Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 10, No. 10. July 16, 1947
"Gross Criminal Negligence"—or Merely a Legal Quibble?
"Gross Criminal Negligence"—or Merely a Legal Quibble?
Out of all the hot-air, side-tracking, wise-cracking, eruption and disruption of the Annual General Meeting in its two sessions, some interesting facts emerge. The most important is that the work of the incoming Executive has been delayed for a week, at a time when the preliminary organization of VUC's first Winter Tournament is a matter of growing importance. This delay is an unnecessary burden on an overworked committee. It was found at the second sitting of the AGM that the lawyers of the Association had very effectively led the rest of us up the gum tree at the bottom of the garden path; that a few members with more common sense than rhetoric were justified when they called the question of non-registration a legal quibble; it will be found in the Statement of Accounts for next year that this quibble cost the Association a fairly healthy lawyer's fee. What is perhaps even more significant is the probability that those who originated this spanner in the works knew the situation in time to have the matter rectified before the meeting, as anyone interested in the welfare of the Association would have done.
On nearly all other matters considered by the AGM, much more sanity was displayed, and in some cases even a reasonable amount of speed. The difficulties which face the Treasurer should now be obvious to everyone (since "Truth" has a far larger circulation than "Salient"), and this year's events will, we hope, result in a far more satisfactory situation in the future, whatever scheme is adopted.
Some Motions Passed
The drawing up of the new constitution resulted in the annual crop of amendments being considerably reduced. Some adherents of the Oxford policy of awarding blues only to those sports demanding display of "manly physical endeavour" demurred at the proposal to allow an award to the rowing cox, but the majority accepted it readily enough.
The McArley Bill, with which nobody seemed disposed to argue, appears to be a constitutional amendment to ensure that the constitution is adhered to, in cases when the executive fails in its duty to call a by-election to fill vacancies caused by resignations. An unnecessary but harmless precaution.
On the subject of the new building, the unanimous decision to press for the appointment of Mr. Plischke as architect may lead to an impasse at present, but it will help to ensure that when we do have a building it will be designed by a man who is not only New Zealand's best, but is an architect of world reputation. The executive cannot agree to any other appointment without reference to a general meeting.
Mr. O'Brien hoped to solve the vexed problem of allocation of the Gymn for Friday evenings. In doing so he raised several other problems, mainly meanings of the words prestige, record and seniority, which will probably be just as difficult.