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An ad hoc committee of interested students which was formed after the publication of statements from Malaysian "student leaders" advocating an "apartheid-style" Malaysia, has had its second meeting.
A letter received from the Malaysian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the report as published in the "Dominion" did not include a "very significant portion" of the original Reuters report from Kuala Lumpur.
This section "quoted a Government spokesman as saying that the views expressed (by the self-styled student leaders) were irresponsible and did not represent the views the majority of the student community."
The letter said the National Unon of Muslim Students, the National Union of Malaysian students and the Mara Institute Students Union had "categorically denied association with the views expressed by the self-styled leaders who obviously represented no-one but themselves."
The reply "clarified" the inquiries the committee made about the statements said the chairman Mr
The purpose of the committee "is to act as a student action group for the promotion of a Multi-Racial Government in Malaysia, and the safeguarding of the fundamental rights of all citizens of Malaysia."
Connections have been made to student groups within the country and overseas.
"We hope that an organisation such as ours has been formed, or will be formed in your centre as soon as possible," their letters said.
Mr. Lee made it clear that the committee was concerned with more than one issue. Two morions passed at the meeting illustrated the wide area of responsibility of the committee.
"We believe in the principle of Parliamentary rule in Malaysia.
"We therefore call upon the Government of Malaysia to release all the political detainees immediately and to resume the suspended elections both in Sabah and Sarawak immediately, so as to enable the Malaysian Parliament to be resumed.
The second motion related to a demonstration which was held on the campus of the University of Malaya.
A Dominion report (28 August) said the protest began at a "speakers corner", a place on the campus reserved for free speech.
"It was the first time that any one could remember riot police breaking up students demonstrating peacefully on their own campus in Malaysia," the report said.
The committee reaffirmed their belief in the principle of free speech at the "speaker's corner" at the University.
"We therefore deplore the unconstitutional actions taken by the police in entering the campus (without the authority of the Vice Chancellor) and for the arrest of the President of the UMSU and three other student leaders.
"We strongly demand the assurance that such unwarranted actions will not be repeated," the motion said.
International Affairs Officer
"This is something we should foster, not just among Malaysians but among all overseas student groups.
"They have been sticking their necks out for a principle.
John said there was some possibility that scholarships could be withdrawn if a student proved an embarrassment to his government.
But the External Affairs Department had given a "verbal assurance" that no student would be sent home unless he criticised the New Zealand Government.
A new information and referral service for students will be in operation next year during Orientation and Enrolment.
A meeting will be held at 6.45 tomorrow night in the Exec meeting room to discuss the service.
The sort of information it will be providing is names and addresses of staff members, both of the university and of welfare organisations around the city.
They also hope to provide names of senior students in all departments who are prepared to tutor, coach or assist students in their respective fields.
The long-term planning committee of the Students' Association has resolved to recommend to Exec. that the Association fee. be raised from $13 to $18.
One third of the additional amount will be added to the Student Building Fund.
The present fee is distributed as follows: Building Fund $3; Trust Fund $1; Salient $1; Maintenance fund $3; General $5.
Perhaps the most notable victory for Victoria University at Arts Festival was that of the debating team.
Winners of the Joynt Scroll for the past two years, Canterbury were defeated by Victoria who affirmed that "pornography should be permitted."
One member of the Canterbury team.
Victoria, weakened by the absence of these two members "improved with every debate" said their leader,
Barbara,
Barbara became the first woman debater to win the Plunket Medal for oratory and lead a successful
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A guide to eating and drinking in Wellington
Much ill as it becomes me to start the festive season (i.e. third term) on a sour note, I have herein to award the Fartface McGurk prize for the worst barman in Wellington. Unfortunately I was unable to procure the cognomen of the surly recipient, but he is employed upstairs at the Western Park and he looks like a pensioned-off milk bar cowboy.
Although there were any number of entries for the McGurk prize, our hero won it hands down with the following display:
Scene Upstairs at the W.P. Chairs, tables, a bar, general hubbub. Enter Tums, stage left.
Tums A pint please.
Barman duly pours pint with one and three quarter inches of froth, takes money, turns to other customers.
Tums (looking significantly at beer) Excuse me, my friend, but I don't think you're quite finished.
Barman Whassamatter?
Tums (looking at beer very signiñcantly indeed) I mean ... this.
Barman Wait till' I've finished with these others.
Ten minutes elapse. Turns waits, determined not to be outdone. By this time the one and three quarter inches of froth have evaporated. Barman returns.
Tums (abandoning his natural politesse) Fill it.
Barman I can't fill it. How do I know you haven't had a drink out of it while I was away?
Tums (mentally, because the barman is bigger than he, pouring the remains of pint over the churl) Pray to have a drink on me, fellow.
Curtain
You're falling into your old bad habits, W.P.
* * *
I have, in my days as a cub reporter on the Brazzaville Dispatch, often enjoyed a steak at the Lasso Steak Bar. The other night I was in no mood to trifle over my dinner, however, and I resolved to avail myself of the takeaway facilities at the self-same restaurant. I ordered an eggburger.
Readers, do not make the same mistake as I. What I received lasted exactly like seven week old bubble and squeak. A horrible, boiled taste. No points for the burgers; three points for the steaks.
* * *
* * *
My first impression on entering the Vienna Restaurant in Manners Street was of an enormous belly protruding from the end of the hallway which leads into the dining area. The belly's owner came into view some moments later. He was not a sight conducive to beneficial digestion.
