Little Jack Horner

After the Exec had complimented Mr. O'Brien on his report it turned to the Education Subcommittee's remits to N.Z.U.S.A.

I have said before and I will say again that Exec's favourite dish is Subcommittee Pie, into which it sticks its meddlesome fingers until one wonders why it bothers to have subcommittees at all.

A subcommittee is an informed body set up by the Executive—a group of specialists whose task is to clarify maters on which it has special knowledge for Exec's benefit. Remits and recommendations from these groups should be passed without discussion unless they conflict with explicit Executive policy.

But no—hardly one suggestion passes without envious fondling and officious tinkering. Of seven Remits from the Vic Education Subcommittee to N.Z.U.S.A. three were passed after much discussion, and four referred back to Vic. How our student officers could care so much beats me. It was probably the time they spent unnecessarily discussing these that cost them their secretary.

"Another Subcommittee Report," says Shaw. "Shoot when you see the whites of their recommendations," says Wilson. Hume giggles. Another Subcommittee bites the dust.