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Some unconnected ramblings purporting to be an article for " Salient " resulting from being trapped when in a weakened stale at the end of a lecture.
It is a widely-held and not entirely unfounded belief that the scientist is the present-day Philistine. (This modern swear word does not mean lover of beer.)
Oh yeh! Contrary to what appears to be the opinion of many so-called scientists, science is in fact an art. The joy of being able to add another strand to the fabric of knowledge is only to be compared with that of painting a picture, making love, writing a poem or composing music. (The scientist if, of course, not the only one capable of adding to knowledge, but his attitude and methods are very successful.)
He is driven by a fanatical in quisitiveness into an extraordinary This is surprisingly similar to the attitude of the artist or poet and just as the artist or poet focuses his attention on—or rather his imagination is captivated by—certain aspects of his world, so does the scientist.
It is interesting, and perhaps upsetting, to notice by the way that this singular ability of the mind to focus its perceptiveness can be stimulated in an ordinary person by the drug mescalin (often also in a minor way by alcohol), which merely alters the glucose metabolic rate in the brain. I use here the phrase "ordinary person" In the sense non-poet, non-scientist, etc. But are such "ordinary" people incapable of being poets, say?
Not at all! I hale any sense of essential superiority of one man over another, and as well as insisting that all men deserve equality of opportunity I believe that all men are capable of sensing, understanding and participating in the higher things of the intellect. And yet you say such a high proportion of people (particularly in New Zealand) are little more than human vegetables, self-portable pieces of chemistry that merely eat, sleep, vinced that this now self-perpetuating disease arises through a social and educational system that goes out of its way to kill some of our most precious possessions: Imagination, initiative, inquisitiveness and individuality. Have you ever wondered about the redness of roses, the touch of a lover? Have you ever painted a shriek? Do you know what it is like to be crucified? Do you think Galileo ever regretted going blind? Have you ever had a virgin thought or perceived a new piece of knowledge?
The scientist is in the first instance an artist, not a philosopher. He sees certain aspects of the universe and describes how these aspects are connected together, but makes no attempt to question why these aspects or their connections exist—that he leaves to God and the philosophers. The colours with which he paints his picture are certainly different from those in the paint pot of an artist, but they fulfil the same function. In fact, in the more "sciency" sciences (e.g., Physics), these colours are numerical. The beauty of this approach is that the most highly-developed branch of science, mathematics, is very adept at handling numerical lection of paint pots and a canvas even today do not constitute a painting, neither does a mere collection of numbers—no matter how difficult the collection—constitute science. In fact, such data is in it-self incredibly dull. By the way, that brings me to a second swear word, "datagatherer," a word which applies to those so-called scientists who believe that the mere collection of data is of value.
It is at this point that the scientist becomes rather like a detective. He begins to notice regularities in his data and by a process of abstraction attempts to see, as it were, what is behind this raw data: To see if his mess of data is consistent with some simple general principle, especially some principle which dovetails into the knowledge fabric already existing. The terrific power of his method comes from his regarding each regularity as a numerical fingerprint by comparing the fingerprints obtained both from his process of abstraction, often painted in the mathematical manner, with fingerprints obtained from other collections of data, collections often dictated by his abstract ideas.
This desperate urge to abstraction, to go beyond the superficial outer shell of experience, is not essentially different from that of the artist. What a thrill to match two fingerprints! What a thrill to capture that moving colour on a canvas!
At first sight it would appear that the scientist does differ from the poet in that the scientist is mainly conscious of the exterior world while the poet is more conscious of himself and even in portraying the exterior world is often dealing with his own problems. This may be so, but both require imaginative vivacity—a mind capable of seeing things in an unusual, in an unconventional way.
This requires a childlike attitude, an unselfconsciousness and a continual questioning. It is quite terrible in New Zealand how the personality of each child is crushed as it becomes more and more loaded with inhibitions. Why must we limit
Our university should be a brain factory. Heaven forbid it should become a technological institute! Unfortunately there are large numbers of people, including scientists, who think that science must be useful. These people are the real Philistines! It is like saying a poem has to be useful (for example, it portrays a particular political idea).
Of course many parts of science are immensely useful and rightly many scientific investigations are initiated by practical problems, but the fabric of knowledge is not complete until every strand is in place whether it is a practical strand or not. I am sure it was an Enzeder who formulated the uncontested idea that only projects for which a practical return could be achieved in a few years were of value. Knowledge is beyond price!
Another widespread misconception is that to teach a man what science is about requires deluging him with as many rather dull facts as possible. It has perhaps not occurred to such people that to linger over a few of the best pictures in a gallery is far better from the point of view of learning a little about art than dashing madly past every picture in the place. Such people argue that because only a few per cent of those who start in Stage I pass Stage III of a science subject that it doesn't matter. What rot! It matters all the more in that such a short time is available to give most people the insight into what it is all about. Not to know what people like Newton and Einstein did is to be compared with not having heard of Shakespeare, Picasso or Beethoven.
Of course you realize that it is attitudes like this:
that science is really a bit dull;
that students are really a bit slow on the uptake,
that the solution of our problems isn't really in our own hands,
that the simplest way of cutting the teaching load if you can't get more staff isn't to simply cut the lectures and lab clauses to half,
that the problems we have in New Zealand are unique,
that you shouldn't speak your mind because Treasury mightn't like it and to ask for only a 20% increase, rather than an immediate 200% increase,
that timidity is preferable to intellectual aggressiveness,
that students are in fact apathetic as a result or hereditary factors,
that I suppose I'll have to teach it because it is traditional but God I hate it,
that it isn't possible to change the system at all in a year,
that the most important words are "never," "impossible," "too expensive,"
that we should have lots of universities and D.S.I.R. departments spread widely all over the country,
that you can have this or that (never both) …
that make it difficult to induce scientists to come to New Zealand, drive others away (e.g., me), and almost suggests that only a miracle will ever alter the situation.
Well, all I can hope is that portions of this Irish stew have been digested and that you will see how in my mind words such as art, passion, socialism, inhibitions, love, aggressiveness, Imagination, data-gatherers, are a bit mixed up. Two things I wanted to talk about but didn't have time for—the unfortunate idea that science only progresses by logical methods and to wonder why so many people are ashamed of their hormones. So next time you see a nude man running down the street shouting, "Eureka! Eureka" don't laugh, but be sorry it's not you.
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In a valiant attempt to over-come the almost medieval paucity of books in the Library, a situation which has been intensified by irresponsible borrowers who keep books out for months, a system of fining for overdue books has been introduced. There have been some moans about the stiffness of fines but, on the whole, the students appreciate the new system. Books are turning over at a sfaster rate. It is essential that this should be so as there is usually only one copy of each book, in contrast to most American universities where there is one copy among eight students!
The question arises, what is being done with money from these fines? This is easily answered. Apart from the actual price of a book it costs £2 to put each new volume on the shelves. Gradually, more copies of essential books will be purchased.
Unfortunately, wanton "pinching" has caused the disappearance of many books. One librarian commented, "You would be simply horrified if you could see the list of missing books. The situation is sometimes desperate, especially for honours students, when volumes Just disappear from the shelves with no trace." It is to be hoped that the fining system will
not induce any more students to slyly slip a few books out without going through the usual procedure at the issue desk. To prevent this, in many libraries there is a rigorous checking of all books by means of a "sheep gate" through which all students must pass before being permitted to leave the library. However, here there seems to be a more positive attitude among the borrowers now that the situation is being brought home to them.
Is the emphasis on the wrong thing? Stress is placed on returning books by the due date, that is, within a fortnight of borrowing. Frequently the book is read within two or three days and lies idly round until the borrower suddenly remembers that it must be back by today. Meanwhile, other students, longing to have their hands on that book, have been seething round in helpless frustration. It seems a good idea that borrowers should be urged to return the book as soon as they have finished it and no later than the due date.
Two other innovations in the library are to be praised—the new periodicals room and the new clock. It seems likely that when the new Student Union Building is opened, the Cafeteria will be converted into stack rooms.
—E.B.
Page
Science, Art And Passion ... 1
Library Changes ... 2
Local Club Makes Good ... 3
Congress 1961 ... 4
Lusty Plea ... 4
Readers Reckon ... 5
"Discrimination In Varsity Sport" Surprise ... 6
Sex, Censors And Such ... 7
The Spoon Again? ... 8
Blues And The Blues Panel ... 9
Students "Grieved And Amazed" ... 10
Students' Association A.G.M ... 10
The Spoils Of Office ... 11
Plunket Oratory ... 11
Service Page ... 12
These Christians ... 13
Professor Holmes On The 1960 Budget ... 14
"The Brain From Planet Arous" ... 15
Are They Athletic Amazons? ... 16
Wit hits programme of August 11, the Victoria University Film Society will complete its screening for the second term. During this time it has shown twelve programmes, consisting of a total of 50 shorts and two features— Julius Caesar and LOuisiana Story. It can therefore justly be said that the Society is an actively thriving body. The audience at each screening varies within a wide range, but has never dropped below 80 and is usually far more.
The films shown have varied widely in quality (Inevitably), but have never been dull—a tribute to fine programming. They have included such brilliant pieces of work as Bert Haanstra's Glass, Rembrandt, and The Rival World, Norman MeLaren's biting Love Thy Neighbour, and the superb Danish Where Mountains Float. One also remembers especially the moving U.N. Overture and the excitement of Rig 20.
The highlights of the term's screenings have undoubtedly been the showings recently of the two features, If the Society had done no more than screen these. It would have still justified its formation.
Julius Caesar, described by
Equally a classic is Robert Flaherty's great documentary Louisiana Story. The humanity of Flaherty's conception allied with the pointed and exuberant music by
For the V.U.F.S. then, the second term has been one of achievement. What makes it more so is the fact that the Society has never received its promised grant from the Students' Association. Entirely through the efforts of a few, the club has risen to a secure place in popularity among the student body. Without having any money for the hire of films, it is surprising that they have been able to do so much and keep up so high a standard.
For the third term, they have managed to secure the following films. Among the many shorts, Adventures of a Bluebottle (1st Prize for Best Scientific Film, Venice, 1955); The River, the great documentary by The High Wall, a study in racial discrimination; studies of the German sculptor-poet Ernst Barlach, the American painter
So far only two features have been obtained, Film and Reality and Age of Dissent. These deal with film appreciation and the problems of contemporary youth, respectively. Both of them promise to be extraordinarily interesting.
In view of the activity and promise shown by the club, the attitude of the Students' Association (in, its persistent refusal to deliver the promised grant) seems to be more than just a little shortsighted. It is not widely known that all film societies are closely bound by regulations imposed by both the Government and the film distributors themselves. Prominent among these are the prohibitions upon admission of the public to, and also against charging for admission to, society screenings. Further, the V.U.F.S. itself feels that students, who pay high enough Association fees already, should not have to pay further for admission to student-run functions.
