SEMPER FLOREAT V7A VaUME 44/1

l-^ • •'/ . \\

•-»•• / , , ' / I I.

zm^ tneunon queensland university, st luda 4067

LOCAL AFFAIRS

THE GREAT FLOOD FROM THE FLOOD REPORT PRESENTED TO UNION COUNCIL REGARDING STUDENT INVOLVEMENT IN CLEAN-UP OPERATIONS, AND THE SUBSEQUENT FLOOD RELIEF FUND.

"The Great Floods of Brisbane" started on Friday, 25 January, some three days after A.U.S. Annual Council. Hundreds of families found themselves homeless until long after the flood waters began to fall. Their return to their homes was not to live there but to start cleaning up after attempting to assess the domestic disaster: ruined carpets, damaged cars, lost personal belongings... the innumber-able problems which luckier Austral­ians can only tty to imagine. And there were some whose homes could never be repaired: houses damaged beyond repair, swept away in the torrent and broken up. Some lives were lost; there was havoc in comm­erce and industry; and, in the after­math, there was a serious threat to health.

The Brisbane flood, caused by Cyclone Wanda, was the climax of a month-long wet season that caused havoc from theGiUfof Carpentaria to the Gold Coast of Queensland, the Northern Territory and New South Wales: whole towns were evacuated; roads were cut; hundreds of motor­ists stranded for days and weeks; live stock, crops and property damage ran into many millions of dollars.

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND UNION AND THE ST.LUCIA .SCENE

The floods were certainly close to home. At one stage the walls of the Union Schonell Ilieatre almost became the banks of the Brisbane River. The sight around St. Lucia as a whole was in­credible. Sir Fred Schonell Drive, the main road to the University, was cut off. The Umversity and the Union could only be reached by the high level of Hawken Drive. Indeed, the University of Queensland was like an island fortress, isolated in a sea of water.

Needless to say, dozens of persons and families were rendered homeless, especially those close to the Brisbane River.

During this critical lime, the U.Q.U. had offered its facilities to the St. Lucia Civil Defence Organisation as a food relief and accommodaUon centre;. this offer was declined by that organ­isation. It did, however, make use of the Union's compiled lists of avail­able accommodation in the University Colleges.

By Tuesday, 29 January, the floods began to clearly subside : now began the most crucial and heart-breakuig task of clearing and cleaning up flood damaged areas. In conjunction with a radi organised Brisbane wide clean.up operation, U.Q.U. was designated as communications centre for the St. Lucia area. The President of U.Q.U. became the St. Liicia area controller, together with Mr. Bob Brownhig, a

cont. top third column

IT CAME TO PASS 8 parable for seven children

a flower grew in a garden near a river, each day it shared its warm reflection of sunlight with the children who lived in the garden, one day it began to rain, and rain until the river grew full and muddy, overflowing its banks, entering the garden.

the flower was quiet but afraid as water flowed around and finaUy above, at last it found Itself submerged in the chilly gloom, buffetted By swift cunents.

during the days when an overcast sky allowed light to filter faintly through the waters, the little flower watched children's feet disturbing the settled mud as they stomped by. the children who had forgotten their garden friend, once a passing drowned bee rested for an instant against its stem until swept away, disappearing into the darkened distance and it thought at that moment whether it mi^t ever again pve its heart to another bee. or share its warmth and bright colours with the cliildren whom it loved.

standing in the sober darkness where no light penetrated, feeling the terrible cold of rushing water, the flower was often bruised by pebbles tumbling past, how it hungered to live, to breathe in the bri^t open air once more, unconflned. free. "I will live, live to speak of what I have seen, the dead bee, the gloomy nights, the pebbles, the children must know, it is important they know!"

so the little flower, though growing weaker, refused to abandon the children it loved and its dream for them, at last it became very difficult to continue v^tliout friends but it has come to know of dreams, of a deeper giving and was no longer afraid.

the flower, now mudstained and a pale reflection of its former beauty, felt a great weariiiess weighing down upon it. knowing it had come to that time for another decision.

trembling, bent low in the dim light, it embraced the waters with a feeling so foreign and strange, giving all of itself to everything it had dreamt.

a flower grew in a garden near a river, and awoke to a quite pale blue sky.

PAGE1

sunrise. CE.

Director of the Super Value Stores Group. Mr. Browning organised clean­up teams from the marshalling area at Christ Church Hall, St. Lucia. The clean-up operation went on for four solid days. It was significant for the close co-operation between students and St. Lucia residents.

During this foiu: day intensive clean­up operation, the Union was quite a sight: an Army armoured car with radio equipment was stationed in front of the Union Office and was in direct contact with the Radio 4IP which was the Brisbane Commun­ications Centre for the clean-up operation. It also, rallied any requests for help in the St. Lucia area, to this Radio Station. Largely through the use of this Army vehicle and 4IP, himdreds of volunteers as.sembled at the Union, where Ihey left theb cars and were ferried to the marshalling area at Christ Church Hall (the Union Adminis^

tration Bus was used for this purpose).

In all, the highlight of the St. Lucia clean-up operation was the terrific response from volunteers. They came from Gympie, Caboolture ... almost country areas to most Brisbane residents. It was an inter­esting experience, students joining hands with such individuals, most of whom were members of Apex and Lions Gubs. The clean-up operation ahnost involved 120 Army personnel: it was good to see the transform­ation from weapons of war to instruments of construction.

During the clean-up operation, U.Q.U. gave several himdred sandwiches to the St. Lucia fbod relief centre, as well as tea pots, boilers and paper cups.

Another aspect of U.Q.U.'s operation was the distribution of food supplies and clothing. A.U.S. sent U.Q.U, over 200 cartons of food and 2 huge crates of clothing to distribute to impoverished persons in the Brisbane area. 40 cartons of food and the 2 huge crates of clothing have been given to Mr. Don Davidson, of the . Black Community Centre: he has distributed them to persons who really needed it. 80 cartons were also given to the Queensland Red Cross.

Further cartons are in the process of distribution to impoverished people in the South Brisbane and West End area.

LAUNCHING OF THE STUDENT FLOOD RELIEF FUND

On Wednesday, 6th February, Nell McLean (President of the Australian Union of Students, AUS)paid a short visit to Brisbane and preliminary discussions were held on the student position with respect to the floods. After consultation with the Presidents of Kelvin Grove Teachers' College, Kedron Park Teachers' College, Mt Gravatt Teachers' College, and the Queensland Institute of Technology, it was decided to launch a Student Flood ReliefFund.

continued on page 4.

PAGE 2 THE RHINOCEROS

LISTENING IN THE SOLZHENITSYN CASE: DOUBLE STANDARDS.

B^^*f

"The Soviet Authorities are harming the image of their country, and of socialism, by such actions. They, in fact, help the anti-Soviet campaigners and opponents of detente who use such indefensible actions for reactionary purposes. The ui\just and senseless persecution of Solzhenitsyn is seized upon by people with strangely double standards, who remain silent about, or even support persecution of political prisoners by fascist regimes such as those of South Vietnam, Indonesia and Chile, and support mhuman violence against prisoners in Australian jails.

Laurie Aarons, National Secretary, Communist Party of Australia.

JOURNALISM STUDENTS -SEMPER STAFF

Approximately fifty Journalism 1A students have expressed interest in working in some measure for Semper Floreat during 1974. This notice is for you. On Saturday, 9th March, in the J.D. Story Room of the main Union Building at 1.00 pm there will be a meeting to discuss anything and everything. An agenda of sorts has been drawn up to facilitate minimal confusion.

Please make every effort to attend; those unable to should contact the 1974 Editor at some stage, bearing in mind however that from this Saturday meeting will come the basic staff organization for the entire year of publication.

Note: This does «o/imply that only those who can contribute some regular service should attend: a baisic staff organization' includes occasional contributions of either news/features/ lay-out assistance/graphic artistry.

P.EVERETT CHICKEN FUCKER STRIKES AGAIN - AND OUT!

Despite heights of humour reached rarely before in the aonals of absurdity, you won't be reading an article submitted for publication by the above-named caapus observer. However, I wish to make these points, student chicken fucker;

(a) if all you say about this university is true, observant and intelligent students will discover it for them­selves; and

(b) they won't be persuaded by an outpouring of such irrational trivia and superficiality.

