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It is odd that this year there will be again among us a new generation at Victoria College, which is due to regard the Executive with the solemnity usual to the consideration of what is pictured as a grave constitutional element. Remote, sapient, far-sighted; conducting the responsible affairs of a University College with intelligence, initiative, and statesman-like comprehension. It is, too ironic, that these same Freshers, at the end of the College year, will rub their eyes and fail to recognise in insignificant, unimaginative, if systematic dullards, the once splendid seeming being of the first term.
For, with the passing of a whole University year will have gone the hampering insubstantial idealisms which accompany the average public school product to the threshold of a University. A perception quickened by the loss of the narrowing conservatisms implied in the Public School tradition will see, not up-to-date body but an administration, which while efficient within the well-defined groove which it has fashioned for its own convenience, is too smug, too obtuse, too querulous, to make it anything more than a form of machinery which requires its motivation from outside and is incapable of independent and original action.
Comparisons, it is said, are odious, and this will be appreciated only too well by the members of our Executive when mention is made of the executive bodies of Otago, Canterbury, and Auckland Universities. For in each of the above instances the administrative body is a positive one, and the measure of effectiveness of each can be gauged by the relative position of the Universities concerned in their respective cities. Surely in a University the logical method through which it affects its environment is through its Executive, and in this one tremendous factor the Victoria College body is and has been for some time, unquestionably a negative one. In what regard has this College been held at various times, by the citizens. As a night-school, as an irresponsible, flagrantly mischievous institution, as an assembly of students having neither decency nor stability merit nor desirability.
Largely the blame for the persistence of such has been attributable to the obsequious and emasculate deference of the Executive to every whim and nuance of public sentiment which has had the luck to find expression.
Commercial thoroughness and systematic industry we do not deny them: but imagination and perspective we could not, however, exhaustive our appreciation, lay to their charge.
It is a ludicrous anomaly that the general opinion of Victoria College on all matters which affect it closely: whether they be social or otherwise, should not find sympathetic response in the body which is elected to centralise that opinion, and diffuse it through the social fabric of which it should be a compelling element.
It was pitiable indeed to see their aggressively eager countenances at the Freshers welcome.
On such occasions each year they find their own level, and reinvest themselves with the import which older generations have already discovered to be specious.
At its next meeting the Free Discussions Club is going to experiment After the principal speaker has opened the discussion the meeting will break up into groups of five or six with definite leaders. The main speaker will pass from group to group; and for the last quarter hour the meeting will re-unite for general discussion. It is hoped that groups will be able to reach a greater degree of finality as they will be relatively free from interruptions from members with points to raise. Psychologists seem to think that a crowd cannot think. A meeting is a crowd and perhaps a group is a crowd, too, but it is not so big as a crowd which is a "good thing."
The speaker at the next meeting to be held on 10th April will be Alfred Katz.
The principle involved in the tragic case of Byrne v. Boadle (1863) 2 H. and C., 722, where a barrel of flour rolled out of an open doorway on the upper floor of the defendant's warehouse, and fell upon the plaintiff, a passer-by, in the street below, thrilled the Torts' class last Friday morning at 8.44 a.m.
How was the plaintiff to know what was going on in Mr. Boadle's loft?" asked Prof. Williams. But the only answer he got was the discord of vulgar, undergrad, guffaws.
"Smad" hopes to note the following changes during the year. It will be a pleasure to the Editor and a tribute to the moulding force of the paper if these suggestions are followed with the earnestness with which they are put forward:—
In vain did "Smad's editors try to compose headings for last week's number. The peace and quietude necessary for such a terrific effort of the intellect was sought after in vain. "This arm should bend—forward change, side change—stick to it and you must not roll my children" Followed a loud clanging of discords.
Yes, it was Nancy Webber and her class who so rudely disturbed our labours. "If you get a nerve twitching in your face, that's quite all you can expect for the first time. As a matter of fact you don't get control of yourself for about three years," said Nancy in melodious tones. Then came the advice to "keep all your weight as much in the air as possible."
This we endeavoured to do but the force of gravity was an obstacle which we could not overcome and besides we had to do those headings.