It is a sobering thought that the society should screen such diverse classics as Battleship Potemkin, Kind Hearts and
—A.E.
The Literary Society's recently published "Experiment No. 7" contains much fizzing and gas along with a few valuable deposits of good writing. The sound-and-fury contributions are (as usual with the efforts of many young writers) mostly handfuls of bric-a-brac from the subconscious grab-bag. These are interesting to the non-psychiatrist reader in the way that artifacts of a different culture are interesting to the non-anthropologist: curious and a bit queer. Psychiatrists would perhaps find these images and symbols excitingly significant, but we must not confuse the poet's pen with the psychiatrist's couch.
The best contributions come from
R. Amato's relation to the average contribution is that of the kauri tree to scrub. His is three dimensional writing—depth of emotion, breadth of experience, height of intellectual development. True his "After the Party" has a somewhat soggy take-off, but rises eventually to brilliance.
The best poems are written by
—J.P.
It is a widespread belief that high-energy radiation cannot be felt, However recent experiments on mice at the National Cancer Institute in the U.S. have shown that these animals apparently test and shun a high-energy X-ray beam. When the mice were placed in a cage that was shielded to X-rays on one side, and open to them on another, the mice exhibited a strong preference for the sheltered side. The experimenters say they do not know how the mice detect the X-rays. The experiments were designed to rule out radiation-induced fluorescence or gas products as sensory cues.
Incidentally, talking about mice, have you heard the story of the research worker in psychology who had published an amazing result concerning white mice. A visitor asked him if he could see more of the evidence. The researcher replied, "Sure, there's the mouse."
Helium today is making a dramatic comeback for a gas that was once considered down for the count. Discovered on the sun in 1868 and on the earth in 1895, helium was still a low-quantity item in the 1940's though it had gained some prominence as a non-inflammable lifting agent for blimps and airships. Today, helium helps weld many light-weight high-strength metals and is used in making semiconductors, processing Zirconium and Titanium and degassing metals. Liquid-fuel space rockets take advantage of helium's light weight (about that of oxygen) to get effective fuel tank pressurization and carry higher payloads. But helium's light weight and inertness are today amongst its more prosaic properties.
Helium is remarkably eager to absorb heat. Add its stubbornness against contamination by radioactive particles and you get a superior coolant for nuclear reactors, Liquefy it, and you have the coldest cold man knows—Just seven degrees shy of absolute zero! So that in the labs, helium is helping to slow molecular motions down to a crawl, giving us our first glimpses of many new phenomena.
Helium has a viscosity 8000 times less than water ; a very high heat and sound conductivity; and an extremely low ionisation potential. With researchers constantly seeking new ways to take advantage of all these properties, we observe that the "sun gas" has at last found its place in the sun.
Since 1949 the New Zealand University Students' Association has held a congress at Curious Cove every summer. For a week this delightful holiday spot not far from Picton is taken over to capacity by a large number of students from all over New Zealand, and a group of guest speakers. Each Congress committee endeavours to obtain the best speakers in various fields of knowledge and thought, for it is upon these people that the real value of Congress depends. Victoria's Congress committee this year is arranging for a distinguished group of lecturers, mostly from the Wellington area. Chairman for Congress '61 will be Professor K. J. Scott, acting head of the School of Political Science, who will also speak.
Among the others to be included in the programme are Professor Keith Sinclair from the University of Auckland, who will be one of our star speakers. Professor Sinclair has recently written a history of New Zealand published by Penguin books in its series of the Pelican History of the World. He has also done a great deal of specialised research into earlier periods of New Zealand history. His talk Will be something along the lines of "history is a sacred cow" A well-known theatrical producer,
Victoria University is running Congress this year through the Controller,
The final Congress programme will consist of 11 lectures spread over the week, with various other functions, official and unofficial, taking place in between, At the the end of the week there will be the annual congress forum which gives students the opportunity to discuss problems of particular interest to students. Resolutions emerging from this forum are referred to N.Z.U.S.A. for action—if any. The opening of the Congress will be a talk by Sir
Among the entertainments planned will be an all-day cruise to Ship's Cove for a picnic, and in the evening following there will be a fancy-dress dance, and then a barbecue. While the cruise and picnic are on, there will also be a fishing trip for those who wish for more variety. A couple of films will be hired, and it is hoped that a short one-act play will be presented. It is also hoped that members of the Victoria Jazz group will be able to entertain at Congress. As for the rest, there will be ample time for swimming, sunbathing, bush walks, sports such as volley ball and archery, probably water skiing. Accommodation and meals are very good, and most civilised amenities are available.
Curious Cove is managed by Mr and Mrs Manning who have catered for Congress since the beginning, in 1949. The Cove is a secluded spot, about an hour by launch from Picton. The dates are January 20 to 27.
Watch for posters, and apply at your executive office for application forms. Only a limited number of students can be accepted, go make your plans early.
College life is not the worry-free, good time it is believed to be by most people, claims Dr.
" … Sex is always the most important things—always— always!"—Charcot ("A 1000 Years' Psychology").
" Free Love should replace marriage." This was the motion debated on Friday, July 15 in the Little Theatre. Somehow a other the issue became confused with free love which, said Mr Hamlin (a married man), is "a different thing altogether;" Nevertheless, whichever way you take it—free love or free lust—Victoria University students seem to prefer marriage. Anyway, that's how the students at the debate voted on the motion.
The sex-love is inherent in man. Biologically, therefore, there is no reason why man should not use it. Furthermore, free love is desirable in that it is Christian, as history and the Bible show. Indeed, according to Mr Tamasese, "man likes to have it that way."
A second free-love advocate was Mr Roberts. He came up with some alarming statistics. We should have free love, he said, because "everyone is having it anyway." By some ingenious formula he concluded that New Zealanders sin some 5,000,000 times per annum outside the married. He then quoted the divorce rate for 1957 proving, he said, that marriage was undesirable. "It would appear," he continued, "that the people (practising free love) exceed in numbers those playing rugby football. Furthermore, the sport is multiracial!"
Finally, the affffirmative submitted that marriage is just a farce. In fact, a legal fiction. Surely this moral-humbug ought to be removed. For the sake of consistency it is obvious that free love must replace marriage.
Some Pacific Island students criticised our present-day society. Remove marriage, then all our illegitimate children will be equal. Mr Butler, a Kiwi, thought their ideas were typically Pacific and therefore primitive.
According to Mr Hamlin those people who promote free love are endangering world peace. Those individuals seeking free lust ail wrecking the family; they are destroying that vital unit—the home; they hence destroy society. Eventually the world also will be devastated and "we will be left with a lot of exhausted men." Mr Hamlin heatedly charged the opposition of entertaining shameful Freudian principles and concepts. "Only man has been considered, what about women?"
Mr Maxwell (floor speaker) in true political fashion alleged that Mr Tamasese and his satellites were undermining Western democracy. Mr Monad said "without marriage we'll just die out." Mr McQuill reinforced the pro-marriage argument by pointing out that marriage did not offer sexual gratification alone. It also means security, love (in the true sense of the word), companionship and lots of other things. Mr Hall reminded the audience of the evil consequences of indiscriminate love affairs—morons and criminals.
Dr
A hundred pounds is being sent from New Zealand to a fund that has been set up to help the relatives and dependants of victims of apartheid in South Africa. This was announced recently by Professor K. M. Buchanan, Chairman of the South Africa Aid Fund, and the Rev. R. Thornley, a Trustee. None of the money that has been donated has been spent to promote the Fund—these expenses have been met from the pockets of the local committee.
"The money is transmitted to South Africa through a fund in London under the control of Christian Action," said Professor Buchanan. "These folk have been collecting money for some time to help relieve distress in South Africa. We have Just received word from Canon
Professor Buchanan expressed the hope that further donations would enable the Committee to follow this first remittance with an even larger one. Cheques should be made out to South Africa Aid Fund and sent to Box 5003. Wellington. The Fund has some small posters that it will be glad to send out on request.
Dear Sir,—With regard to page four of Salient, June 22, I feel your proof render or the person who set up the layout should have been more careful with respect to questions 4 and 5.
Also "mix" is spelt "m-i-x" not "miss"—the impression given by the words as printed gives an entirely wrong impression. It would, however, seen too late for you to do anything about this bloomer.—
Dear Sir,—I wish to compliment you and your staff for producing an Interesting and worthwhile periodical. As well as filling up an uninteresting half-hour on (he train, it provides part-time students (the backbone of the university) with a concise and clear resume of university life, opinions and activity.— Yours, etc.,
Sir,—I thought your editorial in the last issue of Salient (about the Victoria University Film Society) rather effusive, so decided to find out for myself what ail the fuss was about by going along to the Now screening.
Now I am not one of those people who talk about "Film" with hushed voice, so I expected to sit through a series of boring and perhaps surrealistic items in a state of frustration and boredom. I am, therefore, very pleased to tell you that what I saw was a first-class presentation of excellent and extremely satisfying films.
These films were as different from the usual run of first-half Junk one gets at the cinema as champagne is from Coca Cola. My congratulations to the organiser and also a promise to be there for every future screening, and a raspberry to those on the Financial Committee who can see no further than their noses. Yours faithfully,
Sir,—Although the article in the June issue referred to the Fiji Students' Association, Malayan students felt that it held the indirect implication that it was under those mentioned circumstances of being "rejected" or intentions of "keeping to themselves" that their Association was formed. Contrary to what was Implied, one of the objects of the Malayan Students' Association as laid down in its constitution is "to foster closer relations with our N.Z. Hosts." To say that any group of overseas students are being rejected is just sheer nonsense. As far as the Malayan students are concerned, our presence, far from being rejected, is in tact, in certain University clubs very much desired. True, the membership of the M.S.A. is confined only to students from Malaya and Singapore and does not admit non-Malayans or non-Singaporeans, Nor are we affiliated to the Students' Association, Victoria University, for the reason that we consider it not practical. Our Association does not hold regular meetings and the few occasional functions we have in the year are always entirely financed by members, The main event of each year is the celebration of the Malayan Independence and each member usually stumps up around £2/10/-. It is quite unfair to expect a non-Malayan member to help finance our functions which are mainly for our visitors, or to pay anywhere near £2/10/- to celebrate someone else's Independence Day.
I cannot speak on behalf of Asian students but as far as the Malayan students are concerned I could say that nearly all of us are participating to our limit as much as time will allow in other outside activities in order partly to get to know New Zealanders better and in turn to get them to know us better. Malayan students are active participants of the Badminton Club and the U.N. Club Wellington Branch). Membership is also found in the International Club, the Table Tennis Club, the Maori Club, the Chemistry Society, and the Commerce Club. Malayan students also are frequently called upon to give talks to local organisations and render cultural items in public and private functions. On the private and more informal level we have made it a point to invite Kiwis to our flats for meals at least once a fortnight. In our parties we never miss our Kiwi friends.