D.F.

"HOW MUCH WENT INTO PORN­OGRAPHY, COMRADE PORTER?"

Queensland's legislative assembly, as is often remarked upon by visitors from politically more sophisticated lands, is not the place to go to enjoy the cut and thrust of political debate. Indeed the cow cockles and muggees down at George Street rarely raise the standard of their, parliamentary repartee above that oi a slanging matchi

So when the member for Toowong, Charles Porter, stood up in the house at the end of last year to give his opinion of the University of Queens­land Act Amendment BiU it was not surprising that he should proceed to attack the students union, which most, if not all, government members are convuiced is controlled by "reds" and "bolshies".

Porter began by asserting that in addition to "normal" union activities the union "conducts lar^ catering, commercial, and cultural activities, if one may refer to what is done in the Schonell theatre under the terms of cultural activities". With the weight of experience obviously weighing heavily on him, he complained: "1 think it is a little rough to expect youngsters who have just moved into their earlier 20's to carry such responsibilities". And who does Porter think would be better suited to handle these responsibilities? That august body of reaction, the university senate. Good thinking Charlie.

At one stage in his speech Porter mentioned that last year's union budget had amounted to over $142,000. This prompted an inter­jection from Geoffery Chinchen: "How much went into pornography?". Replying to his colleagues' dorothy-dixer. Porter said: "The honourable member raises a question that perhaps perturbs many people. I do not know how much went into pornography. However, I know that over $10,000 goes into publications, and 95 per cent of that money would be used for the production of Semper Floreat. I think many of us in the chamber, and many in the outside community, would regard* that publication as having been for quite a few years not only an absolute waste of time but a very deplorable waste of money. Let us hope that this situation does not continue." Sorry to disappoint you Charlie but we're back again for " another twelve months:

Peter Murphy.

UNION COUNCIL REPORTING -FINANCE

On 21st February, the second meeting of the 63rd Union Council took place; foUowed on 26th February, by the Budget Session of the 63rd Union Council.

Several aspects of these meetings are of significant interest to Union members, particularly in the area of finance: the AustraUan Union of Students membership fee rise, the financial straits of the U.Q. Union and the 1974 Budget. Dale Martin (Union Treasurer) will be interviewed in a future issue on these matters and more. Watch for itl

ASSISTANCE NEEDED FOR UNION FILMS In order that services and activities available to members of the Union may be utiUzed to maximum advantage, work is currently being undertaken to produce five on-minute 16mm films publicising such services. Produced by Ian Allen, a member of the Brisbane Film-maker's Co-operative, with lighting equipment

on loan from the Contemporary Arts Society. The films will be both colour and black-and-white, and screened in the Schonell Theatre in conjunction with normal programmes.

The first fUm of this series (financed by shops in the Union Arcade) should be ready in eariy March; yet assistance is urgently needed. Particularly if you may have any 16mm camera equipment and/or are experienced in some aspect of film production.

Interested persons should contact Bill Heron (night: 99-6206) or contact the Union President, Jim Varghese.

A QUESTION OF BALANCE: CAMPUS SILLY SURVEY

Failure to answer certain searching questions on a recent campus-wide silly survey proves an inability to drink refectory meat pies or mouldy green relatives, according to an un­known source in union executive circles, whose name is J.C. "the oracle" Goosehead.

Several of the abovementioned questions were: 24(c): "Have you found it difficult

to read foreign language publications upside-down while laughing hysterically?"

and 63(a): "Do you have a tendency to

distribute half-hundred weight gas-operated curricular passion-fruit to low-income whales?""

However, the answer fo these silly questions (and many more) won't be answered if you phone 711611 ext. 15, and you certainly won't find out what happended.in the notorious stone-henge stockholder's revival of 1824 or how to exacerbate people made etirely of sandstone. More next issue.

J.P.G.

BRIDGET GILLING - FIRST AUST­RALIA PARTY SENATOR ?

The fact that Gordon Barton,.Natioh"hl Convenor of the AustraUa Party will not be Number One on the A.P,'s Senate Ticket in N.S.W. received some publicity recently. However, the fact that he is StiU on the senate ticket and stUl Nation­al Convenor of the Australia Party did not.

The ticket now stands with Number I: Bridget GUling 2: Gordon Barton 3: Michael Donland. As the AustraUa Party can only hope to get one Senator elected in N.S.W., Bridget GilUng is the one most Ukely to become the A.P.'s first elected Senator.

She was AustraUa Party candidate m the Mosman by-election in July, 1972, gaining an unprecedented A.P. vote (14%). When she stood in the Federal

Seat of Warringah in December, '72, she received (with three other candidates) the highest WEL score in N.S.W. During 1973 she was Deputy National Convenor of the AustraUa Party and in this capacity was part of a peace delegation of three which was invited to North Vietnam to inspect the damage after the infamous Christmas '72 bombing by the Americans.

This is the second time the AustraUa Party has stood a woman as No. I for the Senate in N;S.W. In 1970, Diana Ward stood and some say would have won had not the A.L.P. directed their preferences to the D.L.P., ensuring Jack Kane's election. However, Bridget was disappointed that her selection was regarded as a victory for Women's Liberation and therefore newsworthy. She preferred to think of herself as 'just a person'.

JOURNALISM TEXT BOOK URGENTLY NEEDED.

"The Practice of JournaUsm" by DODGE and VINER, is set as a text for the subject Journalism lA and IB. It is doubtful whether suppUes will be available before November, 1974. The baok is an integral part of this course, and Charies Stokes, the lecturer concerned, is very anxious to have second hand copies made avaUable.

Should you have copies you don't need anymore, please contact the University Bookshop immediately.

"SOMETHING'S HAPPENING BUT YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT IS, DO YOU, MR. JONES?"

In his latest utterance on Omega, Fed­eral Transport Minister "Chariie" Jones, gives eveiy indication of having not the faintest idea of what Omep is reaUy about.

"I now go further than my original position of strongly favouring an Aust­raUan station to complete the Omega network", he is quoted as saying. "I believe we have a positive rc­sponsibiUty to provide the station".

Or perhaps Mr. Jones does know what's going on, and, reaUzing the con- . sequences of the Australian public finding out, has adopted the poUcy of deliberate misinformation.

To assist the Minister to understand the impUcations of this project for AustraUa, the Association for Inter­national Co-operation and Disarmament - AICD (NSW), has just pubUshed a new study of Omega's role in American nuclear strategy entitled:: "Omega, Poseidon and the Arms Race - Why Omega is an Aggressive War Base".

This paper, the result of an intensive study by the Stop Omega Research Group in Melbourne, argues that Omega is crucial to recently reported shifts in US nuclear strategy desiped to achieve a first strike capabUity. If this thesis is correct. Omega not only makes AustraUa a primary nuclear target - it also involves us in an attempt to under­mine the present fragile stabUity of the Superpowers' global nuclear terrorism.

Copies may be obtamed from AICD for $1.00, including postage. (Trade and bulk order discounts available). Sydney postal address:

P.O. Box C327, Clarence Street, Sydney. NSW 2000

NEXT ISSUE: MARCH 2U 1974

ITEM PAGE 3

SUNDAY SUN 11 th November 1973

VARSITY BOSS LIVED AS NOBODY PROFESSOR John Coleman is

back at his desk at Haverford Uni­versity in Philadelphia.

And he's convinced be's £-aiiier to do a much better Job as President of the University because he took three months off lo find out how ordinary people live.

He worked as a cook in a hamburger shop, a ditcn digger and a gar­bage man.

Fot a lot of the time be was simply a mem­ber of the great unan-ployed in a world totaUy florelgn to his normal en-irtronment of ivy-covered tialls of learning, a 16-room home and a ward­robe of expensive suits

and casual clothes. Coleman, who wand­

ered ovei- much of America durhig his at­tempt to find his own country, remembers be­ing snubbed and cheated and most of all unap­preciated.

He found out what it is Uke to be a nobody In the richest country on earth.

What the experience taught him was to see the worth of his fellow human beings more clearly.

