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Stephen Hay, Andrew McKibbin, Adrienne Hay ...
Three powerful people: one law graduate, one arts student, one commerce student — and seemingly unlimited finance.
Together they have hatched a sinister scheme to destroy the students association.
How will they do it?
How can the association be saved?
Read pages 8—9
Thought that would catch your eye. Salient would like you to come to your own opinion about the candidates running for election to the
In total they will swallow up over $5,000 in honoraria — one, the President, is expected to be a full time official of the association, the others also have quite major responsibilities to carry out on your behalf — don't waste your money on a second-rate executive, put your vote to work. The candidates manifestos are displayed, although some hardly deserve that honour, on pages 8 and 9 of this issue.
We, at Salient, wish you luck in your choice — once you've voted them in its just about impossible to get them back out — regardless of how useless they may be.
The inspiration for this page comes from Truth as do the headlines and cartoon.
Keen history students clambering up to the ninth floor of Rankine Brown may have noticed a sign (see photo) on Professor Munz's door entitled "Leading Hand of Dormitory". This sign is the subject of considerable mystery, since it is not at all clear (a) who or what a leading hand of dormitory is, and (b) why Prof. Munz has been singled out for this honour. Further to this, a quick reading of the University budget will reveal no entry to pay a Leading Hand of the Dormitory, so it would appear that the post, if funded, is funded from outside the University. Who is funding the Leading Hand of Dormitory? Does the post involve extra-University activities? These are questions that must be answered.
It appears that the sign, which is very securely glued to the door, confirming suspicions that the post is important and paid, was first noticed in the early days of second term. Commenting on it, one member of the history department said that the sign was very appropriate which doesn't help our enquiries much.
News of Professor Munz's appointment as Leading Hand of the Dormitory (or LhD for short) has travelled far. Normally well-informed sources in the History Department told us that telegrams have been received from other History Departments in New Zealand, including Auckland, Canterbury and Otago, congratulating Professor Munz on his appointment as LhD. A letter has also arrived wishing the best for the new job from the South England Historical Association in Southhampton. These again suggest that the post is important and hence paid.
What is perturbing is that while Professor Munz's success has become widely known in academic circles outside this University, there has been little mention of the appointment within it. No papers or resolutions have appeared at Arts Faculty or Prof. Boards. As it would appear that the post of LhD is a renowned one in academic circles, at the very least Professor Munz should have told the Prof. Board of his good fortune.
Things are more serious than this however. Even if it is not funded by the University, any position of academic merit to be held at the same time as a University post, should be subject to some investigation. No-one is quite sure what a LhD does - such information should clearly have been made available and applications called for the position. This would have allowed other members of staff and students to be consulted on the applications for the position. Professor Munz may well be the outstanding candidate for Leading Hand of Dormitory but his appointment seems to have been under-handed. This should be rectified.
Questions Salient would like answered are:
Thus Salient's researchers have not yet uncovered the whole story. If you have any ideas on some of the above issues, please let us have them. At stake here is far more that a sign glued to one Professor's door. There are principles of academic freedom, responsibility and University decision-making, If this issue passes un-noticed who knows what might happen next?
This is the Last Salient Until Next Term so if you've Got an Article you're Just Dying to Hand in and there's no-one here then Pop it in the Letter Box. Ta.
Last weekend saw NZUSA's National Executive faced, once again, with the problem of the activities of its prodigal son Arts Council. Eventually the most contentious matter was referred to August Council but not before a motion of censure in the Director and the Chairman was placed.
But more mundane matters first. Earlier in the meeting the salaries of the Director of the Student Travel Bureau Ltd., the Accountant NZUSA, STB, NZSAC and the Director of Students Art Council came up for review. The eventual salaries followed the wishes of our last SRC fairly closely. The Director STB is to get $9000 a year rising to $10000 with service while, the Accountant is to get $8100 a year, rising to $9000 with service. The Director of Arts Council's salary is still undecided. It was eventually referred back to a committee of Arts Council that might have had something to do with reorganising Arts Council.
The report from members of NUS working party set up as a result of May Council described the boring meeting they had, the apparent consensus against national union of students among the members of the working party, and led into a debate about the attitude of technical institute students to the working party. NZTISA was described as being quite unhelpful by Sue Green but other people from the working party thought it was not for NZUSA to adopt such an attitude.
Lastly came New Argot. In a fit of humorous spite Bruce Kirkland had seen fit to name an advertising tabloid for an Arts Council promotion as New Argot and even to include in it an editorial which gave a quite inaccurate picture of the reasons for the stopping of New Argot. Essentially the episode was no more than a prank but. As Peter McLeod and several others pointed out, this sort of attitude to democratic decisions (i.e. the one that no more New Argots be published) is quite serious. Accordingly the culprits were censured. Next up came the story of Bruce Kirkland's 4 days in Christchurch motel. Kirkland had taken a $600 typewriter and a secretary away from national office in Wellington and down to Christ-church where he set up shop again in a motel. The loss of the typewriter and secretary at no notice severely hampered the activities of NZUSA national office and from most accounts it would seem that the only work that the secretary did in four days was organise a mail-out. NZUSA's officers have never stayed in motels when on association work. They have always been encouraged to find friends' places to stay or to arrange accommodation with the local association. Kirkland appeared to make no attempt to find alternative accomodation in Christchurch. Kirkland's spokesman, Don Stedman (Kirkland, although invited did not come), tried to say that the motel room was hired for Arts Council to have somewhere to work from, yet an offer from UCSA (Christchurch Students Association) of office space was not taken up. Salient has often commented on the undemocratic nature of Arts Council. Such a situation can easily lead to elitism and a belief that high officials are accountable to no-one. It would appear to be the case this time. The whole matter was referred to August Council where Bruce Kirkland will present a report on the venture.
The Salient stock exchange opened on a rather hesitant note in quiet trading conditions this morning in a continuation of yesterday's trend, Quentin Roper and Anthony Ward were steady at 10 a.m., but by the time of the Lou Reed concert had risen to become the week's two high flyers. Bryony Hales was a little weaker by midday after enduring some tense moments in the face of liquidation from John Ryall. David Newton dipped below the $4 mark after poor results yesterday and Audrey Young, Margot Bourke and George Clarkson made a marginal loss. Market Leaders David Tripe and Trevor Mallard were each down 3 c. although David Tripe says he was sure he saw Jonathan Hughes using it to buy a cigar from Kelburn Park Store. Don Carson, Aristotle Onassis, Pat O'Dea and young Joe Stalin (the seminarian) remained unchanged but Gyles Beck-ford and Lionel Klee recouped most of their recent losses with a win on McCallum in the second leg at Eka-tahuna. Final movements of the day came from Ross Abernathy who dropped 2 c. with a frantic flurry of photo-taking and Michael Hull who backed him up to the tune of International on the typesetting machine. Right on closing time Bruce Robinson (the bleeding editor) was heard to say 'it's all a capitalist plot anyway!"
Salient it published by VUWSA and is printed by the world-renowned Wanganui Newspapers who can be found in Drews Ave. Wanganui.
During July 11 students from Victoria were given the chance to examine the day-to-day workings of the People's Republic of China. On Tuesday they presented their findings to a lunchtime meeting in the Smoking Room.
The students were part of a 24-member NZUSA delegation which visited the cities, of Kwangchow, Shanghai, Tsinan and Peking during a 21-day tour. They were shown through agricultural communes, factories, universities, schools, kindergartens, housing areas, hospitals (some for longer than others!), historic sites, cultural centres and an army base, while also having time to wander the streets and survey each city for themselves.
At the end of the trip the Hong Kong Federation of Students took the delegation on a tour of Hong Kong concentrating on seeing both the very poor and the very rich (when it was possible to get past their guard dogs!), in their actual living environment.
Tuesday's forum was a hotch-potch of rambling ideas and thoughts from delegation members. Initial comments and impressions concerned the impact of seeing China with your own two eyes and overturning a lot of half-truths and false pictures you originally had of the country. Many people smiled when Jules Maher commented that the Chinese were normal people who enjoyed normal everyday activities, and yet he had touched upon a fundamental point which each member of the delegation kept returning to.
To understand China, an appreciation of her unique cultural background is necessary, but that does not mean that anything happening in China can automatically be divorced from events in other countries. David Buxton mentioned that the Chinese believed that they were merely taking pact in an historieal struggle in their long movement towards a classless society - a struggle which was taking place, to a lesser or greater degree, in the rest of the world.
However the Chinese are very aware of the Soviet Union's experience and are determined to keep moving forward. The Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution and the latest campaigns to criticise Lin Piao and Confucius and to better understand the theory on the Dictatorship of the Proletariat are all orientated towards weeding out bureaucracy and other practices that attempt to turn back the clock and re-establish capitalism China.
The nature of the forum and the time available prevented any lengthy discussion on this topic, but other questions covered included Chinese social and sexual behaviour, women's place in China, law and order and the wages system.
In order to facilitate further discussion on China (and its 800 million population) there will be a supplement in the next issue of Salient written by Wellington members of the NZUSA delegation covering all aspects of Chinese life and society.
A meeting of the Student Representative Council will be held on Wednesday 13 Aug. in the Union Hall at 12 Noon.
Business will include the accreditation of NZUSA August Council Representatives and the consideration of remits for that Council.
Any items for the agenda may be handed in at the Studass Office.
A Student Representative if required for the Faculty of Commerce. Duties involve attending meetings
ing Faculty meetings and reporting back to the Student Representative Council.
This position will be filled at the August 13 meeting of that Council.
Applicants must be students in the Faculty of Commerce.
Applications are called from students wiling to represent the Association at the August Council of NZUSA to be held between 21 and 24 of August at Canterbury University.
Representatives Required are:
(ANS/IP)—Former Cambodian President Lon Nol hung or in Pnompenh until his government agreed to pay him $1 million to get out of the country. This information was made public at a news conference held at a refugee camp in California May 7 by Saukham Khoy, who took over for a short time as head of the Pnompenh government.
Lon Nol, who is now living in a $101,500 house in Honolulu, has confirmed through an associate that the National Bank of Cambodia moved on April 1 to transfer the $1 million to his account with the Irving Trust Company in New York.
(ANS/IP—Taking off what little mask remained on his so-called "detene" policy, Rhodesian Prime Minister Ian Smith declared last week there will be no African majority rule in the country as long as he lives, reported the Christian Science Monitor. Ndabaningi Sithole, leader of the Zimbabwe African National Union, said that the prime minister's statement makes it all the more obvious that 'the only language Mr Smith will understand is an intersification of armed struggle" by the liberation forces.
Meanwhile, a London-based group, the Catholic Commission for Justice and Peace in Rhodesia, issued a report this month charging the racist, settler regime with torture and intimidation of civilians and the bombing of entire villages in an effort to wipe out the guerrilla struggle.
(ANS/Radical Guardian)—Striking oil workers forced the closing June 3 of the southern Israeli port of Ashkelon, on the Gulf of Aquaba. Police attacked and opened fire on the workers who began the wildcat strike May 20 to protest layoffs. Histadrut, the General Confederation of Israeli Workers, called the strike illegal and refused to support it.
The militant strikers seized and held several ships off the Israeli coast. When police tried to board the vessels, the angry workers threw them into the sea. The strike has halted all pumping of oil on the 100-mile-long pipeline from Ashkelon to the coastal city of Eilat. The Israeli Seamen's Union is supporting the wildcat, and dockers in Ashkelon, Haifa and Asded have staged solidarity strikes.
The armed attack on the strike by the Zionist settler regime comes amidst a severe economic crisis in the country. Inflation resulting from Israel's massive war preparations has caused prices on basic commodities to nearly double in the past year.