My promptly served spaghetti bolognaise entrée was followed by a twenty-eight minute interval before my nasi goring arrived. During this time I ascertained the function of my rotund friend. He busied himself adjusting the volume control on the tape recorder. Viennese waltzes received full volume honours. Other music was scaled down proportionately. It was quite an experience. One was alternately lulled into a spororific reverie by the subdued clatter of kitchen noises and blasted into remembering that the dinner had not yet arrived by the Strauss schmaltz.
The prices charged for the food quality (which was reasonable) are highish. Hardly gourmet fare. Two points.
Last time I saw the figures, cheese consumption by New Zealanders was six pounds per head annually. Since then, television cookery and epicurean hints in women's magazines may have caused the figure to rise. The eighty million people of Japan rely heavily on fish for protein—even having the cheek to visit South Pacific waters to net the fish kiwis have sensibly ignored for years. But Italians and French who cannot hope for abundant cheap meal as a staple, have learned how cheese can supplement their diet. In Outer Pomerania, lavish colour advertisements are published, promoting sales of our Cheddar cheese to the British working man. But home consumption should also be encouraged.
As beer and cheese go well together. I cannot understand why hotels selling pies are not a target for promotion by local manufacturers. Perhaps readers could help here—but let them make it plain that they have no vested interest other than appetite. Maybe they could find out if anything stands in the way of cheese with bread rolls being sold in taverns. Rebut any moans about cutting cheese on he counter by referring to those foil-wrapped segments of processed cheese.
Point put that since ten o'clock closing came in—pickles, frankfurters, and numerous savories have retailed in bars—so why this blackout on a (national) dairy product that has graced bars for centuries in Europe? And as for England, well, just think what Dr Johnson would say of us if we could flashback to the Fleet Street, "Cheshire Cheese" hangout of his day?
Everyone knows cheese makes an excellent snack with beer, and a little imagination could easily promote wide local markets for it. And if you really feel like getting on a cheese-crate soap box; you could tell the stale railways your opinions too—while you arc about it. Even one person living in a room should never be without one or two pounds of cheese. What an oversight, in a cheese-producing country like this, to ignore its uses! Surely it should be just as natural to have cheese in the house as butter. Children Should Be Fobbed With Cheese Instead Of Biscuits And Sweets. A glass of beer or wine. Bring out some cheese. Reach for the cheese grater with your gravies, soups, and salads.
Cheese again with scrambled eggs, or mashed potatoes, and fish cries out for a cheese sauce. If you know a victim of the slimming racket who takes sauna baths or uses patent sweat corsets; but compulsively starves and stuffs, starves and stuffs, try to get some sanity into her diet with cheese. For women slimming, the old advice of cutting down on bread and sweet things, still stands. But recent research no longer agrees with cutting-out fatty foods, Fat, digesting slowly, staves-off hunger. Cheese, comprised of fat and protein, is filling; whereas a cream but isn't. Balanced into a sane diet (which is rare with young women these days), cheese can militate against overweight, Nervy, anaemic, and carbohydrate-bloated females, would be less common, if cheese was utilised intelligently.
The man who named himself as a candidate for 12 seats in the General Election on November 29 Mr.
He will now stand for the Sydenham seat only, where his chief opponent will be the Leader of the Opposition, Mr. Kirk.
Asked why he had decided to restrict his activities Mr. Wedderspoon said: "On medical advice."
-Sunday Times, 7/9/69.
As the country's only multiple candidate for the General Election, this Wellington-born estate manager and part-time student is standing for three seats: Sydenham (Christchurch),
Mr Wedderspoon speaks from experience. Since joining the Labour Party at the age of 16, he has accumulated a reputation for sincerity and a substantial political background.
-Sunday News, 7/9/69.
The Security Intelligence Organisation now officially exists, as the old-styled Secret Service, Gilbert's Goons or the Brigadier's Buffers never did. Yes, just as the Australians got their ASIO in 1956 and the Philippines got their Anti-Subversion laws in 1954, now we have our own NZS10. Part of New Zealand's price for the American alliance, for our involvement in ANZUS and SEATO.
Eager
The 1969 re-organisation of the SS was prompted by four factors: first, suspicious moves by the Ombudsman Sir Cock magazine of a list of SS operatives. Thirdly, suggestions by the Labour Party that they might initiate moves to institutionalise the SS, the fourthly, the rumpus caused by
So the Prime Minister made a nice little speech about the international subversion brewing here, how it had to be watched, something had to be done about it.
But surely a sinister and unnecessary piece of legislation. The work of sinister people, no matter how much we may laugh about their absurd antics. Take the scene in Parliament last Wednesday at the Third Reading of the Bill.
Behind the Brigadier his panel of three advisers. His secretary, dozens of files all over the place, numbered and indexed and ready to be flicked out at an instant's notice. A typical 40 year old secretary to security; black hair neatly combed over the balding patch on top, black-rimmed gilbert-type glasses (are they regulation SS?), five o'clock shadowed face, deep-set glimmering eyes, a slow, left-handed, crabbed, childish-lettered writer. Using a regulation HB softnosed red and black eight inch pencil. He is meant to hand Gilbert the right material from the other advisers. Gilbert peruses, nods when he agrees (the SS advisers smile like schoolboys) or grunts when he disagrees (the boys look despondent). The nods are passed to the Prime Minister.
But the secretary is a good secret police man too. He scans the room; as an afterthought, almost forgetfully, looks upwards. Right above him a row of press gallery journalists, looking right down upon him and the Brigadier. "My God, they're looking at those secret files!" thinks the secretary. A blur of action and he snatches the upturned green foolscap typescript from beside Gilbert's arm. He turns them face down, and then really doesn't know what to do, so he shows them triumphantly to the Deputy Director who smiles with grudging respect at the secretary's quick thinking.
