without warning in Salient.

Finally, Macbeth simply wasn't available.

Funny, but for each of those films I just happened to make a great big, sweaty effort to get there, only to have to walk home again.

I, and no doubt many like me, are fucking pissed off! Perhaps the circumstances are beyond the Film Controller's (where did they get that name from) control, but whether s/he likes it or not, it is her/his responsibility. So why hasn't the ill-mannered person ever apologised for these (and possibly several other for all I know) cock ups?

Editorial Criticised

I have never before been quite angry enough to write to you in order to complain about the inflammatory language and sheer hypocrisy that occasionally occurs in Salient editorials - but the editorial last week (Salient 13 July) was too much for me and this time I am writing to you - in the hope that you will apologise for your remarks! I shall quote a passage from your own editorial:

"Just as on every other match day, a mass, militant and disruptive protest will be held in every main centre - designed to stretch the State's policing forces beyond breaking point" (emphasis added).

I find it simply incredible that anyone can claim violence will erupt, without a disruption as bad as a riot, from our long suffering police and from pro-tour supporters (who have made no such threats) towards peaceful anti-tour activists. When the two statements appeared within two lines of each other in an editorial I could not believe what I was seeing - please retract your statement that tour supporters and the police are likely to use violence against 'peaceful, non-violent activists'.

Writings on the Wall

Having attended this university for a number of years I have always been appalled by the sheer volume of unsightly posters that adorn our walls. The Students Association and the PSA have been principal offenders in the past, but now, my God, its the bloody Christians. For three days now we have been getting the story about humane life or death and it seems that some Mitchell person is having a spout. He might have a direct line with the big man in the sky but he's making a hell of a mess around this campus with his posters.

We have noticeboards in all the main foyers, you can advertise in Salient and on lecture blackboards, but quit slicking your fucking posters to our buildings. I like my concrete grey.

I hope sour glue rots and the colours fade, and frankly I don't care for Mitchell.

Since When has the Debating Society been a Non-Political Club?

It is through the pages of your organ that I wish to register my disgust at the actions of those responsible for cancelling a previously scheduled booking of the Union Hall by the Debating Society on Wednesday 14 July, in order to hold an SGM.

This seems to set a particularly unsavoury, and disturbing precedent, in that certain executive members can, at will, cancel previously made bookings by legitimate clubs in the twinkling of an eye.

Not only does this make a mockery of the booking form system, but perhaps reflects the low priority accorded non-political clubs by the Association's executive.

The invaluable contribution made by clubs, such as the Debating Society has long been ignored by the Association. Many students derive an enormous amount of enjoyment from Union Hall debates and the like, much more so than the boredom and tedium of the farcical "democratic" SRC's and SGM's. I deplore this action and urge those responsible for the welfare of VUW's cultural clubs to act to see this outrage does not occur again.