(ANS/LNS)—The Institute on Racism in Johannesburg, South Africa reports that from
Most arrests resulted from violation of a law which restricts residence permits for blacks to rural ghetto-regions railed Bantustans. Every citizen over 16 has to carry a 90-page identification "passbook" and for residence in a particular area one must show a permit stamp.
South Africa's passbook law enables the white supremacist government to control literally all aspects of the lives of black Africans In
(ANS/LNS) Jessud. Md., USA —Twenty-one cub scouts in jessup. Maryland were kicked out of the national scouting organisation because their pack leader was a woman.
Pack 471 was disenfranchised in March because cub scout bylaws require pack leaders to be men, said a spokes-man for the Boy Scouts of America.
"This policy of having men in leadership roles is based on many studies," he said, defending the decision. "A strong male presence is required as cubmaster."
(ANS/Tribune)—On Friday morning, May 9, the Council of Fire and Accident Underwriters (a national organisation of private insurance companies) organised a demonstration against the plan for an Australian Government Insurance Office One of the main slogans was the protection of jobs
That same afternoon, the same company sacked 25 per cent of its staff.
(ANS/LNS)—The Gulf Oil Corporation illegally contributed more than $4 million to political campaigns in South Korea, a top company official admitted May 16. B.R. Dorsey, chairman and president of the company, told a Senate Sub-committee that the money, which was given over a ten year period, went to support South Korean military dictator Park Chung Hee. He also revealed that Gulf had given political contributions to Bolivia, Lebanon, and perhaps Italy.
Gulf's contributions to South Korea came as no surprise to veteran observers of that country. Gulf is the largest single foreign investor in South Korea, owning a 50% interest in the 215,000 barrel-per-day oil refinery at Ulsan. Gulf's
Gulf was able to purchase its original 25 percent interest in the refinery for $5 million, and received more than $10 million in profits in the four years between
Gulf Oil president Dorsey is also president of the U.S. Korea Economic Council which, composed of more than 100 U.S. corporations, was formed to stimulate more U.S. trade and investment in South Korea.
Financial support from foreign banks and industrial corporations is essential for Park's regime, which faces increasing opposition from people within South Korea. While Gulf's campaign contributions captured headlines, a recent move by a group of American banks to shore up the Park regime went relatively unnoticed. One hundred banks, led by the First National City Bank of New York, and including Chase Manhattan, Bank of America and Crocker Citizens Bank, agreed to loan Park's government $200 million which it needs to survive a serious balance of payments crisis.
Headline supplied by Truth Article by Rod Prosser. (Once again folks, this is the Exec Report).
The first thing of interest that emerged was that the University's Sports Council has lost a yacht (someone has stolen it, but the mounties are hot on the trail).
A bit later a new copy of a publication called New Argot materialised in Lisa Sack-sens hands(remember New Argot was given the chop in May?). It seems that Don Stedman (chairman) and Bruce Kirkland (director) of the Students' Arts Council were beaten about the ears at the last National Exec meeting for making this unconstitutional move.
The Students Association was made an offer by Shell Oil to make and stuff bean bags for a profit. It was felt that rather than the Students Association taking it on as an enterprise that a club should be formed to make bean bag chairs to supply to students for almost half the market price. There is still a chance if anyone is interested. See John Henderson about it.
There was a delegate from MSA at the meeting applying for the use of the Office counter for the sale of ball tickets for the Malaysian Day celebrations. But it was unanimously decided that such an action would be putting VUWSA's name behind an organisation which supports the Malaysian regime and so the infamous MSA again bites the dust.
Then an equally funny request was heard from a Mr O'Connor for the affiliation of the plank racing society. The aim of the club is to go around and rip down old houses and stamp all over the wood. But he assured the Exec that the club was not affiliated to any Martial Arts and that they would avoid trees.
Following that I went to sleep only to be woken by Mike Curtis crying "Don't get fucking liberal here!" and "Those liberals among you with a small 'I'. . ." I can't remember what he was talking about but I'm glad to see him resisting the clutches of liberalism himself.
Te Reo Maori were given $72 to send one or two delegates to Dunedin to voice their disapproval at Otago University's decision to delay the appointment of a lecturer of Maori for two years.
Mike Curtis emerged as the star of this week's show, by really showing his versatility at times when things looked like becoming boring. Altogether an entertaining, educational and enjoyable meeting.
* * * * * * * * *
Contributed
In
My first impression of the report was that it was a sell-out. Our academic sisters had been snared by a web of fine, liberal-academic sophistry woven by Campbell and Co. The gut issues of creche facilities and maternity leave were given three sentences at the bottom of page 37, and were relegated to Recommendation 9 of the Report. The proposal to have a Dean of Women (more of this later) was sidestepped, in fact, killed, with smooth argumentation (see pages 32-33).
The first recommendation should have been at least 4 months of maternity leave at full pay with no loss of seniority - this is the case in British universities. There is an analogy with women students; recently there was a case where a woman was not given an aegrotat pass although she was in an advanced state of pregnancy and had a medical certificate. All women students should have the right to an aeogrotat pass if they are going to be in an advanced state of pregnancy before and during the exam period.
The second recommendation should have been that full creche facilities up to school age should be set up on campus. The committee did not examine the question of creche facilities in any detail. Firstly, the creche facilities should be of high standard (i.e. low children-adults ratio, so that one-to-one relationships can develop); highly motivated women will not generally tolerate inferior environments for their children. Secondly, the facilities should be comprehensive enough to enable mothers to spend a working day at the University, i.e. the principle should be that mothers should sacrifice their eight leisure hours to the care of children (remember the principle of 8 hours work, 8 hours sleep, 8 hours leisure in a 40 hour week?), so that an academic mother might spend 5 hours working at the office (teaching, administration etc.) and 3 hours working at home when the child is asleep. Thus a creche should be orientated towards caring for a child for 5 hours a day, some of which time he/she might be asleep. Thirdly, the creche should be on campus. Children should be integrated into the University. A greatly expanded creche should be used by both student and academic mothers.
The third recommendation should have been that a Woman Dean be appointed. She would therefore sit on the all-powerful Vice-Chancellor and Deans Committee, where promotions are made. A Dean of Women would be the Chairperson of and be elected by, a women's caucus of academic women in the University. This caucus would organise the representation of women on all committees of the University. As with all classes being discriminated against, women need organisation; the report in smoothly rationalising why there shouldn't be a Dean of Women, ignores the political reality and the need for organised anti-discrimination (see pages 32 and 33). A Dean of Women would fulfil the function of academic counsellor to women students, as is suggested in the Report (Recommendation 6 and page 32).
Having said all this, and having looked at the Report more closely, I realise that in fact it's not as bad as all that. Part II of the report looks at staff salary scales and promotions: "The discrepancies disclosed in Table III are large and very consistent, and lead to the conclusion that the academic achievement of women has been seriously impeded." (page 6) The Table referred to shows the relative rates of progress of men and women up the promotion ladder, and the story told is a shocking one indeed. Part V gives some equally illuminating statistics - whereas 37% of students are women, 31% of demonstrators are women, 26% of Junior Lecturers, 12% of lecturers, 11% of Senior Lecturers, 6% of Associate Professors and Readers, and 3% of Professors are women. Among students, 38.2% of first year enrolments are women, and there is a significant drop to 32.3% of graduate students being women. However the biggest drop is to 19.6% of Postgraduate students being women. Although there is a suggestion that the wording of the PhD Regulations might have something to do with this (page 30), the survey carried out by the Science Faculty indicates that the so-called "Under-Achievement Syndrome amongst Women" is responsible for this (see Appendix III). As the Report indicates in its introduction, an analysis of such factors was beyond the Committee's resources.
Part VII deals with the results of a questionnaire sent to all members of academic staff who are women, and it is pretty miserable that only 45 of the 89 questionnaires were returned. Shame! This meant that any conclusions were pretty restricted, however what did emerge was that there is a strong feeling of patriarchal prejudice against women in the University. This would have a long term effect of deepening the 'under-achievement syndrome', which only long-term structural change can remedy (see below). Suffice to say that Part VII merely summarised the material, and did not come up with strong conclusions.
So far as surveys go therefore, we can say that the Report is a pretty good one, but as you can gather, it does not come out strongly on the important issues. This brings me to the question of the Committee's discussion of making academic positions more flexible, which occupies the major proportion of the Report (30 pages out of 55, and Recommendations 1-3). Basically (to summarise what's pretty turgid reading) what is being proposed is that a proportion of academic positions in the future might be on a part time basis. Although the report clearly says that the positions would be permanent, with promotion (but half as quickly) and superannuation, and that these positions would involve teaching, research and administration (half of each), the Report assumes there is some existing norm as to the teaching, research and administration load of the average junior lecturer, lecturer, senior lecturer and Professor. Of course, this is not the case, as anyone can see from the large number of slothful, and the small number of hard-working academics in the University. So unless they solve this problem and establish work norms, what could well happen is that women will do full-time work for half-time pay, and be faced with the prospect of promotion twice as slowly. In addition there might well be pressure on women to accept half-time positions, whereas they might well be in a position to do full-time work. So what is required to make sure that this does not become another vehicle for discrimination, and a means for the University to stretch its budget at the expense of women, is: (a) explicit guidelines on required research, administration and teaching by academics at every level; (b) a Women's Dean and Women's Caucus to police the whole business.
As I have already said, the amount of time spent by the Report on this question very much detracts from the gut issue of maternity leave, creche facilities and a political organisation to protect Women's interests. However I don't think it is intentional. What has happened, I think, is that the Committee has realised that the structure of the University, like all institutions in this society, is geared towards free men, and repressed women and children dependent on the men. It is particularly important for those middle-class feminists among us to realise this, because one can only fully grasp the implications of the Committee's apparent tangent or red herring if one grasps what Juliet Mitchell last year called "the inter penetration of feminism and socialism - without the other, the one can only make small progress." Here the student position coincides with that of women. Apart from the coincidence on gut issues (as I have tried to show above), students want greater democracy in the University (not the tokenism that exists at present) and a destruction of the oligarchical professorial elites which run the show; in the wider sense, students also want a breakdown of the gap between academic and student. The fact that the Report realises, however fuzzily, that the rigidity of the academic structure must be broken down in the interests of women is a lesson to us as students - any progress that is unaccompanied by significant structural change is reformism and hence only of small value.
So, with this in mind, Sisters and students, we shall await the results of the learned deliberations of the Professorial Board on the Report, but I can tell you now, that if our academic sisters don't organise themselves, they won't get very far on any issue.
Once a year the Accountancy Department really gets going in a joint academic exercise. This year will see the 23rd. advanced Accountancy seminar which will probably be more interesting than any previous seminar, in fact, having just read the papers to be presented at the seminar it will probably contain more of value to the Accountancy student in the short space of 24 hours than they would get in a full year's lectures. It is sad that the talent which abounds within the Department is only aired properly annually and for the rest of the year students and lecturers are together confined within the drab and dull areas of course prescriptions, especially at undergraduate level.
The seminar is open to anyone, and is of interest to all within the University, but is particularly aimed at second, third and fourth year Accountancy students.
Mr F. Turnovsky, Chairman Development Finance Corporation on "Investment Risk-Taking for Business Progress." This is a paper which outlines the DFC's position on various areas related to the topic. It is refreshing to note that the paper is entirely free of accounting bias and gives insight into what must be one of the most powerful investment organisations in the country and its criteria and methods for allocating investment finances.
The papers presented by Prof. J.B. Tabb of Auckland University and Prof. L.F. Jackson, Economics Department, VUW, may be considered under the same category examining the technical aspects of risk analysis and risk prediction. Even for those who are less mathematically or statistically inclined these papers cover extremely well many of the complex factors ever present in business decisions involving risk. Areas are opened up for people with more ability to follow through to their own level.
