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The Extravaganza and "Spike"

Once I believed the Victoria College University College magazine was a mouthpiece of intellect, genius and virtue; a magazine whose opinions were sound, whose prose was not tainted with journalism, and whose criticisms were just. What a shock was then mine when the June issue was produced.

I knew that a new management had taken charge and scarcely expected that the elevated standard which had been so characteristic of your pages in recent years would be maintained, but ten thousand times more painful than my worst forebodings was the shock I received.

My copy was apparently minus the editorial, search as I would there was only an introductory paragraph to be found, and what it was introducing was nowhere discoverable.

Some gentle poet's ode to some gentle maiden was then sandwiched before a dissertation "of clothes," chiefly remarkable for its verbosity. There followed a shocking piece of Latin doggerel, an evident proof of the fact that the editorial committee was woefully ignorant regarding that language. Then some account of Tournament and Capping proceedings. My spirits were somewhat revived by an "Ode on a Man," but almost immediately shattered by a play, crammed with passion and pep, by some mysterious E.L.P. suffering, apparently, from a course of Bulldog Drummond and Zane Grey. With a weary hand I turned over the next few pages, whose headings, "Entomological Notes" and "The Butcher's Shop," saved one from perusal of what was appended beneath.

At last page forty-five lay before me, an account of the Extravaganza—a subject that should be interesting. I read it through once, got my spectacles out and read it again, and yet a third time was I nauseated, scarcely able to believe that what I was reading, in sober black and white, was a part of the "Spike." Truly this magazine has changed! A paper that sets forth the truth it is generally maintained to be. Is the editorial committee then of one mind with the vile perpetrator?

Who is this C.Q.P., with his basket of mud and rotten eggs? He must be brave if nothing else when he does not even attempt to disguise himself under a nom-de-plume.

Has he written an extravaganza himself that he lays down his opinions with such calm assurance? It is evident that the "Laughter that stings self-satisfaction" has never touched that in which he is so amply robed.

It is pleasing to note that in spite of the scathing criticisms which he has so freely lavished upon "Just as You Say, Dear,"the public of Wellington did go to see the production and was a good deal more amused than C.Q.P.

Incidentally, this extremely weak play, "which consisted of a superfluous act, poor scenery, too many words and not enough humour," paid its way, though not, perhaps, in a degree great enough to render seasonable Mr. R. M. Campbell's generous motion that 60 per cent, of the ensuing profits should go towards the building of a residential hostel.

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C.Q.P. announces that it would be well for us to know the body of opinion of past students. By what right has he constituted himself their mouthpiece? It is difficult to recall anything of particular note in the past history of this college that is associated with those initials. But perhaps we are unjust and have unwittingly stumbled upon one of those unhappily too familiar desert flowers "born to blush unseen."

The article finishes with what must be confessed is a sound criticism of the caste though the statement that Mr. Pope lacked the experience to simper effectively was rather amazing. So the "Spike" publishes without a word of criticism an article which if it were true would bring disgrace on the Executive of the Students' Association and on every member of that Association, for all these are ready to scrap tradition and merely regard the Extravaganza as a source of easy revenue.