* * *
V.U.C. cricketers will finish their season with a smoke concert on Saturday night the 6th April Details appear on the Notice Board.
In the usual atmosphere of dead rabbits and dog-fish, the Science Society held its Annual General Meeting last week. The rowdy element disturbed the otherwise tranquil proceedings of this august body. New methods of procedure were adopted. Most of the business was done by a select committee outside in the corridor and all that the other students had to do was to applaud their decisions.
The question was raised whether the society should extend its activities to absorb the Natural History Society, thus joining in such festivities as fishing and "rambling." Less enterprising members than Mr. Currie, however, thought shell-collecting undesirable, and some remarks were made about the Natural History Society's finance.
"The methods of making baths aroused wild enthusiasm last year," said the retiring persident (Mr. Nash), "and it is hoped to visit the factory again." Several breweries were also mentioned as likely places for increasing "scientific knowledge."
The meeting closed with a furious discussion on the merits of student lecturers, and those who were patient enough to wait for it indulged in supper.
C. M. Brown—Sir Robert Stout Scholarship.
A. E. Fieldhouse—James McIntosh Scholarship.
G. Halliday—Local Scholarship.
H. Rosen—Jacob Joseph Scholarship (Law).
D. C. Andrews—Jacob Joseph Scholarship (Chemistry).
Wednesday 3rd.—Tramping Club Annual Meeting.
Thursday, 4th—Women's Hockey Club Annual Meeting.
Thursday, 4th—Haeremai Club Annual Meeting.
Thursday, 4th—Labour Club Meeting.
Friday, 5th—Debate.
Saturday, 5th—Science Society Bob Hop.
Saturday, 6th—Cricket Club Smoke Concert.
Monday, 8th—Anti-War Meeting.
Tuesday, 9th—Historical Society.
Wednesday, 10th—Free Discussions Club, Speaker, A. Katz.
At the annual general meeting of the Dramatic Society, Mr. Aimers was delivered of a baby. There was also an election. There was also a one-act Play Reading. But to Mr. Aimers' baby went the honours. It was a neat piece of obstetrical finesse, and marked a novelty at general meetings, of which there has been such full measure these last two weeks.
The Dramatic Society is to be congratulated not only for Mr. Aimers' baby, which it adopted, but for the election of an excellent set of officers and committee.
Mr. Doug. Edwards, last year's chairman, and this, opened a well-attended meeting. After some doubts about it, the meeting decided to allow a coy, secretarial Miss Tossman to read her report. This was dull. Mr. Aimers' baby was brighter.
"I am about to give birth to a child," he said modestly, "It's weight is some £12/15oz./2 penny-weight The auditor has given it a birth certificate; mother and child doing nicely." The audience was so stunned by this unprecedented piece of maternal enthusiasm, that it couldn't question the figures of Mr. Aimers' baby. Anyway, as Aimers explained, the treasurer couldn't understand the auditors' figures so the balance sheet would have to be taken as read. So, on the motion of Mr. Edwards, the baby was adopted.
An election followed, the best feature of which was a mannequin parade of the candidates (female) on the stage, and Mr. Scott. Note. —Mr. Scott was not a candidate.
It was in response to popular request that Mr. Scott took the stage. No wild horses dragged him, but Messrs. Tahiwi and Sellers led him gently and firmly.
The scrutineers reported that Misses Crombie, Edwards and Harkness had been elected to fill the vacant places on the committee. Mr. Edwards as chairman, Miss Tossman as vice-chairman, Mr. Aimers as secretary, Miss Gallaher as treasurer and three committee-men had already been elected unopposed.
The first play reading to be held with the handsome new drapes was the first act of John Hastings Turner's "Lilies of the Field." The audience was pleased to note that Mr. Sellers had given up his banditry and become a vicar; the reading also introduced some promising new-comers to the stage in Mss Jean Coombs and Miss Shortall. Everybody was sorry that the play was cut short after the first act. Give us more, Dramatic Club!
