The Way We Dress

There is a lot to be said for the traditional university where students stroll in gown and mortar board across the cloistered quadrangles, mainly because the gown hides the undergarments and the mortar board the hairdo. There is little to be said for the traditional dress of the New Zealand student. Still, let it be said.

You have heard our society comment on undergraduate garb. The attitude, you will have gathered, is that a student is by definition disreputable. There are corollaries, e.g. disreputable behaviour implies disreputable living habits, habitats, and habiliment.

It ain't necessarily that way round. What is far more important, you will discover, as you begin to live a full student's life (not to be confused with the life of a full student) is the argument posed by demands of comfort and income.

A student has (i.e. should have) a uniquely busy, hurried and demanding life, carried out over large distances, devoted to action (physical and mental), a life in which there is little room for relaxation and none for the application of hairoil or eyeshadow. Where the first neccessities are concentration on study and traversing of distances between places of study, comfort is vital and physical appearance highly irrelevant.

A student has, moreover, an often limited income. One of the few real equalities here offered is that of finance. The rare student with money to burn will get nowhere by burning it on campus.

And so the disreputable garb.

Men: Asphyxiation in lectures involves subsequent copying out of friend's notes —if your mother insists on ties in summer, remove same before entering university. Nobody will be impressed by your ability to dry-clean and replenish a wardrobe of suits. Duffle-coals are waterproof, and mature rather than wear out. But please, consider your knees and their audience before you wear shorts.

Women: Stilettos here look merely silly. The stairs, and the hills, are specially designed to make freshettes pay (literally) for wearing high heels. This is a university, not a garden party. Remark also applicable to dress, makeup and hairdo—a naked back goes blotchy on the lawn, a tight skirt betrays your clumsiness on the cloister steps, and if you can find time to prevent pancake makeup from reverting to batter, you'll fail at the end of the year.

Clothes

There Is an arrogance to the student's untidiness. But because it is sensible to be comfortable here, and because fashion rarely caters for comfort, we declare our own form of fashion. Not because its clever. Please…

But wait! There is another way to dress too. This has been evolved with the appearance of distinctive university clothes, so that you can leave people in no doubt of your origin. First put on a T-shirt with the University crest across its while front. Over this you can wear a University blazer, and around your neck wrap a University scarf. A quick visit to the Cafeteria shop, and a lapel pin appears in your buttonhole. (With this pin goes a little bit of snobbery. The ordinary pin shows the coat of arms. Above the Weir House model appears the letter W. Executive members wear the pin with a symbolic gold lion on top).

This fetching ensemble may seem to leave no place for the University tie. Hardened student have however found that the tie may be used as a belt to support a pair of jeans.

All these garments may be obtained from various suppliers downtown. It is necessary to get an authority form from the Association office to purchase a blazer.

Drinks Anyone?

One of the advantages of imbibbing is that it keeps the other fellow's taxes down.

Imagine — about 50 per cent of the price of each glass of beer goes to the dear old Treasury as a "direct" contribution to the country's revenue; a minimum of 4/3 in the £1 of the bartender's taxable income is wafted away to the same place, while the brewery, or whoever happens to own it, pays 50 per cent of its trading profit in taxes. And don't forget the shareholder — he pays up to 7- in the £1 on any dividends he receives from your efforts. Wellington provides well over 35 golden opportunities where you can assist in this process, although it is not recommended if you are less than 21 years —in fact it is illegal for you to increase the tax revenues by drinking in an hotel!

While in this writer's humble opinion, the majority of the brews cannot be compared with some of the full-bodied overs varieties, there are many fine hostelries whore the student can add his contribution to the mixture of beer, spirits, cigarette ash ground-in pic crusts, potato and other vegetables, which are so readily absorbed by the carpets which are being laid to make the bars appear more attractive and to support the New Zealand carpet manufacturers — the carpets last about four or five years before falling to pieces, and it isn't very pleasant pulling them up.

Hotels

This is all part of a general move to keep the drinker happy. Hence the provision — at a small chat — of rather pleasant meals. The student is placed in the position of having a refill. many places to eat, at a reasonable cost, and even on Saturdays. And if you do not want to drink your favourite alcoholic beverage, there is a jug of iced water, provided primarily for the whisky-drinker, but readily available to the dedicated student who wants to do his best in examinations or take-in important lectures.

The majority of students seem to frequent only a limited number of the available hotels — and these are usually within walking distance of the University. A pity, as there are a number of very pleasant Bars in other parts of the City. Consequently, the suggestions which follow miss out a largo number of establishments which also provide good service, food and Cool beer.

St. George: One of the pubs on the Saturday night party circuit. A choice in menu.

Royal Oak: The Bistro provides a varied menu — and it is one of the few Bars where you can take your 21-year-old girl friend.

Grand: A varied menu — but you normally have to Stand to eat.

Barretts: One main dish, with toasted sandwiches and other bread meals. No seating, though.

Midland: The "Legal" hotel. A choice in menu, but again no seating. On the Saturday party circuit, too, what's more.

De Bretts: One main dish, with bread rolls etc., and "Waitemata every time!"

But as in cocktail drinking, experiment… there are other hotels — the Pier Gresham, Duke, Brittania, Princess, Tramway… and so many, many others.

P.S. Strike a blow for hygiene — insist on a clean glass Everytime you get.

