Neil Wolfe

To any who watch Wellington rugby, the short, stocky figure running out of and under tackles and generally spreadeagling the field behind him will soon be identified as University's All Black Neil Wolfe.

Neil has been breaking up the cover defences of the opposition ever since he came to Wellington from New Plymouth Boys' High in 1960. That year, his first in senior football, Neil toured Australia with the N.Z.U. team. In 1961 he played in the entire test series against the French and in January and February of 1962 Neil toured California and Canada with the N.Z.U. team. This year he again wore the silver fern against Australia in that country, and also in the First Test here in Wellington.

Neil off the field is very much the footballer Wolfe — bouncy, cheeky and full of life. He regards the fact that he joined the University Rugby Club as the best thing that he could have done for his football. He admits that "university-style football is the closest style to secondary-school football anywhere in the country

"Indeed," he goes on, "university rugby is fast and open with emphasis on forwards gaining possession and feeding their backs—attacking rugby in its essence."

As it has turned out it has been this very grounding in attacking rugby that has brought out Neil Wolfe's unique talents and made him one of the rising young players that New Zealanders hope will be able to bring a new, refreshing spirit into our national game.

Bill Dwyer

William Dwyer's main claim to fame is as a University politician. A native of Ireland, Bill has been at University only two years, although he has been in New Zealand for eight. For five years Bill worked on the waterfront. He took an active part in the Trade Union.

University appeals to him as a place a man with ideas can benefit from.

At Vic. Bill was one of the foundation members of the Anarchists Society. The aims of Anarchists Society is to do away with all governments, of all sorts, every-where. These aims have created a considerable stir in student circles —although not everyone is in sympathy with them.

Bill's comment on the Association is that it encourages people to question values that otherwise they would mutely accept. Bill believes people should take part in everything that concerns them. "They should participate in any decision that affects them," he declared.

Bill thinks New Zealand society is becoming dangerously uniform. People should be encouraged to think critically, said Dwyer.

Con O'Leary

Con O'Leary says the only thing he has learnt at University is a profound contempt for academia.

Christened Conrad, O'Leary has been around universities in New Zealand since 1957. It would be true to say that he has become somewhat of a legend. His interests are wide, and he is not afraid to express his controversial opinions on the topic.

At Canterbury University until 1961 Con represented his Varsity at Boxing, and in 1960 he controlled the New Zealand Universities' Boxing Tournament. The following year he edited the student newspaper, "Canta". From the editorial chair he gained fame for taking up the cudgels on behalf of a member of the university staff, Mr Rosenberg, who was virulently attacked in Parliament by Mr T. P. Shand for his attitude over the International Monetary Fund.

In 1961 Con O'Leary turned his attention to drama. In that year The Canterbury Drama Society produced "The Lark", a production that received wide acclaim, and Con had a principal part.

Although busy with "Canta" and drama Con found time to indulge in politics with enough effect to form a New Left Club in the University.

This year Con came up to Victoria, and took a job with the Post Office, producing the House magazine. He also edited "Cappicade" the University annual farce magazine produced for the general public.

A major development at Vic this year has been the introduction of a "Contemporary Arts" group who tackle everything in the culture line—jazz, drama, classical music, and painting. Con was a leading light in the formation of this group.

Con has one unit to go to finish his B.A., and he hopes to finish this year. He majored in political science.

Asked by Salient if he thought he had learnt any social lessons from University Con looked blank, then added, "a profound contempt for student parties". This is a telling statement. Con is recognised by students generally as an authority in that field.

The last question: "What are you going to do when you leave University, Con?"

O'Leary: "Before I start marketing my soul I want to sit down and find out whether I've got one."

Nicolette McKenzie

Older than the average student, Nicolette McKenzie claims she was "violently antagonistic to things" when she first joined the University. "My interests seemed to lie outside the University and I wasn't particularly inclined to put myself out for it. That was so wrong of course. Freshers should become involved in activities."

"I was saved the embarrassment of a clique, due to my year away from New Zealand" (Nicolette was an exchange student on the American Field Service in Milwaukee. Wisconsin).

Now, however, she is noted for her activities in the University Drama Club. Secretary of the club last year and president this year, she has played prominent parts in such plays as "Much Ado About Nothing", Chekov's "The Seagull". as well as several French Club plays.

She has also worked for radio and was a member of the Radio Drama School. Besides being a capable actress, Nicolette has a trained voice, and has sung to the original music in broadcast productions of "Peer Gynt" and "Henry VIU". She admits she enjoys working with professionals and her experiences in commercial radio and television.

At twenty-two, and in the third year of her B.A., she is undecided about her future career. "No, no plans for marriage. Although Mr Wattie and I have exchanged many fond embraces in 'The Alchemist' and 'Antony and Cleopatra', there is nothing in it."

As for her taste in literature, Nicolette confesses that she has an "unorthodox liking" for some American poets. Robert Frost. Emily Dickinson, Carl Sandburg, with Eliot rating pretty highly, are among her favourites.

"I mostly read plays now," she said, "that is, when I've got through the set reading list"

In spite of the toughness of her course, Nicolette McKenzie manages to be a member of the N.Z. Drama Council and to take a full and active part in the more cultural side of the university.

Kong Ying Loong

A quiet, studious Colombo Plan student from North Borneo, Kong Ying Loong is deceptively so, for he has a keen, logical mind and a strong sense of humour.