Mr CM. Arthur of VUW Accy Dept will present a paper on risk oriented Tax incentives which discusses the significance that taxation plays in the development of contemporary society. To many people companies income tax is an unwelcome impost which taxpayers suffer even though the levy has desireable social ends, in relieving social distress and promoting social services such as education, health, housing and the SIS. But tax policy also plays a significant role in promoting economic development and social advancement through tax incentives to cushion business risk in ventures to exploit natural resources. Tax concessions offered to the promoter of "economic growth" are not always beneficial to the community or socially desireable.
Prof. Young of VUW Industrial Relations Centre has written a paper entitled "Industrial Relations at Risk? - A need for innovation." The paper examines the business risk factor in the context of industrial relations. Industrial relations have been frequently in the news of late and many New Zealanders are under the impression that we are relatively a strikebound country. There are some illuminating statistics in Prof Young's paper which show that industrial relations in New Zealand are far less of a risk-contributing factor than some people would like us to believe.
Mr S.J. Sawicki's article and its implications are separately outlined.
There will also be a forum session with a panel of lead-in speakers, who will hopefully provoke discussion in several parts of this broad topic. Any person interested in attending contact either the Convenor of the Seminar or Secretary of Accountancy Department, both at 20 Kelburn Parade.
The paper on business risk under economic planning is comparative in approach. The opening pages contain an expose of some of those entrenched fallacies which still perpeptuate old myths that the functioning of our economic system is based on free-wheeling competition. We still believe in Roman Empires which ceased to exist a long time ago (if they ever existed at all) - for governments at all times have had to assume most of the 'commanding heights' in the economy. Since World War II as a result of inter-war depression conditions, government intervention in economic matters has been steadily increasing in all countries;
Nowadays the Question is not 'whether a government should assume the responsibility for a national economy?' but 'How well the government runs the economy and towards what social ends?" Mr Sawicki draws extensively on economic history to argue the case, and examines the existence of risk at different stages of economic development and how the concept of "risk "has even been absorbed into the ethics of 'honest socialism'.
In the following pages various aspects of business risk under full-scale economic planning are examined under different headings with illuminating comparatives which highlight risk-prone activities in either type of economic system. The problem of risk is discussed against the background of social ownership of the means of production, central planning and technological progress. Risk and incentive payments are examined in relation to investment and domestic and foreign trade.
The other issue which derives from Mr Sawicki's paper and which should be seriously considered is the educational aspect of comparative studies. The educational base of accounting studies should be broadened at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. A greater proportion of environmental and comparative studies seems desireable in the basic accounting education programme, in order to make accountants more sensitive to important changes in relations between the various social groups and the role accountants should play in assisting the promotion of policies to enhance the progress of society
The selection of topics at the postgraduate level of business education is also deficient in this respect. New challenging disciplines need to be introduced so as to enable the students to study economic accounting as an effective instrument in the socio-economic process. Economic growth and profit targets have been responsible for much of the environmental detriment which results from unplanned industrialisation. Contemporary society is greatly concerned with social endeavour and welfare programmes, including those involving unemployment, poverty, housing, education, the penal system and other social needs. For the evaluation of these 'quality of life programmes' a more advanced information system for measurement and reporting of costs and benefits needs to be developed. The accounting system should also be appropriate as a decisional framework to help in appraising their more indirect and secondary effects of decisions adopted and policies pursued. To a large extent present day Western accounting is oriented towards historical evidence and narrow purposes; those effects which an accountant does not know how to measure, he simply disregards; but have the accounting techniques of the 'other' world been investigated enough - they may give us a new line of thought?
The structure of the present accounting major BCA needs to be complemented by imaginative proposals. The Comparative paper at the seminar is a timely reminder to those responsible for the development of business studies of the need to stimulate new fields of learning in response to New Zealand's emerging new economic needs in the contemporary world.
The general theory of organic evolution is the theory that all living things have arisen by a materialistic, naturalistic evolutionary process from a single source which itself arose by a similar process from a dead, inanimate world. This article will attempt to survey briefly some implications this theory will have for human-kind with regard to his significance, conduct and his future.
Firstly, the question of significance. If the evolutionary theory is accepted as fact (although many have already considered it as fact even in the face of inadequate evidence) it confronts us with the value of our lives as individuals. Given that the human being is a biological freak and the result of some remarkable mistake in the evolutionary process, he must objectively be no more meaningful than the very inanimate chemical and physical properties that make up matter. This conclusion is logical. If all things arose originally from inorganic materials, then thinking man must rationalise his existence back to these substances and there, find his beginning.
What does all this mean? It means that if we begin with the inanimate, our very lives must also be inanimate - something like the cartoon characters in the films-moving, making noise, but nonetheless inanimate. Hence any reference to man as an individual, unique, creative and loving will finally just be romantic if not meaningless. Beginning with the original dead materials, man must eventually be dead too. If man is really nothing more than a biological freak in the evolutionary process, and is not what he makes himself out to be in literature, poetry, art, music and drama, then man is merely a part of the existing environment around him He is therefore alone in this silent universe. It does not really matter whether we have affection or not, whether we have compassion for a starving child or not. If we are just another biological product in the evolutionary chain, it really does not matter!
The force of evolutionary logic compels us to deal with other connected issues. For instance, with evolution 'proved', how then will society be runned? (sic) What system of politics must man adopt? Who are to make decisions and on what basis are decisions to be made? In short, this is the problem of government. Entangled with this problem is that of the legal system. Again the same questions must be asked.
As I see it, the effect of evolutionary thinking when applied to both politics and the law would lead to nothing short of violence and of an institutional model. Given that evolution has reduced man to nothing but a mere biological product and the fact that a society of people will produce conflict and clashes, the system of control and regulation must be based on violence. Any other humanitarian principles will not stand the force of the evolutionary logic and will again be merely romantic or meaningless. But physical violence is practical, expedient and not romantic. Hence, all institutions within society must ultimately aquire their mandate from physical supremacy, sadly, as we look round the world, this analysis is not far from the truth.
To summarise therefore, if we begin with the evolutionary premise we must say, with B.F. Skinner, 'To man qua man we readily say good riddance." In other words all we ever knew and thought of ourselves as individuals, creative, noble and unique as compared with other forms of life, must now be viewed as naive and weak. We really are nothing more than a complex mass of chemical and physical properties of the DNA template. Origin determines destination. So much for the significance of man.
Next the question of morality. Given that we all shared the same parentage, whatever our conduct, the final justification must logically be the ancestral protozoa. If this is the ultimate prime mover, it must necessarily also be our ultimate moral reference point. That being the case, morality, as we have been familiar with, must also, liked the supposed individuality of man, be a worned out (sic) superstition. All conduct described as "ought" or "should" must be kept in the realm of romanticism.
Let us survey briefly how some people have understood this implication and responded to it. We begin with Marquis de Sade. Famously known for his sadistic attitude toward life, de Sade was one of those who courageously lived his philosophy. From him we have the term 'sadism'. He saw that since everything in him was already determined by something else before, there was really no point trying to live differently. Basically he decided to follow his desires and animal impulses. So, we get the infamous sadistic exploits. Unfortunately for him, dc Sade died a lunatic. A close contemporary of this philosopher is Henry Miller, the renowned pornographic writer and philosopher Then we have others who, while embracing the evolutionary principle, nevertheless see the necessity for some form of restraint within society and between human relations. Their attitude is one of taking the best of two worlds and their philosophy is variously expressed in terms like "situational or statistical ethics.' Basically this ethic says that things and people change and therefore we should not be too rigid with our values. If there are some good grounds for modifying these values, we should do so, after all, things are a-changing. Whilst seeing the need to exercise a little restraint (since common sense tells us that if we did not, it could get quite inconvenient for us) these philosophers enjoy the luxury of changing their position as soon as the value becomes a stumbling block to their achieving a new desire. With honest respect to many who feel a genuine need for legal reform in the law concerning abortion and homosexuality, one must nevertheless add that in many other cases, this desire for change is merely born out of expedience. For instance Dr Wall's Bill is often attacked not on the basis of its extreme generality and therefore impracticality, but on the basis of Dr Wall's character. Again there are comments to the effect that homosexuality as opposed to hetero sexuality is a perfectly normal thing. Quite apart from the other connected issues, one would like to enquire then what would not be normal? Accordingly in our present society, what is decent, obscene, prejudice or discrimination? Clearly situational ethics is not meant to solve the problems but to give a veneer of moral respectability to decisions while at the same time achieve what is expedient. An article in the last issue of 'Salient' entitled 'A supporter of Dr Wall' was a refreshing review of some arguments raised by anti-Wall supporters. It should be added that this one is not so much supporting the person Wall, but rather questioning the basis and presuppositions of various arguments.
Finally I wish to touch somewhat briefly on the most dangerous response to this evolutionary principle. The few giants behind this scene are B.F. Skinner, Jaques Monod and Francis Crick. In simple terms, what these three have arrived at is, given that man evolved from the apes, that in turn evolved from lower organisms, that further evolved from yet lower organisms down the line till we get to the ancestral protozoa and other inanimate materials, man is essentially without any inherent significance. However these three brilliant men also see that human society is plagued with all forms of wickedness and war. This situation can be reacted to in essentially two ways. Either we let men go on making a mess of this planet and finally annihilating himself with the most powerful bombs or, alternatively, change man and extract the wickedness and animal violence out of him. The problem is clear. With man now 'proven' no more significant than the inanimate properties that make him, yet fully aware of man's inherent cruelty, these evolutionists have contemplated the possibility of manipulating the very character of man. The methods have ranged from drugs to virus vaccination. It has also been suggested that our drinking supply be doped so that the whole populace may gradually but surely become a mass of goodies incapable of being too wicked or too violent.
These schemes are logical to the core. Beginning with the evolutionary premise about man's origin, therefore essential significance, these social engineers have mechanically followed the logic of their philosophical conviction and arrived at this result. With just that little bit of civic consciousness left in them, they now they now propose to manipulate the human personality so that the world may be rid of its sufferings and war. If this information appears somewhat "
Hence as far as morality is concerned we must say good riddance to it also if evolution be accepted. If we are to continue, we must accept violence as the final word and judge in all our affairs. Talk of 'ought' or 'should' is romantic.
To conclude, I will make some observations. We began with the theory of organic evolution and attempted to present some implications that would arise as a result with particular reference to man's significance as an individual and the fate of morality within the evolutionary perspective. The findings are devastating. What is more shocking id the fact that evolution is proclaimed by so many scientists, passionately embraced by an equal number of students, and generally accepted without question by the populace as the only explanation of man's origin. It is to such persons that I write this article for.
We see that the evolutionary theory has quite subtly shifted from being a scientific hypothesis in biology, to all other disciplines and permeated the very thought pattern of 20th century man and woman These influences can be found easily in Psychology, championed by B.F. Skinner, in Philosophy, expressed in the thinking of the Huxleys, Ayer and Bertrand Russell, in Sociology with famous Karl Marx and even in Religion where we get an interesting synthesis of theistic philosophy and evolutionary theory brilliantly laid out by Teilhard de Chardin.
This if the age of evolutionary thinking, a twin brother of humanism, both singing the same song called relativism. Evolution is no longer a scientific theory, it has emerged into a living Frankenstein, slowly learning to crack the whip back at his master. Man has created a monster out of evolution and is slowly seeing it rise and turning towards man threatening his very existence.
What is in store for the future? As I understand it, there are a number of steps one can take if one is concerned about man's future. I should first wish to add, that whatever one decides to do, one ought to do it with first an understanding of the evolutionary theory and all the implications it produces. This would mean an unbiased study of the theory and an open discussion of its meaning in all areas of life. Until all the facts are marshalled, evolution may well be man's only answer to his origin. Nothing short of intellectual honesty will do.