Alongside the secretary the Deputy Director sits, sliding on his chair. The sinister one he's called: long-faced, long-nosed, so posed, no chin, balding head, darting eyes.
Next to him, the 'legal' adviser, making learned comments on the Bill. Is he lawyer or accountant? Anyway, he's elderly and paternal, white-haired, a grinning little man—but isn't he familiar? My memory clicks, yes, the former Treasurer of the New Zealand National Party who stood for the Presidency in 1965. Now isn't that a coincidence. I wonder who the Commissioner for the Security Intelligence Appeal Board will be, I just wonder ....
No debate on the SS would be complete without the Holyoake smear. Practised and perfumed over the years. It came alright. Labour's Lower Hutt MP He?) and it read in part "this person is a low-down despicable character who is a habitual criminal, crook and blackmailer—in other works a blackguard of the worst sort." The Prime Minister asserted that this man, a Russian, had reached high rank in the Red Army, then worked for the KMT, and finally for the Russian secret police, the KGB. There was an uproar in the House, the journalists wrote furiously, the , Labour members cackled, yelling "we don't want that sort here." The Prime Minister quoted another fantastic case, lashing the World Council of Churches and the National Council of Churches in New Zealand for their naivete in trying to bring these refugees to New Zealand.
This debate has been aired in the press, but it is interesting to make a few points for the record. The "security reports" on both Russian refugees were highly questionable documents, at least as they were presented to the House by the Prime Minister. The first — from the ASIO, was laughable, the second — from the USA's Central Intelligence Agency, was nearly as bad. The day after the Prime Minister's statements the Moderator of the Presbyterian Church stated categorically that the first security report was wrong in saying that the refugee had been a member of the Red Army; in actual fact he had from 1911 been a member of the Tsar's army. This went unchallenged by the Prime Minister and
One of the most interesting things was that the first refugee received an entry permit to New Zealand. And this from conservative
But, at the time—and this is what counts—the Prime Minister won a political and moral victory in the House, and in the newspapers. The Labour Party doesn't want to appear soft on Communism. Kirk nodded sagely and agreed with Holyoake on everything; Mr Young, confused, went along with the fraud. Kirk didn't want to see the files, yes he trusted the Prime Minister, no he didn't want to speak, yes he believes what the Prime Minister said.
You may ask—well, why do we need to worry? Isn't Gilbert just playing? That's what I thought too, long ago. But over the years the blunders mount, the personal damage done to innocent people is recorded with increasing frequency. These men have power which is potentially dangerous. The men themselves must be educated, intelligent men with a sense of proportion. Yet while
On the first occasion in this debate Labour MP did promise papers this year, and they haven't been given. Gilbert told this to the Prime Minister, who muttered darkly and indistinctly to the House—"I'll look into it," and continued, uninterrupted, with his speech.
Later Dr Finlay brought up the issue of public servants' grading when they were transferred from the Security Service back to another department. He considered it an injustice that they didn't get credit for the time spent in the SS. "Oh no!" shouted Evening Posts and Sir Leslie Munro's snoring echoed in the microphones. Finally Holyoake continued, but on an entirely different point—omitting all reference to the grading of state servants.
As the finale comes, like the Brigadier's sure orgasmic eruption in the press very few years, the excitement in the SS delegation mounts.
Finally the tapping fingers of the Deputy Director cease. The secretary bundles his files into his black bag. Jubilation, exultant smiles. They've won! A gleeful Gilbert glance and chuckle to the Ministers—his friends—nearby. The advisers dart swiftly out the door. Holyoake sits back, hands on his paunch, leans back to Gilbert. "Well, I done alright for you haven't I?" The Brigadier jerks forward, looking pleased. The House rises, Holyoake gets up and says again to the fawning but powerful head of the new Security Intelligence Organisation "Well, that's that, isn't it ...." The Prime Mniister expands, and drags out his fags.
Note: Alister Taylor is currently writing a book about the Gilbertian escapades of the last few years. Anyone who has any useful information, clues, or useful tales which may help with the jigsaw are asked to telephone him at 40306 or write to him care of Box 10096, Wellington.
Arts Festival Drama was dominated by the single, magnificent performance of Marat/Sade by tne Canterbury Society. It played to a capacity house whose standing ovation lasted at least four minutes. Those who saw Peter Brook's film recently reshown in Wellington will know what a dazzlingly rich play this is in language, music, action and character. Mervyn Thompson's production owed a great deal to the film. But this was no detraction because the performance achieved much more by generating a vital sense of audience involvement.
Before the play began and the audience were still filing in, the asylum inmates were already mooning around onstage. The unfaltering concentration for three hours of these smaller parts (without even the suspicion of a surreptitious glance at the audience) is an indication of the consistent quality of the production. The stage was completely bare—right to the bricks of the back wall—but constantly full of moving people: the asylum patients, guards, nuns, the gaudy newly-rich spectators, the musicians, the quartet of singers; and in the midst of all this delirium, the leading players highlighted when the action demanded it but at other times falling back into the living backdrop. This distracted mass was a constant threat of revolt. From time to time they were worked up into a riot by the roared sanities of the straightjacketed madman
The dialectic between the Marquis de Sade and Marat had a curiously evil fascination. De Sade's "indifference of nature" argument is a brilliant aberration with which it is surprisingly easy to sympathise while he speaks. It is enhanced (and not swallowed up as I have heard argued) by the seething revulsion of the setting. To say, as he does in his coolly philosophic way, that "a man who destroys without passion is a machine", or "the only thing that gives life meaning is a [tortured] death", or as Marat vehemently contradicts struggling out of his sick-bath that "where there is no meaning I will invent a meaning!", to say this in the midst of rabid insanity so variously personified, has a dramatic irony which questions not only these 'rational' systems but all rational systems then and now.