The complimentary remarks which appeared in the local press after the opening 'comic' debate have apparently resulted in the idea that all debates, whether serious or not, should be turned into good-natured bear gardens. If the recent evening devoted to the encouragement of forensic ability is any indication of what we are going to see and hear during the year it is high time some active steps were taken in the matter.
In the first place speakers were handicapped by the pranks of certain "schoolboys" whose uproar was childish and at times grossly unfair. We do not of course, refer to interjecting which is a valuable asset in every debate.
Without in anyway excusing the misbehaviour, we can sympathise with the gentleman who, in reply to the chairman's plea for silence, said he was ready to listen if the speaker would hold his attention. Clearly, however difficult this may be, the onus is on the speakers to interest both the schoolboys and the intelligentsia. The leading speakers should be careful to define the issue and keep within the limits so that the question does not become lost among a confused jumble of ideas. The result of indirect or far-fetched reasoning is that many of the audience lose interest and cannot follow the course of the argument. It is then that the more shallow mind strays to alarm clocks, stink-bombs and other toys of a misspent youth.
I hope you will accept for what your editor calls "The Victoria Stakes," my nomination of the latest introduction to the "Cockpit," the young primitive who signs himself "The Black Girl's Brother." This intellectual Umslopagaas has gone one better than reading every book in the College library—he has intimate and exhaustive acquaintance with the whole of the literature and history of 1800 years; and the tinted Tarzan emerges from his woodpile to confound the ignoramuses who toyed with the notion that Tom Paine, Bob Ingersoll, Robert Blatchford, the pundits of the Rational Press Association and other spellbinders of a bygone age went out of fashion as Children's Encyclopaedias a long time back.
The startling experience of this over-powering Cyclops with his one eye fixed truculently upon the hapless Lex Miller brings out a symbolic significance in the famous lines of Josh Billings that would have delighted the old clothes-philosopher, Teufelsdrockh.
"Lo, the poor Indian, whose untutored mind Clothes him in front but leaves him bare behind."
I have no hope that Mr. Miller will inter from this the precise mode in which he should apply his controversial boot, so I retire to watch from a safe place the poor white advance to take up his cue in that famous one-act play, "The Missionary and the Cannibal."
Note.—This article is based on a competent knowledge of the Russian literature and language, on the reading of books, and on three weeks' stay in Russian territory and society. It makes no pretensions which are not justified by the extent of such a background.
The emphasis in this title is really on the Russians. It is after all easier and more useful to study and understand a people than a form of government. But Communism is "the modern religion" to a number of fairly thoughtful Europeans, and has somehow got itself hitched up with the Russians, and now some doubt prevails whether it will do for anybody else, the argument being that you have to be a Russian to stand such a deuce of a lot or (more kindly) that the dreamy and mystic genius of the Russian makes him take kindly to the all-absorbing Communist ideal.
The word "religion" as applied to Atheistic Communism presumably means something over which men feel deeply. We are a long way from the medieval period in which men split Christendom (if they ever did) over a tonsure or point of ritual; it is in this fact the "modernness' of the Communist faith lies. It is a gospel of material improvement, one of such as the world has, in fact, preferred for about the last 400 years.
The main point is that Russia has jumped in this, as in other things, from the oldest to the newest, from a religion, which reminded the scandalised Trotsky of the Crusades, to a religion or faith machine of material prosperity, peppered rather in consistently with charitable goodwill.
I do not think the average Russian is a fanatic for Communism or even fells as deeply for it as he did for the Orthodox Church. I put no faith in the full-blown theory (more prevalent, I suppose, in English circles than out here) of a mystic parishioner of yesterday who turns into a Communist mystic to-morrow. As a matter of fact faith, in the sense in which some people still know it in the West, held not merely as a mental state, but as a virtue—is probably not a typical Russian virtue at all. The Russian mind is pre-eminently not stable. It is shrewd, humorous, introspective and subtle, but on top of all this it contrives to be absolutely childish. (Not everybody who has been on a conducted tour from England to present-day Russia has met a Russian in any real sense). The Russian is truly, as a rule logical and everyone knows that the child is, too. What gives both of them their instability is the sudden naive charges in the relative importance which they ascribe to things: and no logic is a guard against that. The Russian is, apparently, at the mercy of his emotions, and can be two or three different men in rapid succession. Together with this, however, he has now as always, the invincible charm and earnestness of all children and an expansive kindness which surpasses anything normally to be seen in Italy or England. This much is true of all Russians, before or after the Communist emancipation.