He Insists that he is more appreciative of others because he now knows a little of what it Is like to be always on the short end of life's stick.

No thanks "I know how I felt in

that hamburger restaur­ant when I was running around trying to make

'••ROM RICHARD ['ESTRANGE IN NEW YORK

do when we'd rim out of some critical supplies" Professor Coleman, who is also chahman of an important Philadelphia bank, said,

"I didn't even get a thank you for my ef­forts."

He still remembers the teiTor—even though he knew he could always escape back to hts com­

fortable life at Haver­ford — of not befaig able to get a job when he had little or no money and faced the prospect of not eating and sleeping out.

"I remember how I felt when I was rejected for a job" Professor Coleman said — nothig that he liad never in his life been rejected for any th ing until he plimRed into the work­aday world.

"Fhst 1 Dlamed It on the state of tlie economy, then I began to question my own worth.

"I knew I couldn't face working in one of those so-caUed nursing homes,

"Yet I had to force myself to apply fgr worit at one of them and It was grim and shabby and I left.

"I told myself the job requhxjd someone strong:er and kinder.

"In fact tlic job would be taken by somebody else who could get noth­ing better."

Value Coleman said tlie

single thhig which upset him most was the 'tragic relationship" between the boss and the bcsfied.

"The boss will never understand the contribu­

tion of an employee un­less he works as an em­ployee" he said.

"A well-to-do man simply cannot under­stand what It's like to be out of work unless he himself has been out of work.

"A boss win never ap­preciate the worth and value of the men and women who work for him until he has hhn-self experienced being unapprec ia t ed , not wanted and treated like a nobody,"

MONKEY BUSINESS

A RELUCTANT SCROOGE REFORMS Last year, Semper Floreat did a

frontpage story on the attempts by the Federated Clerks Union to obtain award coverage for members of then-union employed as clerical or adminis­trative officers at Queensland university.

The dispute between the Clerks Union and the umversity over this issue, which has dragged out for nearly four years, has finally been resolved.

Following an admendment to section 34 (1) (iv) of the University of Queensland Act, the Industrial Commission now has the jurisdiction to draw up awards for all employees of the university.

The struggle by the clerks to get this seemingly innocuous alteration is uistructive in WghUghting the conser­vative and troglodyte nature of the administration at this university.

When a Clerks Union official came to Semper in the middle of last year complaining of the administrations actions over this question of award coverage, we agreed to do a story on it. I found then, researching the story, that two years previously an Industrial Commissioner, R. H. Tait, had directed the university that an award should be drawn up along pubhc service lines and that the university had ignored this direction.

When this attempt at conciliation failed because of the administration's

intransigence, the Clerks brought the matter before the Industrial Commis­sion to have it settled" by arbitration. In the case which began before Commissioner Pont on the Sth April, 1972, the admuiistration argued that they had jurisdiction over all university employees. Legal opmion sought by the Clerks supported this view so the Clerks didn't pursue the case further.

Defeated on a legal point, the union was left with a situation where the university could fix salaries and conditions vhtually as it liked and the union's members had no right of redress; all the university had to observe was 1965 award standards. In reply to criticisms of this sort, the deputy vice-chancellor asserted: "The salaries and conditions of employment provided by the university of Queens­land are far above the standard g-anted by the average good employer and above that granted in other clerical awards."

This however 1 found was far from the truth. National wage rises, and public service increases had effectively been withheld from sections of the staff such as research officers and examination supervisors. I heard of examples of patronage because the promotional rights of union members hadn't been protacted adequately by the administration.

Further, because union members

had no award coverage they were not entitled to the compensation rights accorded under the Wotkers Compen­sation Act. At the time of writing the Semper story, the Act had been amended- twelve months previously but the university still hadn't brought their own compensation payments into line.

In February last year, the university senate finally decided that it was no longer opposed to the granting of an award. When it heard of this change of heart, the Clerks union approached the administration and suggested that negotiations should be opened to determine the terms of the award.

But the administration still wasn't satisfied. No, they said, we're not going to talk to you till the admend-ments to the University of Queensland Act are passed.

With the publicity from the Semper article and by lobbying the MLA's down at George Street, the Clerks have now got the riglit to establish an award, but this whole charade need not have wasted anybody's time from the Industrial Commission down had it not been for the administration's hidebound nineteenth century attitude of "we won't bargain with the workers". Is that what they teach them in business administration?

Peter Murphy,

ENVIRONMENT ACTIVISTS

The Australian Union of Students has set aside approximately $6,000 to assist environmental action groups or individ­ual activists in projects this year. It is hoped that the money can be divided between several groups or individuals, but It may be allocated for just one pro­ject. Grant applications are invited and should be sent to: The President, AUS, 97 Drummond Street, Carlton, V ic , 3053. Telephone 347 7433

CAMPUS PHARMACY Shoppinp Centre

Univcrsily of Queensland ST. I-UCIA

Telephone - - - 70 1509 (Inturiiul GK82)

PROMPT PRESCRIPTION SERVICE AGENT FOR

COSMETICS PliRFUMES Revion I'abcrpc Cyclux Dana Siciner Lanvin ,Mas I'^i'lor Lincomc

I'llOTOl'INlSlllNt; 24 Hour lilack and While I'roinpl f'oloiir Si;rvii'c

PAGE 4 LOCAL AFAIRS

THE GREAT FLOOD

FRED SCHONELL DRIVE - 'GIVE WAY' TO OTHER SWIMMERS

continued from page 1.

The President of U.Q.U. was appointed as convenor of this flood fund. The rationale behind the Fund was that existing flood relief was unable to cater for specific student needs, such as loss of text books, additonal aids, rented accommodation and the like. It is hoped that the various A.U.S. constituencies in AustraUa will contribute to this Fund.

On 12-14 February, Mr. Jim Varghese visited Melbourne, Adelaide and Sydney. With the very able help of Neil McLean, he successfuUy addressed two A.U.S. Regional Conferences in Melbourne and Sydney on the Student Flood Relief Fund, and student leaders in these respective states have decided to launch various forms of fund raising during their respective orientation weeks.

In Adelaide, Mr, Varghese addressed first year Orientation Week students at Murray Park C.A.E. The response was overwhelming: we received a cheque for $374.50 from them. The three other campuses m Adelaide are also actively raising funds for the appeal. In all, the whirlwind trip for the , Student Flood Appeal was quite successful.

In U.Q.U. itself, money was being coUected in Orientation Week. A 20c levy was placed on all fihns in the SchoneU Theatre, which are normaUy free during Orientation Week, Money was also coUected during the first day by people wearing a wide range of costumes: this raised $162. Parents night raised $52 and the levy for the Schonell Theatre eventuaUy raised over $350.

SYDNEY. — The Federal Government sei up yesterday c/m a $2,500,000 national disaster organisation which will 19/2 draw heavily on the resources of the armed forces.

The organisation, to be' The Cabinet decision

Implements a promise • - ' I t !

discussed In the next few weeks with 8tate Min­isters, win replace the current civil defence or­ganisation.

In the rest of this fi­nancial year, the new body will be allocated al­most $1 milllbn to get or­ganised. I The •Prime Minister

(Mr, Whitlam) said last night the new body would put emphasis on the threat of floods, bushfires, and other dis­asters.

made by Mr, whitlam in his policy speech for the December 2 1972 Federal election.

He said then Labor be­lieved that the crippling effects of natural dis­as ters like droughts, floods, fires, and cyclones must be minimised.

"We shall establish a national disaster orpan-isatlon to handle these crises with speed and ef­ficiency," he said then.

The Australian Civil' Defence School at Mount Macedon, Victoria, will be e.':panded' to include training for and research into national disasters.

Mr.: Bamard said .he believed the armed ser­vices could play a more positive role

He said that. In par-t i c u l a r , the services should be Involved with other authorities in the community in the plan­ning and precautionary stages.

'THE ARMY POTENTIAL WAS NOWHERE NEAR FULLY USED'

A questionaire has been devised, along the same Unes as that for the Univer­sity Loan Assistance Scheme, in order to give aid to those students who reaUy require it. At this stage, it is not possible to ascertain the exact number of students requiring assistance, although over 30 students have so far appUed. The five Brisbane student unions are coUating detaUs regarding those students requiring assistance through­out Brisbane's Tertiary Institutions, and wUI diortly begin Uieir aUoca tions.