Weiss constantly points the contemporary relevance of this historical situation, particularly in the mock obsequity of the herald towards those representatives of progressive society (the newly-rich post-revolutionaries sitting onstage) with whom we, the audience, are somehow forced to identify. It appears to me that Weiss's own sympathies must lie somewhere between de Sade and
The very idea of setting a criticism of mad humanity in an asylum for patients suffering from such complaints as paranoia (the patient playing Marat), sleeping sickness (Cordax ) and erotomania (Duperett) may seem to some as begging the question. (Isn't the pairing off of Duperett and Corday a beautifully mischievious irony?) But if it does appear to beg the question, at least it does so in a dramatically viable way. Images carry the force of vision in any work of art and Weiss shows a great talent. Of course the asylum is the main one but there are many others in the speeches (especially de Sade's) and as visual effects: Marat burning up from skin disease in his bath; the stylisation of Corday's repeated visits to murder Marat; the gory guillotine mime and the little working model for children; the chorus's constant and envigorating irony; de Sade being whipped by Corαay's long hair as he kneels to philosophise before the audience.
The cast was superb.
There were five other plays during the rest of the week, all of them having a curious sameness of fashion: stylised sets, alienation, improvisation. Three of them were inordinately preoccupied with demonstrating the difference between character and actor. Before Auckland's performance of John Brown's The Fall and Redemption of Man, the actors wandered out of the audience and stood about on the stage holding hands or pointing out friends in the audience. The whole cast was onstage throughout behind the acting platform where they could be heard and seen mumbling away and changing costumes. This may imitate the inconveniences of theatre-going in the middle ages but was otherwise no better than a distraction. This improvisation was suggested by the author, the actors were not very practised at it (even a good ad lib needs rehearsal) and this lack of assurance did not help. The play was on allegory of the Jesus story (prefaced by a bit of Eden) played straight for three hours. It would not be fair to knock the cast who were bearable for the first half at least—the shepherds were funny, Eve had good legs and Jesus Was promising but wordy (I swear I heard great chunks of rhyming couplets). Quite simply, it was a poor play and a relief to get out.
Massey offered The Madwoman and the Nun by Witkiewicz. This one is also set in an asylum where the genius-poet Walpurg rails agianst society which he feels is victimising him and seizes on the nun whom the psychiatrist has provocatively sent to attend him. Whatever the effect of passionately whipping off the nun's headress was intended to produce (and she later appears in a nightdress) it could not, at that moment, have been the gales of laughter the audience thought appropriate. I can only see that the play was intended as a farce of the Absurd. The acting—save that of the Madman himself.
I regret that I missed seeing Otago's Tom Paine by
At a workshop session on Friday three actors from Auckland presented a short poetic play about Herod, Salome and John the Baptist. I didn't know their names, or the author's, but it was as near perfect as a student play is ever likely to be. Its name might have been something like "The Crying Head of the Prophet John." A really superb little thing.
Both Canterbury and Victoria presented the same play, After the Rain by
The most obvious differences between the plays were the sets.
Without Marat/Sade and Tom Paine, the week would have been a
The controversy as to whether the National Art Gallery intentionally Inflicted its particular brand of conservatism on the New Zealand Maori Council has appeared (if not raged) in the local newspapers over some considerable time.
Wherever the fault lies, the fact that the National Art Gallery is revealed once again in its true dyed-in-the-wool blue colours after such a promising start to liberalise the tomb-like qualities and contens of the Gallery is a sad illustration of the one step forward two back principle.
Unfortunately too, the politics of the matter over-shadow the actual exhibits on display. This is chiefly because only a few of the exhibits were on display at the National Art Gallery, some three rooms removed from where the opening took place. The rest (uncatalogued, and unhung till late Monday 1st Sept.) were on view at the Display Centre.
The work of the Maori artists was on the whole stimulating and well executed. Several large paintings by
Several paintings by
The organisation was poor, the content very worthwhile in this exhibition of Maori asrtits. Their separation from other New Zealand artists does not show them up to be essentially different in quality and their contributions—historically psychologically, and visually—gives New Zealand art a real basis for further innovation.
* * *
At the Peter McLeavey Gallery there is at present at exhibition of the most recent paintings of Milan McKusich. The seven paintings look at first impression like squares with the corners cut off, but this is not to take seriously the artist's intention.
MrKusich is an artist who is essentially interested in colour, and the reaction of the colour on the eye of the viewer. He has culled his paintings down in terms of their content and design until only the large colour fields remain, visually snipped at their corners by contrasting hues.
He says of his own work, "My painting does have content. It could be termed a kind of speculative metaphysics. Consequently it is difficult to be precise about the nature of the content. It does not exist for itself, but for Man as a vehicle of awareness."
The content of McKusich's painting is in their areas of colour. The canvas is underlaid With black paint and other colours are sponged over, the black undercoat giving the variation in surface colour. By this method he achieves unusual and attractive colour densities, for example his "Painting Dark Umber", "Painting Meta Grey No. 1" and "Painting Meta Grey No. 2".
McKusich rather ambiguously states the meaning of his work consists in the "significances people feel are there." He declares that he is totally uninfluenced by anything in the physical or emotional world about him. He says of his work, "The environment does not effect my work. Art is not the portrayed of environment or expression of personal feelings."
McKusich is probably the only painter in New Zealand who has so far abstracted his art that it is almost entirely related to the intellect and has its origins only in what has gone before. He identifies himself with Newman, Reinhardt and all other emblem makers and colour painters but his approval is intimately different and strongly individual. The cutting off of corners, a feature also of many of Colin McCahon's paintings is a reminiscent of design intended to show us we are looking at an area within the limitations of a square, and the contrasting corners build up a movement within the picture so we can grasp its dimensions.
