Dunce's Cap

Dear Sir,—With regard to page four of Salient, June 22, I feel your proof render or the person who set up the layout should have been more careful with respect to questions 4 and 5.

Also "mix" is spelt "m-i-x" not "miss"—the impression given by the words as printed gives an entirely wrong impression. It would, however, seen too late for you to do anything about this bloomer.—

Pat On The Back

Dear Sir,—I wish to compliment you and your staff for producing an Interesting and worthwhile periodical. As well as filling up an uninteresting half-hour on (he train, it provides part-time students (the backbone of the university) with a concise and clear resume of university life, opinions and activity.— Yours, etc.,

First-Class Films

Sir,—I thought your editorial in the last issue of Salient (about the Victoria University Film Society) rather effusive, so decided to find out for myself what ail the fuss was about by going along to the Now screening.

Now I am not one of those people who talk about "Film" with hushed voice, so I expected to sit through a series of boring and perhaps surrealistic items in a state of frustration and boredom. I am, therefore, very pleased to tell you that what I saw was a first-class presentation of excellent and extremely satisfying films.

These films were as different from the usual run of first-half Junk one gets at the cinema as champagne is from Coca Cola. My congratulations to the organiser and also a promise to be there for every future screening, and a raspberry to those on the Financial Committee who can see no further than their noses. Yours faithfully,

Malayans Enter Fray

Sir,—Although the article in the June issue referred to the Fiji Students' Association, Malayan students felt that it held the indirect implication that it was under those mentioned circumstances of being "rejected" or intentions of "keeping to themselves" that their Association was formed. Contrary to what was Implied, one of the objects of the Malayan Students' Association as laid down in its constitution is "to foster closer relations with our N.Z. Hosts." To say that any group of overseas students are being rejected is just sheer nonsense. As far as the Malayan students are concerned, our presence, far from being rejected, is in tact, in certain University clubs very much desired. True, the membership of the M.S.A. is confined only to students from Malaya and Singapore and does not admit non-Malayans or non-Singaporeans, Nor are we affiliated to the Students' Association, Victoria University, for the reason that we consider it not practical. Our Association does not hold regular meetings and the few occasional functions we have in the year are always entirely financed by members, The main event of each year is the celebration of the Malayan Independence and each member usually stumps up around £2/10/-. It is quite unfair to expect a non-Malayan member to help finance our functions which are mainly for our visitors, or to pay anywhere near £2/10/- to celebrate someone else's Independence Day.

I cannot speak on behalf of Asian students but as far as the Malayan students are concerned I could say that nearly all of us are participating to our limit as much as time will allow in other outside activities in order partly to get to know New Zealanders better and in turn to get them to know us better. Malayan students are active participants of the Badminton Club and the U.N. Club Wellington Branch). Membership is also found in the International Club, the Table Tennis Club, the Maori Club, the Chemistry Society, and the Commerce Club. Malayan students also are frequently called upon to give talks to local organisations and render cultural items in public and private functions. On the private and more informal level we have made it a point to invite Kiwis to our flats for meals at least once a fortnight. In our parties we never miss our Kiwi friends.

There is however, always room for improvement in the relationship between overseas and N.Z students. Any concrete suggestions we Malayan students could take up would always be welcomed. We, on our part, are always ready to make new friends.

(See Page 10.—Editor.)

Irish Stew

Sir,—I feel compelled to reply to "B.G.R's" article entitled "Discrimination in University Sport" published in your issue of June 22, as the author does not appear to know very much about University sport in general and Tournament in particular.

I would first like to inform "B.G.R." of the nature of Tournament, in 1900 Tournament came into being after lengthy correspondence between the members of certain sports clubs in the constituent Colleges of the University of New Zealand. The intention was that Tournament would be a contest between University Sports Clubs. That was, and still is, the Intention of Tournament, This is the point that "B.G.R." could have borne in mind before he decried the eligibility of members for Tournament.

However, "B.G.R." goes further. He attacks the whole system of University sport, and claims that the Clubs, particularly the Athletic Clubs "are not interested in Athletics as a whole or in Varsity Athletics." Now this statement is completely without foundation. University sportsmen play their sport hard, and work at it to their own satisfaction. To my mind that is all that any sportsman should be required to do in order to show his interest in his sport. The majority of University sportsmen are not fanatics for sport, and It may be for this reason "B.G.R." considers that they are not "interested" in sport. If this is so, then I would say that "B.G.R." has the wrong attitude to sport.

Sport is a recreation, and the traditional University approach to sport Is summed up in the hackneyed, but still valid, maxim "Mens sana in corpore sano". Sport is an activity to be enjoyed, and here we come back to the nature of Tournament. "B.G.R." states that young athletes are "Poached", that they succumb to the lure of a "Blue", and that very little is offered. It is obvious that "B.G.R." has never been to a University Tournament, for if he had he could not honestly say that little is offered.

Why do students go to Tournament? Some go for a Blue, but only when they know what a Blue really is, and when they know that they are capable of getting one. The majority go to have fun, and that is why they go back year after year. During a day at Tournament, the students compete against each other with no quarter asked or given. When the sport is over, champion and also-ran adjourn to the pub and then to the other social delights of Tournament.

Do I hear "B.G.R." cry out in disgust? If I do, I pity him, for he does not appreciate that the glory of sport is the fellowship that one sees after the game has become a statistic in the record book.