Next, after going through the above, one should seek to analyse and question the many presuppositions that students and professors often make. Most statements made in the course of a lecture may be ultimately founded on the assumption that evolution is a fact. Other times, political matters on campus and off it are decided on similar asumptions. You may not be able to prevent a victory based on numerical majority but that should not stop you from questioning the basis of the arguments submitted.
Lastly, if you adhere to some set of morals which you can justify effectively, then you should present your arguments based on these morals. However make sure that your morality can be put into practice and that you are living accordingly. If you are not an evolutionist in your philosophy, then you should defend what is uniquely of human personality (e.g. stand up against exploitation of women and men or be charitable with your resources). It is not easy but the alternative is absurd. No man is an island so we need to help one another. Learn from your evolutionist friend. He belongs to human kind as well.
Finally if you see evolution as untenable in all its implications, both biologically and philosophically, then it may be wise to think of the alternative.
Voting for the members of next years executive will take place on August 12 and 13 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m.. The two voting booths are located in the ground floor foyer in the Union Building and the foyer in Rankine Brown opposite the main entrance to the Library. A third booth could be instituted this year. If so, it will be placed in the New Kirk Building.
Candidates running unopposed are subject to a "no-confidence" vote. They must receive at least 50% of the votes cast to be elected. Any member of the students' association is eligible to vote at these elections.
The executive is the body responsible for handling the financial and administrative affairs of the association. Association policy can only be formulated by an SRC, SGM or AGM. So candidates who say they will do this and they will do that will not do this or do that unless SRC lets them- such is democracy at Victoria. However, if elected, our new executive members will receive a minimum honorarium of $300. This farcical decision was made at an SGM earlier this year when students treated the meeting like an auction - their votes going to the highest bidder. In practical terms it means that you should expect an executive member to have no excuse for doing nothing or near to nothing. So look for a hard worker and someone with reasonable sympathy with the SRC pblicy they will be representing.
This year's crop of candidates for the Executive elections is one of the most uninspiring ones seen for a long time. The manifestos are almost uniformly dull - the only ones that stand out are those of Stephen Hay, his wife and his brother-in-law. The family's manifestos are clearly set out with definite policy points.
Unfortunately the policy is definitely far-right. The family would destroy the Students' Association as a representative union of its members. It would install 'professionals' instead of 'politicians'. It would make students an open market for any businessman out to make a quick buck. An STB responsible to students would be replaced by private enterprise responsible to profits. New business ventures ostensibly to bring students lower prices but in reality to give eager businessmen a monopoly over a prize market will also be set up by the family. Links with NZUSA, the national representative of university students would also be cut leaving VUWSA without the services of NZUSA's national officers, its co-ordination of national campaigns, and the solidarity of other student associations.
The Hay family is the only trend worth commenting on in this year's elections. Choice for most of the positions is fairly clear-cut and where it is not, the choice isn't exactly varied.
Woman Vice-President looks like being the only contest of interest where Rae Stazengarb, from behind the bar at SASRAC, will be competing with Leonie Morris, a second year student, with a firm stand on women's rights. Rae has the advantage of exposure but Leonie will take the vote of those who believe that a Woman Vice-President should be active over women is issues before being active over organising socials.
However, more important voting the voting for next year's executive for left-wing students is building up a strong SRC in 1976 so that whatever executive is in office is made accountable to students. This is an important function of SRC and is more important these days with increased honoraria for executive members tending to attract the wrong sort of people and the wrong sort of attitude. Executive can do nothing but follow the directives of a strong SRC. Stephen Hay has made it plain what could happen with a weak SRC.
For too long the Students' Association his drifted with no clear idea where it is going. The time has come for the "I don't care" attitude to stop. The Association and the Executive cannot remain hidden in the Union Building. If elected President I would see it as my duty and the duty of the executive to go into the classrooms and all over the campus to work for students. Meetings of the Association should be held where the members are and not where they are thought to be. Only then can the Association begin to formulate the priorities which have been lacking.
To my mind some of the priorities are a reorganisation of the Union Management Committee and a doing away with many of the petty bureaucratic bodies which seem to grow and grow. At the same time students must make the major decisions with regards to the Union and the catering services for which they are paying good money.
There is also a need to decide on possible extensions to the Union so that the building fund which gobbles up $8 from each member can be used to benefit all and not left to waste under poor University management or to cover appalling catering losses.
We must also look at ways in which Association money can be better used. I would hope that in
These are some of the priorities which I see as being necessary. However the decision must be that of everyone who pays $30 Students' Association fee. As President, I would continue to strive for a better deal on Student Housing and vacation jobs as well as special counselling for overseas students who are still neglected and left to do battle with government departments with little or no help But most of all I would strive to make the Association a body which was known to and run by all its members.
Background - LLB graduate, now researching LLM; current and sometime member of various student committees.
Policy - introducing "specials" examinations, akin to Massey, so students failing a paper in the final year of a degree or professional course can sit another paper within 12 weeks of sitting the examination they failed.
- subsidising university creche (affecting 120 children) at least with an additional full-time supervisor.
- introducing a strict editorial policy for "Salient" so it becomes a newspaper for students, and less a paper for the editor - by insisting on an overall balance in the selection of articles so that no particular viewpoints are exclusively presented.
- no "politicking" except in matters affecting students directly.
- stopping Studass payments to outside pressure groups.
- ambitious financial policy using trustee investments and restoring to Studass the powers of investment of all its income.
- cutting NZUSA links but retaining Student Travel arrangements (either with NZUSA or at VUW) using the levies paid to NZUSA ($8,580) for student purposes here. This permits VUW an independent viewpoint on all issues and lets it accomodate individual student opinion.
- improving the cafeteria - reducing the rental payable by management, cutting selection apart from meals -both permitting price reductions -and preferring students over outside staff in employment.
At present, with increasing dissatisfaction in University and beyond, students have been actively expressing desire for change - on issues from racism to assessment. The President should play a leading role initiating action around such issues. As a Young Socialist, I have been involved in such issues since
The bursaries issue is an example of why we need such a President. Following two years "negotiations", the biggest student actions for years were organised, calling for a standard tertiary bursary (STB). These marches showed the impact of action - soon government announced STB proposals. Although penny-pinching, they represented a victory. But we needed further actions - to gain our full demands.
What did Beckford and Co. do? They opposed further action, and organised no discussion or forums on the question.
This student body needs people who want to, and know how to, involve students in action. The Young Socialists are such activists - currently we are organising the Socialist Action Election Campaign, challenging the Labour Government on its own record.
If you want the VUWSA to campaign for women's rights, for student control of assessment, for solidarity with oppressed people here and overseas: Vote for the Young Socialist Candidates.
I am standing for treasurer for the third time unopposed but must obtain over 50% of the votes cast to be elected.
I will not make any rash election promises that I cannot carry out. However I will continue to help run the two main projects I have been concerned with this year. The Food Co-op and Social Activities.
I cannot promise bigger and better piss-ups than this year. This promise can only be carried out by student attendance.
As accomodation officer on Executive, a considerable amount of my time has been tied up with administrative duties regarding the running of students association flats. This has en-abled me to gain a thorough working knowledge of the association office, which is vitally necessary, particularly since the peak period of student use is in February and March.
I have also benefitted from being on the Catering Sub-committee and the Standing Committee on student accomodation both in terms of committee experience and by obtaining an overall view of association affairs.
I see four major roles which a Secretary needs to fulfill: (1) co-ordination of executive activities; (2) liason between executive and students: informing them of executive activities; (3) working on mundane administrative duties which do not come under the jurisdiction of other officers. e.g. writing letters concerning enquiries for information from the public. (4) Paying attention to the overall running of the association and its office.
I will, if elected, work along with the SRC co-ordinator in ensuring that students through SRC play a major role in determining the policy and activities of both associations and executive.
Finally, aside from my interest in the Welfare and Accomodation fields, my main concern is to work towards lessening the depressively heavy work-loads which prevent students from enjoying a more active social life on and off campus.
I have been actively involved in the women's rights movement since
I am running with Lois MacGreggor and Ian Westbrooke as a Young Socialist Candidate and give full support to their campaigns.
As a member of WONAAC I am currently working towards buildbig a 'Tribunal on Crimes Against Women" on September 20th, in the Union Hall, to commemorate Women's suffrage day and highlight the suffering of women due to the oppressive laws and practices which presently apply to abortion, contraception and sterilisation.
I support the extension of women's studies courses at University as a step towards a much needed revival of women's history.
In an effort to combat the effects of economic and social discrimination there should be a special bursary allowance for female students, creche facilities should be free and financed by the university.
There is a crying need to involve students in activity around women's rights issues within the university and for active support for the struggles of the women's movement.
Background - Full-time BA student, majoring in history. Past member of various cultural and sports groups.
Policy - Extending the food Co-op to include the purchase of basic food, and toiletry lines to be sold at wholesale prices. This would start up with a few lines that have a high retail markup, for example, shampoo, soap-powder, and coffee. The very slight markup on these goods would enable the range to be extended without drawing on any more Studass funds after the initial outlay. This is to be housed in a permanent room a student's shop-where students would be able to buy and sell their wares.
Structuring of the Students' Association fee to take into account students who are not enrolled in full time courses.
More Studass financial assistance to the creche.
No student politicking, except where students are directly concerned and no no money to outside pressure groups.
Establishment of a clothes and accessories mart for students to buy sell and exchange goods.
Cleaning up and rearranging the cafe to regain the old feeling of community spirit.
3rd. year Arts/Law student.
I am standing for the position of WVP because I feel that the position, with no specific duties, affords plenty of scope for someone prepared to do some work. Past incumbents have tended not to devote as much time as I feel is necessary to fully justify the position. I do not intend to push extreme...feminist views as I do not see them as contributing greatly to our overall understanding of society. Rather I believe in equal opportunity for women in all sectors of society.
This year I have been involved in the organisation of social activities (Orientation, Capping, SASRAC) and would like to see an even better social programme next year. I also intend to assist the Cultural Affairs Officer especially with the running of Arts Council productions.
Other executives have often consisted of people pushing their own hobby horses. I feel it is time that the views of the ordinary student are represented on the executive.
I have been at Victoria for two years and during this time have participated in both campus and off-campus political affairs. At the moment I feel that this university is apathetic and lacks any real student spirit or involvement. Thus, if I am elected I will encourage more student participation (especially female) in social, political, and cultural activities. Some of my specific concerns would be:
Finally I feel I have both the time and the enthusiasm to work hard in the interest of students as a whole and women in particular
Background - BCA student and member of various university and national organisations.
Policy - A shop selling a small range of commodities at near-wholesale prices. Studass funds would be required for the original purchases and this money would be repaid. The shop could also be used for the swopping of articles and the sale of home-made commodities. The shop would be open for a few well advertised hours daily.
5th year Law/Commerce student.
The position of man's vice-president is not strictly defined for two reasons. It is a, position that enables the President to delegate work and also to assist other exec, members to carry out their jobs effectively. It also provides scope for an Exec member to give attention to any issues that may arise during the year.
This year my involvement with the Students' Association has largely been in the organisation of social activities. I believe these to be an integral part of university life and I have tried to hold as many such events as time would permit: e.g. Orientation, Capping and SASRAC. Should I receive the support of students in this election I will see it as a vote for the continuance and expansion of the social programme.
While students are interested in national and international issues, they are probably more concerned with those that affect them more directly. These include bursaries, accomodation investment and management of student money. If elected I would endeavour to ensure that students receive the best deal available in these and other areas.
Should any student wish to discuss the above or any other matters I am usually to be found in the Studass Office.
Previous experience:
Capping Controller,
The position of Publications Officer is recognised as being one of the most difficult of the Executive positions. It involves basic knowledge of student affairs and a wide understanding of publishing. After the resignation of Colin Feslier, I was appointed to the position of interim Publications Officer by the executive and have gained considerable experience. I feel this prior experience would be invaluable to me if elected.
