Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 14, No. 6. June 7, 1951

Abbo-Erration

Abbo-Erration

Sir,—As a student also recently returned from Australia may I contradict the absurd statement of Doug Foy in his address to the Socialist Club, that the policy of the Australian Government is the extermination of the aborigine.

It is a difficult problem and their rights are not the same as those granted to our Maori friends. Many people are dissatisfied with their treatment but the fact is that aborigines, as a general rule, do not take kindly to an ordered life, are not thrifty nor industrious.

More evidence will be necessary before it can be proved that the policy is one of extermination. The aborigines receive an allowance and food. New camps are being built and attempts are being made to educate them.

It is true that the Government policy can be criticised but it cannot be called one of extermination.

Travel and Exchange

(Continued on page 7.)

No Journalist he?

Sir.—While agreeing with some of the comments of Mr. Hereford in his article on the common common room, I must object to the tedious manner in which these comments are made. I do not think that Mr. Hereford is entirely to be blamed for this; as far as I am aware, he has not written for "Salient" before; surely under those circumstances it is the duty of the Editor to cut out matter which is unnecessary, if only in order to bring out those points which are worthy of note . . . there were some in that article; obscured by qualities of padding which merely served to irritate the reader. With space at a premium this policy is one which could well be adopted in an article such as this.

M. N. Piper.

[ "Salient" is not a newspaper relying on articles alone. There are other ways of killing a white elephant than a blunt Instrument and Ms. Hereford's is one of those ways. Ed.]

If you have a thousand friends,
You have not one to spare;
But if you have an enemy,
You meet him everywhere.

DB LAGER The (great Favourite from the WAITEMATA