There is however, always room for improvement in the relationship between overseas and N.Z students. Any concrete suggestions we Malayan students could take up would always be welcomed. We, on our part, are always ready to make new friends.
(See Page 10.—Editor.)
Sir,—I feel compelled to reply to "B.G.R's" article entitled "Discrimination in University Sport" published in your issue of June 22, as the author does not appear to know very much about University sport in general and Tournament in particular.
I would first like to inform "B.G.R." of the nature of Tournament, in 1900 Tournament came into being after lengthy correspondence between the members of certain sports clubs in the constituent Colleges of the University of New Zealand. The intention was that Tournament would be a contest between University Sports Clubs. That was, and still is, the Intention of Tournament, This is the point that "B.G.R." could have borne in mind before he decried the eligibility of members for Tournament.
However, "B.G.R." goes further. He attacks the whole system of University sport, and claims that the Clubs, particularly the Athletic Clubs "are not interested in Athletics as a whole or in Varsity Athletics." Now this statement is completely without foundation. University sportsmen play their sport hard, and work at it to their own satisfaction. To my mind that is all that any sportsman should be required to do in order to show his interest in his sport. The majority of University sportsmen are not fanatics for sport, and It may be for this reason "B.G.R." considers that they are not "interested" in sport. If this is so, then I would say that "B.G.R." has the wrong attitude to sport.
Sport is a recreation, and the traditional University approach to sport Is summed up in the hackneyed, but still valid, maxim "Mens sana in corpore sano". Sport is an activity to be enjoyed, and here we come back to the nature of Tournament. "B.G.R." states that young athletes are "Poached", that they succumb to the lure of a "Blue", and that very little is offered. It is obvious that "B.G.R." has never been to a University Tournament, for if he had he could not honestly say that little is offered.
Why do students go to Tournament? Some go for a Blue, but only when they know what a Blue really is, and when they know that they are capable of getting one. The majority go to have fun, and that is why they go back year after year. During a day at Tournament, the students compete against each other with no quarter asked or given. When the sport is over, champion and also-ran adjourn to the pub and then to the other social delights of Tournament.
Do I hear "B.G.R." cry out in disgust? If I do, I pity him, for he does not appreciate that the glory of sport is the fellowship that one sees after the game has become a statistic in the record book.
So that, "B.G.R.", is the "lure" to which the young athlete "succumbs". Is it wrong that he should do so? I think not. Is it wrong that he should support his University club, before he can participate in Tournament, bearing in mind that the University clubs have made Tournament what it is? Again, I think not. I admit that it is difficult for an athlete to leave his old Club, but many do it and very few regret it. I do not admit that he is "poached." On ocasions I have had the distasteful task of approaching athletes on the question of Tournament eligibility. The approach is always made with a view to setting out the facts, and with no attempt to persuade an athlete. The decision is left to him. Yet when the athlete makes up his own mind the University Club is abused by the athlete's old club for "poaching." Some day these Clubs, and "B.G.R.", will realise that there are some students who consider that there is more to University life than lectures, and who take pride in the University and are loyal to it.
"B.G.R." also refers to "a poor Club spirit and lack of enthusiasm." A poor Club spirit, and yet we are prepared to put up with the poor facilities and other things to which "B.G.R." refers, and we would not exchange the University Club for any facility.
Finally, "B.G.R.", you talk of coaches' disapproval. My only comment is that when these notable coaches understand that they don't own athletes, and that the University approach to sport is the correct one, sport in this country will once again become a recreation and not a religion.
(No time for reply from B.G.R. —Editor.)
Sir,—I fear I must lake up cudgels and reply to your ill-informed and biassed correspondent B.G.R. who attacks University athletics in your most recent issue. There are so many false and emotionally coloured statements in his article, I am surprised it passed any sort of editorial scrutiny, the facts being quite readily available to any interested persons.
I will select a few glaring points and elaborate on them.
Firstly, B.G.R. states that fresher athletes are compelled to sell out their old clubs. Who does the compelling? I would also at this point take umbrage at his statement that these self-same clubs have coached them for several seasons. Regrettably, this simply is not the case. Most young athletes today are forced to coach themselves.
Secondly. B.G.R.'s four reasons for the fact the Varsity Athletic Club has little to offer the athlete are, quite simply, wrong.
It is in these four reasons his biassed attitude is most apparent. Point by point, then—
1. The club has more time to itself over the long vacation, not having exams to worry about.
2. Students also come to Wellington during vacation.
3. Granted coaching is non-existent, as such, being limited to friendly criticism between athletes, but facilities can hardly be said to be non-existent, although they are not what we' would like them to be.
4. B.G.R.'s fourth reason Is quite inflammatory. No one with any idea of the club's function over the vacation could have written this unless he had a really blunt axe to grind. In my humble opinion, the club had the most highly developed social life of Wellington clubs, numbering a weekend trip to Hastings, day-tramps, barbecues, parties, etc., amongst its many activities, not to say being the second strongest men's athletic club in Wellington
I continue. Again he uses the word "compelled" and, incidentally, most Varsity athletes, on returning home, want to compete for the local University.
Next glaring point is a quite extraordinary statement with an unfathomable meaning. However, perhaps the bods have not permitted me a deep insight into such mysteries of nature. I quote:
"The Varsity clubs are not interested in athletics as a whole or in Varsity athletics." Your guess is as good as mine.
And what is this passage concerning the regularity or otherwise of Varsity competition during the summer all about? Surely B.G.R. realizes we have a club night, and turn out on Saturdays as most other self-respecting athletic clubs do.
I frankly confess I am at a loss to determine why B.G.R. should
As a footnote, may I add that Varsity clubs are for Varsity stuents interested in Varsity activities. I remain,
Reply from B.G.R.
Take umbrage if you like B.P.D. and at the same time read the article again and try and understand it. You do not contest the main points at all but concern yourself with the minor points, which if removed, would affect the main issues very little. Therefore it's left to infer that you agree in the main but see something wrong with a few points.
Your first point of confusion is "that fresher athletes are compelled to join the Varsity Club." This Is true if the athlete wishes to compete at tournaments after his fresher year. Not being an athlete who competes throughout the entire season in Wellington you are then not conversant with the coaching situation here. Most young athletes of non-Varsity clubs Can get coaching at their clubs.
Then you state that B.G.R. has a biased attitude but fail to qualify this "point by point." 1. In the long vacation many Varsity students are pre-occupied with earning money. 2. You agree with the original statement and add little of significance. 3. Again you agree. 4. If your club spirit is so high where is the resulting effect on the track? There are a few hardy individuals, and three or four women and one or two juniors. There must be a multitude of hangers-on at the club's "highly developed social life."
As Hon. Secretary of the Athletic Club you know very little about its attainments last season. It Is nowhere near the second best men's club in Wellington. In the Dewar Shield—which is the test of club strength—Victoria came nowhere; and where are the women placed in their competition?
"The Varsity Club is not interested on athletics as a whole …" This statement stands unmarred by your criticism.
(See also this page)
Sir,—The tragic situation in the Belgian Congo exposes the stupidity of this now universal attitude of misguided liberalism towards backward peoples who, taking advantage of their numbers, are striving to govern themselves and their native lands.
When one considers the high level of education and social welfare which Belgium has given so generously to the once ignorant black man of the Congo, the magnanimous re-direction of the enormous wealth she has extracted from the area for the preparation of these peoples for self-government, the steady integration of non-whiles into the Congo's civil service to train them in administration; then the validity of my comments is self-evident.
The United Nations is treading dangerous ground In pandering to the democratic whims of the black man by sending African troops into the Congo. What is needed is a few crack European divisions to crush the disorder and re-establish While supremacy, sound social order and profits.
We read with some surprise your article "Discrimination in University Sport." Your correspondent B.G.R. apparently has not thought very deeply on the subject, nor has he read on understood the New Zealand Universities Sports Union (NZUSU) Constitution.
Perhaps he feels that Tournament and NZU trips overseas should be open to all who wish to go, not just those who merely support the club through good times and bad and in particular those who do the work required to organise these trifles. Did B.G.R. assist the Vic Club throughout the season? Do the students he wants to go to Tournament contribute to the welfare of University sport? If these questions cannot be answered in an unconditional affirmative, what right have these people to the "perks"?
Does Salient and the Student Body consider that, say, a member of the Marist Brothers Old Boys' Association, who has, of course, paid his subscription, should be eligible for their annual Easter Rugby Tournament though he chooses to play for University in the Jubilee Cup? Or perhaps you consider that the schoolboy who plays club sport against the school should play in the Inter-collegiate matches?
The Constitution lays down that a person to be eligible must not have competed against a University athlete in outside competition. This does not preclude associate membership, or training with other clubs, it precludes open competition and only that.
Varsity students are not compelled to compete for University clubs, and this is well borne out by people like B.G.R. The point is that University students who choose to compete elsewhere also choose not to compere at Tournament. We agree that "any varsity student should be eligible for Tournament." What a pity there are students who choose to be ineligible by not supporting their own club.
As for coaches' hard work, what coach of calibre objects to the Individual competing for the club of his choice? To suggest that he only coaches specific members of specific clubs savours of professionalism. Who has B.G.R. tried to coach seriously who could not do just as well in a University club?
The article also ignores the fact that the NZUSU Constitution is at present being revised, the eligibility requirements being one section on which every University sports club has been asked, if they wish, to submit their views.
The four points In the paragraph "Little to offer" do not offer much real thought.
"(1) The University year has ended before the athletic season begins and by next year the season is almost over."
As far as this goes it is true. But the implication is that the University club should therefore not exist. Yet in recent years the Vic. Club has been one of the strongest in Inter-club competition. The club, among other things, provides a meeting ground over the summer for people who wish to keep in touch with the University circle in addition to the top class competition provided.
"(2) Many students move away from Wellington during the holidays."
True, but this has not stopped the club functioning. The NZUSU Constitution provides for a person to compete for a non-university club when outside university centres.
"(3) Facilities and coaching are almost non-existent."
The facilities at Boyd-Wilson field are probably as good as most clubs can provide and will be improved. If some of the athletes who could help joined the club, coaching would be better, anyway the provincial record speaks for Itself.
"(4) The result is a poor club spirit."
Imagination!! The club spirit at Victoria is extremely high, and no doubt the Athletic Club will reply to these allegations.
University clubs are not interested, we are told! Does the high standard of the recent NZU team in Australia and the performances at national and local championships not speak for itself?
Under the heading "Poaching," B.G.R. says no self-respecting athlete would change clubs for the sake of getting a "blue." This criticism is like moaning because the attendance badge of the Presbyterian Harrier Club is not available to Olympic Club members. Only the Individual can choose what club he belongs to but the awards of a club are only available to the members of that club. An athletics blue is for University club athletes.