A TELEGRAM ARRIVES AT THE BRISBANE RED CROSS RED CROSS SOCIETY OF CHINA PEKING: LEARNING OF THE RECENT FLOODS IN QUEENSLAND AND OTHER STATES OF YOUR COUNTRY RESULTING FROM CONTINUOUS HEAVY RAINS AND CAUSING GREAT LOSS TO THE IN­HABITANTS OF THE AFFLICTED AREAS THE RED CROSS SOCIETY OF CHINA EXPRESSES ITS DEEP CONCERN AND SYMPATHY. WE WISH TO EXPRESS OUR CORD­IAL SOLICITUDE TO YOUR SOCIETY AND THROUGH YOU TO THE INHABITANTS OF THE AFFLICTED AREAS.

RED CROSS SOCIETY OF CHINA. PEKING.

a similar telegram arrived from the korean red cross in Pyongyang (north korea).

On the Thursday before the major flooding (24th January) the Army was aware of the serious situation develop­ing, and although no briefing had taken place, various commanders were 'ready to roU'. With some 4,000 regular troops and 2,500 citizen MiUtary Force soldiers, not to mention some 500 trucks which could ford water up to 5 feet deep and some 50 fully amphibious vehicles, a sizable portion of furniture, equipment and records lost during the floods could well have been saved.

Such is the opinion of a rankmg officer understandably dismayed by the disorganization of reUef work by both the Army and CivU Defence, Not a great deal could have been done, he agrees, during the floods; yet as the waters were rising the Army was utUised to Uttle advantage. For example, their sophisticated communi­cations system might have solved the problems the CivU Defence network encountered (see box). One army

personnel carrier at each CivU Defence centre could have been made available bearing in mind, however, that while the CivU Defence has a good broad communications network, there is Uttle sophistication on a local basis.

Speaking for a greatly mcreased MUitary involvement in future disaster situations, the above mentioned officer pointed out that the Army's command system is in fact not only 'overequiped with communications' but has greater flexibUity and training than any civilian agency. Training involves three basic factors which could havtf been and could be put to much use in similar circumstances: (a) the abUity to ascertain the facts; (b) a capacity to make decisions on the facts; and (c) act on those decisions.

As it happened, little occuned m the way of miUtary uivolvement before the Tuesday as the flood waters began to subside.

D.F.

civil defence / communications / military

Es t imates or flood damage costs vary be­tween $.50 million and 1200 million. The total bin can't be worked out yet because vast areas are still under water.

But experts say that wi th better commu­nications and equipment, much of this could have been saved.

Civil Defence head­quarters in Brisbane had only three telephone lines. All were temporar­ily out of action after the emergency started.

This has now been re­medied. A switchboard of 30 lines was installed last week.

Mr. Borlal, a Hun-garlan-bom consulting enrineer, said the waUt-te-tolkies aud by Civil Defence volunteers like himself were little more than toys.

They sometimes lacked the power to commu­n ica te with someone three metres away, he said.

me Local Government A";soclatlon pre Jldent (Or. F. A Rogers, of Sianthorpe) called for the communlca'ions weaknesses that had been revealed lo be In­vestigated as a CivU De­fence exercise.

,;Tf Queensland's com­munications can be com-p l e t e l y dislocated by floods, it shows how vul­nerable we would be in the event of attack by another country," he sa<d.

Some muthorltl's think more troops and military equipment could and should have been used. .

Mr. Norman Lee (Lib., Yeronga), whose elec­torate was one of the worst hit In Brisbane, said Army per-sonnel en­tered the scene too late and were too few.

s/m 10th february

"There was rIouM about who was In rnni.rni, and I feel the Civil De­fence Is the obvious hndy to take charge of similar

. disasters," Said Mr. Bor­lal.

But the organisation had to be updated, he said.

"So far we've been trained for a wartime emergency," he said.

"We spent a lot of time calculating radioactivity and how to dig shelters, and many people left the organisation because they felt there was noth­ing of use to do.

"Some of them came back after we were allowed to help in the the last few cyclones and the explosion at The Grange.''

The two men said the Clvii Defence should now start as.sesslng the needs of all areas in any future disaster.

• 4

THE SCENES BELOW ARE OF THE MACQUARIE STREET AREA OF ST. LUCIA JUST DOWN FROM THE UNIVERSITY

BEFORE THE FLOOD RISES )URING THE DELUGE AFTER: CLEANING UP ^"''p^l^'^.^':;]

LIFE SCIENCE PAGE 5

APPROACHING YOGA INTRODUCTION

The foUowing article is an attempt to debunk some popular miscon­ceptions about Yoga.

The inroads of all and sundry views on this ancient science into the community and in particular the student community, has caused some concern among those who wish to see Yoga understood and applied in its pure and traditional form.

The failure of the student and academic community to recognise Yoga as a system of total education based on the classic Eightfold path of Yoga expounded by Patanjali (200 B.C), has prejudiced the proper under­standing and application of the subject.

This article was written by Mr, Michael Myer, the President of the Yoga Society at Melbourne University in coUaboration with Miss Janet AUamby, a research student m the Psj'chology Department, who recently wrote a dissertation on 'Psychology and Yoga'. Miss AUamby is also the Secretary of the Yoga Society.

The article is based upon the fundamental axioms underlying the subject and contained in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, upon which all subsequent traditions and schools of Yoga have been based. The Sanskrit terminology has for the most part been left out for the sake of clarity of understanding.

WHAT IS YOGA?

Yoga is the cream of India's cultural heritage to mankind. It is held by the Yoga authorities to be archaic wUh its roots dating back 6,000 years to the very dawn of Indian civilization itself. Over time it evolved through gener­ations of patient experimentation and observation into the perfect science and art of heaUhy Uvmg. Therefore the ancient texts refer to Yoga as a tool with which a person can achieve perfect health, and transform the ignoble personaUty traits into that which is noble.

The final goal of Yoga according to this 6,000 year old tradition is the liberation (kaivalya) of man from his state of ignorance, and insight mto his true nature. To achieve this Yoga developed a comprehensive system of techniques and principles which represent a method of total education.

From its very origin Yoga has been absolutely democratic in its application for it has been avaUable to everybody no matter what his station or standing in life. For this reason Yoga is considered by the ancient and modern Yoga experts to be a universal science.

The fact that there are over one hundred and ten definitions of Yoga has caused much confusion and ambiguity as to its true meaning. Academically speaking Yoga derives from the word yuj meaning to unite or bind together. Interpreted rationally in Yoga the idea of unity denotes the perfect harmony of body, mind and spirit.

As weU as being defined in a multitude of ways. Yoga has been associated with various schools of philosophical thought and reUgions throughout its history such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Vedanta. However, Yoga is not a reUgion though its basic techniques have been used by many reUgions and philosophical schools to assist in theh endeavours. The tradition of Yoga techniques and principles, however, have remained unchanged down through the ages for they have been scrupulously handed down from teacher to disciple in an unbroken chain which continues to modern times. These fundaments were accepted

in ancient India by aU reUgions and philosophies as sine qua non for the achievement of perfection and self-mastery. LUcewise today the person who sincerely wishes to progress in Ufe cannot bypass the yogic techniques.

In Us simplest and most practical form Yoga is that way of Ufe which endows perfect health and leads to the. attainment of peace of mind and permanent well-being. The ancient and modern Yoga authorities - whose knowledge of the subject derives from its practise and direct experience -insisted that the sincere and consistent adherence to the yogic disciplines eventually guarantees that all the goals of life are achieved. In this day and age when aimlessness, frustration and failure haunt our daily lives, this assurance is of profound significance.

The adherence to and practise of a yogic way of life requires the acceptance and adoption of an ethical code of Uvmg, the gradual training of the body through a graded system of physiological practices known as asanas, the control and regulation of the vital energies of the body, the elimination of emotional disturbances, the development of concentration and finally the subUmation of the selfish to an altruistic outlook on life. This system of total education is known as classic Yoga and is derived from the Yoga Sutras or Yoga Teachings of PatanjaU (approximately 200 BC), who is accepted by ancient and modern Yoga authorities as the expounder of the basic system of yogic techniques and principles, upon which aU subsequent systems have been based.

