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Even before Capping Day last when Mr. Holland sprang on an unwary public the news of his latest efforts to make the pound buy more, the economic position of students, as of wage- earners, was lukewarm. The official Abstract of Statistics for 1948/59 showed that the proportion of the National Income going to the wage and salary earners had dropped by 14 per cent, at compared with 1938/89, and trade unions were asking for a general increase in wages. Similarly, at Easter Conference of the N.Z. University Students' Association this year, requests for an increase in Junior and Senior Scholarships to meet rising living costs, was added to a revival of the 1948 Bursary Scheme proposed by the New Zealand Student Labour Federation.
In that year, the S.L.F. National Executive put forward a proposal for an "Improved and Rationalised Bursary Scheme." It began by reviewing the current position. Even then. Ordinary National Bursaries £20 p.8., 2342 granted in
It was pointed out that Sir David Smith had said ( January 17, 1946): "There seems to be to be an obligation upon the University to explore ways and means of ensuring that students are free to devote their whole time during college terms to University work." And California's Dean McHenry, at that time visiting New Zealand, had said: "... I have grave doubts that part-time education is the best method of learning."
Following the year, the "lost generation" had the chance of wholesale hand-outs in the form of Rehab, bursaries. They were dwindling off in The money that was found so readily to pursue the arts of war must now be found to pursue the arts of peace."
After some reference to the Australian Commonwealth Financial Assistance Scheme, granting full-time living allowances of £117 or £156 (depending on whether the student lives at home or not) to students straight from school, the Federation suggested that a similar scheme might replace the present bursary muddle in New Zealand.
They proposed:—
That such bursaries be awarded to full-time students on the basis of a quota to faculties such as for example the following: Agriculture 120, Arts 300, Commerce 170, Dental and Medical 100, Engineering 60, Science 130, All Others 130. "These figures have been calculated on the basis of the proportion of students in each faculty in
These proposals were unanimously endorsed by the
NZUSA August Conference the same year adopted the proposals in principle and set up a subcommittee to investigate the situation further before presenting them to the Government. But the sub-committee never met.
It took a resolution from Congress
This committee is now faced with the additional increases in living costs. Massey College students estimated at the beginning of the year that the average degree student had to spend £154 14s in a college year (on college fees, books, board, etc.). yet could derive an income of only £86 from the best bursary. A similar position obtained in all other colleges. But it is now far worse. Mr. Holland's (mythical) 4% increase in the cost of living has affected Weir House board to the extent of 50% £2 tor £3 per week.—"Evening Post," 26.5.50. Y.M.C.A. board has risen from £2 16s 3d to £2 19s for a single room. Railway fares, the cost of meals, clothes, books, all affect students. In fact, as has been pointed out, the wage increases following on the price rises will naturally be put down by the manufacturers as "increased costs," and be made the excuse for further price increases in all commodities. Thus our economic system works.
Quite apart, then, from the standing need for more adequate bursaries to increase the proportion of fulltime students, there is an immediate and urgent need for a larger allowance to meet the sudden bump-up in the dally draw on our pockets. The wage-earners need it. The students need It.
(P.S. Moreover we will find that in
In The Penguin series, excellent as they always are, there has been something of a tendency over the last couple of years to become removed from the sense of closeness to present affairs which characterised their beginnings.
This is remedied—though it is only a minor criticism—by the issue of Konni Zillicus' "I Choose Peace." The author, in bad odour with both the Labour Party and the Communist Party (the Tories have never been lovers of his views as you will see if you read the thing) wrote it, we suppose, in the spare time afforded him after his expulsion from the Labour Party last year.
It is a sane, level headed documentation of his views on world affairs—dating back to
But Zilliacus sees most of Russian policy as being understandably somewhat cynical about our attitudes to them—since the Archangel expedition tried to squash them in their inception it has been ever present, but they made countless honest attempts, particularly with Litvinov, to come to understanding with the West. We wanted little of it. How did the Russians feel about our talk of "Anglo-Russian friendship" when it became clear that in
His second argument is that it is our policy rather than Russian policy which is aggressive. In Greece we started by refusing to allow a fair political activity: we have continued to regard Greece as a base for our own millitary actions in the Middle East. British policy in Palestine suffers from the same outlook—that of preventing right of access to warm water ports. Zilliacus criticises Bevin's policy from start to finish, and notes that it was Bevin rather than US diplomats, who started the "get tough with Russia" policy.
