Frollick Exposed

Sir—concerning your editorial in Salient 3 September issue, you state that casual sexual encounters warrant the installation of a contraceptive vending machine at this univnsity and further, that students should encourage the installation of such machines on other public places. We should disregard public goodwill to the university and all that this means in terms of more and better facilities, in order to keep up the female studcnt population and keep down the unwanted baby quota (hopefully). However, to call perfectly normal and healthy humanitly repulsive and yet give no mention to the revolting consequences of indiscriminate fornication seems a little cock-eyed [sic].

For instance, the incidence of clap has risen 60% since last year. Never fear of course, this can be cured. Trouble is, most females don't find out they're with iI 'till rather late and then, there are appearing strains resistant to modern penicillin treatment, so back to the good old days of uncomfortable, prolonged cure (hopefully). Strongly enough, victims of social disease take a pathological delight in passing it on, so you're encouraging what sensibly, you would be trying to eradicate. University students of all people should be the ones to discourage conduct governed by the glands instead of the head. psychologically and physiologically these casual relationships have been shown to be detrimental and the type of contraceptive which would be available frequently fails to do the job properly anyway. Even if it lessens the risk of V.D. it doesn't remove it. Besides, you need vaseline . . . .

If anyone is under the misconception that the frenchie means no need to take a drenchie then think again It's no sugar-coated pill man, plenty will still end up in the good old family way and as Chi-Chi said to An-An, "The Russians will never forgive us if you get the pox baby!"

Yeh! etc.

Louise Follick

and G. Andre.

[Use of French letters makes the spread of venereal diseases less likely.—ed.]

and again

Sir—The current spate of election guff prompted me to put forward a commemorative chanson:

Putting on the agony, putting on the style.
That's just what the in crowd' are doing alt the while;
And as I look around me I'm very apt to smile,
To see so many status-seekers putting on the style.

Neil Wright up at Forum, waving with all his might,
Glory! Hallelujah! put the Christians in a fright;
You might think it's Billy Graham coming up the aisle,
But it's really only 'doubting Tom' putting on the style.

Peretz at election speech, smokes a dirty pipe,
Looking like a pumpkin that's only half-way ripe;
Making empty promises & shouting all the while,
That there is nothing equal to putting on the style.

See the young exec, member, in his charcoal grey,
Talking with some student reps. who've come to have their say;
Sitting at the pane! desk & wearing a toothpaste smile,
That's the executive putting on the style.

Young man just from law school, makes a big display,
With a great big policy which he can hardly say;
It's not in the Concise Oxford & won't be for a while,
But everybody knows he's only puting on the style.

Twenty-four and two degrees looking mighty slick,
Wants to get elected to be "just tops man" right quick;
Beats his breast and hollers and waves his arms awhile,
But we know he's only putting on the style.
Repeat the first verse.
Up the bloody ratrace.

I am etc.,

SCM Protest

Sir—It seems to me that Mr Harcourt has failed to comprehend the visit of the NZSCM General Committee to the Russian and Czech legations.

The General Committee, which is composed of representatives of all university SCMs, was meeting in Lower Hutt when news of the invasion came through. Having carefully prepared a statement criticising the Russians and supporting the Czechs, we wished the statement to be personally presented to both legations, Had we merged| with the Vic. lot at the Russian legation it might not have been clear to those watching from inside or to news media, that an additional statement, (therefore strengthening the protest!) was being made.

Mr. Harcourt probably did not observe that most of the group merged with the Vic. protesters immediately the statement had been presented.

From there to the Czech legation, where we presented the same statement. Just as we were leaving, who should appear but some of the Vic. protesters, who perchance had followed us(?).

No, Mr Harcourt, our protest is certainly no holier than yours, if indeed the basis of protests is holiness at all, but it is usually the case that two distinct voices sound louder than one.

Yours sincerely,

Barbara Wards.

President Vuwscm.

[David Harcourt replies: "Miss Wards defends the right of the SCM to its independent protest. Fair enough. In the vigil diary I only sought to convey the immediate impressions of some of us who were there. I have asked several of these people if they agree with my view that the SCM people were distinctly snooty. They do."—ed.]

You have coit us

Sir—The argument in your editorial was incomplete because of your failure to refer to birth control methods other than artificial contraceptives. They cost nothing and will not require Students' Association sponsorship. Effective in many cases: coitus interruptus. effective in most cases: rhythm. Effective in all cases: No.

The last method has the merit of contravening no valid code of morality and offers the most efficacious means of birth control. I trust that the simple No will appeal to the majority of students whose standards of morality are more soundly based, less permissive and more self-respecting than the standards reflected in your editorial.

The choice is not simply between contraceptives and unwanted babies. Surely the initial choice is between indulging in sexual intercourse and refraining from it. Thus it was naive to reduce the question to "whether contraceptives should be encouraged, or unwanted babies."