The teacliings of Yoga require that the endeavour to improve oneself through this system be made integraUy and not be foUowing it in its separate parts for the sake of convenience. Success in Yoga only comes to those who foUow it. as a way of life.

In Us appUcation the Yoga system embraces many diverse sciences and aspects of education. At the physior lopcal level it encompasses biology, physiotherapy, sanUation, physical hy^ene nd physical education. At the psychological level it pertains to psychotherapy, mental hygiene and psychosomatics, whUe at the spiritual level it involves intuition, ethics and the insight into one's true nature. The faUacy of most foUowers and teachers is to isolate one of these aspects and claim it to be the whole science. Today Yoga is even confused with gymnastics, miracles, superstitions, reUgious ritualism, or magic, when in fact it is the most rational and useful system of education for the mmd and the body.

Its techniques are beneficial to aU regardless of reUgious beUef, race, colour or sex, and its therapeutic merit offers practical and efficient solutions to many chronic psychosomatic ailments such as asthma, high blood pressure, hypertension, spinal disorders and digestive complaints which meance the modern man's physical health.

Yoga is basicaUy a practical science. Its benefits to the individual and the community accrue in direct proportion to the wilUngness to foUow its recommendations under the guidance of quaUiled teachers. The would-be student must recognise Yoga as some­thing to be practised not something to be theorized about.

"Yoga is a phUosophy that is not founded upon unsatisfactory theories as are so many other phUosophies of the worid; on the contrary, It is intensely practical, offering a most exhaustive course of consbructive integral education."

Shri Yogendra, Founder-President of the Yoga Institute, Bombay, India, from

"Yoga Essays".

THE FOUNDER OF THE YOGA INSTITUTE OF BOMBAY

SHRI YOGENDRAJI

QUEENSLAND UNIVERSITY YOGA SOCIETY

Three Australian Universities at present provide Yoga education under the auspices of their respective Yoga Societies. These are at Latrobe. Monash and Melbourne University m Victoria, The teaching activities began in 1965 at Melbourne University and sicne that time 2,000 students have received instruction and benefited from the classes. The Societies pioneered the classes in Yoga education to supple­ment the type of education offered by academic courses.

The Societies retain the guidance and co-operation of those teachers whose knowledge and teaching standards are of the highest possible mtegrity and authenticity consistent with the yoga tradition. AU teachers taking classes for the Societies are fuUy qualified teachers from the Yoga Institute, Bombay, India, or the Yoga Education Centre, Melbourne - the only two bodies recognised by the International Board of Yoga for

training teachers. Shri Vijayadev Yogendra, the co-principal of the Yoga Education Centre Melbourne, is a member of the Governmg Council of the International Board of Yoga. The International Board is the official international body of Yoga recognised by the India Government.

The inaugural meeting of the Queensland University Yoga Society wUl be held on Thursday, 21st March at I.IO p.m. in the J.D. Story Room. Class times and locations will be decided subsequent to this meeting. The first lecture for 1974 wiU be given by Mr. Brian McCarthy on Friday Sth AprU at 1.10 p.m. in the Abel SmUh Lecture Theatre and Shri Vyayadev Yogendra wiU be visiting the campus later in AprU. Inquiries regarding enrolments can be made by caUing in to "The CeU" below the Relaxation BuUding or may be dkected to Mr. Richard Spencer, C/- Clubs and Societies Office, Students Union.

PAGE 6 ITEM

THOMAS AQUINAS March 7th, 1974. is the 700th anniversary of the death of Thomas Aquinas, probably the major Christian theologian of the entire medieval period.

One of his greatest works is Ibe "Summa Contra Gentiles" ("Against Those in Error", alter­natively titled: "On the Truth of the CathoUc Faith").

This poem, by German novelist, Herman Hesse, is reprinted from bis 1946 Nobel Prize winning work "Tbe Glass Bead Game" (Das Glas-perleinspiel).

To (ruth, it seems to us, Ufe once was nearer, The world ordered, inteUigences clearer. Wisdom and knowledge were not yet divided. They lived far more serenely, many-sided. Those ancients of whom Plato, the Chinese, Relate their incandescent verities. Whenever we entered the temple of Aquinas, The graceful Summa contra Gentiles, A new world greeted us, sweet, mature, A world of truth clarified and pure. There aH seemed lucid. Nature charged with Mind, Man moving from God to Him, as He designed. The Law, in one great formulary bound, Forming a whole, a stiU unbroken round. But we who belong to his posterity Seem condemned to doubt and irony. To journeys in the wilderness, to strife. Obsessions, and longings for a better Ufe.

But if our children's chUdren undergo Such sufferings as ours, they will bestow Praise upon us as blessed and as wise. We wiU appear transfigured in their eyes, For out of our lives' harsh cacophonies They will hear only fading harmonies. The legands of an anguish often told. The echoes of contentions long grown cold.

And those of us who trust ourselves the least, Who doubt, and question most, these, it may be, WiU make their mark upon eternity. And youth wiU turn to them as to a feast. The time may come when a man who confessed His self-doubt wiU be ranked among the blessed Who never suffered anguish or knew fear, Whose times were time of glory and good cheer, Who lived like children, simple happy lives.

For Ul us too is part of that Eternal Mind Which throuj^ the aeons caUs to brothers of its kind: Both you and I wUI pass, but it survivi

After Dipping Into tlie

Summa Contra Gentiles

marion woodyatt

THE MUSIC DEPARTMENT FREE CONCERT SERIES

Marion Woodyatt (piano) and Greg Massuigham (tenor) gave yesterday (6th March) the first in this semestei's series of lunchtune concerts - their programme: Mozart, Beetiioven, Faure and Debussy. Organised by the music department, these concerts wUl take place every Wednesday of semester at 1.10 pm in the Abel Smith lecture theatre.

Marion graduated last year from the University Music Department where she concentrated on music education and yesterday's was probably her last pubUc appearance for some time; she leaves today for Hanover to take up a 12 monUi scholarship at Ih;

Hoschulefurmusik there - sposored by the German Government as part of an academic exchange scheme. She plans to study German educational theory and practice as weU as continue her piano studies and further her interest \n chamber music. She does intend, and wants to return and teach here, and should contribute much to the rather gradual growth of music in Brisbane schools. HopefuUy music wUl become a less peripheral part of the curriculum than it is at the moment.

Tom Fommerel, also a music department graduate and weU-known hi Brisbane now as a pianist, is scheduled for a lunch-time appearance on May 22. He leaves soon after for Britain to make his Wigmore HaU debut.

And, tiie list of performers (see "coming

events, etc") includes visiting pianist Ruth Nye, Australian-bom but now Uvicg and working in London. Ms Nye left Melbourne in 1963 to study with Claudio Ariau (who incidentaUy is comuig to Brisbane later in the year and an mterview with him may appear in 'Semper') in New York and made her European concert debut at Wigmore HaU in 1965.

So there you are. Space doesn't permit us to elaborate further - except briefiy, to mention two other visiting British performers: Kathleen Crees (harpsichord) and John Clegg (piano) who wUl be givui'g lunchtime concerts in second semester. AU concerts are totaUy and completely free, so we trust you'll come along.

J.G.

ON CAMPUS PAGE 7

ORIENTATION WEEK Dear Sir,

WhUe nosing around Orientation Week I had the misfortune to have a particularly nasty piece of pornography thrust into my unsuspecting hand. TUled 'The Liberals are Coming' it seemed to set out that 'the majority of students are opposed to violence, terrorism, communism, and anarchy' not to mention beUeving in 'demo­cracy, freedom of speech, free enter­prise and sane 'very large L' Liberal Government.

The pamphlett seemed to be beating a drum 'about a small minority of leftists and radicals!' yet on looking around, these near legendary trouble makers seemed to be about as numerous as the hordes of Asians, communists and God knows who else who were set to pounce on AustraUa right up until when Nixon foUowed Whitiam to China.

However we should give some of the more prominent Uberals the benefit of the doubt and recognize that they Uke Nixon never saw the Asian hordes as a real threat but rather reaUzed their potential for drumming up fear votes during election time.

