Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 15, No. 1. March 5, 1952

To the Executive Close at Hand

Until a few years ago freshers could not vote at the elections of the Executive. This vote had been denied to them on the ground, still valid in many cases, that most freshers did not know who they were voting for and were inclined to vote by guesswork.

In fact only about 600 students out of the 2000 do cast their votes at the elections. A minority controls the college. At the annual general meeting of the association it is hard to collect more than 100 students unless some resolution of particular interest is being discussed. Those who do not attend these meetings or other meetings of the association are the first to shout and scream when the association acts in a manner which they do not approve. The only way to safeguard your name as a student and to prevent irresponsible political resolutions is to attend association meetings, if you do not then—to use a phrase—you've no kick, brother!

Big Business

Every fortnight the executive meets and attends to the business of running the students affairs in its sphere. The association is big business with over £4000 in funds each year, a weekly newspaper, an annual magazine Cappicade with a circulation of 10,000 and a stage show costing over £1000. These are the more notable activities and it would be impossible to set out the many duties assigned to each executive member. Executive members do work—and for nothing.

Students' Rights

All students may attend any executive meeting. They may write to the Executive and are entitled to a reply. They are also entitled to ask any executive member to make their suggestion or put their question for them, if you want an executive member to bring such a matter as the shortage of towels and soap in the washrooms up for attention—do not hesitate, if your complaints or queries are not attended to—write to Salient and we shall ask why.

The minutes of every meeting are pinned on the main notice board just so that you know what is going on without having to sit for a couple of hours.

Peace Carnival—No!

Two letters suggesting that our Executive send delegates to the Australian Peace Carnival and an attempt to send not delegates but observers, were rejected by the Executive at their meeting on Wednesday, February 27.

Officials for the Capping ceremonies and Extrav are appointed. Two Extrav scripts have been received and one will, Salient hopes, go into production very Shortly.

Indications are that Holland separated from her interests in the East (Indonesia) will go bankrupt at the present rate of export and import. Perhaps the Dutch plan may have been wiser after all.