From North, from South what tidings?
Of a friend what word in your mails,
Low smoke by the shelving shoreline,
Long roar on the sleeper-rails?

We will know something more of the other Colleges when Easter comes round and the low smoke on the ocean tells the approach of Southern friends and the long roar on the sleeper-mils heralds the approach of our brothers from the North Now they are, like us, apparently resting after football and toil of sport but really slogging for dear life against the November trials.

The Capping Ceremonies with their appropriate concomitants seem to be settling into characteristic grooves. Auckland is apparently set for comedietta, the libretto of which is written by students and the music picked up from various sources. As might be expected we verge on the political, while Otago's famous combination of waxworks, tableaux, and topical farce is as much a part of the Institution as the Mining School was. Canterbury College, however, this year departed from its old miscellaneous concert programme and performed a Moliere Comedy "Le Menteur" translated and adapted by Mr. A. E. Currie, Editor of the Canterbury College Review. It is fitting that the ceremonies should differentiate as much as possible, and fitting that one College should affect the more Classic role in comedy. It is to be hoped that the Carnivals in the different centres will continue to develope along original and divergant lines.

The humour at the actual "Capping" seems to vary with the point of view from which it is regarded. We had a "scout" at Dunedin and he took his rightful place among the "roughs" at the back of the Hall. He thought all the bits good. His page 67 mind was atune to his environment, At Christchurch he was on the platform. His point of view changed and the "points" were blunt. Even the "Hay fever" developed during the speech of Mr. J. Hay, the Equity Examiner, causing the removal of the patient from the Hall —brought only weariness of the flesh. Yet on thinking it over, our "scout" is of the opinion that things were pretty even. It occurs to us that the "Evening Post" must have viewed our "Feeble attempts at Humour" with the jaundiced eye of the platform martyr.

The Auckland Festival was successful. The street procession, which stopped occasionally to allow a representation of a local temperance advocate harangue the crowd, was less harrassed by street urchins than usual. The dramatic performance was successful and the dance a great success. Another dance lately held has shared the same fate.

The Canterbury College Football Club's First Fifteen has played through the season without winning a match. It has, however, played some good football, made plucky fights, and is content. We congratulate the club on its "grit" and are glad to think that a College Club, though it failed to score, up-held the best traditions of the game. We have hopes that Victoria College next year will show the same mettle.

Alas, the contradictions of things. The Debating Society of a University in Dun-Edin has decided that Ireland "produces the best type of man." But if one thing is more notorious about the Fair City of the South than its Scotchness, it is its preference for Prohibitionist and even Student Orators. How is it then that the "Songs and Cartoons" of Otago have four "Hotel" advertisements. The "Spike" advei tises only business which is likely to be useful to students. If the Otago Students' Association goes on the same principle the greatest needs of Otago students appear to be hair-restorer, money-to-borrow, and beer. O tempora! O mores!

At the Otago University Sports J. Davie won five first places and W. J. O'Kane two first and three second places. The times were slow owing to soft ground and bad training. O'Kane beat Davie in the mile.

Gilray, the Otago Representative three-quarter back is a mainstay of the University Team.

There is an agitation among the Students at Auckland for the use of gowns at lectures.

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A lady correspondent (Queen of Clubs) thus demolishes Canterbury College:—

Canterbury College bernoaneth its inability to form a Hockey Club, and makes a touching appeal to its fair ones to blot out the disgrace. After holding out such subtle allurements as "seductive tams," "picturesque skirts," yea, even the noble example of the two and twenty enterprising "Northerners" (Hear, hear.) the elequent Cantabrian throws down the following trump. "Surely with the soothing consciousness that our rich maroon is infinitely more becoming than the northern emerald and yellow, our girls will not hesitate now to wield the Hockey club." Our deepest sympathy, Cantab! A mind that can unblushingly describe the harmonious beauties of olive green and gold as crude "emerald and yellow" deserves anything—even a Hockey Club. Every success to your efforts, bnt pray take gentle warning, Oh soulless scribe, and as thou valuest thine aesthetic reputation in the "North," be wise and suffer henceforth in silence.

Note by the Sub-Editors of the "Spike."

[It being certain that the Editor in his modesty would not give consent to the representation of his own head as a "block," and it being certain also that he is too large to argue with, he has therefore by subtle devices been kept entirely in the dark, and he is in no way responsible for the unfortunate affair.]

Exchanges.

We beg to acknowledge the following Magazines:—

Canterbury College Review, Otago University Review, and the Wellingtonian.