Remember how the Indonesians were going to invade, when we were sent a letter that never existed asking for us to help the beleagured demo­cracy in Vietnam, and John Gorton going Waltzing MatUda with Nixon. After a whUe it started getting difficuU

for students of Australian Foreign PoUcy to decide whether Uberal strategists were emulating Hitler or anticipating Monty Python. It aU seems so ludicrous in retrospect that it seems a real pity that all those Asians had to get MUed in the process.

So now we have another band of heroes ready to do battle with another phantom enemy, this time the campus radicals... The new heroes, the champions of individual freedom who gave us conscription, the defenders of freedom of speech who used their poUtical police to harass and bludgeon dissenters, the proponents of free enterprise who nurtured monopolies every where, are looking for a new image.

Malcolm Frazer is wearing coloured shirts, PhU Lynch is growing his hair a Uttle, and even Sir Robert Askin isn't muttering audibly about running over the bastards any more. Things liave reaUy changed.

I, myself am voting Uberal next election, if only to see BUly Sneeden carry out his promise to help the Saigon Government regain the Paracel Islands. I can almost see the Courier Mail headUnes now 'PRIME MINISTER BLAMES PARACLES ROUT ON UNION FIFTH COLUMN'. Ah just think of the possibiUties.

Yours sincerely, A moderate student.

Union President, Jim Varghese speaking at an Action for World Development Forum 20th/2/1974

THE PRESIDENTIAL ORIENTATION ADDRESS 18/2/1974

As I look at you, caUed "Freshers" by the University administration and students aUke, I wonder what sort of thoughts and reactions you are having towards we on the dais,

I stand here m an academic gown, an anachronistic costume from centuries long past. Indeed, I seem to stand here in pretentious academia, rather than relating to you as persons. While apologizing for such an impression, I think it would be a pity if you viewed myself and the previous speakers only on the form level . . . the future of man does not rest on the garments he wears.

What is desperately needed now is a transforr'ation of the existing system into a community of peace, love and justice - we cannot go back to nature or the halcyon trips of the hippie era. We must face the complexity and the terrifying problems of this highly urbanized century. We must asphe to retain our humanity within these corporate structures, within this highly industriaUzed society.

This is where the role of the University is extremely important. The University must lead this path; it must be catalytic in helping man to face the realities of the twentieth century squarely without seeking escape in the drug culture, mystical reUgions or bUnd career orientation. The UniversUy must continually help in reviewmg society and making sure its beaureaucratic apparatus does not choke man's humanity. The University must be the harbinger of community, or the vision of Ufe that encompasses an enduring concern for our neighbour.

However, in saying tiiis, let us have no Ulusions. The path is not one of revolutionary rosebeds, nor of naive fundamentalism. This path wUl involve you in Uving out such traumas as cynicism, bitterness and disUlusion-ment. It is in being crucified by these experiences, and stiU striving for the hope of a better humanity, that the future of man Ues . . . Only thus can we wUness a resurrected humanity where the concern for MAN is supreme.

The University of Queensland Union can on a microscopic level Ught the fires of this community vision. Within the governmg body of this year's

Union are a dedicated few who are ready to face the spectre of cynicism and disillusionment. They are a group of persons who ran on the basis of community action, Theh keynote was a quasi-spiritual attempt to relate to each other in the campus environment as persons, to break down the idols of ideology and revolutionism. In the months and years ahead of you, you wUl be approached and cajoled by various persons and groups of persons seeking your hearts and minds. There is one cardinal rule with wliich to view these people. That is, if they don't nurture related ness between persons, then they are best to be avoided and shunned. There is no place for anyone who opposes renewal and reconciU-ation among men.

WhUe respecting your parents and other persons* viewpoints, it is very important that you don't allow your concern for humanity to be merely dismissed as a nasty phase of growth. You must endeavour to make that concern enduring even at the cost of your career at this University, or your relationship with your parents. Remember, the future of man rests with our generation.

FinaUy, when you're inevitably wearied by this society which worships the empty idols of materialism and nationaUsm, remember these words of solace which timelessly reverberate through history: Blessed are the patient; they shall

inherit the land. Blessed are those who mourn; they

shaU be comforted. ' Blessed are those who hunger and

thirst for goodness; they shaU have their fiU.'

Blessed are the merciful; they shall obtain mercy.

Blessed are the peace-makers; they shall be counted the children of God.

Blessed are those who suffer perse­cution in the cause of right; the kingdom of heaven is theirs.

On this note then, 1 welcome you to the UniversUy and to the Community of Students known as the University of Queensland Union.

Jim Varghese UNION PRESIDENT

Any pubUc discussion on crune is certain tO' throw up extremist and bloody mmded solutions to deal with the malaise. Flogging, castration and hanging have had a good run recently in Queensland.

One of the leading propoments of such measures, the ebuUient National party MLA, RusseU Hinze, put it this way: "I've no compunction when it comes to castration or amputation . . . and frankly I'd rip 'em out in a flash if I had to."

The comment was made in a debate on "crime and punishment" with the sociologist, Dr. Paul Wilson, and one of Hinze's parUamentary colleagues, the Liberal MLA, Charles Porter. The debate was held in the SchonneU Theatre during Orientation week.

WUson attacked the fanatical suggestions of Hinze and his Uk, saying: "We're meant to be Uving in a so-caUed civiUzed community and yet we stiU hark back to these sort of measures. Nowhere in the world has it been demonstrated that the hitro-

duction of capital punishment has any effect on the rate of murder or the rate of serious assault. We're returning to the days of the Klu Klux Klan." As WUson maintained: the state has no right to take other peoples' lives.

"The majority of crime and the majority of crimmals come from areas which are referred to as bon^-loser areas. Those which have the highest rates of poverty, the highest rates of physical and mental Ulness and the lowest standards of Uvmg. If you're leaUy serious about doing somethuig about crime you have to do something about the social conditions which produce' so-called criminals. This means douig aU sorts of what people would call idealistic things Uke a less-competitive school system, better and less structured leisure activities - run by the kids themselves - and it means having better community faciUties generaUy".

Wilson also highlighted the class bias in our popular conception of crime: "It always seems amazing to me that in any discussion of ctlme that we concenti-ate on tUngs Uke rape, burglary or assauU. You can redefhie crime in other ways. You can talk

about finance institutions which charge exorbitant interests and about parasitical companies . . . about this whole gamut of activities commonly caUed white-coUar crime. We don't talk about these things. What we talk about is traditional working class crime. White coUar crime damages society a lot more than traditional crime does."

Wilson looked at two further "criminal" areas - that of victimless "crimes" and mmor offences - where pubUc funds seem to be wasted unneccssarUy. WUson argued that the victimless "crimes" - homosexuaUty, prositution, gambUng, drunkeness -should not come within the gamut of the criminal law and that a system of parole coupled with communUy based treatment centres could deal just as adequately and a lot more cheaply with petty offenders such as public drunks, vagrants, and mhior main­tenance deserters.

WUson stressed the need for a greater committment on the part of society to rehabUitation in our prisons rather than punishment. "We should be going over to a system such as the Swedish have, centring prisons round factories, allowing prisons to go out

into the community regularly, and treating them like human beings and not Uke animals as we've done m our prisons in Australia.

Porter, who's chairing a government commUtee on violent crime, disagreed strongly with Wilson. Porter asserted that "prisons should be for punishment and the rehabUative process should take place at the end of the punish­ment." His beUef that "you cannot turn prisons into therapeutic institutions" is an indication of the myopic recommendations we can expect from his committee.

One of the tasks of the committee wUl be to look at the possibUity of reintroducing the death penalty into Queensland. Porter, who's come out firmly in favoiu* of capital punishment, was asked by one of the hundred-odd students who'd turned up to listen to the debate, what he thought of the death penalty in the case of a wrongful conviction? Porter replied: "I accept that as a dreadful price to pay, but a price to pay, for the protection which is ^ven to a colossal number of people." Shades of the Klu Klux Klan!

Peter Murphy.

