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SMAD. An Organ of Student Opinion. 1935. Volume 6. Number 14.

It Came to the Ears

It Came to the Ears.

Dear "Smad,"

Owing to the fact that I am ill, I am considerably handicapped in writing this letter. Its main justification is, of necessity, founded on the testimony of others. However I feel that I can rely on the honesty of three people who were present at the Annual General Meeting and who have informed me of McGhie's remarks at that meeting.

In an endeavour to explain the outgoing Executive's conduct in regard to Mr. Phillips, I understand that McGhie, at the commencement of his speech, stated: "It had come to the ears of the Executive that Mr. Phillips wanted to write a full length Extravaganza."

Now Mr. Phillips, quite rightly, has washed his hands of the whole disgraceful affair and would not consider replying to the Secretary's blatant misinterpretation. I know that you, Sir, will appreciate Mr. Phillips' position—a position into which he has been forced owing to the last Executive's undignified injustice and petty meanness. I feel, therefore, that someone should see that McGhie's remark is refuted. It is too important to be ignored. Does it not insinuate that Mr Phillips was "a pedlar" carrying a three-act revue about town, which he was hoping the beneficent Executive would buy?

This is, of course, absolutely untrue, and the Secretary should know that it is. As a matter of fact, a local amateur society had approached Mr. Phillips at this time, inviting him to write a three-act comedy which would have been produced by the society on completion.

From July onwards last year it was the Executive, or its members, both officially and unofficially, who from time to time approached Mr. Phillips asking him to write a three-act revue. Mr. Phillips told Mr. Burns that, for private reasons, he would be unable to make a decision till the end of August, and Mr. Burns was satisfied with this tentative arrangement. In August Mr. Phillips finally agreed to accept the Executive's request to write the whole revue.

The question of the £15/15/- I shall leave out. It is patent that Mr. Phillips had to deal with a body whose sole interest was money—not, as he thought, with a number of friends who were keen to give our traditional celebrations an added effect by enlisting, and paying for, the services of one who was not a member of the Students' Association.

Is it not obvious that the Executive were determined to "make money"? Who could they wish for to further their ends better than Mr. Phillips. It is clear to me that they were determined to have a snappy show, a show written, produced and headed by the man whose name and fame would draw the biggest crowd. The Executive approached Mr. Phillips, re-approached him, and have now reproached him. "It had come to the cars of the Executive." I challenge McGhie to substantiate his statement.

And lastly, I would like to ask those members of the Executive who wished to honour their obligations to Mr. Phillips, why they did not speak at the Annual General Meeting to refute McGhie's misleading remark, which a large audience must have accepted under the circumstances as authoritative and truthful, or does membership of the Executive mean abandonment of the principles of right and justice?

J. Nesbitt Sellers.