In Reply to Magnusson

Sir,—I am sorry to flog a horse that's obviously near to its last gasp, but I feel I should answer a point raised by Mr Magnusson in your last issue. He complained that the burden of Increased fees hadn't been kept in the public eye (his own mixed up metaphor, not mine) and that Exec, had made no utterance to the papers on the subject. As Public Relations officer, I approached the "Evening Post" (which is running articles written by students) before lectures began to see whether they'd accept an article on the new system. The answer was a firm no—so we did the best we could in the articles that were printed. I hope Mr Magnusson read them.

I realise that people at Vic. are fond of uttering, but I'd like to point out that N.Z.U.S.A. had already uttered loudly and was gathering material to do so again. I'm still of the opinion that five minutes reasoning is worth all the mouthing that a Vic. student can do in a year. And as Mr Dwyer will tell you, that's no mean amount.

Censorship !

Sir,—May I give vent to my wrath. Censorship in New Zealand especially in regard to films is an insult to our intelligence. In this country films are subject to rigorous and narrow-minded scrutiny and in consequence severe slashing. Are we living in a Communistic State? The registration certificate is surely a sufficient guide to film-goers or to anxious parents.

R '18' certificates etc., do not mean a thing, for such films are so censored that one would think them to be for the entertainment of children. Films mauled by New Zealand censors can never hold their original or true flavour. The development of the characters and their experiences, sexual or not, which cause the development can not receive honest appreciation from a movie audience. Blast this bigotry. Are we to be chaperoned by these Government censors all our lives? Oh, for open house at the Roxy.

Cafeteria

Sir,—The cafeteria is always appallingly full at meal times. Yet there is no provision for taking food to other parts of the S.U.B. You cannot even sit on the steps outside the cafeteria if you happen to like your meals off plates and coffee from cups. Just try it—there will be a violent scene.

But you can, however, ask for bags to transport food to your quiet, peaceful room a few yards away. You will be issued with large, well-worn bags of the brown paper variety, and you can spend a delightful hour or so wondering just what originally came in the bags.

(This is actually quite a skilled business—I don't mind giving you one or two pointers from my own wide experience: black specks in the bottom of the bag might be bananas, coal (give Grit Test), or burnt pies. Grease marks—butter, pies, pre-cooked cold meat, and so on. Allow four points for every sure conclusion, three points if you had a big clue like icing sticking to your pie, two points for a guess, and one point if you actually observed the cold potatoes being taken out of it before it was given to you).

Sir, if students are going to remove crockery for their flats, they are going to remove crockery for their flats. They will stuff it into satchels, jerseys, or any other suitable containers for stolen crockery. They are not, however, going to walk out with the crockery in question prominently displayed. This is contrary to all the instincts of a thief. It just isn't being done.

So, Please can we have Provision for Eating our own Paid-For Food in our own Favourite Little Corner of the S.U.B.?

Animated Films

Sir,—I wonder if a belated reader of your 26th February issue might hark back to Mr Everard's article on Animated Films? Several points of interest were missed, probably because they are "not in the literature."

It is not just for reasons of prestige that New Zealand work in this field should not be neglected. Animated Film is a commodity costing about £1000 per lb. It can therefore be airmailed from here to Europe for a cost of about one quarter per cent, of its value. This makes it well worth considering as an Expert Industry, and the talent is certainly around.—Yours, etc.

James Harris.

N.Z. National Film Unit.

The House Comintern

Sir,—It is time someone took a poke at the House Committee for the rude, officious, bureaucratic methods they employ in dealing with students who attempt to make use of the facilities of the Student Union building. Club notices, unless they bear the official "seal of approval" of Mr Pitchforth and his cronies, are torn down and forgotten. House Committee mambers, when approached about the use of facilities such as rooms and furniture are unco-operative and officious. Yet despite these methods, the administration of the S.U.B. is Inefficient.—Yours etc.,

—J.K.M.

The notice boards are controlled by the House Committee and the rules by which they are governed have been well publicised. Club notices are not "sealed " but other notices are dated to ensure that no out of date notices are left on the boards. Considerate people are never inconvenienced. All facilities are available to individual students and groups may use the rooms on application. Applications are only refused when there are clashes. Any complaints concerning the running of the building should be addressed to me and I will try and rectify them.