If, in addition, I record that the passers-by in Moscow have the dazed expression of people who have just woken up, it would not be fair to blame the matter wholly on Communism, because I think a certain wooliness is perceptible on the features of many Russian great men, from Tolstoy back to Krylov or Peter the Great. One could expect the years of revolution and civil war to have a certain baneful effect on the development of a young generation, and plenty of types in Leningrad and elsewhere show neurotic tendencies. With du allowance, however, for the deleterious effects of any revolution period it seems impossible to attribute the present boviness of the Russian people to anything but the Soviet system.
It may be that members of such a people will be capable of governing a state. I only know that I should be afraid of their governing a kindergarten. It may be also, that Socialism should in theory produce a class that is cultured enough to govern, in which case the levelling process has certainly gone further than was meant.
All I, rightly or wrongly, believe about the Communist system of government is that it is a rigorous aristocracy—run by somewhat bad but not incompetent elements—with an anti-religious bias (priests live, but on charity only: and there are anti-religious museums), and a strong interest in destroying family life. This last feature, unlike many of the new doctrines of Communism, is I believe, as prominent in fact as it is in the text books The likely psychological effect of the doctrine seems to me disastrous but there is no doubt of its consistency with the law that each citizen shall get only what his work is worth, (The old doctrine, which alone, should strictly be called Communism, of equal rewards for all, seems to have attained even in official Soviet Russia, the total shelving it deserves.
In the meantime the chief of the Soviet farm metes out treatment and food conditions that the old "pomieshchik," or squire would have hesitated over; and, while hordes of labourers with faces as dreary and as blank as it has ever been my lot of see, wander in the company of expert guides round the Hermitage, the upper Communist circles are already beginning to think whether the idea of equal education for all has produced the success which was anticipated by those gazing on its splendid theoretical nakedness. Already the exclusive secondary schools where the children of the elite study, and in which alone the text books will go round, are beginning to provide a training not so hard to distinguish from that of a common or garden western aristocrat. Servants . . leisure . . special subjects for study. Can it be that the Soviets have stumbled on the principle that in an imperfect world we must educate a class, taken almost at random, to rule—for instance, the children of those persons who have ruled already? It would seem an extraordinary progress—or retrogression—from the Communist ideal: yet the trend is this way, and already, it is said, the term "Communist" means as much as "B—y aristocrat," if you hear it in the street.
It is a sound practice which I commend to everybody, to discourage anonymous correspondence by ignoring writers who stay coyly behind nom-de-plumes. This practice I am about to break, not because "The Black Girl's Brother" is any less of a rogue than other nom-deplume-ists, but because I have an irresistible longing to give him what-o for his soul's good.
In his attack on Christian faith, based on the history of the Church, "The Black Girl's Brother" is, as are most such polemists, unfortunate in his examples. He brings in the Assizes and the laws of the 17th and 18th centuries, which have nothing to do with Christian teaching, except to serve as a warning against ignoring it, and ignores the most hectic periods of persecution and religious wars on which any thorough church history would inform him fully. He picks on Galileo and Bruno—they all pick on Galileo and Bruno—because they are the only examples in nineteen centuries that lend colour to the theory that the Church has been an opponent of scientific research. Actually Bruno was dealt with, not for being a scientist, but for dabbling in theology and being unorthodox on the doctrine of the Trinity. Galileo was reprimanded, not for being an astronomer, but for promulgating unproven theories which the Court held—wisely or unwisely—should not be blazed abroad while still unproven, as they might affect the faith of simple folk. This caution shouldn't sound so potty nowadays in view of the common-place that the sun is not the centre of the universe but does in a manner of speaking move round the earth. These facts prove nothing either way, but a case which depends on them is very unimpressive.