On the subject of the Atlantic Pact he has amassed an amount of information: the conclusion is clear that it operates in complete disregard of the obligations under the United Nations Charter. This book is throughout well documented. Some diplomats will possibly think that he is being a little unfair in reminding them of the things they said a little way back.
The final summing up of the needs of future policy is sane in the extreme. Unfortunately, it appears that our need for prestige rather than peace is likely to prevent any genuine steps being taken to achieve peace: and the equally insane desire to attack any criticism of our society as "communist" inspired directly from the Kremlin, is the fuel which keeps the cold war going.
Zilliacus is mostly concerned to criticise the present attitude of British foreign policy towards Russia, and to suggest ways by which the present tension might be relaxed. We can only bewail the fact that none of the existing leaders of world opinion—except that almost last refuge of hope, Trygve Lie—shares any of the level-headed lack of bias which Zilliacus displays.
The book is well worth reading: the information contained in it is very well set out, and there is a great deal of it—the stuff which is fact, not abuse. Penguin Books are to be congratulated on affording to one who is, by newspaper standards, beyond the pale, the right to remind the majority of its insanity.
Lost from Women's Common Shelves between 5th and 20th April approx.
20 Women's Gym Tunica.
Will the present holders retura as soon as possible since the lack of Tunica is proving very embarrassing to the girls
Victoria has never been really popular in Wellington—but it has never been overlooked by the local citizens. In a community which is predominantly commercial, it isn't surprising that there is often a need for reminding about other values, other ideals. The university which points out these things often becomes disliked. By its very position above the city, the place is likely to be regarded as a boil on the neck of the community; an inconvenient institution for dragging up better-forgotten faults.
So it may be expected that we will often be criticised, by our community. This is nothing to worry about—we should need to start worrying if we didn't raise a hue and cry occasionally.
But we personally would like to think that when we get ourselves unpopular, it's for something worthwhile, something we believe is a cause worth sticking our necks out for.
Among the causes of unpopularity, we don't see any need to include sheer hooliganism as justifiable. There may be every reason why students should be allowed to work off that joie de vivre which accumulates: but that doesn't justify hooliganism. Some sense of responsibility should be more evident in students than in the ordinary populace; there is no reason, unfortunately, to believe that this is so. Senior officers of this association have many times had to complain about behaviour around the place. The latest grouch which the Executive understandably carries is about behaviour at the last Extrav. party. We think that it is just about time the more responsible students gave these hooligans something to bring them to their sense; perhaps a fine now and again where the offenders can be tracked down, or maybe the more stringent penalty of suspension from Stud. Ass. activities.
The good we can do as gadflies for the community is too often vitiated because the community refuses to lend adequate weight to the opinions of what it is able to regard as "a pack of irresponsible." We would very much like to see the citizenry deprived of the use of this abusive weapon, and the only way to remove it is to control the hooligans.
I. Letter writers are reminded that no letters will normally be published which exceed 250 words. They will stop at the 249th, followed by the word "cut" in brackets.
1. Copy for any issue closes on the Saturday before its publication.
May I as (to borrow your phrase) "the acknowledged leader of the Debating Society," apologise on its behalf for the "Night of Terror" we are alleged to have inflicted upon these babes.
In fairness to the Society's officers, however, it should be stated that the ladies did hand their names to me prior to the debate, as willing to take part in it.
However, it is not the custom of "Old Debaters" to bait innocent freshers but on the other hand the Society has always prided
The Society welcomes members, especially freshers, to its debates, and is willing to arrange a debate on any subject suggested by any student if in our desire to offer fellowship to those young ladies, we created the impression that we wished to hurry them to "forensic destruction" we again offer our apologies.
