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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 11, No. 8. July 14, 1948

International Student Service Wants Text-Rooks

page 5

International Student Service Wants Text-Rooks

It is unfortunate that the most active students at Victoria College (presuming that only the most active attend general meetings of their association), have no interest in their fellow students in countries less rich than their own. It is unfortunate that these students, who could spend over an hour discussing the real or alleged poverty of Wellington Training College students, could not spend ten minutes discussing the plight of countless desperately hungry, cold and diseased students in other parts of the world. It is unfortunate that of 2300 students only 60 could offer four or eight hours of their whole year for earning money to send to these less fortunate of their fellows, and that some of these 60 failed to make good their offer.

However, these people were prepared to pledge themselves "individually and collectively to support the work of the ISS Committee."

The ISS provides aid (to students) where it is needed most, on an international, inter-racial, non-sectarian, non-political basis. This aid is in the form of provision of books, study materials, medical supplies, food, scholarships and clothing. Europe, China and South-east Asia (India, Burma, etc.) are the three main areas where help is needed, and the world headquarters of ISS (in Geneva) have allotted China to be the special concern of the New Zealand branch.

In the one year from 1946-7 the ISS gave assistance in various ways to 240.549 students, and yet all the time, Chinese students, themselves short of the basic needs of life, are raising money to help those among them who are the worst off of all.

The inflation in China does much to increase the difficulties of students, specially as many of them have been separated from family support by the civil war. For intance, letters from China include such statements as these; (From Chungking), "Medical relief here was closed at the end of August, 1947, because the 330,000 Chinese dollars per month was insufficient, and could not help even one student in a hospital." Also from Chungking (students who work) "receive 72,000 Chinese dollars per month. Their food costs 230,000 dollars a month." From Nanking. (We) "get only a million Chinese dollars a month for the reading rooms but newspapers alone cost half a million to subscribe."

Other reports, while not complaining, make simple statements of the position. From Shanghai "94 per cent (of the students there) suffered from eye diseases and 13 per cent. had below the normal body temperature. . . . only about 4 per cent. of the students receive aid. At Hangchow of 836 students who applied for aid only 180 were able to obtain it. From Mukden, "the big needs have been coal, water and electricity . . . they have to heat the ink bottles before they can use them. . . . students can only study in the day time—they use the gasoline lamps occasionally but is very expensive."

Apart from the 1948 quota for New Zealand of £3000 towards the realization of which Victoria has done precious little), there is to be a book drive for Chinese students.

The books will be collected in each of the University Colleges, and those required are of two types, text-books and technical magazines for study and novels or magazines of cultural worth for recreational purposes. Most students will have text-books they will no longer need and will either possess or be able to acquire magazines and other books. Don't leave these to decay on Ignored shelves, bring them in now.

Contributions may be left at the Exec. Rooms or Salient Room if the Exec. Room is not open. Remember the students of Victoria College are pledged individually and collectively to help ISS.