McKusich is not an easy painter and his appeal will be entirely involved with the impact of the colour simplicity/colour complexity on the viewer. His "photographs" of paintings evoke the reality and pukrity of the art form. McKusich says, to quote Reinhardt "'Art comes from Art' (bless him)"
The scene for Modern Language Drama at Arts Festival in Dunedin was the Globe Theatre situated above the city in London Street. It is a privately owned theatre built a few years ago by Rosalie and
Three plays only were contributed, two German and one French. Victoria sent "Ardorra" by the Swiss playwright Max Frisch and the most ambitious production of the three. The play is set against a background of anti-semitism, but it is misleading to take this as the main theme of the play. It is concerned rather with the sin of forcing someone to take an a false image, in this case the image of a ew. Such a play, involving a cast of twenty-four and scenes of complicated stage movements, was much easier to stage in the Memorial Theatre than on a stage miniature in comparison. However despite this it retained much of its impact and excitement. Particularly thrilling for the audience was the possibility that someone might fall off the balcony during the intense dinner-table scene—four actors, one table, four chairs, one soup toureen etc.
I did not manage to see Auckland's production of "Fin de Partie" by
Otago's own entry was "Woyzeck" written in the early 1800s by
All three plays were pretty good for student amatuers speaking in foreign languages and were a valuable and stimulating part of Arts festival. It is perhaps a shame that Otago's plans for a production of "Les Justes" by Camus and the French Department's here for Moliere's "Amphitryon" did not come to anything. It is hoped that a few more plays will be contributed next year.
Last time it was Blood, Sweat & Tears, this time round its Spirit with The Family that Plays Together, another gas album on CBS (SBP 473635). Line-up is bald-headed Cass Cassidy,
A West Coast group that got lost in the rush of psychedelia from Frisco, Mad River produced a first album that didn't do much business in the States. But they're pressing on with a new one, "Paradise Bar and Grill", with guest artists Mad River, is here now on Capitol (ST.298g). It has all the right titles, transcendental ones— "Eastern Light", "Merciful Monks", trippy ones—"High All the Time". "Amphetamine Gazelle', and a stab at Vitnam—"The War Goes On", which is true, too. There are good sounds on it all the same: a tortured tinny voice over long dissonant improvisations; a stoned recitative leading into I'm a gazelle .... nice instrumental work on "Wind Chrmes" and "Hush Julian".
Al Kooper stands alone cunningly disguised as the statute of liberty on I Stand Alone, CBS (SBP 473674). Sample of the self-composed 'Line her nodes':
Al recorded these tracks in New York and Nashville (not much country influence though) with soul sister vocal backing by the Blossom in Los Angeles. He handles half a dozen of his own pieces, including a four-minute hammond organ solo "Soft Landing On the Moon", with a dabble of weird sound effects a la 'Revolution No. 9' and violin arrangements a la "Eleanor Rigby". That odd song by
Some artists have an inherent authority in performance which signifies that something of value is being produced even if at first hearing it annoys or repels. Jose Feliciano's stylings of pop songs are a case in point. Buffy Sainte-Marie has this authority. Her voice is one of a kind, with a peculiar sort of vibrato, but she knows what she is doing and produces a beautiful album in Illuminations, Vanguard (VSD. 79300). It is almost a religious statement with songs drawn from a biblical theme. Opening with a poem by
Another lady with a voice and guitar, though not quite in the same class, is Flowers on Philips (TY886449) and The World Goes Round and Round, Fontana (TY886480). Songs by
The Blues is perhaps the most monotonous from of music devised by man. It is a simple from which gives scope for subtle embellishment. It is a basic and fundamental influence on much or today's popular music. It is durable, it can very expressive. But it is in a rhythmic rut. Even the instrumentation, piano, harmonica, slide guitar, the occasional strangled brass, allows for little variation in overall sound. If you like this sound in great doses, fine, these records are for you. From my point of view, the main importance of the blues is it influences on the hard rock groups and in the tradition of folk. As the sole content of an LP it begins to pall unless played by really accomplished bluesmen. The worst effect of the late blues boom is the appearance even in recorded form of groups imitating the style of past masters without experiencing the impulse which inspired the original creators. The result is synthetic emotion. "Blues is a feelin", and unless there is some feeling to be comunicated, the blues is nothing.
One of the nothing groups is the Climax Chicago Blues Band on Parlophone (PCSM7069). They're English boys despite their name and they're derivative to little point. A thin sort of sound, they tackle Broonzy's "Mean Old World", Sonny Boy's "Don't Start Mc Talking" and Chester Burnett's "How Many More Years" as well as some self-penned pieces. The keyboard work is the redeeming feature on one or two tracks, and in fact it was only the piano/organ/celeste/harmonium of
Happily, Chicken Shack do not take themselves too seriously on their latest album. O.K. Ken?, CBS' (SBP473632). To link the tracks they have Stan Webb doing improvisations (
Off he Wall, (SBLL 116). A certain kinship to the Box Tops can be heard They're more soul than blues (if we're using labels)—and the Blossoms are in there singing frantically. There's even a Mamas and Papas feel to some parts of the backing— which is not so surprising with the production in the hands of
We met in Hermosa Beach before it was closed by the police in 1965". There's a twelve minute rendition of Burnett's "Lightnin'" and they also treat his "Who's Been Talkin' ". It's a good party record in its way, too.
Who's king-pin these days, though? First
Look forward to these albums.
• the Blind Faith LP which has already hit the million mark in the States despite hassles over the cover which features a very relevant bare-breasted 11 year old chick. "It's the music that matters" crows the ads.