The remainder of "Poaching" seems to he an attack, without reason or logic, from a person who wants all the plums and none of the work of picking them. He seems to forget that the University clubs exist for the benefit of their members, to provide a means of getting the inter-club competition, not just to provide inter-University competition. Like each other club they have club nights on Thursdays and compete at Hataitai on Saturdays.
An anomaly exists in that a member of an outside club is regarded as a genuine student. An education is not just passing units, it is also partaking of the University life in as full a way as possible.
The conditions Imposed by the NZUSU Constitution are not unreasonable and provide that In exceptional circumstances persons not complying with them may be deemed eligible.
If any student wishes to inspect the Constitution it is held in the
Students' Association Office, but may not be removed.
If B.G.R., or any other student, feels that he (or she) is getting a raw deal the matter can readily be discussed with the committee of the sports club concerned or, if necessary, with the Association's Sports Committee.
The discrimination is not by the University or the clubs; it is by the people who try to belittle efforts to build up University sport. The clubs welcome any student who chooses to join, but will not force anyone to do so. It is a choice for the individual.
Reply to Brooker and McBride.
It is pleasing to note that you tend to agree with the main points of the article in question. 1. "That the N.Z.U.S.A. Constitution is at present being revised, the eligibility requirement being one section …" To be revised there must be something amiss or anomalous in the Constitution. Could it be that the Tournaments are not fully representative of the constituent Varsities? 2. "You agree that any Varsity student should be eligible for Tournament," then why discriminate after the fresher year? Why allow full student participation in inter-faculties and in the fresher year at Tournament, but not thereafter? The rules are very queer, at this point.
In reply to the minor points:
1. You do not fully understand the "poaching" situation because you choose to disregard it without serious thought and your unwarranted reference to my personal reasons for writing the article shows very poor taste. The Varsity athletic clubs do not provide preuniversity student membership yet they expect an athlete belonging to another club to just automatically change clubs and compete at Tournament. This is " poaching," and shows a blatant disrespect towards the ethics of athletics.
2. If the University clubs exist for the benefit of their members, then why doesn't the University Students' Tournament exist for the benefit of the entire studentship? Why should some students (of standard) be excluded from their Tournament?
3. "An anomaly exists in that a member of an outside club is regarded as a genuine student." Here you again show yourself unreasonable. To propound the doctrine that to be a genuine student one must participate in only Varsity clubs is absurd.
4. Please be assured that the last Tournament was not organised and conducted entirely by yourselves. B.G.R. has assisted the Vic. Club in competition—and with his own equipment. But why this personal reference to me? My personal feelings about competing myself are not the Issues at stake.
5. The analogies concerning the Marist O.B.A. and inter-collegiate matches are proof that you are not fully acquainted with the original argument. The Victoria Students' Association Constitution states "Upon payment of this sum (i.e. Students' Association fee £3/5/-) the student shall ipso facto become on written application and without any further payment a member of all University clubs and societies provided he agrees
6. The 4 points to which you refer show that you realise little. (1) Why is the Athletic Club so poorly numbered with juniors, seniors and women? In the winter the Harrier Club which does not have a women membership has over 50 members. This is the effect of having the Varsity closed in the summer season. (2) True the Varsity Club functions—but only just! If you read the article fully your other point of confusion will be cleared up. (3) Yes, your facilities have improved and are not as good as most clubs can provide.
(4) Read the reply to B.P.D. on this point. (See Page 5).
It is necessary to rebuke both writers for entering into a field —coaching of athletes—in which they possess no qualifications. Their criticism is of no consequence because they know nothing about the subject. To say that "a club coach coaching his own club athletes savours professionalism," exhibits a dire lack of sensible thought.
"Who has B.G.R. tried to coach seriously who couldn't do just as well in a University Club?" you ask. Here you make one of your biggest blunders. The answer is, unconditionally, every single athlete (about 40 odd) B.G.R. has coached.
"Morals are the very stuff of art," quote Prof.
Prof. Stevens then launched Into a highly entertaining list of banned publications. In 367 B.C., Plato tried to expurgate Homer; Ovid has been banned time and time again throughout the Middle Ages. Luther had his German translation of the Bible burnt in 1634 (even today in Russia, the Bible and Koran are only kept in enormous reference libraries: this of course limits their readers—an effective form of censorship). The Decameron has been burnt, expurgated, and hewed about many times, and is still today in some countries. In New Zealand, before World War II, a bookseller was prosecuted for selling the book, but subsequently acquitted with the warning not to place an Illustrated edition in the window. Other authors banned were Machiavelll, Rabelais, Galileo, Shakespeare, Mollere, Locke, Defoe, Adam, Bede, that "we seem to be threatened with a literature of pregnancy!" Miss Stevens noted that morality is relative to time and place—contemporary literature is dangerous. There is also a tendency, she observed, to remark that other people may be corrupted, never oneself: one must therefore protect a host of innocent readers. One amazing fact is that critics of "immoral literature" indulge In extraordinary fury: a critic of Swinburne once stormed over the "feverish carnality of a schoolboy" which he claimed Swinburne had —it throws an interesting light on Victorian schools … Magazines of course benefit both ways from this sort of review: in reviewing a salacious book they get readers, and In doing so salaciously they are being moral.
Artists try to deal with what they feel are radical social problems of their times, and society bans their literature because it cannot stand criticism and realism over the point where strong tension arises, as in sexual and political relationships in the present age. There lies a difference, said Prof. Stevens, in the use of words: certain ones may be used in private, but never in public. This is the concern of taste, not morals, although it is often used as grounds to attack a book.
The concern of literature is with life, character and morality, and the artist must handle them with realism. Concern is for human behaviour, feeling and thought, not for the particular immoral practice under fire. Literature does have a social implication, and so a writer must have both freedom to write and responsibility for what he writes.
This banning of things also includes music: several respectable middle-aged ladles in Boston walked out in indignation at the "obscene trombone notes" played In a work by Shostakovich.
—J.S.
Four students from Durham Colleges broke the world bridge record. Their time of 75 hours 18 minutes was 13 minutes longer than the previous existing record held by New Mexico University. Eight students had started to play but after two days only four were able to carry on. (Courier, Newcastle.)
The Annual combined meeting of the Catholic Students' Guild and the Student Christian Movement was well attended by members of both societies on July 19. The guest speaker for the evening was Rev. Father Agathangelus, O.F.M..cap., who spoke on "The Catholic Church and the Bible."
"To say that the Catholic Church hates the Bible, that she refuses to allow her members to read it, and that her teachings will be shown false when compared with it, is as fatuous as the story that Catholics pay to go to Confession or that there was once a woman Pope," said Father Agathangelus. "The latter ideas are now no longer accepted, and yet the false views concerning the Bible still persist. In fact the Church has always regarded the Bible as one of her greatest treasures, and it was she who preserved it right through the general ignorance of the Middle Ages. Her members are exhorted to read and meditate on it, and no Catholic doctrine can ever contradict it. However the Catholic Church has never regarded the Bible as the sole depository of faith, for it was not Intended to be written as such. The books in it were written for a particular purpose—many of them as letters—and they were not collected together in this present form, as far as is known, until the end of the second century. The mission of the Church is primarily to teach by word of mouth, as Christ himself taught, and until printing became common this was the only method of instruction practicable. In this work the Bible is both an aid and a guide. It is the work of God himself and is to be reverenced as such."
A topic more likely to produce lively, though always friendly, discussion could scarcely have been chosen. Spirited discussion in four groups continued right through supper, and many were still discussing various aspects of religion well after the meeting had been officially closed.
The outcome?—a far deeper understanding of the others' point or view, and a furthering of the good relations between the two societies. All members are looking forward to the next combined meeting.
—C.J.S.
We hear from a usually reliable source that stage III of a certain department have suddenly stopped coming to lectures. Evidently one capitalistic charlie is taking the lectures down on tape; getting his wife to type and stencil it out at home; and selling the result to the rest of the class at 3d each. The stage has almost been reached where the lecturer delivers his lecture into a microphone in his study! Presumably in those lectures demanding visual attention, the same charlie will rig up a closed-circuit television system, so that the class can enjoy the whole thing In the snug comfort of Mrs Hargreaves's coffee salon. Incidentally, it puts the lie to the whole lecturing system (as compared to the tutorial system) doesn't it?
The Music Society in 1960 is flourishing, and giving the cultural side of student life greater incentive for performing as well as listening. The fortnightly concerts throughout the year have shown a great variety in the talent of performers and works performed.
We have recently heard besides the usual piano items, various combinations of stringed Instruments, works for flute, recorder, harpsichord, guitar, bagpipes and vocal airings, and works from the 17th Century to those by contemporary composers.
On July 20 the Camena String Quartet (Penelope and Christopher Saunders and Edward and
The Music Society In conjunction with the Music Department organised a memorable public concert, on July 27, by the New Zealand String Quartet (
The forthcoming concert on Wednesday. August 10, at 7.30 p.m., promises to be an entertaining evening since it is the night set aside each year for the performance of compositions by students of any faculty. Although there are many and varied works for this year's concert most of them are of short duration and music-lovers are assured that they are well worth coming to listen to.
The Society is also making its contribution to the University Arts Festival. Victoria students are performing in each of the three concerts. Besides works by established composers, works written by our students will also be heard. It is notable that our students have written music of a sufficiently high quality to hold a place alongside the recognised works. The three student compositions for the Festival will first be heard at the Composers' Concert on August 10.
—E. K. & G. M.
Why is it that Victoria teams to Tournament look stronger on paper than on the field? Why does Victoria win the Wooden Spoon with monotonous regularity? And even lose the Drinking Horn!
Everyone realizes that Victoria has a greater percentage of part-timers, especially in her Law and Commerce Faculties. For such students, it is often impossible to get out of the office and away to tournaments outside Wellington. This is granted.
But when we have a Tournament in Wellington this excuse is not valid. Yet who won the Wooden Spoon at Easter 1960? Are the following Victoria representatives for Winter Tournament 1960 going to collect it again at Christchurch? Anyway, " Salient" wishes them the best of luck.
This year's team to Tournament includes only four of last year's players, as well as five freshers, so there is a certain lack of experience, but definitely not of quality. However, they should do reasonably well—
The women's hockey team won the Wooden Spoon in 1959—with some luck they might avoid it this year. Some promising individuals may strengthen a fairly weak team.
All these golf representatives have Victoria Blues, and all have played for the N.Z.U. team—Gault won the N.Z.U. title in 1958, and has a N.Z.U. Blue, as has J. Page. The team is well used to Tournament competition, and is obviously qualified. They won't win the Wooden Spoon, anyway!
Women
Men
The women's section should do well, especially
Women
Men
No comments available.