Pitchforth and Cro(Nies).

Extravaganza

Sir,—I note with considerable interest that once again Extrav is under way and that as usual there is a considerable proportion of non-students. One or two of the leads are I believe taken by outsiders who have for some time been getting such parts in Extrav.

I suggest that if Victoria University can not put on an Extrav without drawing on these publicity-seeking outsiders it should not put on a show at all. Surely the show could be arranged, with the help of an efficient organiser or producer, to suit what talent is available from the University even if it meant reducing the size of it. A second point is that perhaps more students would join Extrav. if they felt that all the choice parts were'nt taken up by these outsiders.

Am I correct in thinking there was a motion passed at a General Meeting last year to the effect that members of Extrav should be exclusively students of the University.

This whole situation reflects very little credit on organisers of Extravaganza.

—Peter V. O'Brien

Extrav. Organiser, 1962.

Drama in Reply

Sir,—I am delighted that someone is interested enough in the Drama Club to comment on its choice of play for Major Production—at a well publicised reading and coffee evening recently there was an appreciative, sensitive and discerning audience of 10. I was forced to conclude that interest in the club was somewhat lacking. However, many students may wish to ask the same questions raised by Mr Wattle and this letter may serve to clarify the matter.

The Seagull was chosen by the committee in consultation with the producer after protracted deliberation. Among the playwrights considered were Ibsen, Shrindberg, O'Neill, Shaw, Simone de Beauvair, Arden, Fry, Isherwood/Auden, Wesker, Baxter, Pinter, Tennesse Williams, O'Casey, Inge, Camus, Anouilh, Galsworthy, Wilde, Lorca, Santre, Harpek, Musaphia and Penandello. Most of these plays were rejected on the grounds of unsuitable casts or dubious literary merit—both factors of extreme importance to a University Drama Club.

Our choice was restricted by the desire to do a modern play, however, with Taste of Honey, Roots and Five Finger Exercise already being presented by other city drama groups our committee felt that the newest dramatists were well represented.

Various plays of Eugene O'Neill had been suggsted to the committee. who after considering then decided that the casts were too small and the acting too demanding for a University group. Mourning Becomes Electra had been before Mr Watties' suggestion, considered at some lengths and seemed unsuitable. In the words of a recent criticism of the play it "emerges as good theatre rather than great drama" and "acting on this scale is the devil's own work."

The club does not have three competent Stage Managers and the work of controlling rehearsal space times etc. for three different outside producers and costs simultaneously would reach almost Herculean proportions. Also at recent auditions only 13 men were present. The same problems apply to the Wesker trilogy apart from the fact that Wellington Teachers' Training College are producing the second play of the trilogy later this year.

The Seagull is considered to have literary merit independent of its association with Shanislavsky being both great drama and good theatre. The cast, smaller than we would have preferred, nevertheless has six excellent women's parts (rare in modern drama) and will allow the 13 people taking part worthwhile acting opportunities. In contrast to this, last year's major production involved a large, unwieldy cast but had only two major parts for women.

Regretfully I must also point out to Mr Wattie that a large number of interested persons does not imply a large number of capable persons.

Finally, despite the merits of O'Neill and Wesker, not all producers wish to produce their plays. We have been fortunate enought to obtain the help of a very able and experienced producer whose suggestions were based on first-hand knowledge of student theatre. The Seagull met the various requirements of literary merit, suitable cast, period and producer's preference.—Yours etc., Nicolette Mckenzie, President V.U.W. Drama Club.

Replies

Two Surprised Students: Suggest you contact the Editor of this newspaper and talk the matter out with him.

Splim: I must have your real name—if not necessarily for publication.

Ron Fountain: Sorry, written on both sides of the paper which is "verboten."

J.K.M. and "Pruned Off": You should take your complaints to the person directly involved in this issue.

Hungry Fresher: Sorry, similar trouble to that of Splim, above.

C.A.J.: Written on both sides of the paper I'm afraid.

"Buchanan": Who are you, man?

M. C. Lowlands and Rob. Laking: Same problem as with C.A.J. above.