The Publications Officer is expected to have a great knowledge of how a newspaper is produced and as Technical editor of Salient, responsible for the layout of the paper, I have this knowledge.
But there is more to it. The Publications Officer is a member of the Executive, and as such he must know what the executive does. I am also very experienced in this area, having been a member of many University Committees, a delegate to NZUSA May Council, having taken great interest in the campaign against foreign control and the anti-apartheid movement, and now Interim Publications Officer.
If elected Publications Officer, I will adopt, at all times, a "student-first" policy. In these times of division in the Publications Board, an experienced Publications Officer is necessary.
I am standing for Publications Officer because no other member of the silent majority that supposedly dislikes student publications at the moment, has appeared. The only other member opposing the present incumbent, is, I am told, a member of a politically unattractive group to most students. I am therefore offering myself as an alternative to allowing dear John to keep the position by default.
It should be noted at this point that I know very little about what a Publications Officer should do, but this doesn't seem to have been a disadvantage to some recent holders of the office, so it shouldn't hinder me.
Another problem, perhaps of greater magnitude, is that I do not intend to be a member of the Students' Association next year, so, if elected, a by-election will be inevitable. I hope that if elected, it will encourage some other student with ideas about student publications to take the office. In any case, a substantial vote for me, would perhaps indicate to John and the present editor of Salient that their political approach does not enjoy complete support among the student majority.
There will be no photos or public appearances as I am a naturally shy person.
I am a first year student and have Keen active in the women's liberation movement and the Young Socialists since Young Socialist magazine which I have had a major role in producing.
I think that student publications need a change in direction. All student groups, regardless of politics or culture are entitled to have their views printed in their publications. If this policy is taken up, it will encourage greater student participation. For example the present editor of Salient refuses to give any coverage to the activities of the Young Socialists, which has discouraged us from submitting material.
Our publications should cover issues relating to women; I will encourage coverage of the feminist movement.
The Young Socialist candidates in this election are running on a programme of involving students in action on political issues such as abortion rights. Our Students' Association needs publications which relate to the concerns of students, exposing the injustices and hypocrisies of this society. But further our publications should be available for students to use for organising protests against oppression and degradation.
(No photograph or manifesto supplied)
It was a difficult decision me to put my name forward for exec again this year, mainly due to the activities of several neurotic nutters I have had to work with but with a bit of luck they may find some other way to satisfy their egotistical whims next year.
The decision on the gymnasium southern extensions will probably be made next week.
Most clubs on campus are doing okay. Next year I hope to encourage more people to get into sport of some sort and will try to get Pubs Board to have a paid sports reporter.
One of the problems on exec is a lack of feedback from anybody except the people who want more social life on campus. This year I have encouraged and helped things like rock concerts and Steins.
Each year with the Students' Association becoming more business oriented I see a need for people on exec with a knowledge of management planning and control systems. If we get our building fund out of the University we will have more than $¼ million to invest next year (If the gym extensions have not started) Who are you going to entrust it to?
I am a third year student. I have been involved in accomodation activities since
As Accomodation Officer it would be my policy to support the aquisition of suitable flats and houses by the Students' Association as an alternative to financial investments. I support the policies of Wellington City Council of aquiring inner city residential accomodation and feel that those houses in the area of the University should be made available for student occupation. I am opposed to the building of large and segregated student barns of the Weir House type, favouring aquisition of the many old large houses in the Kelburn area as student accomodation.
If elected I would make myself regularly available for consultation concerning tenancy problems and would endeavour to alleviate accomodation shortages.
Having helped the present Cultural Affairs Officer in her endeavours to promote cultural activities on campus throughout the year, I feel reasonably competent to ensure the continuance of her good work My specific aims will be'
All students, not just club members. I would extend this idea to a regional arts festival, involving all Wellington Tertiary Institutions and possibly secondary schools. Hopefully this would lay the foundations for a University Arts Festival in
Vote for me to preserve your sanity!!
The following article by Amnon Rubenstein offers a different perspective on events in the Middle East to that of our previous features. We print it in the hope of a wider debate in Salient's pages on the Middle-East question.
The nearer the moment of decision in Israel-Arab conflicts approaches, the larger the distortion in regard to the rights and status of the Jewish refugees begins to loom. I believe that the rather neglected term, "Jewish refugees" is a most apt description for the hundreds of thousands of Israelis who fled, or were driven out from the Arab countries after the emergence of the State.
The fact that these refugees were rehabilitated in Israel, and that they are regarded as "Olim" does not in the least detract from their being refugees in the specific meaning that this term is given in the Middle-East. When applied to the Arabs, the status of the refugee is not dependent on his economic situation or on his rehabilitation, for both he and his offspring continue to be refugees and to enjoy UN assistance to the end of all time.
Moreover it would be erroneous to think that ail the Jewish refugees in Israel have been rehabilitated or have succeeded in overcoming the trauma of their escape or expulsion from the Arab countries. Many of them live in stress. True, stress is primarily an internal matter of our own, and so long as it persists, our other achievements are overshadowed. But this stress has also an international aspect. The property and worldly possessions of some of the refugees who today experience stress in Israel, remained behind them, and if they were to be returned to them or if they were compensated for them their situation would improve. Little is known in the international community of the confiscation of Jewish property in the Arab countires - which is nothing short of robbery on a giagantic scale. This fact however, does not in the least diminish its seriousness.
True, the official definition of the refugees in Eretz Israel in the UN resolution refers solely to the original inhabitants of the country in
The only difference between the Jewish and Arab refugees is that we have looked after our bretheren, whereas the Arab states for the most part have let them remain for a whole generation, in tent camps and in conditions of stress. In the
Despite these clear facts and despite the expulsion, the pillage and the injustice done to the Jewish refugees in almost every Arabic-speaking country, a distorted picture has presented itself to the world. In this picture, Israel is depicted as a white-European society that has settled in an Arab Mediterranean land and has created an Arab refugee problem-whether intentionally or unintentionally, depending on the hatred or sympathy for us.
Nowhere have we succeeded in setting this distorted picture aright, not even among our friends. Maybe our failure in this respect is due to the fact that we did not want to admit that an "oleh" is also a refugee, and that mass aliya from the Arab lands flowed not out of pure Zionistic motives but also as a result of anti-Jewish excesses. Maybe our failure in this respect stems from the fact that the political leadership in Israel is the prerogative of people of European origin who were not always aware of the full political significance of the news from the Arab states, and the pillage of their property.
Indeed one can have no simpler and more convincing expression of the rights of the Jewish refugees than that voiced by Israelis, members of the oriental communities, hailing from the Arab lands. How convincing are the following lines written by Eliahu Elyashar to Jean-Paul Sartre in speaking of the Jewish refugees he says:
"They immigrated to Israel from their countries of residence mainly on account of the difficulties and limitations imposed upon them by the new Arab states after receiving their independence, as well as on account of their being Jews.
"Clearly, therefore, these new Israeli citizens lived in the Middle-East for thousands of years without interuption, long before the emergence of Islam. They are the new arrivals from Iraq, Egypt, the Yemen, Syria, Lebanon and North Africa, who found refuge in Israel.
"These Israeli citizens belong to this region both from the point of view of language as well as from the geographical, ethnical and geo-political points of view. They were forced to leave their countries of residence on account of the conditions of life imposed upon them by the Arab authorities". ("To live with Palestinians".)
Now that we must prepare for a great show-down over the settlement of the Jewish—Arab dispute, these simple and clear words must be said aloud. It is the voice of those directly concerned — — the Jews of the Arab lands; it is the most convincing voice of all. They must arise in all places where the dispute is conducted——at international conferences, in the UN Assembly, through all communications media, in university campuses–and speak in the name of those whose stress and injustice has not been given a name — — in the name of the Jewish refugees from the Arab lands.
Conference notes the intensifying struggles of workers peasants and students in Malaysia and Singapore against oppression, exploitation and injustice;
The active support and solidarity of the student movement in Malaysia and Singapore for the just struggle of workers and peasants;
The effective complementary role played by our students overseas in mobilising support and in bringing the struggles of our people and our students to the attention of international public opinion.
Conference condemns the brutal suppression by the governments of Malaysia and Singapore of the people for demonstrating and demanding their legitimate democratic rights.
Conference demands the immediate and unconditional release of all those detained for their courageous struggles and an end to all forms of intimidation and oppression.
Conference instructs (A) The Executive Committee:
To establish a Standing Committee on Human Rights whose overall task will be to consolidate and intensify our work in the area of democratic rights in Malaysia and Singapore. It shall be the function of this Standing Committee:
Conference instructs (B) the Constituent Unions:
Singapore - Patients are now required to pay a $20 deposit for admission to C class wards in all government hospitals due to difficulties in collecting "bad debts" after the patients were discharged, according to informed sources. This condition, which applied only to paying classes previously, came into force on June 19. Said a Health Ministry spokesman yesterday:
"It has been a standing rule that all patients must pay a deposit on registration for admission to hospitals."
In emergency cases, she said, the hospitals would admit the patients first and collect the deposit later.
Singapore - About half a million primary and secondary school children will have to pay 50 cents more for their miscellaneous fees from next month.
Miscellaneous fees were last raised in
"With the recent decision of government to adopt the NWC recommendations, the wages of teachers and others connected with the schools and the Education Ministry will increase: by about $10 million," the Ministry of Education statement said.
"Parents should bear a small share of the cost of their children's education."
Singapore - Higher hospital and outpatient dispensary fees and a $4 a day charge for each baby born in government hospitals will be levied from next Friday to discourage large families.
New ward charges for A and B classes will go up by $5 to $60 and $30 a day respectively.
For the C class, the charge will go up by $1 to $4 a day, subject to a maximum of $1 00 for each admission for the chronic sick, mentally defective and patients in St. Andrew's Hospital.
Medical service - free at present at maternal and Child Health Centres - will cost $2-50 for adults and 50 cents for infants and pre-school children.
The accouchement fees for all classes of wards will also increase by 20% to serve as a "further disincentive for couples to have large families."
Malaysia is heading for its first trade deficit due to depressed prices for such key commodities as rubber, tin, timber, and palm-oil
At the same time, New York economic analysts say, the country's imports continue to rise sharply, though the
But costly oil and growing demand for foreign made consumer goods and increasing demand for capital goods are factors in the import surge
Singapore - After going without their regular water supply since last Thursday, 70 people from eight families in Upper Thomson Road suffered another set-back yesterday when their electricity supply was also cut off.
The families, some of them jobless, blamed the cut in their water and power supplies on the factory, their former employer.
They alleged that though they had been verbally told that they were retrenched at the end of May, the factory never informed them of any impending cut in utilities.
Madam Ng Siew Eng. 45, a mother of four, said: "We have been told by the Public Utilities Board that our supplies were cut because the factory which had been paying our bills had closed their account with the Board.
"In order to restart the account, we were informed that we have to pay a few hundred dollars deposit because the Board had to charge us at commercial rates as the factory had been classified as an industrial consumer.
"We hope to raise the deposit and make another appeal to the PUB to restart our supplies at domestic rates."
The PUB spokesman was not available for comment and a company official declined to give any explanation.
In knee-deep mud, slick and filth, 400 University of Singapore students spent their Sunday clearing up a drain in Geylang Serai.
The Gotong Royong is the first of its kind organised by the Students' Union Freshmen Committee and the Community Welfare Committee.
With picks, shovels, and baskets in hand, the seniors and the freshmen, boys and girls, braved the dirt and the stench for this community project.
The 609 metre (2,000 feet) long drain which Stretches from Paya Lebar to Jalan Nyior kampong and is a health hazard to villagers.