Women
Men
Victoria has over the past five or six years been very successful in Tournament Fencing. Three of last year's team are to compete at Canterbury next week—these are Gerda Buchler, a member of last year's N.Z.U. team,
The miniature rifles suffer also from the problem of their top competitors not being able to get away to tournaments. Three "A" grade shots are affected. Further, the Victoria man who topped the individual scores in 1959 has migrated to Canterbury.
Two Wellington "A" reps in this year's team—Edwards and Betts; four of the members were in last year's team which finished third. Prospects look reasonable, Judging from recent results in Wellington competitions.
Not a particularly strong team this year. The women's indoor basketball team for Tournament contains only two "A" grade teams members—the rest are less experienced, although certainly not unenthusiastic.
No comments available.
Ammundsen
Elwood
Andrews
Evans
Begley
Gall
McGregor
Neef
Nysse
Rees
Stockwell
Sukhu
Wear
Wesseldine
The strength of the 1960 team lies in its forward line—Ammundsen, Rees, Elwood, Begley and Wear. Youth and keenness are predominant, something often missing in university teams, noticeably in the 1959 soccer team. Massey will be probably strong opposition in Christchurch, with three N.Z.U. players. Our team should do well.
The team hasn't yet been decided, but will surely include
The club's top runner, Beauchamp, is not available for Canterbury, as he cannot leave his job. This seems to be a problem many teams are encountering. The runner-up Honeyfield, Thornley and Clark ran in the events last year, when Victoria was placed second; the team is of approximately the same standard. So predict results from that.
The Arts Festival is being held in conduction with Winter Tournament at Christchurch. The Festival includes such cultural activities as
The Festival is being held in the first week of the holidays i.e. from Sunday 14th to Thursday 18th. All day Saturday the Law Moots are being held, and on Sunday the official opening takes place.
From Victoria, there are entrants in every section except Sculpture. The Chess Club is sending down four people for the competition. The Music Society is sending down enough players with rehearsed numbers to fill in a whole concert.
The Jazz Society is sending down a large contingent for the concert on the Wednesday night, and will also be taking part in the musicians' evening on the Monday.
The Debating team consists of Mr Hanlin and Mr McNeill, and they are quite confident of success.
The Drama Club is putting on a French farce, "Interieur," produced by
The Literary Society is sending down three members,
It is going to be a mighty crowded week for those who go, but from the looks of things at this distance it is going to be a highly successful Arts Festival. It is to be hoped that it becomes a regular part of University life. It fills a lack that has been apparent for some time now.
—R.T.M.
A New Zealand university blue is the highest award which can be gained within the structure of the universities of New Zealand by a student sportsman, and ranks second only to a New Zealand representative blazer.
There was a time, prior to 1948, when blues were awarded at the drop of a hat to many competitors whose sporting ability was little better than that of the average club member.
In 1948 the New Zealand University Students' Association, which had previously considered blues swords itself, decided to set up a panel of outstanding sportsmen to make recommendations on the award of blues. Thus the New Zealand University Blues Panel was born and it commenced operations at Easter Tournament, 1949.
The first job of the Panel was to decide what a blue should be, and then to devise methods of ensuring that a blue should not be
awarded unless it was proved conclusively that the nominee was an outstanding sportsman worthy of the highest university sporting honour that can be awarded.
The standard agreed upon was a "good provincial standard," and it is the interpretation of these words that has caused much bitterness among students during the past 11 years. The reason appears to be that some people fail to realise that a man might be a New Zealand representative in his sport, but may not be of "a good provincial standard." This statement may seem a contradiction in terms, but only if one thinks of what is a good provincial standard in any year, instead of what should be a good provincial standard.
A sport could be extremely weak in this country, with the result that New Zealand representation in such a sport may be easier to attain than in a sport where New Zealand leads the world; consequently, membership of the top provincial team in New Zealand in a weak sport can be less difficult to come by than representation in an average province in a strong sport. As a result, the words "a good provincial standard" are interpreted as meaning such a standard as would give the person concerned a place in the team of a good province when that sport in New Zealand is strong by international standards. For the sake of clarity strong by international standards does not mean being the world champions.
Another method of stating what a blue should be, is the definition used by a member of the Panel. The writer has heard him ask the following question on numerous occasions when blues selectors are being interviewed: "If we give must be good. I had better have a good look at him'. Now, if we gave
At times blues selectors have altered their opinions when this question has been put to them and it is a question which many students could well ponder before criticising the Blues Panel on awards they have not made.
Another matter that should be cleared up is the often-heard accusation that the Blues Panel makes arbitrary decisions. Nothing could be further from the truth. The writer has seen blues selectors grilled for lengthy periods on doubtful nominations, and grilled hard, as they know they will be, for such a grilling shows whether they know what makes a good fencer, hockey player, or cricketer, or whatever other sport it may be. After this grilling, one member of the Panel may take up the cudgels on behalf of the doubtful nominee. Battle is joined and may go on for hours, with records for years back being produced and nearly every well-known participant in the sport being compared with the nominee to assess his standard. Then, after this long argument, which exhausts the few privileged listeners, one may find that the decision is held over until the next Tournament to secure further information and opinions from experts.
Yet, after all this, we still hear the Panel accused of "arbitrary decisions."
Finally, it should be pointed out that the members of the N.Z.U. Blues Panel are men who have been first-class university sportsmen in their day. They are men with a wide knowledge of numerous sports and, most important of all, they have the cause of New Zealand university sport at heart. They are determined to ensure that the high standard of a New Zealand university blue is maintained.
This article has been written In order to bring these facts to your notice. Let the Bluea Panel put on with its job, forget about sniping at its work, and please don't rush in with criticism unless you know how the Panel operates. Since 1958 you have been able to find out how a operates from members of the New Zealand University Sports Union who are permitted to sit in en Panel meetings, and who have come to realise that the Panel is doing a good Job for N.Z.U. sport.
The four Victoria delegates to the Winter Council meeting of N.Z.U.S.A., the national student body, are John Hercus, president. Ted Swanney, secretary, Whetu Tirakatene, women's vice-president, and Jane Fogg, last year's chairman of the Education Sub-committee.
Victoria is putting a strong case for a tour by two student leaders to investigate and report on proposed Student Union buildings and halls of residence. Following Victoria's proposals at the last council meeting, the principle of the tour has been agreed to, and Messrs
Although firm remits have not been drafted as yet, N.Z.U.S.A. will also consider the future of the South-East Asian Scholarship Fund which stands at over a thousand pounds, the proposed tour by Indian students, and the proposed bilateral Russian tour. Also will be discussed the re-investigation of the relationship between N.Z.U.S.A. and the New Zealand Rugby Football Council. In this matter Victoria's executives over the last few years have expressed continuing concern that the major New Zealand sport, rugby, is not included in the official N.Z.U. Tournament, and that there are unsatisfactory mechanics for the nomination of N.Z.U. Rugby Blues and lack of liaison between N.Z.U.R.F.C. and N.Z.U.S.U.
The Victoria delegation is the strongest for many years, and the most experienced. While it will not be presenting any major or radical proposals regarding N.Z.U.S.A.'s international policy, it will have strong proposals regarding N.Z.U.S.A.'s internal national administration.
I know a chap, a friend of mine, who used to paint girls for magazine covers. The best class of girls, eleven feet high with eyes as big as eggs. Well one morning he put on his best suit, called a taxi and drove to the Tower Bridge, where he tied his legs together, put ten pounds of lead in each pocket, took a pint of poison, cut his throat, shot himself through the head and jumped over the parapet. They saw through this job at once, picked him out, pumped him out, sewed him up, plugged him up, and had him back to work in six weeks.—
The following N.Z.U. Blues have been ratified this year.
Athletics
Swimming
Water Polo
Rowing
The two sports representatives to travel to Canterbury this week to participate in N.Z.U.S.U. will be Don Brooker and Conor McBride. Armour Mitchell, Executive men's vice-president, will also be there as secretary of Sports Council.
Probably the most controversial topic will concern Palmerston North—Victoria will support the combination of Palmerston North and Massey for competing in future Tournaments. It is not practical to participate with Victoria and It is far more reasonable that they combine with Massey, which is situated nearer.
Also on the agenda will be the matter of holding Winter Tournament 1961 at Palmerston North— Victoria supports this in principle. Another suggestion is that Massey control the Sports section and Palmerston North, being smaller in number, the Arts Festival.
Changes in the Constitution will be effected if the following remits are passed—that men's and women's athletics become separate sports from the point of view of points for the Tournament Shield; that swimming and water-polo be separated for the same reason; that the question of eligibility be reconsidered and reworded for clarification.
Competitors should remember that Don and Conor are in charge of travel arrangements, so that it anyone gets into difficulties they are the people to turn to. They can be contacted through Information Bureau at Canterbury.
"Salient" Editor
Chief reporter
President O'Regan's report to Press Council will slate "Salient" for lack of organisation (sporting and N.Z.U.S.A. coverage) at Easier tournament. "Salient" will not be prepared to take all the blame—there's nothing in the constitution to say that the host newspaper must organise press coverage. Perhaps it should be incorporated in the Press Council constitution.
There's talk that Press Council should prepare an Editor's Handbook. "Salient" believes this a waste of money. Who on Press Council—most members know nothing of newspaper production —could prepare a worthwhile guide? Surely editors can stagger to their nearest public libraries— and borrow the various editorial bibles.
(In answer to the article entitled, " Fijian Students Keeping to Themselves," that appeared in the last issue of " Salient.")
It grieved ana amazed us to read of the unwarranted and misleading article accusing the Fiji Students" Association of practising discrimination and keeping to themselves. Let us analyze the various indictments. We have been told that we hold separate functions. Let it be clear at the outset that this is no secret society. We entered a float in the University Capping procession. This shows that we do not hesitate to participate in varsity functions. Further, the author may not know, but quite a few people who took part on the float were non-Fijians. Our bulletin contains articles from people who are non-Fijians. It is distributed to our friends. At our dinner there were about 50 people who, were Kiwis or non-Fijians and only 35 from Fiji. We had a debate with the V.U.W. debating club. Are these, not evidence enough of the fact that we welcome and encourage contact with people of non-Fijian origin?
True enough, we are not affiliated with the V.U.W. Students' Association. There are many reasons for this. Firstly, over one third of our members are not students at Victoria. This is evident from our name. It is not, as B.T.M. put it "Fiji Students' Association of Victoria" but rather the Fiji Students' Association of Wellington. In other words it is an association of all students from Fiji who are in Wellington. The fact that the majority of its students attend V.U.W. is Incidental. It is not a university club. This in itself rules out any question of affiliation with the V.U.W.S.A.
Further we do like to keep our distinct identity. In this way we can present Fiji, its problems and peoples, to our Kiwi friends in the best way possible, so that knowing our problems, a better insight can be secured by them, thereby resulting in greater all-round understanding.
