An A.D. Farewell

The Passing of Bill and Woof

Packs ranging from the insignificant to the impossible drew attention to the fact that this was to be no ordinary weekend outing, then when small groups began disengaging themselves from the main party and started heading in the direction of the five-star structure on the opposite corner, it became obvious that something special was afoot. One person was seen to disappear into the station proper and emerge with a coconut.

Such then were the preparations made by the V.U.C.T.C. to farewell their Chief Guide Bill Cameron, and active member K. M. (Woof) Adams. Bill and Woof are both travelling to England. Bill is taking up a position an lecturer in English at Reading University, a post which will enable him to complete his Ph.D.

This person became lost in the labyrinth of the Ivory Tower when seeking information about Woof and his intentions, but it seems he will be extending his Radio Physics studies with a National Defence Scholarship. This entails his joining the R.A.F. so Air Force blue will replace the rags of the bush whacker.

Woof Intends tramping over to see Bill every other weekend in Reading, their respective Universities being just 30 miles a part.

Facts and figures on Bill's influence on the University were obtained after much anxiety and research and appear as under.

He was born a male at an early age. His first 16 years or so we can take for granted and commence in 1944 the year he first entered V.U.C. He embarked on the an ill-fated B.Sc. failure which proved such a blessing for the Arts Faculty in general and the English Dept., in particular.

• 1945: a keen Arts student, active also on "Salient" and first appearance in Tramping Club.
• 1945: News editor for "Salient."
• 1947. Acting editor during Alec McLeod's absence.
• 1948: Editor till illness forced him into the country.
• 1949: In Jan of that year put sin charge of building Allaway Dixon Hut.
• 1950: Editor of "Salient" for one issue, sat papers for honours in English.
• 1951: Appointed Junior Lecturer in English Dept in March. At end of '51 submitted his thesis on Lady Winchelsea.
• 1952-53: Chief Guide of Tramping Club.

Little wonder therefore for the aforesaid goings on outside the station. The day (Saturday. July 18) broke fair, our destination was Allaway Dixon Hut and apart from a small stop to pick up Hull members we wore well into the bush by lunch-time. As anticipated that well known tectonic mass the "Puffer" proved to be an obstacle to most, and was a topic for discussion in the hut later in the afternoon.

Tea that evening was a grand affair in spite of the people who insisted on displaying their blisters, and stragglers who drifted in with tales of the horrors of the muddy track at night, while others were full of stop press Information about Varsity football.

Cocktails followed dessert, and then began the singing, mostly Gilbert and Sullivan excerpts, much to the chagrin" of one person who was heard to mutter "a monstrous alliance," and tried to get the company interested in the Fugato of the slow movement of Beethoven's Eroica symphony.

At Woof's arrival just after tea presentations were made on behalf of the club, each receiving a writing set, Bill maintaining at this stage of proceedings that he would answer all mall received in England.

More singing, a mock trial, observations of the moon by small groups in case of a premature eclipse occupied the remainder of the evening and small hours, exhaustion.

It came as a bit of a shock to the writer to find that Bill spent his sleeping hours, not within the walls of the but he had done so much to establish, but out on the wet moss. Perhaps his statement that he wanted to be away early was his reason. I am inclined to the view that he wanted to spend his last night in the N.Z. bush "under the stars."