In any case, suppose that "The Black Girl's Brother" had made his point that the Church has been a scoundrelly organisation, it hardly follows that the Christian faith is false—any more than the fact that 27 lines of his own letter was taken verbatim without acknowledgement from an article by Prof. H. J. Laski (I mean the section from "The fact that the moment religion . . ." to " . . . prejudicing their title to Holy Orders," which appeared n the last issue of "The Truth-Seeker") proves that atheism, which he advocates, is untrue. The fact that theory is advanced does not make that theory false.
The most important section of the letter is that for which "The Black Girl's Brother' is indebted to Prof. Laski. I deplore the fact, if it is a fact, that "it seems open to Bishops to deny the central mysteries of the Incarnation and the Resurrection without in any way prejudicing their title to Holy Orders." But even suppose the Church of England were growing shaky in its belief in these central facts, it is a complete non sequitur to suggest that this counts aganst the truth of these doctrines. Even Prof. Laski does not want to pay the Church of England such a compliment as that. Besides you acn't have it both ways—you chide the Church for its attitude to Bruno, who was disciplined for being unorthodox, and you chide it also for its attitude to Bishop Barnes, who can be unorthodox without being disciplined. As Chesterton long ago suggested, an institution which its opponents attack for absolutely contradictory reasons is at the least an interesting phenomenon.
The other points raised in the letter are, many of them, important—so important that if I can induce "The Black Girl's Brother" to step out where I can see him, I should be very glad to debate them with him. The others are flat misstatements as to what in fact I did say in my address. I am probaby to blame for not making myself clearer.
The two points of importance which I did wish to make and which I am quite prepared to discuss fully in "Smad" or in verbal debate, were these:
The apparent hooliganism of the "rowdy element" must have unfavourably impressed many of your readers who attended the debate last Friday night. The remarks of the chairman, Mr. C. M. P. Brown, and the seemingly puerile action of one of the speakers, who left the stage to attempt a vain attack on one of the audience, suggested to the minds of those present that the perpetrators of the disturbance would benefit the Debating Society by their future absence from its meetings.
It is not denied that the speakers were subjected to a great deal of discomfort and so they might perhaps be forgiven for their comments which were made in the heat of the moment, but the general attitude of criticism after the debate, I style narrow-minded and conservative. At Victoria College we are rearing a race of young people, who, when they reach adult life, will become the hidebound conservatives of the "Welfare League" type. Unless we are careful this stodgy attitude will lead us all into the depths of dull respectability. It is shameful that this should happen to Varsity students who traditionally pride themselves on being bound only by those conventions set for themselves and not by those prescribed by others.
Were absolute tolerance to reign we would as a result have a Brighter and Better Capping—Brighter and better clubs and Brighter and Better debates.
"I never believed in students taking voluminous notes."—Prof. Murphy.
* * *
"Money is the only thing which is never second-hand and which everybody is willing to take."
"O weep for Adonais, he is dead!"
(Special Version.)
Keats is dead. Shelley, who felt the loss, is dead. What have we now to offer in English poetry? What has become of the music which English poetry once boasted? Dead, the poor Adonais!
Say what you like about "New Poems," the lover of true poetry for poetry's sake will deplore the absence of the beauty and sincerity which characterised the stanzas of the Romantic period which included Scott, Shelley, Keats, Coleridge, Byron, among others.
The writer happens to know several of those who contributed to "New Poems," and knows, above all, that some of them wrote for sheer publicity. They could not make any headway with their attempts at Verse unless they conformed to the accepted standards of the day, namely, free verse, immorality in words, apocalypticism, and gallery play. And hence they had to swerve aside from what, in their heart of hearts, they knew to be truly inspired poetry, and cloak their arrogant ignorance in verbal dress. Of course it requires intelligence to see that.
The writer agrees with I.M. and D.G. in their Foreword to "New Poems" that "we are living in a revolutionary age," and hence "some interpretation of its influence is only to be expected." But the writer feels that the Anti-War movement, now prevalent in the University Colleges, will accordingly die a natural death. If this is a revolutionary age and the modern poet has merely to lend it colour in his writings, how on earth do we expect to cripple war?