We are not alone in this. There are many associations whose membership is based on common interest. We have the Chambers of Commerce for business people, the Dutch Club, the various Old Boys' Associations, ad nauseum. Surely B.T.M. Is not suggesting that there should be no sectional associations. Carrying his argument to its logical conclusion we find that there is room for only one Association of any kind whatsoever in this whole world.
It is a travesty of the truth to say that we encourage our students to stick to themselves. At all our functions we welcome and try to the best of our ability to entertain our Kiwi friends. And we may tell B.T.M, that we have quite a few Kiwi friends. It is at these functions that we make contacts and develop friendly relationships with other people. We feel (and we think rightly) that we can better promote friendly relationships if we make a concerted effort as a group rather than as individuals.
We state categorically that this association was not born of any feeling of rejection on the part of the Fijian boys, as the psychologist in B.T.M. seems to Imply. It grew out of a desire on the part of the Fijian boys to have a group where they could discuss and solve problems peculiar to them. This docs not imply any dislike or abhorrence of anyone. There is no question of shunning any Kiwi and we are happy to say that the Fiji boys are very approachable and accessible and they mix very well with others. The gathering of friends of our members at our annual dinner bore ample testimony to this.
B.T.M. mentions that we cook up prejudices to salvage our ego. One gets the distinct impression that B.T.M. is trying to salvage his own ego by blaming us.
B.T.M. also mentions the failure of Fiji students to establish contact with outside organisations. This is consistent with the rest of his article in that it Is entirely erroneous. Fiji students are active members of many other clubs. In the last 6 years our members have supplied 4 presidents of the International Club. This year we have our boys on the executives of the World Affairs Council and the International Club. Our members arc active participants in the affairs of the Historical Society, the E.U., Debating Club, Education Society and Geography Society as well. We have boys playing in the University rugby, soccer and hockey teams. Our members have been on the Executive of the V.U.W.S.A. This list could be quite long. Further, we have as our Patron, Dr. Watters of the Geography Dept. Our boys have gone to primary schools to talk on Fiji. Are we then "keeping to ourselves?" This is not only contrary to all fact, but terribly unjust.
Finally we accuse "Salient" of violating one of the cardinal principles of journalistic courtesy. In fairness, the article, before being published, should have been referred to us, so that this reply could have been published simultaneously with the grossly unkind allegations made by B.T.M.
In reply to the F.S.A. letter regarding "Salient's" alleged "attack" in the last issue, I submit that the article was no attack, but that it wax purely observational. I submit that there was no "attack" in the ignominious sense suggested by the F.S.A. letter except in the minds and Imaginations of Messrs. Govind, and Nawalowalo. The artiele "Fiji Students keeping to themselves" was written in my capacity as reporter for "Salient." It voiced not my opinions only; nor those or the "Salient"; but it was the opinions of numerous people — Kiwi and foreigner alike—which were expounded. Far from being a criticism of the F.S.A., the article was a tentative attempt to explain on a psychological basis the existence of the F.S.A's "Fijians—only" policy.
I think the F.S.A. presidents for their insinuations about my own person. It is surprising that they spoke of "journalistic principles," However, the "psychologist in B.T.M." is backed up by the writings of Kllnberg and Allport Which opinion is more valuable? Those of Messrs Nawalowalo and Govind, or those of well-known psychologists? What I do about my ego is irrelevant to the issues in question, namely—was Salient's article on " attack," and assuming that it was, was the "criticism" Justified?
The gentlemen, supposedly revealing the feelings of all members of the F.S.A., misquoted me in several instances. Firstly, the article by "B.T.M." began with the words 'The F.S.A. at Victoria" and not "The F.S.A. of Victoria" as alleged. Next, "B.T.M," never suggested a "sectional association," What was opposed to, however, is a "sectional association which keeps to itself, either out of fear of rejection, or out of misguided nations of glory and improving International relationships." Even If the presidents were correct over these two matters, it is still left unproved that the all-Fijian policy is Justified. They have still left unanswered the rule stated in the F.S.A. constitution—that only Fijians be admitted. That the F.S.A. is not a university club is its own doing.
Their proud claim that "we have quite a few Kiwi friends" does not necessarily illustrate a "travesty of truth." For if these "friends" are themselves exclusionists, then the F.S.A. has failed in its purpose— "to make contacts and develop friendly relationships," Also, they use the word "Kiwi" friends. They knew precisely what they were saying—there must be discrimination between "Kiwi," and "non-Kiwi." Regarding the numerous guests at their annual dinner—I Interviewed about a dozen guests, and each one of them had never hoard of the F.S.A. before! Suchis the completeness of the F.S.A. isolation from other groups.
Admittedly, some F.S.A. members are active participants in other club functions. But this only reveals further the deplorable attitude of the Fijian Students' Association—its members will enjoy the facilities provided by others. But they will admit none. They will receive, but will not give. Also, there are gross Inaccuracies in the claims of the presidents. For instance, "our boys in the executive of the World Affairs' Council" sounds as if "our boys" were a large number. Messrs. Govind and Nawolawalo are suffering from delusions of grandeur. Perhaps they ore unaware that there are only two F.S.A. members in the W.A.C.—and that one of them is the "B.T.M." whom they so scathingly denounced.
Finally, while the F.S.A. letter expresses the opinion of a few, those expressed by " Salient" are those of many. As regards "Salient's" "violating the principles of journalistic courtesy," surely the F.S.A. is not suggesting that it manages, controls, and censors " Salient" as well! In any case, since there was no real "attack," "
I suggest that the presidents of the F.S.A. he less hypersensitive; that they remove some of their confounded suspicions. I assure the terribly hurt gentlemen that no one is laughing at them. The "terribly unjust, unkind allegations, indictments, and attack ad nauseum" by B.T.M. were totally misinterpreted.
This year's A.G.M. was held on June 29. The principal business of the evening was the adoption of a new constitution. This constitution made provision for the adoption of a portfolio system of administration, with executive members elected to specific posts. This is in contrast to the previous system, where people were elected to the executive as a whole, with subsequent appointment to various sub-committees. The constitution also included a new set of standing orders for executive meetings.
There were two further motions put before the meeting. The first, concerning a reduction in Students' Association fees for students attending Wellington Teachers' Training College, was not passed. The second involved some lengthy debate.
The motion read: "That the VUWSA constitution be amended by the addition of the following words:—
(1) In the event that any sporting club affiliated to VUWSA Is or becomes affiliated to any union or federation of sporting bodies inside or outside of the university which in the opinion of VUWSA Executive practices racial discrimination or colour discrimination offends against the principles contained in the Oylmpic rules then in such event the VUWSA Executive shall have power to suspend from affiliation or disaffiliate such club from VUWSA until such time as that club satisfies the VUWSA Executive that it has disaffiliated from and in fact severed all connection with the union or federation so offending.
(2) In the event that any non-sporting club affiliated to VUWSA is or becomes affiliated to any union or federation of clubs outside of the university which in the opinion of VUWSA Executive practices racial or colour discrimination then in such case the VUWSA Executive shall have power to suspend from affiliation or disaffiliate such club from VUWSA until such tune as that club satisfies the Executive of VUWSA that it has disaffiliated from and in fact severed all connection with the union or federation so offending."
The mover of the motion, Mr
The debate on the motion was mainly on the question of whether such a motion would in fact help in the light against racial discrimination, and on whether it might set a precedent for later executives which could assist them to disaffiliate clubs on grounds of religious or political prejudice. Speakers from the floor urged that the motion could in this way assist further discrimination on grounds other than that of colour.
The motion's seconder, Mr
At their first meeting (July 7) the new Students' Association Executive presented an interesting picture of lobbying, intrique and jockeying for portfolios and odd appointments.
Everyone seemed happy with: Capping Controller: Mr Watts. Cultural Affairs Officer: Miss Picton
Corresponding Member: Mr Mitchell.
Chairman International Affairs Committee: Miss Tirikatene.
Executive Finance Committee Representatives: Miss Frost and Mr. Watts.
Resident Executive Representative: Miss Pointon.
Chairman Overseas Students' Committee: Miss Reidy.
Students Union Building Management Committee: Miss Fog and Messrs Davy, Swanney and O'Regan.
Chairman Publications Committee: Mr O'Regan.
Club Liaison Officers:—Geological Society, Mr Chemical society, Mr Mitchell; Chess Club, Mr Mitchell; Christian science, Organisation, Miss Picton; Commerce Faculty Club, Miss Frost; Debating Society, Miss Frost; Drama Club, Mr Hercus; Evangelical Union. Mr Hercus; Film Society, Mr Dawkins; French Society, Miss Reidy; Historical Society, Miss Reidy: International Club, Miss Reidy; Jazz Club, Mr Tannahill; Error! Hyperlink reference not valid. ical society, Mr Watts; S.C.M., Miss Pieton; Rationalist Society, Mr O'Regan; Training College, Mr Tannahill; Youth Hostels Association, Miss Kerr; Victoria A, Miss Frost; Victoria B, Miss Kerr; Weir House, Mr Mitchell; World Affairs Council, Miss Pieton.
The student body has a question for the Executive: "Why was the Students' Association representative not present at the last two Council meetings when the important timetable issue was discussed?"
(Executive Meeting July 25) Salient thinks film society fulfils definite need at Victoria but sees Exec's point of view … Association still has no office secretary … The Jazz Club requested affiliation.
Salient photographed the executive.
R.W.H.
A moderately-sized audience heard the 54th Plunket Medal oratory contest held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall on July 2. The quality of the oratory was uniformly high. For the sixth time the contest was won by a woman. Merle Boyle, whose oration was entitled "Within the Maddening Crowd," was placed first. The judges ware Mrs Z. R. M. Graham, Professor Scott and the Mayor, Mr Kitts.
Speaking for the Judges, Mrs Graham, a former winner of the Plunket medal, said that Miss Boyle had a beautiful voice and an effective, dramatic oratorical style which surmounted the disadvantages of voice and presence usually associated with women orators. She had deep sincerity and her topic, the futility of material values as opposed to spiritual values, was of vital importance to mankind.
Criteria by which the contestants were judged were:
In the closing speech of the evening, the Governor-General,
—J.B.
(or 'Equilibrium & Exhaustion')
A talk with this intriguing title was recently delivered to the Maths and Physics Society by Mr
Mr Patterson kept his audience amused and entertained for an hour with his geometrical jugglery, and all left with a healthy respect for Greek geometries.
—P.G.
The Firms which advertise on this page have all shown their goodwill towards students on many occasions. All your needs should he covered here. When using this page you can be sure you are dealing with people who like and cater for students.
By using this page, you will have a better chance, in the long run, of getting value for what you spend.