A spokesman for the welfare committer said: "We decided on this project after noticing how the drain clogged up and flooded when there was a downpour."
Below is part of a conversation of some of the students after the day's work.
One of the students said,"..... actually what the villages did are hard to believe, they dumped the rubbish into the drain and causes blockage which only brings inconveniences to themselves."
Another student asked, "Do you reckon they do so willingly?"
"I don't really know, after all it is a fact!"
"As a matter of fact they don't intend to block the drain, they have no alternative as the authority concerned is not prepared to collect the rubbish of these villagers whose houses are not officially numbered. Rubbish left beside the houses were driven into the drain during a heavy rainstorm. Steps were taken Jo retrieve the rubbish, but the next downpour will again carry it back into the drain. As time goes by, the villagers have to put up with dumping rubbish in the drain. Who is responsible for the consequences? Is this sort of living condition to be improved?"
After the discussion, the student realised his lack of understanding of the villagers. In the last and final analysis, the student is convinced of his lack of contact with the outside world.
If you thought that a book...published by Prentice Hall in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey would be unlikely to contain a vicious attack on the present economic and political structure of the world order, you would be right. Furthermore, when you get the feeling that the book you are reading is written rather in the style of a secondary school text book, you should not be surprised to discover that it is written by someone who is a secondary school teacher.
In practice, I would be inclined to suspect that this might be the intended purpose of the book. It might well be suited to the needs of a sixth or seventh form liberal studies class. The author is not so blind as to suggest that there is nothing wrong with the present world order. She gives quite a good account of some of the problems facing the poorer countries of the world, and describes some of the ways being attempted to counter poverty in those poor countries where there are attempts being made to do so, with particular emphasis on China, India, and Tanzania. And, of course, in her eyes, there is a nice simple way out, following the democratic path adopted by India, which leads on to the somewhat elusive concept of World Community, which concept is not properly defined anywhere, except in the introduction where it is asserted to be the solution to the world's problems. But there is no doubt that we have a thoroughly suitable ideology for teaching Liberal Studies Classes.
The book does succeed in usefully describing some of the world's problems. It gives a reasonably straightforward account of some of the problems of aid - that, at least in some respects it is often nothing of the sort - even if some of the other problems of aid are disregarded. It gives an explanation of some of the ways in which the Soviet Union practises imperialism by forcing poor countries to surrender raw materials to it at artificially low prices. It shows how the USA supports fascist dictatorships throughout Latin America in the name of freedom and democracy. But there are ironic touches. There are innumerable quotations from Robert MacNamara, director of the World Bank, expressing grave concern at this and (hat, when this same man was responsible for the escalation of the Vietnam war in the early
But you might get something out of reading this book; even I was amused by what I must regard as an interesting comment on the activities of the New Zealand Electricity Department - that if the demand for electricity continues to double every ten years, in seven hundred years, the entire mass of the earth must have been converted to energy!
Review Copy Kindly Supplied by Whitcoulls Ltd, Lambton Quay.
Sometimes I get sick of all the bullshit floating around. It's like the sewerage on the beach; your nose can put up with a certain amount of it but finally it breaks down under the strain. That's what this play is about. It's not a sophisticated spoof of American society. It's like a gaudy comic-corny and horrible. It does not intend to be fitted into a little box with 'Theatre' written on it or any other holes rabbit-minded people may try and slot it into, like 'good' or 'bad' - or the words I'm using on it. Such denials after all are like an infinite series of Chinese boxes, or tracks around a gooseberry tree. Nick, who has groped around in the shiniest part of this society sitting exams and writing essays, has collected together some of the worst shit, which we are presenting as a play. Most people have difficulty noticing the shit right in front of them (e.g. this article); perhaps with it all moved to the stage we might have a better chance.
The beginnings of the 'Pram Factory' consisted of an assemblage of people mainly from Melbourne University campus. The group grew in terms of reputation and experience including a successful tour of Perth. Thereafter a split occurred in the original group, the larger part of which now calls itself the Australian Performing Group. In search of larger premises they came up with a mamoth warehouse that used to be a pram factory - hence the name which persists.
The Australian Performing Group describes itself as a co-operative venture designed to provide a foundation for experiment in the performing arts and is concerned with developing a uniquely Australian from of theatre.
As well, the group is strongly involved in a socio political programme including touring through prisons, hospitals, orphanages, factories and schools.
Since
Main Season: The Les Darcy and Mrs Thally F Tuesday August 12th to Saturday August 16th Downstage Theatre (Hannah Playhouse) 8:15 p.m.
Late Night: One of Nature's Gentlemen Thursday August 14th to Saturday August 16th. Downstage Theatre (Human Playhouse) 11 p.m.
The Three Plays
The Les Darcy Show
A tragedy of Australian innocence bought up, exploited and done-in. A comedy that chronicles the story of Les Darcy: Irish-Australian son, born in Maitland, N.S.W., world middleweight boxing champion in his nineteenth year, victim of the conscription controversy during World War I, then exiled side-show boxer in the United States, and finally a celebrated corpse at the age of twenty-one.
The play is a good example of Hibberd humour and economy, belonging to a strain of Australian theatre which is nationalist, popular and narrative. As such, it is an apt vehicle for the energetic, illustrative acting of the APG.
The Les Darcy show was first produced at the Adelaide Festival of Arts in
Mrs Thally F
This play was first performed in
It is a short study of an Australian housewife who polished off her two husbands with rat-poison - in fact the world's first thalium murderer. This sensitively structured and concentrated work centres on the fragile personality of Mrs Fletcher, her enmeshment in the harsh society of isolated women in the 40's;
One of Nature's Gentlemen
One of Natures Gentlemen was written in
The play comically focuses on the male anthropology of the bar room, the rituals of mateship and domination laced with jargons of sport and sexual inuendo, the punch-drunk antipathies of two dilapidated dags.
Into this schemozzle strides the woman of their dreams, an archetypal floozie whose superior game-sense rapidly splits the opposition into two camps, precipitating a hectic conclusion in which violence, passion, and farce are ludicrously blended.
One of Nature's Gentlemen has been described as a piece to warm the hearts of little men everywhere. If nothing else, it is an everlasting monument to bad taste.
I wonder how many people have bought this album on the basis of the two tracks that have been given quite a bit of (deserved) airplay on Wellington radio stations of late. If you have, I hope you weren't disappointed. I know I would have been.
The sole excuse for this album is the quality of the first two cuts on side 1 - You need Love and Lady.
The first is a sort of Top 40, fairly commercial song (its three minute length suggests that it was recorded with single charts in mind) But it makes 'you turn the radio up when it comes on.
I think I like it because it reminds me (especially vocally) of a group called Shanti, whose albums were, unfortunately, never released in this country. They (word indecipherable) the sounds, rather than the traditions of Indian instruments (Salud, instead of sitar, and tables and American soft-rock).
You Need Love is similar. It has a How and a feel about it. Gentle? perhaps Hackneyed? Definitely. But what the hell, I like it.
Lady is the other good track. It is one of those build up numbers starting slow, and increasing in speed and intensity. It reminds me of a couple of Uriah Heep songs that are in this vein, but we can forgive Styx for ripping the style off. If only because Heep probably got the idea from numero uno of this genre Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.
The rest of the album is uninspired lacking even the slight hook of the two tracks mentioned above.
At first I thought my inability to get to grips with this album was because I hadn't done much writing for a while. It just sat around. I found it so easy not to listen to. Why? It's boring. Probably like this review.
* * * *
"Venus and Mars" had its first-ever outing on my turntable just half an hour ago and here I am whacking down words about it. Incredible.
I can well remember the first time I heard Ray Stevens' "Misty" on the radio: my cars pricked up, I stopped reading what I was reading what I was reading and thought 'what a lovely, lovely song".
Conversely, I have absolutely no memories of hearing any of "V&M" on my transistor although I know it received preview upon preview on stations all over New Zealand. A forty minute blend of McCartney and top 20 countdown .....and not through bias je t'assure, I continued reading whatever I was reading.
Now I actually have the LP, my take-all-in Id tells me I've heard the ting uncountable times, right down to the melody of "Rock Show" and the two editions of "Venus and Mars" (are alright tonight)..."
Which spells out gross inattention on my part, a most absorbing book, or something else.
Right first time: the only uncommonness about Paul McCartney in Pop music (into which category McCartney falls) is boring by anyone's standards: "Philadelphia Freedom" is boring, "Up in a puff of smoke" is boring, so is "apple wine".
V&M is as boring as any of that little triumvirate but for quite different reasons, in fact, since it outwardly appears to deliver its fair share of good karma but by stages sounds old, uninspired and worst of all, like so much Product.
To wit, V&M certainly looks like your regular 12" LP record but a packet of powdered soup on the turntable would afford about the same (negligible)—amount of 'oomph'.
What all that unequivocally points to is a bored Paul McCartney: no more the Liverpudlian teen in the process of growing up but some citizen of the world, grown up and married - hardly unenviable qualities but on "treat her gently/ Lonely Old People", McCartney abandons all hope of enjoying his middle age and masochistically grooves on "here we sit, out of breath and nobody asked us to play."
For now though, McCartney is only thirty-ish, several million somebodies have bought this album and Venus and Mars (which is to say Paul and Linda) Are all right tonight (which is to say two wallets are refurnished).
Uncommonly boring, boring profitable, for the McCartneys - this pop music, this way of the world.
A dream last week: I was walking through a crowded market place in a city that seemed to be Auckland, although I'd never been there. I was singing to myself and everyone I passed was singing the same song, softly to themselves. It was 'Lovely Lady' from the John Hanlon album, "Higher Trails", especially the repeated final lines, "Wo Wo, on a Saturday night/ there's nothing that you can do / that won't turn out right". I though to myself, "that must be a very popular song", and then the dream moved onto other things. What does it mean. Doctor? Was the dream doubling back on itself, the song commenting on its own apparent popularity?
Been having a lot of music dreams lately but this one's not too surprising since I've been playing the John Hanlon album pretty constantly for the past week, certainly beyond all expectations. With a cover like this one, prominently displaying John Hanlon's ugly face and even uglier armpit, surrounded by a starburst arrangement of clowns, a brass band and what appears to be the Golden Cafe table on a hungover Sunday, I'm surprised I even broke the shrink-wrap, and he started in Auckland?
Then there are the lyrics, printed on the record cover. By the time I read them I was already so taken with the natural purity of the music, that the often cloying quality of the lyrics "riding across the mountain high/ two city cowboys reaching for the sky" could only be slightly upsetting. Besides if he's writing about whom I think he's writing about the person concerned would be most likely to say "Fuck off - and come back when you can write something beside mumbo jumbo." His message, inarticulately expressed as it is, is basically erotic, but in a ham-fisted way, and if his lyrics are weak and, at times, awkward, the music is strong enough to carry him. While never dull, however, it doesn't hold my attention except in states of altered consciousness when anything sounds fascinating. My advice to this gentleman is that he goes away and does not come back (as he assures us he will) until he's learnt how to write about topics that are: (1) more relevant than his own perverted notions of sexuality; and, (2) not such a blatant compromise of integrity from his original conservationist stance
A basic tenet of our whole materialist/consumerist ethos would be that if a product can make money, it should be re-packaged and re-presented in as many ways as possible, so as to ensure the full exploitation of its commercial potential. The case of Pete Townshend's 'Tommy' surely illustrates this.
We are to examine such a product here today, dear consumer, It is the musical composition of, one Mike Oldfield, entitled Tubular Bells'. Commercially, this product can be considered one of the success stories of the seventies. Released in
The merits of Tubular Bells' as a composition cannot be denied. It exudes a gentle warmth and charm that made it an ideal accompaniment to late-night Milo and cheese toast. But taking it out of its original context and subjecting it to a full orchestral onslaught has destroyed its spontaneity and elements of surprise. Why, we even miss out on Viv Stanshall's M Cing and the voice of the Piltdown Man
A case of Orcastration, peut-etre?
