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Salient: Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Vol. 24, No. 9. 1961

Mitch's Speech

Mitch's Speech

"Today is yours not ours," he told the many graduates before him. "We have so much for so little effort on our part."

The Minister of Education could well be, and was, taken up on his statement that he was prepared to assist in any worthy cause in the university. After finishing, the architect, Mr Muston, presented submissions regarding the third storey to go on the S.U.B.

The Minister, the Hon. Blair Tennent, spoke of the importance of providing a common meeting ground for student "exchange of ideas, insights and attitudes." Without a S.U.B. no university could be complete. From the friendly clash of personalities grew a knowledge of human nature not obtainable from books. The best knowledge is in the university and is ours to be grasped. Here we may learn to think and acquire wisdom. We may stand on our own feet determined to find truth independently using our own faculties.

Without fuss Mr Tennent finally declared the building open.

This simple ceremony was followed by inspection of the S.U.B. and afternoon tea. Dear old ladies approached your executive members and confided that they were lady Vice-president in 1900 and something. Hearty old men insisted that the office phone be used to find out the score—"at the Park, you know."

Later a delightful cocktail party was held in the common rooms. Round the piano former students recalled the old drinking songs.

N.B.—The functions were organised by a sub-committee of members of both council and the Students' Association and everyone was charged 10/- for the cocktail party.

(Registered for transmission by post as a newspaper at the Post Office, Wellington.)