Margaret O'Connor
Studio of Ballroom and Latin-American Dancing. A school of dancing which asks its pupils to study assiduously and offers expert individual or group tuition. The basic course is 5 half-hour lessons, but there is no limit to what can be learned. Phones 45-818 (B) and 52-975 (H).
Sportswear Models
A fine place in Lambton Quay between the Cable Car and Whitcombe & Tombs. The best range of dresses and coats In town, attractively displayed.
Carter's Wool Shop
About half-way along Willis Street. Very smooth-flowing silent wool for knitting during lectures. Muffled needles sold. Seriously though, specialists, with the best range of plys and colours in town.
Sports Haven
Opp. the
Discount does not apply to Sales.
Anne Barri
112 Willis street, a little way down from the Hotel st. George corner on this side. A smoothly sculptured stair leads to a room above a shoe shop. Fine for daytime drinking, Cona coffee.
The Sheridan
Upstairs in Herbert Street, off Manners Street. On one side of a partition coffee and fruit juices, on the other, dancing (live orchestra). Admission on dancing nights, 6/-.
Modern Books Ltd.
At 48a Manners Street, a co-operative book-shop. Buying a single share (£1) entitles you to 10% discount on all titles for life. Great variety of stock includes French and Russian material. Any book ordered from anywhere in the World—delay about two months.
Phoenix Books
Half-way along Willi. Street. The bulk of the stock Penguins plus selected American educational titles—probably the best representation in tower of really good paper-backs. Useful references in Pelican, especially for English, History, philosophy, Psychology.
S.C.M. Bookroom
At 102
Sweet & Maxwell (N.Z.) LTD.
54 The Terrace, Carry A Complete Range Of Student Books In Commerce And Law.
Price Lists Available On Bequest.
Suggestions for additions to this page are welcome. If there is any need of yours not covered on this page, or any good firm not recommended, please drop a line to the Advertising Manager "Salient", students' Ass. Office.
Hallenstein Bros Ltd.
In Lambton Quay, hard by the Cable Car Lane. Offer men's wear exclusively—durable stuffs at good prices. University blazers at ?6.19.6. Weir blazers at ?8.0.0. Also made to measure if required.
Jack Lannigan's Trouser Centre
At 5 Willis Street. Everything to be Known about trousers Known here. Take your choice of styles and fabrics, take you, choice of prices. 268 fittings.
At 86 Manners St., opp. the Regent Theatre. Tel. 40-539. For Capping, Tournament, Law, Commerce and Miscellaneous Balls, a good dress suit hero service, with individual service and/or alterations. For the exhibitionist —costumes to hire. Go wild, man.
Central Park Cabaret
Dine And Dance
Supper And Dance
Tony Noorts Orchestra
Featuring the electronic console organ floor shows, vocalists. Ideal for all your social functions.
Phone: 50-590 or 58-000/6033.
Grey Cabs
Curiously enough, they come in various shades of fawn. But they come. They have a repulation for responding soonest to telephone calls. After the ball or the party …
56-900
Reginald Collins Ltd.
In Ballance Street, by the waterfront. Wholesale wine and spirit people. Vintners to Stud. Ass. Especially of interest are T.M.V. sweet and dry wines, sold by the flagon, which go well at a party. Also Vin Ordinaire—a dry red table wine at 5/6 quart.
Minimum order 2 gallons
The Bank Of New Zealand
Comes a degree Comes a wife, child and bank account. Get in early with a BNZ cheque account. Pay by cheque. Get the record of your statement. Control your spending.
The Record Shop
At 102 Lambton Quay. Exists only to supply records. Classical, Jazz, Vocal, Orchestral, Shows, Drama, Verse, anything you like. Upstairs
Brian Jackson Ltd., Chemists
In Farish Street, clearly visible from Manners Street. For women, cosmetics and beautifying varnishes. For men, combs and, recently, manly deodorants. And of course, medicines and prescriptions and cameras. Produce your Library Card.
In the T. & G. Building, opp. Cable Car Lane. A most handy shop with the usual range of soaps, cosmetics, ointments and soothing balms. Prompt prescription service.
Barrett's Hotel
At the bottom of the Plimmer Steps. Handy to the 'Varsity, to eating places and shops. Students and student teachers found here. Only bar in town with a choice of beers on tap. Red Band Draught and Tui Draught.
Hotel St. George
Nearest to the University, on the corner of Willis and Manners Streets. Many like the Back Bar Never too crowded and comfortably twilit. Handy to eating place. Red Band Draught, drawn from a refrigerated tank room.
City Transport
A network covered by trams, diesel buses and trolley buses, will take you anywhere in the City. Timetables can be procured at the Lambton Quay and Courtenay Place. Terminals at 6d. per copy. The sight-seeing tours are truly remarkable and will make you familiar with the terrain of Wellington.
Telephone 42-719 for further information.
The California
In Willis Street, near Stewart Dawson's Corner, and
The Missouri
In Lambton Quay opp. the D.I.C. Two of a kind. Good food cooked with a light touch. Just the place for business girls.
The salads are special. Prices good.
4 Roxburgh Street, off Marjoribanks Street, past the Embassy Theatre. Serves a delectable plat du jour at 3/6. Home-made cakes.
Coffee, of course. Praiseworthy.
Central Booksellers Ltd.
Next door to Qantas Corner in Featherston Street. Downstairs a magazine shop, upstairs smart haircutting, personal attention and a standard of hairdressing reliably good.
Gilbert's Beauty Shop
In Willis Street above
James Soteros, Hairdresser
In Manners Street, beside the Post Office, An entirely new well-designed little saloon with 3 chairs and a good standard of cutting. Continental haircuts a specialty. Tarts tickets.
Jenkins Gym
22 Manners Street, Toughen up for the football season, loosen up for the cricket season, tone up for the swatting season, personal individual tuition. There is a significant reduction in feel for groups of four or more. This is a special, for students only, and Library Cards must be produced.
The Sports Depot
(Witcombe & Caldwell)
Half-way along Willis Street. Long-standing connection with University sport. Every one of Vic's twenty-four sports catered for here.
All contingencies provided for.
Coulls, Somerville, Wilkie Ltd.
For all stationary requirement. Drafting equipment and architectural supplies a specialty. 178 Featherston Street (opp. C.P.O.)., and also 178 Lambton Quay, Wellington.
Watson Victor Ltd.
16. The Terrace. Phone 42-095. Angle-poise lamps, drawing instruments, precision slide rules, etc. Serving science for over 70 years. Watvic offers students the most comprehensive range of scientific equipment.
Christians are a crazy, mixed-up bunch.
They talk about all belonging to one Church (mind you, they say it's invisible!), yet they belong to hundreds of separate organizations, most of which call themselves Churches. Some of these claim to be the "One True Church." some reckon that they are in agreement with others on essentials, but even so they don't join together except at conferences. Some use dead languages, some the vernacular. Some have priests to run their shows (some weekly, some daily), others rely on keen part-timers. Some chant, some sing, some remain silent. Some run their services according to formulae in a book, others rely on one man to think something up, yet others expect all to be inspired. Some keep you out unless you go through the mystic initiation, others ask nothing of you. Some just have their pageantry, some have instructors rather than dancers, some employ no one. Some are respectable, some aren't. Some are interested in public issues like the All White Tour, and others keep themselves to themselves.
Other religions have their splinter groups, too, of course. There is the big split of Buddhism into Hinayana and Mahayana and even a seemingly monolithic faith like Mahomedanism is split into Sunnis and Shi'is with the Sufis and Druses and Be Shara Dervishes and many other sects on the fringes of these two warring orthodoxies.
But no one would deny that Christianity is a real mess. Which of all the weird and wonderful types going under the name are actually Christian? No doubt one has to get clear what one means by "Christian", but, even if one does define it, if you are a Christian you are commanded not to judge other people! (Matthew vii, 1.)!
This was a dilemma for the 50 or so S.C.Mers who at their weekend camp July 1-3 were discussing "Is the Church still Christian?" The Rev.
Many of the more vocal were sure that much of formal Christian worship is too stylized and too symbolic and that it should be a lot harder for people to get the tag "Christian" than Just, by taking a passive part in the pageantry of worship Mixed with this was a desire that more people should have for themselves, and not just by proxy, religious experience.
This mixture of mysticism and anti-sacramentalism is a new thing in Christian thinking, since, in the past, it has usually been those who arc most attached to a sacramental, i.e. formal and symbolic, form of worship, who have justified their approach by mysticism.
However, other vocal types were insistent that being humbled by Jesus' example is perfectly sensible without recourse to mystical experiences, what ever they might be, to justify one's attitude.
Conclusions? Well, both sides knew that Jesus had enjoyed being with, and had understood, people with differing attitudes to life, and both sides knew that Jesus hoped that all types would see the truth of his sayings and benefit by his example: so neither side had any intention of denying the label "Christian" to the other, even when they thought the other wrong-headed.
Conclusions? The emergence of a new radicalism—mystical antisacramentalism (the old Quakerism, but radical to the current S.C.M. generation); fruitful discussion of differing Christian approaches to God; new friends; and of course the usual tired voices, brains and limbs.
—L.L.L.R.
Given current economic circumstances and prospects. I think that Mr Nordmeyer has given away too much in his 1960 Budget.
I realise that the general view is that Mr Nordmeyer has shown commendable restraint in election year, and that one editor has gone so fas as to call his effort "a skinflint Budget." But there is nothing "skinflint" about the expenditure side of Mr Nordmeyer's Budget, which many people have tended to ignore in their preoccupation with expectations of tax reduction. Expenditure in the Consolidated, Social Security, Defence and Road Funds are estimated to increase by nearly £28 million or 9%. i.e., by about the same amount as in the previous year, with social service expenditure going up by £20 million and subsidies by £2½ million. The programme of works and capital expenditure has also been significantly increased; this year's programme totals £96.5 million, as compared with £85 million proposed in last year's Budget.
As Mr Nordmeyer himself has asserted in this year's Economic Survey, it should be the aim of fiscal policy to ensure that the impact of the public finances is in the direction required to ensure a sound and balanced rate of economic growth. To this end, the Budget should try to counteract any tendency towards slackness or restrain any tendency for the level of demand to impose undue strain on the productive resources and overseas funds available. This year there is no tendency towards slackness. On the contrary, business is booming, unemployment is negligible, and labour shortages are increasing. Moreover, the volume of purchasing power in the hands of the people has been rising considerably; for instance, bank deposits are over £40 million or 14% higher than at the same time last year. A major cause of this increase has been the deficit in the public accounts for 1953-60.
In this sort of situation, a sharp rise in public expenditure should have been accompanied by an increase in taxation; but in fact, rates of taxation have been reduced. It is true that the tax concessions announced on Budget night were not very far-reaching; on balance, the concessions would probably not diminish the revenue which Government would have derived at the old rates by much more than £5 million in this financial year. However, one should not look only at the new concessions made in this Budget. This year, the lower rates of income tax announced in the 1959 Budget, and the reductions in sales tax and customs duty made in November and December last, will operate for a full 12 months. The Minister estimates that these concessions were worth £35 million in a full year.