The first question facing individuals is therefore whether or not to have sexual relations. If the answer is "yes", then the next question is whether or not the couple want a child. Only if the answer to that is "No" is the question of contraception or birth control relevant.

Yours faithfully,

J. M. von Dadelszen.

[It is obvious that a number of students will have sexual relations. There is no evidence that the availability of contraceptives increases the frequency of fornication—ed.]

Drag

Sir—When is the 'Campus Hillclimb and Dragster Club' to seek affiliation with the Stud. Assn.? Perrhaps this is impossible due to the fact its composition is 90% faculty members.

The main entrance drive to the faculty car park in front of the Hunter Building is n popular wall with students entering the university from the cable car and that general direction. However at the some time faculty members are speeding to university and speeding up the drive. Several tines mysself and other students have had to dash for the lawn to avoid being mowed.

At the bottom of the drive there are unreadable remnants of a white sign painted on the road and at the top. in letters which could only be described as 'miserable' or 'cute', the words "MAX. Speed 10 M.P.H." painted on the road.

I have to see a single car fail to exceed this speed on the drive.

If a student even points a motor-bike or motor-scooter at the university he is reminded by a kindly elderly gentleman in blue with his abbreviated and lowered police dog that such an action is against university regulations.

When will we see this same fatherly figure reminding faculty members of the 10 mph speed limit on campus?

Gerard ?

Sir—What is the student world coming to! I note that Gerard Curry is our President-elect. A photo on page 2 of last week's Salient shows him as a longhaired bearded git in sunglasses, and someone who is alleged to be Gerard Guthrie with a finger (left index) right up his nostril. Perhaps something stinks.

Yours, etc.

Gerard Guthrie.

[Apologies to Mr Guthrie for the transposition of names, and to Mr Curry for our suggestion on another page, that he had been president of the Catholic Society—ed.]

Our Image

Sir—I could hardly believe my ears when I tuned in to "Saturday Miscellany" once at the end of July. The president of the Student Teachers" Association, Victoria University, was expounding his views on student behaviour, doing more damage to the student image in five minutes than our best politicians could manage in half an hour. With wide-eyed innocence he allowed the interviewer to coax from him words to the effect that most students who joined demonstrations were there simply to have a good time, that they have just bought a duffle coat and are trying frantically to grow a beard in order to accord with the image because it is the "thing to do" and that students like to hide behind the collective identity, each thinks he won't be the one to get caught for irresponsible behaviour and so the ones at the back start the pushing and disorder in demonstrations.

I realise that such comments do wonders for the personal image of the speaker, and that he at least will now have rubbed out all traces of the nasty smear "student" by promising that he proposes to be a respectable citizen, in spite of what the others do. But can't these clean-cut students disassociate themselves from the rest without condemning their behaviour in best goody-goody style? I'm sure that Parliament on a certain wet, cold Wednesday was the last place to enjoy oneself, and after all the origns of the duffle coat and construction workers parka fashions were their economical prices, tailored to fit the bursaries which Mr. McKinnon seems to think are alireadv too high. Maybe loyalty is old fashioned, but surely no student should push his own image by feeding the public a scruffy picture of the restl

Non-political

Sir—With reference to Andy Easton's letter which appeared in Salient 18, I should like-to point out that the International Club is non-political and does not select speakers on the basis of their opinions. It so happens that the speakers we do invite to this university ore those who are hero at the invitation of the government. If it were possible tor us to present speakers with the opposite viewpoints, I assure Mr Easton we would have no hesitation in doing so.

Another point on which he has gone astray is his comment on overseas students. Of course they are not a representative selection. They are either students who have earned the right to be here through scholarship, or those whose parentent have sufficient funds to send them here. However, as to the diversity of opinion, I think Mr Easton would find that if he spoke to a sufficient number of overseas students, he would find that their views differ quite radically, and some of them do not support the opinions of their nationals who are visiting New Zealand. (He would have found this had he attended the lectures by Tun Razak and Mr Thanat Khoman.) Mr Easton would do well to make sure of his assertions before blurting them out in print.

More Fame

Sir—Some spendthrift named Richard Stacey bitched in Salient last week about the Students' Association spending $14 on a cable condemning Russian action in Czechoslovakia.

Stacey's share of the bill is by my rough estimation, .274 cents. A cheque for this amount has been made out to Mr Stacey and awaits collection from the Salient office.

International Club

Sir—In a letter in Salient Andy Easton mentions the "one-sided viewpoints of many of the International Club's guest speakers'. I made the arrangements for some of these speakers, and assert there was no question of partiality—the International Club is pragmatic, not political, and invites whichever visiting overseas leaders are available. Andy Easton should realise it is a little difficult to get such speakers from "the other side" when our government does not invite any of them to visit the country.