• an album by For a Tailor, all self-penned with
• a new album from
• an album from super-group Crosby, Nash and Stills on Atlantic.
• Joe Cocker's With a Little Help LP and Noel Redding's album with his new Fat Mattress group.
In an age of supergroups and continual splits, some of the traditional four-piece combos are more together than ever. The Who have completed Tommy. Forget the Teenage opera, forget the cute Amazing Technicolored Dreamcaat, forget that Broadway thing called Hair, forget The Mothers of Invention—this is the real rock opera. This talc of the deaf, dumb and blind bay promises to be a milestone in pop history. There's a fantastic rap with
Despite Harrison and Clapton gigging on each others discs (it was George On "Badge", Eric on "While My Guitar Gently Weeps") and McCartney working with the Steve Millar Band on "Brave New World" and with Get Back LP, in 'rehearsal' format, has been completed some time now and is only wailing on the TV show for release Meanwhile, they've got another album ready, Abbey Road, with sixteen tracks like "Maxwell's Silver Hammer", "Mean Mr. Mustard", and "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window". UK release next week.
Things are looking up.
By the way, the experimental FM station at the Display Centre, which broadcasts in stereo, is worth a visit. Most of the heavy rock in the U.S. is aired by FM band stations.
PPS—Beethoven was a black man.
All Letters Submitted For Publication Must Be Signed With The Writer'S Own Name. No Pseudonyms Will Be Accepted Save In Exceptional Circumstances.
It is my belief the V.U.W.S A. should pass a motion in favour of a boycott of all local and national polls by as many people as possible. In this connexion it is proper that V.U.W.S.A support (as I think it does) lowering the lower voting age-limit to eighteen, so that Varsity student can be in the vanguard of this movement — "Why?"
The vote of the individual is virtually without effect on the final result of an election or referendum. His opinions, arguments, sµggested amendments and alternatives are not, and under the present system can not he given the weight they deserve—"So?"
Now that a noticeable number of people in New Zealand are said to realisethat millions more are soon bound to realise, as they have, that the individual cannot seen quote so Important in the future as Christianity and Humanism (if I may oversimplify from historical ignorance) have had him be in the past, as belief in what our grandparents would have called "Christianity" is fading, as people are foreseeing the creation of a race of computers which shall do everything individual people can do much more efficiently, as governments and large organizations are standardising individuals by putting them through near-Identical education, consumerising and (is it were political "brainwashing" pioccsses, and as our news mediasexes (sic) make us aware just how many other "individuals" there are around the place, it is not necessary to accept this trend tamely—"Sez you!"
In the political sphere, the worth of the individual can be reasserted by making him a member of every political committee (with allowance for clashing meeting-times) he cares to put high enough on his list of priorities, that is, that he attends The wealth of a computerised and mechanised society and its electronic technology should make it possible for meetings to be held without meeting. The equivalent of Parliament could be a type of lone-term plenary session, its members being elected from and by its manifold subcommittees or subcommittees thereof–the "political committees" I mention above The equivalent of cabinet ministers would be the chairmen of the principal committees. Any executive (e.g. a "Head Chairman") should be as weak as practicable. The equivalent of governor-general or sovereign would be the man who empties the ashtrays in the committee-rooms (If any were needed)
Granted that this article was written too hurriedly and that it is extremely superficial, it still seems to me that a reply to the effect that the S.R.C. principle should not be extended to Society at large, or that it is somehow undesirable in itself would be of interest to the student today, including the present writer.
Sir Dominion 30th August) Ironically it was to be shown under the auspices of the Dominion Maori Council which in the past past has been a passive spokesman Supporting whatever the National Party Government and Maori Affairs wish to carry out irrespective of opposition amongst Maori-dom by playing the Maori version of the Political Power Game. The Council Central Committee in Wellington has acted as a rubber stamp seldom if ever consulting the people this Government sponsored and subsidized body claims to represent.
The Labour Government did not proceed with the famous Hunn Report because of the firm opposition of Maori opinion against any further legal juggling with
The Maori Council was the birthchild of Maori Affairs that controls virtually all Maori land and Trust funds, to having the final say also in the allocation of scholarships, loans, grants, or leasehold over Maori land. The Maori Council started as an honorary adviser to the Minister, and is controlled by supporters of National Party and past and present employees of Maori Affaire. It did not spring spontaneously from the Maoris but was imposed by a Government Party that has never been trusted by them in the past, the present or the future. Because of this background, whenever conflict arose between what the government considered what was good for the Maoris and the feelings of the Maoris themselves the Council, torn by past loyalties after a few feeblo objections for appearance sake, faithfully bowed to Departmental demands.
This happened over the 1967 Landgrab legislation, but the final straw that broke the back of any authority the Council had came recently when without consulting the Maori people, the Wellington Central Council persuaded the Christ-church delegates to approve of the All Black Tour of South Africa, when the Christchurch delegates had been instructed by their local Maori organisation to oppose the Tour under any circumstances.
On every occasion on every Marae or local committee throughout New Zealand where the Tour has been debated this decision of the Council has been repudiated. Net the Wellington Central Committee even under protest from Maori MPs still supports the tour adding insult to injury even giving an official reception to the Ambassador of Apartheid. Racial tension is rising in New Zealand largely because the Maori Council failed to warn the Government and European majority of the intense resentment now rising to anger over a number of grievances including:
They have failed to protest about unemployment, growing racial discrimination, the punishment of Maori children in schools for speaking their language and the continued mutilation of Maori place names by the NZBC. Because of the failure to give a positive lead in these problems militant organisations are getting the support of the Maori people as never before. The tremendous growth of the Kotahitanga Movement in uniting the Maori people is only one aspect. But those who are doing their best for Maori music and culture are the ones Sir
Ian Rush's "certain criticisms of the teaching of English Literature" (
This was one of the few sports at which Victoria performed well in at Winter Tournament.