We will be pleased, and indeed will look forward to, welcoming the lasses in question to our future debates, once they have sufficiently composed themselves after their initial entry into our ranks.—J.D.M.
*
Sir,—Rejected by countless Annual General Meetings, spittoons are now ours—and not just for the Women's Common Room.
They are to be found in the Library, two to each reading table, just where they are wanted.
The tops are rather small—only a half inch or so wide, but we'll soon get into practice.
.Lastweek, Mr. Bisley, Dominion Secretary of the ISS addressed a meeting of VUC Club representatives. His aim was to give a summary of the activities of ISS and to direct those present into realising ways of achieving those aims
Mr. Braybrooke chaired the meeting which—perhaps because it was held early—was poorly attended. Our reporter found it hard to hear anyway because of the high wind and the death rattle of the window catches, so maybe we missed some of the points raised.
The speaker explained that the fundamentals of the ISS programme were international education, the understanding of student problems in other countries, and research. An example of the proposed ISS research in N.Z. is the scheme to investigate whether there may be too many students. Among the tutorial suggestions to the ISS were questions concerning the number of students in the University, and its relation to academic standards. The question of a publication along the lines of "University World" was also put forward as a suitable topic for discussion.
Theory without practice is sterile. So there is a need for practical steps being taken towards achieving the basic aims of ISS work. Each of the colleges in N.Z. have taken under their wing a college in Asia. VUC's protege is Punjab University: Otago, Rangoon: CUC, Indonesia: and AUC, the Sind. Mr. Bisley mentioned this as practical step towards understanding and assisting students overseas. Another burning question was that of displaced students: though he personally had got several students settled here. Secondly schools are also helping as well as university, in this work.
The tentative date for ISS work day is June 17th, and details of this will be given later through Salient.
Question. What is the "Small Dark Room?
Answer. No, It's not what you think it is at all; the trouble is that you've been reading too much of this year's Cappicade. Mind you, it does bear a general resemblance in parts. The blokes who inhabit the Small Dark Room are specialists. . .
Q. . . . I told you so!
A. . . . not so fast—they are specialists scientists who help the war effort.
Q. And how do they do this?
A. Well they spend a lot of their time gazing at bottles of whisky and wishing that they could be drowning their sorrows in drink.
Q. What are all the sorrows about?
A. Well there is a girlfriend ( her proper name is Kathleen Byron, and it did seem a pity to waste her on something like this) and her main job to help win the war is to see that her man ain't too tight to work.
Q. What sort of scientists are they?
A. As one of the characters says, they're "frightfully hush hush. . . but they do investigate mysterious bombs which drop and blow Innocent children and soldiers to pieces.
Q. Is that all they do?
A. Well they do take parts in surrealist sequenced with giant bottles and superb superimposition and things.
Q. Why?
A. Mostly because Nigel Balchin stressed the diplomaniac side of it, and Powell and Pressburger once paid 1/6 to see Billy Wilder's "Lost Weekend" and they couldn't resist having a scene like this in it.
Q. Is the Small Dark Room really small and dark?
A. Well, as for the darkness, unfortunately not enough, but it certainly isn't small—it's 9600 feet long.
Q. Doesn't seem too small.
A. No, but it could well have been reduced after the quite good scene on the beach which almost makes the film worth while, because like "Red Shoes" Powell and Pressburger didn't know when the end should come.
Q. There, I said it had something to do with the other sort of small room.
A. Yes, anyone would have thought that it would have been obvious where the end should have gone.
Q. How did it end, anyway?
A. Well it spent most of it's time in putting down the spirits rather than raising them, but at the end Sammy looks over his girl friend's shoulder after having been made a major and renounces the whisky and he's going to start a research unit for Leslie Banks. . . . .
Q. Wat's he doing there?
A. Hiding behind a moustache looking fearfully military, but don't interrupt, and Sammy is going to squash that frightful advertising man and stop Taylor from being shifted away and have his leg fixed up and stop knocking over the lamp and busting photos with pokers. . . .