The Romantic writers lived in a truly revolutionary age, yet they gave to English Literature its most glorious "music." Is it because the "Moderns" realise their own inferiority that they strive for publicity by dishing out jargon to poetry-lovers.
There is a poet's poet and a people's poet, but one can safely say that no "Modern" can boast of being either one of these. Praed and Calverley held the spotlight a few decades ago with their deliberate breakaway from poetical convention. Think of the predictions made for their lasting glory! What has become of them? . . Dead!
The "Moderns," too, will share a similar fate when the fever of excitement is over. They have caught the measles from T. S. Eliot, and are at present scratching away. They will learn the cure when they return to their old "doctor of souls"—namely, "Muse-ick," not "Museitch."
Let us compare the true poetry-lover, as he is at present, to a misogynist, forced into such a state by the tide of circumstances, and hear his lament.
This latest second of my life,
This useless line I scrawl:
"I only wish I had a wife" . . .
Dear, readers, that is all.
You may say "Katz!" . . . The writer says "Rats!"
To those students, fledgelings and old birds both who do not like this nest at Salamanca, and to the illustrious "Petulengro," himself, I would quote the following passage from the revised version:—
"If yer aint got a better ole than this, 'urry up an b—well make one!"
Saturday afternoon was truly an ideal cricket day,—warm sunshine, a perfect outfield and first use of an easy wicket. The unusual happened when 'Varsity won the toss and Blandford and Simpson opened the innings against the bowling of O'Neil and Jack. Fast scoring characterised the early part of play, and 20 runs were on the board in 15 minutes, and after another 4 had been added, Simpson was caught out off the bowling of O'Neill Connell joined Blandford, who had been scoring quickly all round the wicket. After a characteristic display Blandford was given out l.b.w. to Baker. Connell and Harpur were now associated, the former playing very steadily, while his companion in a short time compiled a forceful 30, which included a beautiful 6 over the bowler's head. The only other batsman to make any substantial addition to the innings was Jacobsen, who in a profitable partnership with Connell made 42 During this last association Connell reached his well merited century, after occupying the crease for three hours. His innings included 15 boundaries, and with exception of two chances he had batted splendidly. Jacobsen soon followed his companion to the pavilion, after playing a sound but rather slow innings for 42. Stevens, Edgley Dean and Vietmeyer were soon dismissed, and the innings closed with the total at 256. Detailed score (first innings)—1. A. R. Blandford 40, R. S. V. Simpson 9, R. C. Connell 104, T. A. Harpur 30, W. Tricklebank 6, B. A. Paetz 10, N. R. Jacobsen 42, J. R. Stevens 0, R. W. Edgley 3, D. S. Dean 5, W. F. Vietmeyer 4, extras 5, total, 256.
In the Dewar Shield meeting, held at Petone, the 'Versity Club was particularly successful. In the relay the team gamed first and second places,
Rafter, Thompson and Black won the half-mile with two firsts and a second, and Birks, Fade and F. B. Thompson son the three-mile walk. Tom Barks got a first a this event. It was one of his best efforts this season.
Phil
Somebody wanted to know why Frank
Wogan cleared 5ft, 3in. in the high jump. He is showing promise, but needs a more energetic take-off.
Morpeth ran quite a good second in the three miles, but Abraham left himself too much leeway to make up in the 440 hurdles. If he had run a better judges race he might have snatched victory.
Altogether the 'Varsity men acquitted themselves very well at this meeting. The club won no points at the first Dewar Shield meeting and three at the last one.
At last a jumping pit has been provided for use on Kelburn Park.
The Inter-faculty sports are to be held on Kelburn Park next Saturday (April 6). This is one of the last 'Varsity fixtures of the season, and usually sees some good performances.
After considerable delay, the "Smad's' representative has at last been able to see the Eight in action for sufficient length of time to be able to make a criticism. Those rowing in the crew at present are Milne str., Brown 7, Hansen 6, gibbons 5, Willis 4, Barnes 3, McIntosh 2, Eggers bow; cox, Keating. The crew has only ben out in the eight two or three times but even so, considering the fact that they have been rowing all the season, the form is very rough. The boat does not appear to be riding as steadily as she might, which points to a lack of concentration on balance.