PAGE 10 LIVING WITH WINE len sorbello

AUSTRALIAN GRAPE VARIETIES INTRODUCTION

Wine has never been so popular in Aus­tralia as it is today nor has the search for knowledge of it been more enthus­iastic and sincere,

Australians, in fact, are now consuming almost two gaUons of wine per head per year. Each day, more and more people are discovering to their great pleasure that there is more to wine Uian Uiose terrible "bubblies" masqueraduig as champagne. Stud­ents too are discovering the fascin­ation of wine and this column, which wUl be a regular feature of SEMPER FLOREAT this year, is designed to further your knowledge of wine and to help you develop a more dis-criminatmg and appreciative palate%

UNDERSTANDING AUSTRAL­IAN WINES.

A remarkable change is taking place in Australian wine nomenclature -the names Claret, Burgundy, Chablis, White Burgundy, Moselle etc. are disappearing and giving way to the name of the grape variety from which the wine was made (e.g. MUdara Cabernet Sauvignon).

I for one wUl do everything I can to encourage this trend to continue untU these bastardizations are banished for­ever. For, when used with reference to Australian wines, the use of the word Claret for example) on the label is apt to be not only inaccurate but also misleading.

It is inaccurate because the name 'Claret' is the English generic name for red wines from Bordeaux, France and inevitably a comparison between the AustraUan product and the real thing is invited. Now, there is no doubt that on a value for money basis Australian wines rank with the best in the world. However, very few Australian wines compare favoiu-ably with (say) a First Growth Bordeaux Red like Chateau Latour which re-taUs in Australia at between S18 to $30 a bottle.

In any case, why should we seek to copy overseas wine styles when we should be striving to develop wines with a character and flavour of our own.

Furthermore, it has been a known occurence at Australian Wine shows for the same dry red to win prizes in boUi the "claret and "burgundy" classes. This state of affairs hi^-Ughts the fact that AustraUan wine styles lack uniformity and definition.

Hence if you deshe to buy AustraUan wines with accuracy and confidence, my advice is that you completely dis­regard the name of Uie wine style which appears on the label and instead :-

1. learn to identify Uie character­istics of the different grape varieties.

2. in relation to the same grape variety, learn to identify Uie different style of wine produced by each wine growing region of Australia; and

3. endeavour to famUiarize yourself with sach uidividual wine maker's style.

As you would appreciate,! this involves many pleasant hour of wine tasting as you work your way around AustraUa, region by region, grape by grape; to help you on your way, let us look at the main varietal types of grapes grown in AustraUa for wlne-makhig.

AUSTRALIAN GRAPE VARIETIES

A. WHITES (1) "RHINE RIESLING"

Beware of the wme labeUed sunply "RiesUng", If you look at the fine print on the label you may be sur- • prised to find that the wine is in fact made from either:-

a) Hunter River RiesUng grapes; b) Clare Riesling grapes; c) Rhine RiesUng grapes; d) a combination of aU Uiree

varieties; or e) some other grape variety

For historical reasons, "Hunter River RiesUng" is, in fact, Uie name ^ven to the grape variety which is known as "SemiUorf everywhere else in the world. So, when you buy a TyrreU's Hunter River Rieslmg, or a McWilUams Mount Pleasant EUzabeth Riesling, you are not buying a "Riesling"at aU,

"Clare Riesling" is the name given to a grape variety whose existence was fust discovered in the Clare-Watervale region of South Australia. It produces an acidic style of wme having greater body Uian "Rhine Riesling" wines.

"Rhine RiesUng'" In Germany and France, this variety is simply known as "RiesUng" and this is the grape that produces the great classic whites of the Rhine and Mosel m Gennany and of Alsace in France. In AustraUa, only wine made from 100% "Rhine Rieslinfe" grapes can properly be described as a "Riesling". "Rhine Riesling" wine has a distinctive floral bouquet and a l i^t , delicate wine, green in colour with a crisp acidic fmish. Our best "Rhine Riesluigs" come from South Australia and fine readily avaUable examples of this variety are Leo Burings Bin 33 Riesling, Yalumba Carte d'Or Riesling and Orlando Barossa Rhine Riesling.

FmaUy,we have the blends - good examples of which are Hardy's Old Castle Riesling (a blend of "SemUlon" from the Hunter VaUey, and "Rhine RiesUng from South AustraUa), and Lindeman 's Bin 23 Riesling (IsemUlon from the Hunter, "Clare RiesUng" from Clare, and "Rhuie RiesUng" Ifrom the Barossa). These wines represent a pecv^arly Australian white wine style which has appeal to many wine lovers.

A. WHITES (2) "SEMILLON"

This is a grape variety (known in the Hunter VaUey, NSW, as "Hunter River RiesUng) fliat is used to make the famous sweet wine of Sautemes in France. In Austral la, "SeraUlon" is primarily used to make dry wines of high quaUty particularly if grown m the Hunter VaUey. In Uie Hunter, "SemUIon" produced a dry and (usually) fuU bodied wme, yeUow in colour, having little acid, wiUi a soft flavoursome finish and needing a good 4-6 years in the bottle to reach maturity.

Fuie examples of Hunter "SemUIon" (apart from the TynieUs and McWUUams already mentioned) are Rothbury Estate Dry White, Lindemans Hunter River White Burgundy, Draytons Pokolbin RiesUng and Hungerford HiU Pokolbin RiesUng.

B. REDS (I) CABERNET SAUVIGNON

This variety Is responsible for producing the famous chtrets of Bordeaux, France;

it is generaUy regarded as Australia's premium quaUty grape for dry red wine. As plantings of the grape are Umited, a straight Cabernet wine commands a premium price. Cabernet wines possess a strong fiult flavour with a bouquet of freshly crushed grape flowers. Cabernet grapes have a tremendous character and, being high in acid and tannin, the wine matures slowly so that its fiUl import cannot be savoured untU it has had many years ui the bfattle.

In AustraUa, "Cabernet" wine is coinm-only blended with "Shiraz" wine and labelled "Cabemet-Shhaz". However, it is important to note that the character of the wine made from Cabernet grapes varies considerably depending on where they were grown. In my opinion, AustraUa's best Cabernets come from Coonawarra in South AustraUa. MUdara Coonawarra Cabernet Sauvignon, Wynns Coonawana Cabernet Sauvignon (black label) and Lindeman's Rouge Homme Cabernet Sauvignon are some top quality examples.

B. REDS (2) SHIRAZ or HERMITAGE

This grape variety apparently came from Persia and is now oni of the main red grape varieties grown m the Rhone VaUey in France. It is the mam:l red table wine m AustraUa and grown extensively m aU wine producuig districts.

Shkaz wines possess a mUd fruit flavour with the mtensity of its colour, acid and tannin varying according to the le^on in which the grape is grown. Shiraz is the principal red grape variety grown m the Hunter VaUey in New South Wales where it produces wines which arc soft and round with a deUghtfuL.Ughtness of body.

As they grow older they develop a rich intensive flavour whUe stUl being velvety smootii on the palate.

My favourite red wines from the Hunter are Tyrells Hunter River Dry Reds (the Private Bins). Tulloch'sPokolbin Dry Reds, Draytons Bellevue Dry Red, Rothbury Estate Dry Red, Reynella Pokolbin Vineyards Dry Reds (from Hungerford HUl) and Ltndeman's Hunter River Burgundy.

AustraUa, on the other hand are fuU bodied, robust wines the best examples of wliich are Orlando Barossa Hermitage, Leo Buring Reserve Bin Claret and Penfolds Kalimna Dry Red Bin 28.

Coonawarra (South Australia) wines have a purple colour with a high acid content which makes them suitable for long bottle aging. They have a Strang and rich flavour with an assertive tannin finish. I recommend Wynns Coonawarra Hermitage, Redman's Claret, Rouge Homme Claret and Penfolds Coonawarra Claret.

McLaren Vale (South AustraUa) shiraz reds are akm to the Hunter reds in flavour and softness, though perhaps being Ughter in body. Hardy's Reserve Bin Clarets and Burgundies are undoubtedly fine wines from this district.

From the foothUIs of Adelaide comes AustraUa's most celebrated red wine -Penfold Grange Hermitage . Matured in smaU oak casks prior to bottling, this wine defies description. It is a joy to drink if you can get hold of a bottle. I cannot name any retaUer from whom you can purchase a Grange. However, Brad Garrett's Bistro (City) an d Weis Restaurant (Toowoomba) feature this wine on their wine Ust at $8,50 per bottie - and beUeve me, it is wortii every cent of that price.