Kong came to New Zealand in 1958 to do his U.E. at Wellington Technical College, and the following year he started at Vic. This year he is working on his M.A. in Economics, doing research in "non-financial intermediaries" — sources of credit other than banks. When he finishes he plans to go back to North Borneo, but his career there is "very unsettled". He thinks that he will probably teach.

Kong praised the Economics Department for the balanced course that it gave students. "There are both practical and theoretical men on the staff," he said, "and they work in co-operation with each other." A resident at Weir House, he would only say that Weir "is better than any other hostel or guest house I've been to."

Ivan Kwok

Third-year law student Ivan Kwok claims that he has "no personality at all as far as University goes". But over at Weir House he wields considerable influence as President of the House Association. From Taihape, Ivan attended the District High School for three years and then had two sixth-form years at Wellington College.

Respected and admired for his unflinching fair-mindedness, Ivan admits he is most at home at Varsity when he is in Weir. "You would have to join a considerable number of Varsity clubs to get anywhere near the same benefit that you do from a hostel." he says. "Weir has considerably broadened my outlook. It gives people the knowledge and confidence to meet other people and talk with them. From religion to jazz—at Weir we mouth on at great length about everything."

Richard Hawkes

The lithe, slim figure of Richard Hawkes is a familiar figure around the Varsity courts these days. Richard possesses that intense devotion to his sport which characterises the really top-notch tennis player. To see him on the court is to see a man possessed.

His pursuit of his sport has already lead him twice round the world—once in 1960 with the New Zealand touring team and again I his year with one of New Zealand's youngest-ever Davis Cup teams. As well as being a Davis Cup rep, Richard was N.Z.U. champion in 1961, and has been a Wilding Shield representative since 1959. Varsity club-mate John Souter accompanied him on his trip with the Davis Cup team, and the two play togeher in interclub and national tournaments as one of the country's best doubles combinations.

Richard, who is in his fourth year at Vic, is pursuing his LL.B. in spite of the Interruptions of his tours. "Tennis is a good Varsity sport," he says, "because you can practice at odd times to fit in with your schedule." Richard, who works in the Forestry Department, is probably one of the busiest students at Vic.

Nelson Wattie

"The greatest enemies of the greatest things in University life, are affectation and insincerity. Both of these are rife at Vic. possibly as a reaction against the collar and tie brigade," says Nelson Wattle.

Wattie is prominent in Vic. cultural life as singer and actor and in his position as president of the recently - formed Contemporary Arts Society.

He said his society was committed to combining the various arts active within this University and especially, on the personal level, to encouraging creative students to discuss their common problems and aims.

"Generally," Mr Wattie said, "Vic. is like a Public Service department in comparison to Auckland. There is more of a rat race here, people are more concerned in the attainment of academic qualifications than in the development of their personalities." Even so, he did concede that the number of culturally alive students within both institutions is relatively small with a lot of dead wood surrounding the central core of activity.

He had no time for gloom, however, in contemplating this situation for he feels that the atmosphere at Vic. is livening up, and especially that students are encouraging more of an awareness of the University as a society. He did not consider that students should be concerned primarily with the absorption of knowledge, but rather of the discussion of ideas. Tutorials in part provide this means of discussion but they rely to a large extent on the individuals involved.

Understandably, he winced slightly when asked what he expected from a University. But having had time to collect his thoughts he was able to put his attitude succinctly. "I want to find my individual talents, by testing them," he said, "and then I want to be able to develop them."

Ian Uttley

As the Wellington representative team takes the field it looks as if the province can only field fourteen men and a boy. This often seems the view of the opposition until they see the frail-looking centre, I N. Uttley, suddenly run fifty yards to leave their cover defence mesmerised, and score. Ian pulled this off twice against Waikato.

Ian was Head Prefect of Wellington College in 1959 and played for the Varsity Third Firsts in 1960. Last year he made the Senior team and Wellington B, and this year has played for Wellington A and was nominated for the All Black trials which he unfortunately had to miss through injury.

In this way Ian Uttley's frail, intelligent features are misleading, but in his other field, the science laboratory, they are quite at home. For as well as being one of the stars of the University backline, and an All Black trialist at 20, he is an outstanding young science student who hopes to gain an M.Sc. next year. In his case it is an excellent example of a student being able to combine his studies successfully with a first-class rugby career, putting paid to the idea that successful degree work means the abandoning of serious rugby.

Ian believes, along with Neil, that Varsity is the only club in senior rugby for attacking backs and like his All Black clubmate he owes much of his ability today to the fact that he has been constantly encouraged to develop his attacking talents—a feature only found in University rugby circles. He has been able, at the same time, to arrange his training in alliance with study and to pursue successfully both without detriment to either.

Hugh Williams

"I must say at the outset, that I am not very fond of the University." This unequivocal statement, by Mr Hugh Williams, solicitor, and Chairman of the Law Faculty club, was further qualified.

"Any student, who intends studying for a professional degree, and who has hopes of gaining comradeship and culture from the University, can scrap those ideas from the outset Victoria is nothing more than a degree factory."

He has applied for a scholarship which will enable him to advance his studies at Oxford University. If this hope does not eventuate, Mr Williams may study for his Masters degree at Victoria. He plans to be "just an ordinary practising lawyer."

Mr Williams, who is completing his barrister examinations, is a Wellington College Old Boy. He gained V.U. blues for his place in the university 1st XV, four times, and in those years was a Wellington Rugby representative player. He interrupted his football career a year, for the sake of his studies, and resumed this year.

He plays all other sports that he "can get his hands on."