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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 13, No. 6. April 13, 1950

No Man's Land

No Man's Land

Think again, hooligan!

Sir,

The standard of conduct at VUC dances has tended to improve in the last couple of years. In fact the college authorities have at present no complaints about the state of the college grounds during such functions.

However, a small minority has lately tended to act irresponsibly in adjacent property: fittings such as croquet hoops have been removed from Kelburn Park, beer bottles have been left around—usually broken into small pieces. The carefully kept turf has been cut about by this glass, and by people knocking it about generally.

Now there are three or four objections to this. In the first place it deliberately increases the work of the greenkeepers who have as much right to respect for their labour as anyone else. In fact, such hooliganism comes ill from the college, many of whose members have so often and so publicly proclaimed their support for the ordinary citizen or member of the working class as they are pleased to call him.

Secondly it damages the good name of the college. In the third place, it indicates that there are personal deficiencies in the willpower and character of the perpetrators. A university should lead them rather to self control in their own interests and the interests of society. Lastly, this sort of conduct (looked at from a selfish point of view) endangers our relations with our neighbours and the Park Con. trollers, the City Council. It is not suggested that the Council be slavishly adulated and appeased on all occasions, but such foolish actions, having no claim to a basis of principle are cause for unnecessary inconvenience.

Therefore for these reasons, an appeal is made to those responsible to act in a more adult and responsible way in future. It would be unfortunate if the Police were called in by the Park authorities to control the matter, so students are asked to behave more sensibly if they have been responsible, and to attempt to reason with others who may not heed the printed word.

K. B. O'Brien.

Adam "atomised?"

Sir,

I note with concern that there is a report over the imprimatur "JNJ" in your last issue which calls a meeting, falling which "the virility of sports at VUC may suffer for years to come."

I ask you, Sir, who are these "sports" whose virility will suffer? Are they Weir House men? I do hope not. It strikes; me, that fission products may have something to do with this sorry state of affairs.

I hope that this matter of declining virility will be taken up at the highest levels, as it seems a terrible fate for any young man.—I am, etc., unless drastice action is taken,

Not Likely to be Mother of Eight.

(Since the meeting has now been held, the writer's fears are unlikely to be realised: we suggest that in thanskgiving and as a practical gesture to help VUC sports, a tittle extra work would give us another cricket team.)

Closing shots

Sir,

I must apologise to Jiminy Critic for misquoting and drawing inferences which he did not mean to convey. Both these were reprehensible although unintentional errors. However, there remains the point at issue—internationalism. Perhaps, I might catch JC's "conclusion on the bounce" by quoting my comments: "The idea (MRA) is far bigger than internationalism anyway."

In commenting on JC's review and his conclusions—i.e. possible international hatreds—I added more information which had little relation to his criticism of the play itself. By indicating what is behind the move-rent I had hoped to show that JC's conclusion is non-existent.

Further to that: the MRA movement has as one of its major aims, the fostering of international understanding and world unity. During the past fifteen years it has worked in about 20 countries and in some cases has Improved international relations—not the reverse. Time will show whether or not MRA will provide the genuine internationalism which JC and most of us would like to see. Nobody can deny that at present there exist international barriers—mainly attributable, I think, to misunderstandings and opposing materialistic ideologies. MRA aims to remove them.

In my attempt to explain (in as few words as possible) the one thing that MRA fights as evil, I was guilty of stigmatising materialism. This 'was perhaps because of my ignorance of any genuine good that materialism can achieve.

I have no wish to re-open the question of the existence of God: far better minds than mine have not reached finality. I attempted to point out that in the MRA movement there is a fundemental belief in God—in guidance by the will of God at all times, come triumph or disaster.

Perhaps JC and I will continue to differ on the reality of his conclusion, until world events prove one of us wrong.

—Opinioch.

(This correspondence is now closed. Ed.)