Liquor and Varia.

Dear "Smad,"

Now that the annual miracle of Capping Week lias been performed, it might be as well to consider certain of its aspects. First, may I suggest that we follow the example of otago University and appoint a Capping Controller? He should be a good organizer, with control over the subcommittees concerned, and could have the whole tangled business straightened weeks ahead. At present the Executive has no sooner disposed of Tournament than Capping rushes in like an avenging fury, and usually causes some damage. For instance, may I enter an emphatic protest against the neat little tag affixed to every invitation ami ticket for the Capping Ball? I understand this action was taken by the Executive as a gesture to the Council that the V.U.C. students intended to see that nothing objectionable would take place at our functions. The result was a gratuitous insult to recipients of the missive, which was especially to be deplored, as such recipients were either the guests of honour or else people who had their suspicions about objectionable behaviour at the Tournament Ball, already roused by ill-advised newspaper comments (mainly from people who were nowhere mar the hall on the ceeasion, and therefore spoke from hearsay). Such an emphatic notification would confirm these suspicions. If the Council had to be re-assured surely it would have been better to give a guarantee for good behaviour at the Ball as well as at the Ceremony, and then to make an announcement to that effect at the various shows after the Revue and at the Undergrads.' Supper. Instead, our guests were bluntly told to come sober and stay sober or else stay outside.

The result may be imagined. Many people, going on the maxim, "a Country gets the laws it deserves," are fully convinced that all V.U.C. students must be a desperate set of drunkards if such stringent rules require to be imposed. Furthermore, the Capping Bail to most people was a good dance, but a wash-out as an evening's fun. This was certainly not due to the lack of liquor. As successive Undergrads Suppers have proved, we at V.U.C. can enjoy ourselves without liquor. There was liquor at the Capping Ball and none at the Undergrads.' Supper the previous night. People who were at both functions enjoyed the Undergrads Supper far more, and I am convinced the reason for the ruin of the Ball was the "one whoopee and you're drunk" attitude most people present thought the Executive took.

All the Executive intended to do was to stop objectionable behaviour, and rightly so. However. by their tactlessness they have completely alienated the sympathy of reasonable students who support their policy but certainly not the manner in which it was carried out. Such a stringent rule engendered a feeling of hostility and suspicion which was not dispelled all the long night through. Finally, according to the wording of the rule, any person who consumed liquor in or about the hall should have been expelled. I regret to say it, but many there present should have been expelled had the Exec, enforced the rule as strictly as it had been drafted, but the conduct of such persons was otherwise exemplary. Such people do not wish to break rules and are opposed to objectionable behaviour, but they consider the Exec, have made a laughingstock of themselves and of the College whose fair name they attempted to preserve.

R. J. Labkin.