Q. Hey! Wait a moment What have all this to do with Winning the War in the Small Dark Room?
A. We didn't know and neither did the film.—Jiminy Critic.
On Friday, May 5, Mr. Holland an Minister of Finance, announced the reduction or abolition of subsidies on butter, milk, eggs, bread, tea, flour, coal and wool, and imminent increases in the cost of railway fares and freights, and telephone charges. This step has been estimated by Mr. Holland to bring about a gross saving in Government expenditure of up to £12m per year.
All these commodities and services are, in economic terms, in inelastic demand. That is, they are basic for living and, with an increase in price as caused by such a move as this, will suffer no decrease in demand. Hence the same amounts will be used as before, but more money will be needed to do so; as a result the £ will buy less and the cost of living will rise. Mr. Holland realises this, and estimates that (disregarding the wool subsidy, the abolition of which will not be effected until next season) the resultant increase in the cost of living will be About 4%.To meet this increase "the Government would immediately draw the attention of the Arbitration Court to the removal of subsidies so that that factor could be taken into account and a cost of living bonus declared to compensate for higher costs." In addition, "Social Security Benefits would be increased and special provision made for those thrifty people whose small incomes are derived from their own resources. Primary producers will get higher payments to compensate for their increased costs in production."
"Before analysing the effects of Mr. Holland's policy statement, two other remarks of his should be noted. He said, "it will be necessary to find some millions of pounds to meet the cost of the new military training scheme authorised by the people last year. Then we must make provision to stop a recurrence of the deficit in the Social Security Fund."
What will be the consequences of these actions? Mr. Holland says that the removal of subsidies will lead to a rise in the cost of living of about 4%. Mr. Holland has here left us at the real beginning of the problem. As that well-known Tory economist; Professor Tocker, said, "if prices rise, on an average and over the whole field it will have been caused less by the abolition of subsidies than by changes such as the devaluation of sterling and proposed increases in wages and social security benefits, and subsequently in costs."
So we find that in all spheres the cost of production will rise because the basic cost of labour will rise. While it is certain that a very large percentage of business firms are capable of meeting this most modest increase in costs out of profit, it is equally certain that in Free Enterprise Planless Capitalist Society they will not be required to do so and in fact will be allowed—nay, encouraged—to make greater profits to make allowances for their own increase in the cost of living and to give them greater "incentives" to ....? (increase their profits perhaps?). After all subsidy removal on flour and increased labour costs may cause an increase in the cost of a bun to 1½d, but the actual price will be 1½d. But the public suffers this sort of thing.
Thus throughout the whole economy increased prices will act and react on increased costs. The subsidy on coal is lifted. That together with increased labour charges raises the price of coal ex mine. The removal of the subsidy on freight costs still further will be added to the coal cost. The cost of coal thus raised to NZR still further raises operating costs and must be later met by another cumulative increase in freight or passenger charges. Again this will affect the price of coal among other things, as well as manufactured goods, gas supplied and domestic coal. The merry spiral goes on.
The increased prices on wool—not included in the mythical "4%" cost of living rise will be another example of this spiral effect. So it will 'be with all commodities—even. those seemingly not immediately affected by subsidies.
Will adequate bonuses be granted to all wage and salary earners to compensate for these growing increases? We believe that some increase will be given—perhaps "to the extent of a 7½% wage bonus—but at the same time it seems likely that the final effect on the cost of living of the subsidy removal will be a rise of between 10 and 15%. It is also clear that if there is to be any rise it should be a fiat rate increase of say £25 per year. The increases, whatever they are to be, will of course be further reduced by Social Security tax further Increasing the difference between prices and wages: although at the same time it will pay for the added cost of increasing social security benefits.
You may argue that Mr. Holland is saving £12m a year in expenditure and so taxation will be reduced. But of the £12m, some part will be taken in increased departmental expenditure with salary rises and other rising costs. Another £5m or £6m will be taken in the cost of military training. The abolition of the
But suppose that he makes all the Government enterprises pay, and does bring about a stable balance of prices and costs at the new higher figure. And suppose that he succeeds also in getting enough money from loans to allow for a curtailed works expenditure without having to have recourse to Reserve Bank credit. Will the resultant economy of New Zealand be based on a firmer foundation that before? We think not.