The Vic team of
Auckland was third with 2317.133 points, followed by Orago 2282.116 and Massey 2278.109.
Vic's
Both
Winter Tournament was noted for the earnestly serious tone of the racing fraternity and the almost frivolous neglect givin to the more humanly demanding aspect of social intercourse and interaction. Otago's attempts at organising a successful, boozy, shabby ski tournament were thwarted by the unfortunate, mature, sober, senior med. students and the matronly Home Scientists.
Perhaps they felt that the rising standard of University skiing demanded a serious approach. They provided electric timers, radios, French-Canadian course-setters and even mathematicians capable of calculating the odd result or two.
They never did decide how the winner should be decided but in characteristic fashion argued over the relative merits of addition or multiplication while the final splosh of Tournament Dinner at Arthur's Point should have been moving.
We appreciated their efforts in making it rain every day on Ruapehu while we at Coronet could see for miles and miles in all directions; up and down the shirt-front and even right up the Gleensleeves trail.
The two giant slalom courses were of near-Olympic standard and managed to use most of the rolls and hollows characteristic of Coronet Peak to full advantage.
As a spectator's spectacle the events were unsurpassable. People could fall and break a ski anywhere on the course and be in the full view of at least 22 full-time practising sadists.
The slalom was held in the fog one associates with Grenoble and competitors were generally grumpy. It was very encouraging to have a different course for the second run of the event.
The technically difficult courses challenged the top racers in both memorising and skiing the correct line properly. A few falls and timing errors marred the tense excitement of the overall placings but seldom before has there been such a large number of excellent skiers of tournament.
Two N.Z. team members and five N.Z. B grade racers were the notables, but even the third and fourth team members could finish within ten seconds of first place.
The full-blown downhill race was not held because of doubts the organisers had of the ability of racers. This should never happen again and racers must always be tested to the limits of their abilities.
We found the drinking-horn obnoxiously over-organised and before a man could down his brown a chief of race had to call a checklist including four judges, two timers, four spillage-control and two chunder control.
Only then could the starter commence his spiel. We were moderately successful in the girl's team drinking, second; but the men suffered from antagonistic judges, spillage, and finally regurgitation. Victoria Hanna won the men's individuals and, in the opinion of many, the filthy joke contest.
The Beer Slalom turned into a pathetic farce with the last team shivering their way Through ditches, over fences, roads, woodpiles, three ounce glasses and mist at 6 p.m. This event must surely be a test of drinking and not ability on skis.
Otago redeemed itself in some measure by shouting gallons and gallons of beer and gin at tournament dinner.
The spectacle of Gus and Tony disappearing over balcanies with their guitars and banjos delighted almost everyone except their immediate next of kin and current intimate female accompli.
The final results we suspect lie somewhere in the dregs of the Otago Hut but we have some general placings:
Teams Overall: Otago 1, Canterbury 2, Lincoln 3, Victoria 4, Auckland 5, Massey 6.
Men's Individual:
Women's Individual Robyn Willis I,
The members of the Victoria Team comprised
Hazel Harcourt
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88 Upland Road Kelburn
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Peter Shaffer's
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Dinner 6.45 - Show 8.15 All Reservations 559-639
Hotel St. George
The "Seven Seas Bar"
Best In New Zealand
• Nearest to University.
• Modern, comfortable surroundings.
• Cool, bright, fresh beer on tap always.
• Food available from our "Food Bar". 11.45 a.m. to 2.30 p.m.
• Mixed drinking—all facilities
Entrees, Cold Buffet, Vegetables, Hot Pies
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Victuallers
Reginald Collins Ltd.
Wholesale wine end spirit people. Vintners to the Students' Association. Carry stocks of all brands of all, spirits, table wine (from 55c), sherry in flagons ($1.60) or quart bottles.
Free Delivery—Cellars located at
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There seemed so many of them at Festival that an informal competition to find the Biggest Beaurocrat had to spring up somewhere.
Apart from write-in votes for David Harcourt (who was disqualified because he wasn't in Dunedin) no candidates attracted more votes than the Proctor at Otago University.
Not only does this man have extraordinary powers, but he uses them. Just drop him the word where it's all at and the only bouncer in Godzone with a degree will make your stir safe from all those long-haired law fac. types.
One Vic exec, member, lost in a huge crowd and sinking a can or two at a pre-dance function, yawned, can in hand and had his right arm arrested in mid-Might.
"We don't do that sort of thing around here" he was told.
The same evening a student editor from a Canterbury university, whose vocabulary is not noted for its excessive delicacy, was reprimanded for using words that "we don't use at Otago."
The other finalist in our bbc was Mr. Robert, ulp Richard Weatherly who was in charge of films. We won't say any more about Mr Weatherly.
* * *
A motion of confidence in the editor of Focus was warmly applauded at council. By Peter Rosier and at least three others.
But Gerard Curry dropped a clanger by observing Victoria had to formally disassociate itself from the motion because of a motion of no-confìdence in Mr Rennie which had been passed by the SRC.
Returned Mr Rennie "Thai's all right Mr Chairman."
"I have no confidence in the SRC."
* * *
A recent example of continuing American assistance was the despatch on Monday of Detective Inspector M. T. Churches to the Michigan University School of Police Administration where he will study the latest techniques of the CIA. This is the same place that trained Ngo Din Diem's secret police except they didn't use the Harkness Scholarship as an academic front.