Despite these reductions in tax rates, the Minister expects his receipts from taxation to rise by about £13 million in comparison with last year, because he expects incomes and expenditure to be substantially higher and he will not have to make the large refunds of income tax which were necessary last year. But, given that his local receipts fell short of his expenditure by about £18 million last year, and that his expenditure is rising so substantially, this rise in tax receipts would clearly be insufficient of itself to prevent an even more substantial deficit this year.
In fact, the Minister is relying on an improvement in his ability to borrow from the public to reduce the deficit to somewhat more sensible proportions. He is introducing a variety of schemes (e.g., tax concessions confined to interest earned on Government stock or from small savings institutions which invest entirely or substantially in Government loans; the introduction of development bonds; restrictions on the rates of interest which can be paid by companies and local authorities) which will all work in the direction of attracting more loan-money to the Government and reducing its need to repay loans maturing this year.
But, despite these measures, an overall deficit of more than £20 million in the public account seems likely to remain. In short, the Government's finances are likely to operate clearly in an inflationary direction, when they should be doing exactly the opposite. In my view, this is the least responsible of Mr Nordmeyer's three Budgets.
The mortality rate among small literary magazines is notoriously High in New Zealand. One, however, which appears still healthy in its recently published fifth issue is "Mate."
Printed in Auckland and edited by
The poems are interesting without being specially impressive.
Some examples: Hone Tuwhare's effective imagery seems to need more direction;
Other prose contributions are interesting, but the pieces by Middleton and Hilliard would alone be worth the three shillings.—J.P.
"Talking of bathrooms, I have something to ask of your ladyship. I should like to paint you."
"Not in my bath?"
"No, in the nude."
"But I am fearfully thin, Mr Jimson."
"I want the bony structure to go with the face."
"I'm afraid my husband wouldn't approve."
"He needn't look. And it will cost you only a hundred guineas—a cheap price for immortality."—
On Page 4 of the last issue of "Salient" in the Article "Candidates Answer 'Salient' Questionnaire" there appeared a mistake we feel we should apologise for. Under Question 6—"Should panty raids be re-established as a part of capping proceedings?"—Diana Picton was quoted as saying, "I am panting with anticipation." Miss picton wouldn't dream of saying such a thing—Steve O'Regan would, and did, please substitute O'Regan for Picton.
Science fiction, in the form of paperbacks and films, is increasingly dominating the life of Western youth.
On first glance this may appear puzzling as the paperbacks are shoddily made, and the films are usually the poorly-directed tow-budget type. But a second glance reveals the deeper impulses behind them.
Prof. Lawden, of Christchurch, recently said in the "Listener" that man has always been conscious of "The Great Unknown," the "what am I doing on this ball of alone in the middle of nowhere?" attitude, but the means of symbolising this chasm of ignorance, the means of dramatising our lonely position in the Universe, varies from culture to culture. At present in this scientific age we are confronted with a religion almost 2000 years out of date, dealing with customs and ways of thought totally alien to our own. Christianity is bankrupt! It offers us a universe without significance and an earthly life without hope. Science fiction on the other hand may be evolving as the modern forum for our imagination, the modern means of dramatising The Great Unknown. Scientifically, most of the ideas in science fiction are preposterous— there are no such things as "magnetic gravity" or the "indestructible slug-men from Mars, who live for a thousand years and carry weapons firing exponential time dilations." But that is irrelevant. The important thing is that the stage on which these teals of mind-stretching are occurring is the scientific one.
Despite the fact that the context of religious expression is changing, certain expressions similar to the traditional ones reoccur in almost every film. The Brain from Planet Arous possesses most of the properties of the "Evil Spirit" in Christian legend. He is cruel, power-mad, and a criminal renegade from the good planet Arous (c.f. expulsion of Satan), and he can enter people's minds(!). Like Satan he is physically indestructible (explosions can't hurt him, bullets won't stop him) but of course he has the traditional Achilles heel. With Dracula it was garlic, with Satan It was a cross, with "The Brain" it is a sharp blow on the fissure of Rolando!
On the whole it is obvious that science-fiction films are showing recurring patterns, The beginnings of stylisation and form—possible characteristics of a new religious outlook.
"World Without End" is notable for its two brilliant tergiversations at the finish. The Earth is overrun with human mutates; the "genetically pure" humans fight and conquer them (after the Great Atomic War) and the pure ones rise from their underground holes to live in happiness on the surface (no mention of improving the lot of the mutates)!
—the little unknown.
A piano needs regular maintenance and close supervision, especially a University piano. It should be tuned every there or four months. The University piano has not received any close attention at all.
Under the past Executive the piano was tuned once—just before Extrav. rehearsals. The only constructive move it made was to place it under the care of the Jazz Society for about three months. It also gave them a grant of £9 for a cover and lock, and any costs incurred by maintenance—a woefully inadequate sum! Apparently this was because of irresponsibility shown by the club of four or live years ago when it had a totally different membership!
The present Executive now finds Itself faced with the problem of finding over £50 to repair the present piano, or buying a secondhand piano for at least that price (if they are lucky). The past Executive had hummed and hawed over an offer of a good piano (or £40 for nearly three months, then passed it over to the new Executive. They found that the offer had meanwhile been withdrawn.
They are now wondering whether they should spend the money and have two pianos (they are buying a Baby Grand for the new Little Theatre). I should like to point out that, apart from the fact that the Baby Grand should be jealously guarded from injury, Extravaganza has a piano every night and all weekend in the first term, and there ore undoubtedly other times when clashes will occur.
I sincerely hope the Executive shows a little more foresight in its decisions this year. I recommend that the full amount of £50 be spent on this piano—any less and its condition will soon degenerate. Also, it should be placed under the custodianship of whatever club uses it the most.
—R.T.M.
Laurie Lewis's solos are more rhythmic than harmonic. He plays phrases a beat—giving them a rhythmic impetus or makes them fit a descending chord pattern. Or he might only give the last phrase a little twist. He plays a lot of triplets (three notes where there are usually two) and slips in a phrase of sixteenths (four notes where there are usually one) for contrast here and there. He does not always keep his phrases strictly in a four bar unit, but lets them run over through the chord changes. He really knows his chords and instrument and can take a solo in any key. He keeps strictly to the written chords and does not experiment with the harmonies at all. He is the one that holds the group together and keeps them swinging. This was shown when he could not make it one night and the trio had to carry on without him.
Bob Little keeps well in the background, but he is much more adventurous now than when the group first started. This work seems to have given him greater self-confidence.
—R.T.M.
"Yes, there is truth," he sold at last, "but the doctrine that you desire, the absolute, perfect, comprehensive and instructive doctrine, does not exist. You should not yearn for this, my friend, but only for self-perfection. The Godhead is in yourself, not in theories and in books. Truth must be lived not taught. Prepare yourself for your conflict,
by
Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in Me do; and the God of Peace will be with you.
—Philippians 4-8, 9.
A certain well known college in Wellington had been without a science teacher for several months and so desperate was the position that a teacher was coming in the evenings and on Saturday morning to take the science classes. Then it was discovered that a fully qualified science teacher was in fact working at the school— digging drain trenches at £26 per week.
Maths. For U.E. During August Holidays. — Ring 87-101, Wellington, evenings.
How many times have you heard statements like "Athletics is too strenuous for women." or "Hurdling is not good enough for women." or "Women will develop huge muscles by putting the shot or throwing the discus," or "Childbirth and fertility are adversely affected by hard training."
Fortunately these ideas are gradually dying out. Recently, a well-known coach,
These prejudices are not scientifically based and when scientific evidence is considered the question of women in athletics takes on a completely different complexion.
The evidence shows that women athletes have less trouble with childbirth than do women generally. In the last Olympics there were several women competing, who were in different stages of pregnancy, and had no ill effects from this top-class competition.
Strenuous training has no bad effects on fertility. Menstruation does not seem to be affected by athletics, as was shown when six gold medals were won in the last Olympics by women in their periods.
There are many other branches of women's sport where the competition is hard and the training is strenuous e.g. basketball, hockey, swimming, where it is thought quite normal for women to participate and yet the effort required is similar to that in athletics.
The women athlete will not develop masculine characteristics The possibility of any change in the hormone balance due to strenuous competition is fictitious.
Some unknowledgeable people decry weight training for women, without any understanding or insight into the reasons for this type of training. Practically every athlete should do weight training and neglect of this important facet of athletics will result in poorer personal achievements. The primary idea involved in this training is to increase the strength of the individual. The first schedules should aim at general harmonious development and later some specialised work can be done.
There is no reason why women should not do weight training, as do men, except that the weights used might be lighter.
Emphasis must be laid on precaution, when weight training—or for that matter any athletic training—is started. The advice of an experienced coach should be obtained because there are many types of schedules and exercises, some of which are of little use to the athlete. Progress will be gradual and no attempt should be made to lift heavy weights too early.
The benefits of weight training are invaluable. Besides the increasing of strength, there is a much greater feeling of confidence in the athlete. Any physical weakness is corrected and the risk of injury is greatly reduced.
"Being muscle bound" is a fallacy associated with weight training and lifting. In fact, the weight trainer is more supple, dexterous and has a quicker reaction time than the ordinary run of people.
Most probably, the prejudice against women in athletics is merely a cultural one, since there is no scientific evidence to support the old wives' tales. No women should be apprehensive about taking up athelties, or afraid of training hard because of these old bogies. The fact is that, in general, women are more robust than men, and can bear a greater strain.
Is it that the male's feelings of inferiority are manifested in these prejudices? After all, how many men can run the 100 yards in 10.3, put the women's shot 55 feet, or high-jump 6 feet—which are the present women's records!
B.G.R.
Social enthusiast, Brian Hogan, held a darling Cocktail Party a week or so ago, for the introduction of Teckas (little mouse, or little rat, in Malayan, according to your inclinations) White, granddaughter of Mr Art Kelliher, to Wellington society. Was Margo there, Brian?
Some often-criticised but enterprising Vic. jazz musicians and others have started "Studio Jazz Club" down town. The decor features Geoff Murphy's efforts in art —not too bad if looked at closely from a long way off. Music is semipolished, enthusiastic and worth listening to. Which reminds me when is the promising
Remember Keith "Byron" Walker, English lecturer last year? I hear tell of his harebrained schemes for travelling on the Continent this year; his tetters from Oxford are lewd and limerieky. A second Don Juan?
The farewell to Winiata was worthy gesture to a true Maori leader. Students there included Maori Club. Rugby Club, Accountancy and Exec, representatives Miss Tirakatene was a magnificent hostess—what a personality; what a pity she doesn't turn up to more Exec. meetings.