Of the individuals it may be said that Milne strokes the crew along quite nicely. Brown, Willis and Barnes all fall to finish the stroke properly, and of the whole crew no one is getting a really clean beginning and finish to the stroke. Most of them seem to be coming up on their slides too quickly, and as a result the boat is not running properly. The work is not coming on evenly, and the eight blades certainly do not come out together. These two faults are the cause, to a large extent, of the uneven riding of the boat, but this is also attributable to the fact that very few of the crew keep the buttons of their oars pressed firmly against the sill of their rowlock.
With plenty of practice, however, they may make quite a fair crew, and the coach, Mr. Barnes, is certainly putting in a lot of time and trouble to make them as good a crew as he can. McLeod is rowing very nicely at present and seems very unlucky not to have found a place in the eight.
Last Wednesday "Smad" was painfully bored at the Annual Meeting of the Hockey Club. The only members who enjoyed themselves were those who were reading their "Smads." Hockey-players didn't seem to be at all bright, and heaven knows they eight to have some mental qualities to compensate for the fact that they're nearly all physical weaklings who've changed over from football in a last effort to achieve athletic eminence.
The silver-tongued orator of the South Seas wasted his beautiful voice on reading the minutes and on ponderusly explaining obvious typographical errors in the annual report. the treasurer persuaded the meeting to pass the balance-sheet immediately after he had distributed copies. He was apparently trying to avoid having to explain away the fact that the accounts had been both prepared and audited by McIntoshes.
The meeting didn't even bother to be interested in the elections, and returned everybody but the committeemen unopposed. A most depressing evening, and so to bed.
The Haslam Shield Match, a Tournament event, will be fired at Trentham on Saturday, April 6th.
At the time of writing the provisional team has not been picked, but it is safe to forecast that it will include Ross, a reliable shot who won his "Blue" in
Several other competitors and aspirants of previous years are turning out again, but seem as yet hardly to have had enough practice to do themselves justice, while there are several newcomers who have done quite well at practices but have not been tested under match conditions.
Ineligibility deprives the Club this year of two good men—Perry, who gained his "Blue" in
The Club has been fortunate in obtaining an issue of service rifles, and although the ammunition has not been very satisfactory. Victoria should be able to show a not discreditable result if weather conditions on the 6th are at all good.
Things have never looked brighter and the quality of the material to be drawn on has never shown more promise. Edna Bell, who captained the "reps." for years and has coached us for many moons, and Phyllis Quinlan, a quondam N.Z.U. and Wellington Province representative, have an unenviable task as selectors.
Here are the hopefuls:—
Jean Watson, experienced, should be a certainty for the team.
Janet Grainger, a brilliant player—another certainty.
Marjorie Gibbons shows promise but lacks practice.
Arice Overtoun, erratic, would improve with practice.
Jean Roberts, energetic, but lacks tactics.
Isobel Graham, excellent, but not assertive enough.
Kitty Wood, quick and energetic, but must attack more.
Sheila Fraser, plays intelligently but loses position too easily.
Margaret Pilcher, good stylist, but needs regular practice.
Marion Bell, strategic player, who anticipates well.
Nora McLaren, reliable player, but must speed up game.
Muriel Lancaster, keen and energetic, should brush up her passing.
Sylvia Brose, good but irregular practiser.
The Annual General Meeting will be held on April 15th.
We have much pleasure in stating that the youngest child of the V.U.C. faculty has successfully reached its first birthday.
The latest addition to our organisations, viz., the Fencing Club, held its first Annual Meeting on Monday, 25th. This club came into existence last year, since when it has been struggling for recognition which it hopes to receive this year.
It was an ideal meeting, as there were no minutes to be read and no balance-sheet to be considered, because there was no meeting last year (this being the first), and also no cash! The Annual Report was taken as read, last year's committee re-elected in a flash, and the only discussion was "Who shall we have at patron" As it was a new club, it was decided to approach one of the new Professors—one unencumbered with other clubs. The rest of the time was taken up with a discussion of programmes for this year, after which new members had to ride the goat and sign the pledge. The meeting closed with family prayers and supper.
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