Listening to this piece of finely-wrought muzak for frustrated Kelburn virgins three possibilities become apparent:
4:25 in the James Cook waiting for Lou Reed to turn up. Pauline (never did catch her second name) from Pye rushes about, trying to organise everything, apologies, buys drinks.
A couple of gin and tonics later the man finally arrives, pissed off at tying mucked around by promoters, organisers, reporters. As it develops, he has a real paranoia for reporters. Alan Wood of the Evening Post starts - traditional yet somehow realistic stuff on what's the attraction of New Zealand. Lou Reed is either too screwed up or not screwed up enough to say "Money". He mumbles. Alan picks up the mumbles and starts talking about the hassles of touring. Lou relaxes a little more (and believe me, he had a long way to go at the beginning). Yeah, it's addrag, moving round, never stopping long. Alan lags a little, mentions something like why tour then? About filling in time between albums. It looks promising until the girl from Radio Windy butts in about their tape recorder not working or something. Swearing at "fucking recorders" Lou tenses up again. Alan grimaces. Lou agrees reluctantly to move down the bar closer to the power plug for the recorder. He's looking for someone to hit. Conversation now changes between violent attacks on Pauline for not apologising to him about springing a press conference (which she only knew about that morning) and some deeper stuff on rock, camp music. Offhand though - the earlier mood's gone. Those of us around the first table talk to each other.
A few minutes and he's gone abruptly, leaving Pauline almost in tears, explaining it's not her fault. Rumours are he'll come back. Bill to Pye another double Bourbon. Rave on about newspapers and radios and hassles about interviewing. Lou returns, rather grudgingly, gives Pat O'Dea a record, turns on a casette tape. We listen. 'Turn it off when you want" he says, almost belligerently. We like it, say so. He's a bit taken aback, a bit more interested in talking.
A gentleman from the management comes over, tells us to turn it off. We do and leave for downstairs, Lou muttering something about "Does he know who I am?" Doubt it - orders are orders. Couple of us don't go downstairs, talk to the tour organiser. He's really enthusiastic - tries to get us to go down and listen again, talk to the guy. Our friend turns up again, again the noise is "too loud". Tour manager shrugs, says he's not sticking around, we split too, leaving the rock star and his hassles to the rest of the reporters and the bar attendant.
So, ladies and gentlemen, Lou Reed. A man of undoubted talent, almost willing to talk if you don't ask "fucking reporter-ish" questions. Those just make his short temper flare. A man paranoid from the people trying to take him apart, reinforcing his anger. And the reporters are far from just fools - yet their mistakes are devastating. A man fucked up by the need of those tour promoters to make as much money as possible as soon as possible out of him. A scene you can't really blame any person for, yet you wish had never happened.
(Lou Reed snowed out of his Tuesday concert. Pat O'Dea had his record snapped back by some zealous man from RCA who chased him down the hall and at last notice Lou Reed was going onstage 'when he wanted to' on Wednesday night.)
Quakers
Discover Quakers at 8 Moncrieff Street every Sunday at 11am.
All letters submitted to Salient are published subject to the following conditions:
They will not be published If they are deemed to be libellous, or In contravention of the Race Relations Act by the Editor.
Unsigned letters are only published subject to the Editor's discretion.
Letters from the White Sports Coat and Pink Carnation Society will not be accepted.
Our type-setter had to be bribed with an extra $2 an hour to type this letter, largely because he is Australian. When last seen he was muttering about Australians doing the type-setting for Salient because Kiwis are short-sighted -Ed.)
After some thought on the matter I feel obliged to question the wisdom of our continuing further relations with Australia. The scum they gleefully let across are the major threat to New Zealand's policy of full employment and the free trade agreement running against us is so extrordinary a marriage that a mutual separation should be immediately solicited. (That's what my Kiwi brother-in-law does in Australia - solicits, - Type setter)
Imagine the marriage in human terms. The Kiwi guy meets the Queen of Brisbane's Fernberg Road in Auckland's Great Northern Hotel - soon to be demolished for the AMP society, she returns to the Brisbane beat, until she has had enough of cursing Whitlamism and the Doc's love for Juni Morosi. She cables her adoration of Kiwiland a year and a bit later. A $270 double diamond and saphire ring goes across forthwith: after that she informs the Kiwi guy she has been exhausted, in debt, out of work and on the Federal Welfare. The guy outlays her fare, air cargo and pays off her debts. She does not want her parents involved in the wedding.
On the morning after the wedding (let's say it's a ministerial one) she reveals for the first time to the guy her mental record of being in a suicide attempt pact and shock-treated commitals. Five weeks or so after the twelfth day of Christmas she gets work and takes off.
Diplomatic relations between Aussie chisellers and the impending Fraser-type Federal government over there should be terminated before their cats and dogs keep yapping and yelping around the hooves of our thoroughbred stallions. New Zealands military forces should be called out of mothballs to deal with this perilous invasion.
I cannot disagree that your criticisms of Test Pictures are "as simple as possible". Of course, I'm biased, but I thought the pictures were, by and large, beautiful. They had a quality perhaps lacking in Mr Prosser's racy prose. To sum up, Mr Prosser, this is one human being who dug the "pile of junk" (just so!), and in future, no more pissing out of your cage - all right?
P.S. Of course, your highly principled, exemplary stand on NZ film-making in the abstract
It is good to note the attempt of Ruby Pigeon to present inter alia an explicit and coherent "thesis" on the Malaysian problem. I desire not to engage specifically in verbal altercation, nor to monopolise your precious letter page at the expense of someone else. No sir, the desire is more to maintaining a policy of laissez-faire and let others continue discussions in length on the unavoidable Malaysian issues confronting us here in NZ and in Malaysia, and hopefully by this modus operandi to uncover the fallacy and the pitfalls of many conclusions and beliefs that we may otherwise incubate.
In particular I wish to stress that so often the Si no-Malaysians have been deluded by their emotion ties to China and the constant barrage of communist eulogy and ideology, plus of course, myriad other reasons that they begin to be indoctrinated to the point into believing that communism is always the ideal answer to our country's problems. Further-more the voluminous criticisms of Malaysia and Singapore by NZUSA and Salient and others are made on the basis of western values and ipsofacto not entirely valid nor relevant. However that is not to say that the 'western academic approach' as aptly described by Ruby Pigeon, to problems is necessarily wrong. It would be a fully altogether to say we have nothing to learn from the advanced westerners. Indeed they have much to offer.
Without transgressing Ruby Pigeon, I wish to say that first of all that his comments and arguments have been based on a (sic) reasoning is most unrealistic. Thirdly, the words like justice and equality are cliches to avoid. I have no wish to delve into the philosophical discussion of such semantics, but it would suffice to say that an egalitarian and entirely just society is only an ideal. As George Orwell wrote - "All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others." Fourthly and lastly, I s. s. h. shudder at Ruby Pigeon's advocation of a social revolution at this stage. Surely it is evident that no political events of great significance will be allowed to proceed without external interference these days. The bloody consequences of interference by powers like America in Vietnam, Chile, and Indonesia have indicated that no matter whether a particular political accomodation is objectively the best for a certain country you cannot prevent the 'righteous' interference of such a big brother. Besides I do not think the fervently anti-communist Indonesia and Malaysian Malays would entertain kindly the idea of a red Malaysia.
I believe I have said enough. I think Ruby Pigeon will auger well to see that the raison d'etre of this letter page is to enable me to reason and debate on any topic without resorting to acrimonious remarks. I hope none have been made here.
To end, my radical friend, as well as you, my politically biased editor, I say Bonjour
Recently a couple of matters of interest to students have arisen at Professorial Board level. A number of students have raised questions about them, and, as I was unable to attend the last SRC meeting, I would like to take the opportunity of reporting now what has been going on.
The first matter deals with surveys. As was pointed out in Salient (
The second matter relates to the use of calculators, and is only slightly more boring than the first. This was discussed in Salient (
Those conditions have already been outlined in the article mentioned, and they are not without problems. Without entering into that debate however, I would point out to any students who feel they might be disadvantaged by not having calculators, to make their views known loudly and clearly to the lecturers involved.
Accomodation Required for Occupational Therapy Student aged 21, private board or flatting, from 30 August till 26 November in Lower Hutt, Petone or central city areas. Please write:
Sue Walton, 80 Esplanade Road, Mt. Eden. Auckland.
I would like to refer to the article "War Clouds in Korea" in your Salient of
But it was with deep regret and shock that I found the article not only failed to present a true picture of my country but also fabricated stark historical facts and the reality in the Korean peninsula.
Though I did not, and do not want, to find out about the writer of the article, it is my opinion that he somehow has fallen victim to the false propaganda of the North Korean Communists. I feel sure that anyone who would read it from an objective and consciencious point of view would share my belief.
As I presume the majority of the readers of your Salient are students who are always interested in pursuing truth and facts, I feel obliged in this case to present them the facts and the truth about my country; the situation in the Korean peninsula; and the North Korean communists.
Thus I would deeply appreciate it if all or any relevant part of this letter could be presented in your Salient so that they may have a fair opportunity to judge for themselves and aquire the true facts about Korea.
At the beginning of his article referring to the Korean war of
Nothing could be further from the truth. Several hours after the north Korean Communists' surprise attack on my country, the Security Council of the United Nations was convened, in view of the seriousness of and urgency to stop the unprovoked communists aggression, to adopt a grave concern over the "armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by forces from North Korea," and called upon the authorities of north Korea "to withdraw forthwith their armed forces to the 38th parallel."
This is the judgement and decision of an organisation none other than the Security Council of the United Nations as to who started the Korean War.
Thus the Security Council further authorised (Resolution S/
It should also be recalled that the United States troops withdrew from the Republic of Korea in
North Korea chose for its attack
Even more revelling in this connection is what former Soviet Premier, Nikita Kruschev had to say in his memoirs, Kruschev Remembers (In part II, under the heading of the Korean War): ".....The north Koreans wanted to prod South Korea with the point of a bayonet..... I mutt stress that the war wasn't Stalin's idea, hut Kim II Sung's. Kim was the initiator. Stalin, of course, didn't try to dissuade him...."
According to Mr Auld's description of the economic situation of the Republic of Korea one cannot help but receive the impression, that Korea's economy has been running continuously in the past toward a total collapse. If what he said is true the economy should have gone into bankruptcy years ago.
If the economy had been in such a state as as he presented, how should we treat the following facts among others?
A. Per Capita income of the Republic of Korea went up from $98 in
B. Korea's total exports of $121 million in
Are these signs of an economy in "deep trouble", and "going from bad to worse."?
Could a continuously deteriorating economy start to build, complete and operate such heavy industries as iron and steel; oil refineries; automobiles; cement; fertilisers; and ship-building that last year completed and delivered to Greece a 260,000 ton tanker, not mentioning various other types of vessels it built.
Why do more private foreign investors keep investing their money in Korea if "its economy is going from bad to worse."?
As for inflation, which country, including communist-block nations, is immune from this plague of inflation in recent years since the oil crisis?
In
The communists in the north rejected this Resolution, and the Soviet occupation authorities set up arbitrarily a communist regime in North Korea in
Immediately after the establishment of this regime, the north Korean communists began to augment secretly their military strength to launch an unprovoked armed invasion against the south in
It is a stark historical fact that they invaded the Republic of Korea with a surprise attack. This led the United Nations Security Council to determine that "the armed attack upon the Republic of Korea by force from north Korea constitutes a breach of the Peace," calling for "an immediate cessation of hostilities," and calling upn the authorities of North Korea "to withdraw forthwith their armed forces to the 38th parallel," and to recommend that "the members of the United Nations furnish such assistance to the Republic of Korea as may be necessary to repel the armed attack and to restore international peace and security in the area."