These economies will in the future be able to be paralleled with Mr. Churchill's action in
At the same time costs of New Zealand manufactured goods will be too high to allow them to compete with imported goods. The result then will be either large scale unemployment and overseas loans, or more rigid Import and exchange control—not a happy thought for a National Government. To make New Zealand economy stable, costs and profits must be lowered. Mr. Holland will achieve the reverse. Wages, especially those of the basic group, will be further than ever behind the cost of living and the workers' share of the national income (most of all when taxation is taken into account) will be much less. There can be little doubt that as a result of these economies, a slump is brought appreciably nearer.
.corridors of the College are enlivened with notices appealing to students to support the Cafeteria. We welcome that with a belch. Students are supposed to be the intellectual cream of society; can anyone then expect these mental giants to pay exorbitant prices for meals that are not fit to eat? Admittedly subsidies have gone off . . . but then the prices have gone up, so should there be an immediate decrease in quality? The quality of the meals has been steadily deteriorating throughout the year (though mind yon there wasn't much quality before the rot set in.) Salient before has been helpful about the Cafeteria .... but there is a limitThe
We give as an example of the meals the tea we have Just eaten: Soup... is it absolutely necessary to put whole vegetables into It? . . . however, it was hot. We must be thankful for small mercies. We proceed. There were two other choices .... cold saveloys and burnt tripe.
The vegetables ... I may be fussy, but I consider that potatoes are inedible if cooked without salt; furthermore, they were in the best spirit of modern diplomacy, a compromise neither mashed nor whole. We prefer not to mention the cabbage. (Plaintive voice from the rear: "The parsnips were soft for once.") The milk was sour, and the tea was so stewed that not even a tramper could drink, it. Well, we ask you!
We are not purely destructive critics; we do offer some helpful suggestions.
1. Saveloys should not be put in a basin exposed to all the elements; it would be better to leave them in the steambath provided to keep them hot.
2. Cook the potatoes with salt and either mash them or not; is not possible to cook them in relays, rather than having them all ready at 4.45?
If the milk is sour, must it be sold at the exorbitant rate of three pence for a quarter of a pint? (Retail price: fourpence a pint).
Please don't think that we are asking for our food to be attractive or varied; we just want to eat it.
At Long last VUCSA's favourite vision, the new Student Union Building seems to be nearing its consummation. This should mean that the college with be supplied with reasonable facilities for indoor sports Including gastronomies.
But what provision is being made for the other sports particularly outdoor? For generations VUC clubs, football, hockey, soccer, and athletics have been handicapped by a lack of a field preferably with flood lighting, for practice and match play.
The obvious move is for the College Council to investigate the possibility of acquiring Kelburn Park and the adjoining sports area for a purely V.U.C. sports preserve.
Naturally such a suggestion would meet with protest from established sports bodies to whit—croquet and bowls However, with the co-operation of the College Council and City Authorities it is possible that alternative land may be available for them.
Now the decision has been made to forgo the suggested rebuilding of the College on another site the need for permanent playing areas in the immediate vicinity of Kelburn is urgent.
Salient feels that preliminary discussions on this problem could well be tackled now and the impetus should come from VUCSA.
How about it Exec!
Best performances of Seniors to date has been the opening bout against Petone—redoubtable opponents at any time on their home plot.
Playing an excellent game in which combination between backs-and forwards brought dividends time and again VUC downed the
In matches since the team has not quite fulfilled expectations but the loss of one or two good men since the beginning of the season must have to a large degree accounted for one or two rather disappointing showings.
This team is playing well and has to date won three out of five matches and is second on the championship table.
Unbeaten so far, the team looks forward to its match with Hutt Valley High School which must eventuate in the near future. VUC supporters living in the Valley are advised to watch for their game—it should be good.
The Annual General Meeting of the Club was held on May 1st. Officers elected for
Club Captain: Lance Colquhoun; Vice-Captain: Shirley Hicks; Secretary: Isla Edgar; Treasurer: Barbara Edwards.
