Masculinity Replies

Dear Sir,—For some time now I have been painfully aware of a fault characteristic of many 'Varsity women. I read with interest an article in the latest edition of "Salient" decrying our New Zealand masculinity. This has provided the motivation for putting my observations to paper. I should like to point out hastily that this letter is not by way of reply: the perpetuation which we read evoked only the sneers it deserved.

I do not decry the woman who smokes or the woman who drinks; such habits show rather a pleasing disregard for convention and prim great-aunts. But I am appalled by the woman who natters.

God save me from a prattling woman! For there is no redeeming virtue in nattering. A man who gurgles in egotistical vein is at least achieving something; he is satisfying a very human urge—the urge of self-assertion. If a prattling woman attempted similar tactics she might be of some interest. But, no; she doesn't even satisfy this desire. Usually she finds after half-an-hour's beating about the bush that she has either lost her bearings or lost her man. But, damn it, she never loses her breath.