As tensions on the Korean peninsula reached a peak and the danger of renewed war increased toward the end of the
On
On
Against this background, President Park, in
In a further effort to materialise peace in the Korean peninsula, President Pak called upon north Korea on
All these efforts of ours to establish a durable peace in the Korean peninsula, to solve humanitarian problems and to achieve peaceful unification of the nation have come to nothing so far.
The north Korean communists flatly rejected the constructive proposals of President Park.
The militant and intransigent attitude of the northern side, repeating impracticable and stereotyped demands put the south-north dialogue into a stalemate.
They have rejected our proposal to establish a "reunion house" for the separated family members to meet freely.
They also rejected our proposal that the families visit freely the area of the other side to meet their separated parents, children and relatives.
Our proposal to assist the families to be able to exchange letters was also rejected.
Moreover, the north Korean communists unilaterally suspended the two-lane South-North dialogue on
In the meantime they have sent armed agents into the South on numerous occasions, shooting to death the late wife of President Park in the attempt to assasinate him, staging at the same time provocative acts around our islands in the estern sea.
They were digging large-scale underground invasion tunnels across the truce line at the very minute they, together with us, were having the South-North Joint Communique of
North Korea's dictator, Kim Il-sung - who was a former soviet army officer and was installed as the head of the north Korean communists by the soviet military authorities in
But let's see whether his peace offer is a truly genuine and sincere one or a camouflage to achieve his basic strategy to communize the whole of Korea through violent revolution and the use of arms.
On
On
On
On
If they really have any affection towards the nation and aspiration for peaceful unification of Korea they would not be able to call out for a so-called "revolution in the south." What lies behind North Korea's peace proposal is self-revealing and deserves no further explanation.
The word "peace" to them is by no means an objective itself but a mere means of camouflaging their schemes for communication of Korea. Whereas the word "peace" means absence of violence in a free world.
Thus no matter what they have advocated. North Korea's basic strategy vis-a-vis the south has been two-pronged: politically, to subvert the Republic of Korea by instigating a violent revolution in the South; and militarily, to build up military strength to invade the south. This basic strategy of North Korea has been pursued incessantly with variable tactics ever since the establishment of the north Korean regime in
The people of the Republic of Korea, therefore, have always been under the constant threats of the north. There is no doubt that the recent Indo-China situation might have so embolden the north Korean communists as to start another reckless war in the Korean peninsula. It should be pointed out, however, that should they launch another invasion out of miscalculation, my people would then take the occasion to eradicate their threats once and for all. It would only invite their own destruction.
In the meantime the people and government of the Republic of Korea will continue their efforts to achieve peaceful unification of the land, as we called once again, as recently as on
Now I have cited some hard facts out of hundreds in regard to Mr Auld's article. I hope your paper is fair enough to present these facts and truth in the Salient so that the reader may be able to draw their own conclusions on the basis of these two different types of presentation on Korea.
In your second to last issue you declared your intention of banning our [White Sport Coat and Pink Carnation Society] "turgid verbiage".......Now we notice that you have printed a letter headed "the last letter from the WSCPCS".
(Abridged considerably.
Yes, I will be printing no more letters from yourself or anyone else purporting to represent the White Sport Coat and Pink Carnation Society. This correspondence is now closed - Ed)
Just thought I'd piss a few people off. Got out of my Tut. early last Tuesday, to go to the H.A.R.T. forum. Very revealing in more ways than one, learnt a lot and laughed a lot. Got the impression that Sandy King was related to a lecturer of mine - so full of shit it's coming out of his mouth. Had me worried he did. King does Law, Jesus, so do I - better watch myself - don't want to go like him.
What really got to me tho' was the fact that there were more people at the folk concert and the "laugh in "compered by Fred Dagg's "Huntaway", the one and only (thank the lord for small mercies,) Rob Muldoon. It really shook me to think that my fellow- students were more interested in seeing a nonentity like Mulddon, than making the effort to find out and become more aware of the problems that our fellow-human beings are faced with. An issue of life and injustice such as apartheid is one of vital concern. Makes roe tremble at the thought that the Vic student is more interested in seeing this "missing link" than in a matter of human integrity.
Hold it, maybe I've got it all wrong, maybe the Vic student favours South Africa's racial policy. Because in a matter such as apartheid there is no neutral position. So, if you're not against it.....? And stuff all this crap about lectures and lunch and assignments. This is one example of not only "varsity but every New Zealander's attitude. New Zealanders are so apathetic on this sort of thing I am ashamed to tell people I am one. Some of the people there weren't listening any way. Reading newspapers, doing cross-words, eyeing up the bird over the room. There were some there, I must admit, who were really right into it. Mainly Maoris though. Which brings me to my final point. If you go back to the beginning of history, you'll find that all the misery and strife, all the exploitation and imperialistic plunder has been done by Whites. From the colonial scramble for Africa, the massacre of the North American Indian, the Australian Aborigine to the ever lovin' Maori boy. All the misery and suffering of one human to another has been caused by the pure civilized Caucasian. Adolf Hitler was one hell of a "bwana", Mussolini, Nixon and Muldoon.
Yet the minute a "boy" like General Idi Amin starts handing back the shit the Africans have been getting for hundreds of years, the whiteys start crying for blood.
Glad I'm not Caucasian
Glad I'm not a New Zealander.
Glad I'm a Maori.
Kevin Wright hit the nail on the head in the last paragraph of his letter to last week's Salient. He has been too "busy" to help in any changes in the Commerce Faculty this year. I would like to extend this statement to include any other year in the past and, I daresay, the future. Like the vast majority of Accountancy students, Kevin's eyes are firmly on his BCA/ACA and the dollars beyond and thus is and has often in the past been too busy to do constructive work on the Commerce Faculty.
Kevin states that far-reaching changes are inevitable in the Commerce Faculty in the next couple of years and that the changes will come only through student pressure. What student pressure? This pressure will only come when people like Wright get off their arses and do some fucking work both overtly and covertly within the faculty.
I find it very difficult to remember Brad III which I did in
I stand by my original statement that lecturers should lay their prejudices on the line as an aid to students sifting the facts from the crap in their lectures.
Auckland, Today (PA). - Some 240 business executives sipped imported French wine 20,000 feet above Northland last evening as a Wellington academic urged them to consider —introducing travel allowances as a fringe benefit for their employees.
The occasion was an hour-long "In-flight cocktail seminar" sponsored by Atlantic and Pacific Travel aboard an Air New Zealand DC10 jumbo Jet. The speaker was Professor O.F. Fogelberg, professor of business administration at Victoria University.
The businessmen tuned In on stereo headsets while Mr Fogelberg pacing up and down the aisles with an extension microphone as the big jet circled at 510 Miles per hour addressed his audience on the subject of how to motivate employees.
Money, he said, was not the motivating force It once was. An increasing number of workers were seeking other rewards such as more interesting work and fringe benefits.
"Many people today get their enjoyment outside their work place", he said, "they use their skills and knowledge sway from work.
"What have you done to give your employees the opportunity to participate in more interesting work?"
Mr Fogelberg said young people, particularly, were thumbing their noses at authority and choosing employment that offered a certain way of life rather than a mere career.
"No longer today are people prepared to follow decisions that they have not participated in." he said.
New Methods
He said companies overseas were experimenting in new methods of communicating with staff, such as "open-line" telephone contact with management, annual general meetings for employees only, and sabbatical leave for employees at all levels.
In return for such company concessions, he said, labour unions were giving up traditional practices such as feather-bedding.
Footnote: Yesterday was not the first time that an Air New Zealand DC10 has been chartered for a business function. One company recently took guests on a one day jaunt to Fiji and back. The Airline normally charges between $4,000 and $5,000 an hour for the use of a DC 10, but is is understood that Atlantic and Pacific was only charged half that amount.
One wonders what the world is coming to these days, gone are the days, when business pep talks used to be held in musty old classrooms..... these days business executives sip "imported French wine 20,000 feet above Northland" whilst hearing a lecture on "how to motivate employees."
Gone are the days when the desires for money were the raison d'etre of the businessman.....for nowadays "many people......get their enjoyment outside the work place. Money "is not" the motivating force it once was."
Gone are the days when people followed the orders of their corporate bosses.... for no longer today are people prepared to follow decisions that they have not participated in."
Oh for the good old days when people chose a career for nowadays "young people" are "thumbing their noses at authority and choosing employment that offers "a certain way of life rather than a mere career."
Gone are the good old days when academics used to stand at the front of the lecture theatre terrifying hell out of their one hundred level students.... for nowadays businessmen tune "in on stereo headsets while" a Wellington academic "pacing up and down the aisles (of an Air New Zealand DC10 jumbo jet) with an extension microphone, as the big jet" circles at 510 MPH, delivers a lecture.
There is a new breed of businessman around if we are to believe a certain Wellington academic....there is a new style of lecturing around if we are to believe this report in a Wellington news-paper.....on first reading I thought this report was someone's idea of a practical joke.
Wine and drivel at 20,000 feet and 510 MPH ......but ill you go to a BUAD 102 lecture.....and a certain Wellington academic is delivering the lecture (he is such a busy person that his students rarely see him)....you will be sure to hear lots of wine and drivel.... it seems the old lecturing style is still reserved for the plebs in the Universities.
P.S. One wonders how many starving Ethippians the $200 - $300 spent for the hire of the plane could have saved..........
It is becoming rather difficult these days to know which causes to support - there are so many around, and so many shades of political opinion associated with them. To help people caught up in these sort of difficulties, Salient publishes the following guide to your political standing. It was revised from the Waikato University broadsheet "Desperate Dan", Vol IV, No. 5, by Anthony Ward.
Instructions
If you scored between 70 and 100, you obviously hold very strong views. You are very concerned at the way things are going, and you'd like to make sweeping changes. You might well be a wild-eyed fanatic, a dangerous extremist, dogmatic, intransigent, and pig-headed. On the other hand, it's just as likely that you're firm, resolute and committed; a saint, a martyr, or the savour of the hour.
But that's not all. If you scored mostly (a)s you may be an ignorant reactionary, lack-booted phalangist, a rapacious face-grinder. Luckily however, there's a good chance that you're a bastion of all that we hold most dear, a stalwart defender of traditional vermes, a conservative in the best sense of the word.
You will Vote Liberal Reform if it still exists.
If, on the other hand, you scored mainly (b)s, some would call you an irresponsible maniac, a rabble-rousing subversive, an apostle of mob violence. Don't worry, just as many would describe you as a hero of the revolution, a herald of a new and glorious age, a liberator of the oppressed.
You will vote Labour, because it's important to do something.
If you scored between 40 and 69, you are a moderate. You avoid extremes, think before acting, and probably have unshakeable faith in the power of reason and discussion, though you think that force should be used as a last resort. Hence, you are either a reasonable, sensible person who refuses to be stampeded by the lunatic fringe, or a wishy-washy fence sitter, too chicken to commit yourself.
If you scored mostly (c)s, you will vote National, but with reservations about Mr Muldoon.
If you scored mostly (d)s, you will vote Labour, but with reservations about Mr Rowling.
If you scored mostly a mixture of (c)s and (d)s, you will vote Values. You are a Liberal, shunned by all decent men and women.
If you scored mostly a mixture of (a)s and (e)s or (b)s and (e)s, you are a dangerous schizophrenic. You will not be allowed to vote, thank God.
If you scored under 40, you very likely are the lunatic fringe - eccentric, irrational, irresponsible, anarchistic. Cheer up, though - you could be original, imaginative, visionary and lots of fun.
In the unlikely event of your remembering to register as a voter, getting the day right, and finding the polling station, you will vote informally.