The Club membership approaches forty this year and, with the many new and promising players, we hope for a successful season.
Results so far have been as follows:—
Activity with the large round ball is rife down at the Sports Centre these winter weekends with members showing quite a keen spirit.
A's have been rather unlucky in one or two recent matches—forwards finding the defences hard to penetrate.
B's are going well in the Saturday morning grade—Dick Cole and his men having led several teams home in recent matches.
C's are still trying very hard and now that the team has been sorted out under the captaincy of Bill McLeod, results should improve, always of course assuming that the forwards are able to increase the percentage of goals netted to goals attempted by about 300 per cent.
Despite the inclemency of the Heavenly Metreological Department, large numbers of the faithful and otherwise foregathered in the Little Theatre on Friday May 26 to debate the issue "That the Church is the Greatest Influence for Good in our Society."
Mr. Maurice McIntyre opened the case for the affirmative. He stated that the Church, (the general body of Christians) had an influence for material and spiritual good ( and had no possible rivals. The State compelled good. The activities of the church for good included homes for incurables, the Y.M.C.A. (Interjector: "You haven't stayed in the Wellington edition.") and people like Shaftesbury. He finished on a peculiar line which was unfortunately never taken up: "If the story of God and Christ is true, then the Church is obviously doing good by teaching the truth about them."
Miss Nancy Pearce, opposing stressed the conflicting and piecemeal influence of the Churches—the Roman Church objecting to divorce in principle and gambling only in excess, Protestant sects liking their vice versa. The initiative in leading social progress has passed to humanists with the Christian ethic, acting through the State and other institutions. The Church condemned Communism not on ethical grounds but because she was a property owner and had a vested interest in capitalism. The Church had survived many social forms, and if she was an influence for good, why should she not survive Communism? Politically she had a reactionary and a bad influence. Any moral influence for good was limited to one hour a week.
Affirmative seconder Mr. Maurice O'Brien quoted some Latin, the Dockers' Strike and Cardinal Manning. "What has a greater influence for good than the Curch?" (F.L.C.: "Alcohol.") He maintained the superiority of human over divine law. "We cannot have equality without reference to the spirit." (C.V.B.: "No, alcohol is a great leveller.")
Mr. David Trudgeon now rose to negate. The medieval Church had kept the paupers in charge, but had kept them paupers. The State had long since taken over all charitable functions, through the work of anticlericals and socialists. The Church just organised homes for waifs and strays. Its social role had been subordinated to its purely religious one. "It has been so heavenly laden that it is of little earthly use."
Closing, Miss Pearce pointed out that salvation had little to do with influence for good in society. Christian social doctrine was perverted by the Church, and left to individuals and organisations outside the Church, often against the Church's violent opposition.
Mr. McIntyre: "The Church may be small in active numbers, but its influence is great. The Russian Communist Party only had two per cent of the population in
The motion was carried by 25 votes to 21.
The judge, Mr. K. Scott of the Pol. Sci. Department, placed the following speakers in order:—1, M. J. O'Brien; 2, F. M. McIntyre; 3. Miss N. Pearce; 4, C. V. Bollinger; 5, J. Newenham; 6, L. B. Robinson 7, J. Mutch.
Room A1 Monday,' April 17, saw the "shinny fans" indulging in the usual "backslapping" and "backbiting" appropriate to such annual occasions at VUC.
It was disclosed that the club had had a satisfactory year last season and with the extraordinary optimism common to VUC Sports Clubs it was announced that members looked forward to a more successful one this year. New talent along with old hands in the first grade team being the rock upon which this faith was based.
After a lively discussion on the question of Vice-presidents the meeting elected the-following officers:—
Patron: G. F. Dixon.President: H. Laurey.Club Captain: Bill Wollerman.Secretary: P. W. Burney.Treasurer: P. Taylor.Committee: Messrs. Slimm. Walsh, McLean, Burton and Martin.
Published for the Victoria University Students' Association and printed by the Standard Press, 25a Marion St., Wellington.