Entertainment In Wellington

Wellington is well-provided for in theatres and cinemas. The Town Hall, Opera House, and St James theatres regularly cater to overseas companies and musicians and also some local productions. Smaller theatres are available in the Town Hall. Concert Chamber and the University's own Memorial Theatre. The local Unity Theatre group is attempting to develop a theatre in Aro St.

A new venture is Downstage Theatre, which has converted the Walkabout coffee lounge in Courtenay Place into a theatre cafe. Most student talent find its expression in Drama Club, Revue Club and Extravaganza productions.

Wellington has two specialist or art cinemas, showing overseas films of high artistic merit. The older established, the Paramount International, has done much to show Wellingtonians that the cinema is an art form as well as an entertainment. The Lido opened in 1064, being re-built from the former Tudor continuous cinema. The other "chain" cinemas are the Majestic, Embassy, Regent and St. James (all Kerridge-Odeon), and the Kings, State and Plaza (Amalgamated Theatres). Two small independants are the Roxy and the Princess. The latter often includes Older films of interest in its programme.

Suburban theatres have become a rapid casually to the Tv. screen. Still surviving in Wellington itself are the Ascot and Rivolli (Newtown), the Regal (Karori) and the Kinema (Kilbirnie).

Theatres

Two film societies also attract a student following. The Wellington Film Society (Box 1584, Wellington) offers a special membership rate to students and holds monthly screenings. The V.U.W. Film Society holds frequent screenings in the Memorial Theatre.

A small cinema often overlooked is the Shell Theatrette, on the ground floor of Shell House. Information and documentary films are often shown here, free of charge. Showings are advertised in Wellington papers.

City Is Famous For Coffee Bars

The ephemeral world of Wellington coffee bars can never be captured in an article.

Each week some change comes—an old favourite closes or a brash newcomer opens; the subtle differences of one fade into harsh commercial dullness— a list of coffee bars could never be complete, never up to date.

At last count there were over eighty coffee bars in central Wellington. It is improbable that any student will fail to find exactly what he seeks in this wide assortment. From the Budapest of Molesworth St. to the Step-a-side of the Basin Reserve, from the Students' Association to the Beachcomber of Oriental Bay, they offer warmth, company, entertainment —and food.

Popular day-time coffee bars (in no particular order) include the Coffee Gallery above Roy Parson's bookshop, the Sans Souci in Cable Car Lane, the Rendezvous in Lambton Quay, the Sphinx just off Willis St., the Dolphin in Farish St., and the Matterhorn in Cuba St. One or two others may be found referred to in the article on restaurants.

Coffee Bars

For students, coffee bar life begins at night. For many students living in crowded board or depressing flats, coffee bars provide an inexpensive place to relax in comfort. The following list is coloured by personal prejudice — as it cannot avoid being — and is not complete. The order is strictly haphazard.

Casa Fontana: Victoria St. Still the top bar for the formal evening. Moderate prices.

Monde Marie: Roxburgh St. (off Marjoribanks St., alongside the Embassy theatre). Known as Marie's to countless students, and famous for its folk-singing and its food. There's no other place quite like it.

Budapest: 46 Molesworth St. A most attractive coffee bar which also offers meals.

Sorrento: 81 Ghuznee St. Wellington's top coffee and striptease bar.

The Grotto: Upper Cuba St. A comfortable and attractively decorated coffee bar. Good coffee. One of the best Tv. coffee bars in town.

Beachcomber: Oriental Bay. A fairly large coffee bar noted for lis catering, Above is a restaurant, the Copper Room, which is one of Wellington's top restaurants.

The Windmill: 292 Wakefield St. A coffee bar with a Dutch emphasis.

Chez Paree: Marjoribanks St. An attractive coffee bar in the Embassy theatre building, also offering folk singing.

Tete-a-Tete: Herbert St., off Manners St. A good coffee bar with a wide food range. Offers iced coffee.

Matterhorn: Cuba St. Partly open-air, open on Friday and Saturday nights only. One of the few coffee bars serving iced coffee.

Left Bank: Upper Willis St. A very small coffee bar with good coffee and a late closing hour.

Wellington Eating

Eating out in Wellington can be an evening in itself, even at a relatively low price. Wellington abounds in restaurants and hotels offering all types of meals at all hours.

Most hotels welcome lunch-hour diners. One which makes a specialty of a low-price mid-day meal is the Pier, on the wharf side of the G.P.O.

Most students, of course, dine at the University at mid-day. Those seeking meals downtown will find restaurants readily enough.

Those socking social elegance will find it in the top hotels such as the Waterloo, St. George, De Bretts or Royal Oak, and in the licensed restaurants — Jolly Frog (Lambton Quay) Zodiac (Willis St.), New Embassy (Manners St.), Normandie. Orsinis, Lotus (all Cuba St.).

Those with a first thought for their stomach will have a second thought for the price and be seeking something more modest.

If you are looking for breakfast, a good place is the Railway Station, but unfortunately this dining room is not open in the evenings.

One of the top restaurants in the middle price field is the Mallo Castle, in central Cuba St. Others handy to the university include the Nanking and the Casablanca in Willis St., and a little further along the street the Momenta.

The majority of Chinese restaurants are in or about Courtenay Place. (An exception is the Nanking). Taking quantity and quality into account, they offer the least expensive meals available in town in the evenings.

Restaurants

Coffe bars at the same end of town offer meals in addition. The Monde Marie, the Intermezzo and the International Lounge may be mentioned as examples of the different types.

The restaurants mentioned in this article can all be recommended to the discriminating student. However, many others exist and those with sense of adventure in food should seek them out.