* * *
Who's the most suave, smooth, fluent and altogether pleasant-to-listen to news announcer in W'gtn. Did I hear Bill Toft? Oh yes. And those little witty asides he is so fond of, Remember the riots in France last year? "Good news from France," he said when the General "defeated" the students. A man of principle Bill Toft. He resigned from the PSA in 1965 when that organisation decided to oppose Govt. policy on Vietnam. Man of principle.
* * *
The Victoria Swords Club again demonstrated its overall supremacy in university fencing when it won at Winter Tournament, the thirteenth time since 1954.
This tournament victory was not - unexpected for the club this year has a high standard and a number of experienced fencers.
Though junior membership is disappointingly small the club can field a substantial number of seniors. This depth is well illustrated by the fact that the Winter Tournament team was not the strongest team the club could field, the strongest in Wellington province and the provincial teams tournament at Hastings earlier this year was easily won by the Vic teams.
Individual performances at last year's national championships and this year's North Island championships show that club members are well up in the national ratings.
At the national championships in Lower Hutt last year, five club members reached the final pools in various weapons. Five Club members are at present touring Australia and have taken part in the Australian national championships.
The Winter Tournament team, selected by the club's selector coach Mr.
To the Vic team's delight last year's draw was reproduced with the result that in each weapon Vic fought Canterbury, Otago and Auckland in that order.
As Canterbury was the weakest opposition in every weapon this draw gave the team a number of easy bouts to warm up.
The men's foil team (Strati. Hayman. Loh. Clarke) easily beat Canterbury, as expected, dropping only two bouts out of 16.
In the other foil match Auckland demolished Otago 12-4. The women's foil followed on and Vic again beat Canterbury, this time dropping three bouts.
The second rounds of the men's and women's foil again
Club teams have already this year established themselves as saw both Vic teams win against Otago — both match scores being 11-5. Both Auckland teams also beat Canterbury.
In the final of both the men's and women's foil Vic was against Auckland.
The men's final resulted in a victory for Vic by 11-5.
Hayman was in top form winning all his bouts and one of these without any points against him.
The women's, team was beaten in the foil final by Auckland 6-10, but Annamaria Apathy did well, winning 3 out of her 4 bouts.
In the Epee the VUW team (Strati, Clarke, Hayman, Cooper) again achieved victory over Canterbury winning 10-6.
In the match against Oatgo Vic was immediately in trouble down 0-3 after 3 bouts, but Strati reversed the trend by winning easily and from this bout Vic rapidly gained control finally winning comfortably 10-6.
Strati, a former New Zealand epee champion, had at this stage won every epee bout. Cooper also did well in the match dropping only one bout.
The epee finished on an anticlimactic note with Vic defeating Auckland 12-4, each member of the Vic team dropping one bout.
The Sabre, more than the other weapons, showed Vic's superiority.
In the match against Canterbury the team (Strati. Loh. Hayman. Cooper) only dropped one bout.
Loh was in great form scoring 20 hits on his opponents while receiving only 3 in return.
The match against Otago saw Strati maintain his string of wins while Loh dropped a bout to
The final match score was 12-4 to Vic.
The final was again against Auckland which had polished off Otago and Canterbury also.
Again the Vic team was apprehensive as the Auckland team had experienced sabreurs in Gaudin and Bensky, but in the event they proved no threat to Strati and Hayman who both won all their bouts.
Strati thus won every sabre bout he fought in the tournament. Loh and Cooper added the necessary wins to make the score 11-5 to Vic.
The NZU teams selected were:
Women's Foil:
Men's Foil:
Epee:
Sabre:
The Maitre d'Arms trophy was presented to
The annual blues dinner will be held in the Student Union on Saturday September 20.
Every Vic sports club is invited to send along two of its representatives with partners.
Tickets may be obtained from the Studass Office, $4 single and $7 double.
For those receiving blues the cost of tickets will be $3 single and $5 double.
This function is being subsidised by a substantial amount by the Sports Committee.
Guest speakers will be Bill Dyson of the Rothmans Sports Foundation and Alan Laidler of Vic's physical welfare staff.
Blues will be presented by the oldest surviving Victoria blue, Archie Sievwright.
THE 1969 season was a disappointing one for University.
The first team finished in ninth position in the first division, and will be relegated to the second division next year. The team didn't score any championship points in the first round of competition games, but it improved in the second round, winning five games, drawing two, and losing two.
The pick of the lower grade teams was the eighth division D team, which finished third in the 10-team division.
The third team was leading the fourth division at the completion of the first round, but faded badly in the second round to finish in fifth position.
The other teams had a more or less unspectacular season.
On Saturday August 30, the fourth division team was beaten 3-0 by C.Y.F.C. in an even game at Kelburn Park. The better finishing of the C.Y.F.C. side was the difference between the two teams.
The fifth division team defaulted to Stop Out.
In the eighth division, the A team defaulted to Hungaria.
The C team, containing several "guest" players, recorded its first win of the season when it beat the B team 5-3 in the early game at Kelburn Park.
The D team and Wellington Diamond United drew 1-1 at Evans Day.
Applications arc invited for the following positions:—
(1) Editor of Salient—will receive an honorarium of $400 and a scholarship of $95.
(2) Editor of Argot.
(3) Editor of CAPPICADE —will receive an honorarium of $120.
(4) Technical Editor of Salient—honorarium yet to be determined, but will be in the region of $450.
(5) Publications Board Treasurer—responsible for the accounts of Salient. Argot. Student Handbook And Cappicade—will receive an honorarium of $120.
Applications should be made in writing to the Publications Officer, giving details of age. academic record and relevant experience.
For further information, telephone Jim Thomson (555-564).