So that, "B.G.R.", is the "lure" to which the young athlete "succumbs". Is it wrong that he should do so? I think not. Is it wrong that he should support his University club, before he can participate in Tournament, bearing in mind that the University clubs have made Tournament what it is? Again, I think not. I admit that it is difficult for an athlete to leave his old Club, but many do it and very few regret it. I do not admit that he is "poached." On ocasions I have had the distasteful task of approaching athletes on the question of Tournament eligibility. The approach is always made with a view to setting out the facts, and with no attempt to persuade an athlete. The decision is left to him. Yet when the athlete makes up his own mind the University Club is abused by the athlete's old club for "poaching." Some day these Clubs, and "B.G.R.", will realise that there are some students who consider that there is more to University life than lectures, and who take pride in the University and are loyal to it.

"B.G.R." also refers to "a poor Club spirit and lack of enthusiasm." A poor Club spirit, and yet we are prepared to put up with the poor facilities and other things to which "B.G.R." refers, and we would not exchange the University Club for any facility.

Finally, "B.G.R.", you talk of coaches' disapproval. My only comment is that when these notable coaches understand that they don't own athletes, and that the University approach to sport is the correct one, sport in this country will once again become a recreation and not a religion.

(No time for reply from B.G.R. —Editor.)

Athletic Club Speaks

Sir,—I fear I must lake up cudgels and reply to your ill-informed and biassed correspondent B.G.R. who attacks University athletics in your most recent issue. There are so many false and emotionally coloured statements in his article, I am surprised it passed any sort of editorial scrutiny, the facts being quite readily available to any interested persons.

I will select a few glaring points and elaborate on them.

Firstly, B.G.R. states that fresher athletes are compelled to sell out their old clubs. Who does the compelling? I would also at this point take umbrage at his statement that these self-same clubs have coached them for several seasons. Regrettably, this simply is not the case. Most young athletes today are forced to coach themselves.

Secondly. B.G.R.'s four reasons for the fact the Varsity Athletic Club has little to offer the athlete are, quite simply, wrong.

It is in these four reasons his biassed attitude is most apparent. Point by point, then—

1. The club has more time to itself over the long vacation, not having exams to worry about.

2. Students also come to Wellington during vacation.

3. Granted coaching is non-existent, as such, being limited to friendly criticism between athletes, but facilities can hardly be said to be non-existent, although they are not what we' would like them to be.

4. B.G.R.'s fourth reason Is quite inflammatory. No one with any idea of the club's function over the vacation could have written this unless he had a really blunt axe to grind. In my humble opinion, the club had the most highly developed social life of Wellington clubs, numbering a weekend trip to Hastings, day-tramps, barbecues, parties, etc., amongst its many activities, not to say being the second strongest men's athletic club in Wellington

I continue. Again he uses the word "compelled" and, incidentally, most Varsity athletes, on returning home, want to compete for the local University.

Next glaring point is a quite extraordinary statement with an unfathomable meaning. However, perhaps the bods have not permitted me a deep insight into such mysteries of nature. I quote:

"The Varsity clubs are not interested in athletics as a whole or in Varsity athletics." Your guess is as good as mine.

And what is this passage concerning the regularity or otherwise of Varsity competition during the summer all about? Surely B.G.R. realizes we have a club night, and turn out on Saturdays as most other self-respecting athletic clubs do.

I frankly confess I am at a loss to determine why B.G.R. should page 6write such an article, unless he is one who feels he should be able to enjoy Tournament without the nuisance of belonging to one of the constituent clubs of the University.

As a footnote, may I add that Varsity clubs are for Varsity stuents interested in Varsity activities. I remain,

Reply from B.G.R.

Take umbrage if you like B.P.D. and at the same time read the article again and try and understand it. You do not contest the main points at all but concern yourself with the minor points, which if removed, would affect the main issues very little. Therefore it's left to infer that you agree in the main but see something wrong with a few points.

Your first point of confusion is "that fresher athletes are compelled to join the Varsity Club." This Is true if the athlete wishes to compete at tournaments after his fresher year. Not being an athlete who competes throughout the entire season in Wellington you are then not conversant with the coaching situation here. Most young athletes of non-Varsity clubs Can get coaching at their clubs.

Then you state that B.G.R. has a biased attitude but fail to qualify this "point by point." 1. In the long vacation many Varsity students are pre-occupied with earning money. 2. You agree with the original statement and add little of significance. 3. Again you agree. 4. If your club spirit is so high where is the resulting effect on the track? There are a few hardy individuals, and three or four women and one or two juniors. There must be a multitude of hangers-on at the club's "highly developed social life."

As Hon. Secretary of the Athletic Club you know very little about its attainments last season. It Is nowhere near the second best men's club in Wellington. In the Dewar Shield—which is the test of club strength—Victoria came nowhere; and where are the women placed in their competition?

"The Varsity Club is not interested on athletics as a whole …" This statement stands unmarred by your criticism.

(See also this page)

—B.G.H.

Tongue In Cheek?

Sir,—The tragic situation in the Belgian Congo exposes the stupidity of this now universal attitude of misguided liberalism towards backward peoples who, taking advantage of their numbers, are striving to govern themselves and their native lands.

When one considers the high level of education and social welfare which Belgium has given so generously to the once ignorant black man of the Congo, the magnanimous re-direction of the enormous wealth she has extracted from the area for the preparation of these peoples for self-government, the steady integration of non-whiles into the Congo's civil service to train them in administration; then the validity of my comments is self-evident.

The United Nations is treading dangerous ground In pandering to the democratic whims of the black man by sending African troops into the Congo. What is needed is a few crack European divisions to crush the disorder and re-establish While supremacy, sound social order and profits.