—No Man's Land

Dear Sir,—I desire to object most strongly to a report of a concert by the Music Makers Club which appeared in the last issue over the initials W.K.O. This individual should be reprimanded for his revoltingly patronising tone. May I ask why he went along (more from a sense of duty, he grudgingly admits) expecting to hear "Mozart mangled and Beethoven bashed"? Is it axiomatic that cultural activity at the college should be of a low quality? To his surprise, he states, the programme was tasteful, well played and a delight to listen to. Why it should be surprising that University students should be possessed of some talents I do not know.

The whole report is tasteless and supercilious in the extreme. It appears to have been written by what is usually known as "a typical fresher" (much as I deplore the term), as I cannot think that any student who has watched the praiseworthy activities of such clubs as the MMC over a period would dream of writing in such a strain. I might say that I object equally to the exhortation in the last paragraph. Most students realise that their education does not stop outside the classroom, and we do not need to be impertinently reminded that the clubs at the college are here for our benefit, nor yet lectured in our duty.

Does this young person not realise that it is his own suspicion that Mozart might be mangled that causes Victoria to be, as he styles it, "the most backward of all the NZU's" (whatever they might be) in support for cultural clubs? I trust the Editor will not permit any further such patronage.