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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 15, No. 8. May 29, 1952

"The Time Has Come . .

page 2

"The Time Has Come . . .

Perhaps it is not a very auspicious start for a recently appointed editor to devote his first editorial to the main purpose of commenting upon another person's letter, but there are Ideas embodied in its grammatical errors' which have been current for some time and which are worthy of study. So much space, time and effort have been spent lately on the question of student apathy that any further discussion would be infertile; so we will leave student apathy out of this discussion and are will consider more specific problems.

M.W.R. states that "facilities are not of the best," and how right he is. Facilities are not of the best. They are not in any way approaching the level that should be provided in a public organisation of this kind. It sounds a trifle queer to hear our revered College referred to as a public organisation, but that is what it is. No member of the "public" that is no often slightingly mentioned around the College would tolerate the disgraceful amenities and their disgusting condition in Vic Leave out the question of no drinking-fountains, clean towels and such like trivia; disregard the absence of suitable commonrooms, an adequate and structionally safe gymnasium, a well-equipped cafeteria—action on these matters is prevented by a variety of broad and petty reasons. But there is no concelvable reason why the facilities we do have are not only kept in order but improved to a large extent. You all know that the Common Commonroom furniture suffered an appalling amount of damage—as a result there is now no Common Commonroom furniture. Most of you have seen the kitchen, and the partitioned-off rooms around it. What a mess! Go into the kitchen, Exec. members, and look around. Would you show this mess to an overseas visitor? Could you take anyone in there and say with some pride "This is the Association's kitchen, used for social functions. It is well-equipped and looked after, and is an Important centre of College social life?

M.H.R. has made his point about the Executive's policy of spoon feeding College clubs. This is a complex matter and although it probably has been well debated in the past this question descries reconsideration. There are many clubs in the College whose members are either very active (e.g. the S.C.M.) or already pay a considerable amount towards the pursuit of their activity (e.g. the Tramping Club), and deserve a fair amount of financial help from the Association. But there are other clubs which would be activated to an extent unknown before by the necessity to raise their own money. Quite a number of clubs are almost dormant (e.g. the Charter and literary Societies) and are drifting aimlessly along with the sure expectation of another grant to pay for the stationery that their officers have used for their personal correspondence.

Everybody, from the staff to the students, has been blasted by "Salient" for Inactivity—except the Executive. New editor—new policy. The Executive is little more than a caretaker body (or should be say corpse), often Inefficient, and always uninspired. The Executive as a whole has not made one progressive step this year. The Executive is happy to go through its term dealing with routine tasks battling hard to maintain the status quo. This must change.

T.B.H.