Probably the most fuU-bodied and fruity shiraz reds of AustraUa come from Victoria.

Wines such as Seppelts Bin BW6 Herm^ itage. Chateau Tahbilk Shiraz and AU Saints Hermitage are very distinct­ive and representative of the quality of Victorian reds.

NEXT ISSUE:

(a) "WHERE TO BUY WINE IN BRISBANE" - a critical and comprehensive survey of Brisbane Hotel Bottle Departments, Wine Merchants and Wholesalers.

(b) "DOES AUSTRALIA MAKE GOOD SWEET WINEf I wUl be looking at AustraUan

The SWxaz wuies of ttie Barossa, South "MoseUes", "Spatlese'^' and "Sautemes".

PAGEH

ATTE N TION POST-GRADS

POST- GRADUATE STUDENTS , DEFINED IN THIS UNIVERSITY AS THOSE WHO HAVE A

DEGREE AND ARE CONTINUING THEIR STUDIES , ARE AUTOMATICALLY MEMBERS

OF THE POST- GRADUATE ASSIOCIATION THE POST-GRADUATE ASSOCIATION HAS

BEEN ATTEMPTING SINCE ITS INCEPTION IN 1969 TO ESTABLISH BETTER CONDITIONS

ON CAMPUS IN MANY SPHERES OF INTEREST . IN THE LAST 24 MONTHS SUCH

ATTEMPTS HAVE BEEN MAINLY CONCERNED WITH A SEPARATE P/G AREA WITHIN

THE UNION , AND TTS OWN LICENCED PREMISES. NEGOTIATIONS ON THESE ISSUES

HAVE NOW GROUND TO A HALT, AND THE P.G.A. EXECUTIVE REQUIRES NEW

DIRECTION FROM ITS MEMBERSHIP. THUS THERE WILL BE A GENERAL MEETING OF ALL

INTERESTED POST-GRADUATE TO BE HELD IN THE POST-GRADUATE-LOUNGE (FORMERLY

THE MDCED COMMON ROOM) ON WEDNESDAY 13th MARCH AT 5:30pm,TO DISCUSS THE

WHOLE ISSUE , AND ALSO THE FUTURE DIRECTION OF THE P.G.A.. BEER AND BISCUITS

WILL FOLLOW.

AUTHORISED BY

P.L. HEWITT

HON. SEC. PGA

C/-PHYSICS DEPT.

EXT; 6416.

«*»*«r^HMM I riiiin II ,„^n,|^—,-^-j,mf|'-i^-'-"*-^*'^*-*-^'^**'-"*-'-^-^-^

PAGE 12

SEMPER FLOREAT

VOLUME 44. NUMBER 1.

MARCH 7TH 1974.

SPONSOR: University of Queensland Union

EDITOR: David Franken BUSINESS MAN A GER: David Meredith PUBLIC A TIONS SECRET AR Y; Lillian

HoU LAYOUT: David Franken

John Harrison David Meredith

We wish to place on the record our appreciation of the typesetting under­taken by Deannc Farrer and the Productioh Room staff at the Univer­sity of Queensland Press.

Note: Space availability meant tbat several articles had to be 'pruned'and a preparedinterview with Jack Mundey wiU be beld over to a future issue!

campus camp I ORIENTATION BALL i

COME ONE COME ALL COME OUT GAY STRAIGHT BI

MUSIC BY THE FABULOUS RAILROAD GIN jnthe ALBERT AXON ROOM upstairs, refectory extension

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND at 8:00 PM SATURDAY MARCH 9 1974 FULLY LICENSED ADMITTANCE $2:00 EACH

wv*

specialiit coaching!

PROVEN BY RESULTS

1st YEAR PHYSICS (Ph 111,112) CHEM(Ch 104,123,125)

for MED. Make sure of your Pass, Credit or Distinction for the Quota

Also PURE MATHS I APPLIED MATHS I ZOOLOGY I ACCOUNTING

CLASSES AVAILABLE AS SOOIM AS REQUIRED

HUBBARD 212927 A T A n E U V 62 CHARLOTTE ST, A v A I I E I f f l T BRISBANE. 4000

PRINCIPALS: Godfrey Hubbard, B.A. (1st Class Hons. Maths), M.A.C.E. fi.A. Squire, B.A., B.Sc, B.Ed,(Hons,), Ph.D., F.A.CF.-

SUBSCRIBE TO

CHINESE PERIODICALS IN ENGLISH

PEKING REVIEW 1 YR ? YR 3 YR Political Affdiis and theory Airmailed weekly $3.00 $4.50 $6.00

CHINA PICTORIAL Monthly with attract­ive and concise articles $2.00 $3.00 $4.00

CHINA RECONSTRUCTS Monthly with general coverage of China $1.80 $2.70 $3.60 richly illustrated

CHINESE LITERATURE Monthly a magazine of literature and art $2.00 $3.00 $4.00

Every sutKciiljer will received posted direct from Peldng a beautiful deluxe colour calendar for 1974. Excellent booklets on China available for school projects; GEOGRAPHY OF CHINA. CHINA TAMES HER RIVERS. TACHING (China's Industrial front) TACHAI (China's Agriculture).

10c each plus 24c postage

Cheque or postal order $ ...enclosed;

NAME

ADDRESS -

(cut out and post)

EAST WIND BOOKSHOP 73 ELIZABETH STREET, BRISBANE. 4000.

YOGA & COMMUNES

"CO-OPERATIVE COMMUNrnES: How to Start Them & Why" by Swami Kriyananda. $2.SQ posted.

"AUTHOBIOGRAPHY OF A YOGI" by Paramahansa Yogananda S2.S0 posted

Essential reading for those concerned with the alternative society.

A catalogue of approx. 2000 titles of Yoga, Astrology and allied subjects. 20 cents posted.

Cheque or Money Order to:- Varuna Books, P.O. Box 54, Geveland.4163

UNIVERSITY FILM GROUP

PRESENTS A YEAR OF GOOD FILMS

{ ^ " 1 MEMBERS PROGRAMME

The member programme includes such Alms as Chaplin's GOLD RUSH, Albic Thorns' SUNSHINE CITY, Sam Peckinpah's GUNS IN THE AFTERNOON, Grifftth's WAY DOWN EAST, Marx Bros DUCK SOUP, and many others. The memloer programme cost only $3 for the year and screens on Monday nights in the SCHONELL THEATRE

L J SUNDAY NIGHT PUBLIC FILMS

1ST. "W.R. MYSTERIES OF THE ORGANISM" - I7TH MARCH.

MIDNIGHT FILMS

1ST. "TARGETS" and "FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET"

-1 STH MARCH. 11.30 PM

JOIN NOW AT SCHONELL THEATRE or P.O. BOX 69, ST. LUCIA.

FACULTY BOARD STUDENT REPRESENTATIVES Nominations are invited for the following positions as student representatives on Faculty Boards for 1974.

Board of the FACULTY OF EDUCATION

One rep of students enrolled in the Qbpaitment of Education.

Nomination forms are available from Union Office or will be sent on written request to the Union Secretary to whom any enquiries concerning these elections should be addressed.

All nominations are to be delivered to Union Office not later than 5.00 pm on Thursday, 4th April, 1974. All the above positions will then be fiUed by appointment at the meeting i of Union Coundl to be held that evening commencing at 6.30 pm.

Bill Abrahams, Union Secretary.

UNION CONSTITUTION CHANGES

The foUowing changes to the Constitution of the University of Qieensland Union will be considered at the 3rd Meeting of Union Council to bo held on Thursday, 4th April, 1974.

That sub-Section 13 (1) (c) be Amended by the addition of the words "who ^11 not have a deliberative vote unless he be already a member of Council". After the word "Council",

This proposal is to al>olish the deliberative vote of the Chairman of Union Council.

That Section 20 be amended by the insertion of the words "brought to the notice of Council after the declared result has been accented by Coundl" after the word "procedure".

This proposal is to clarify the circum­stances in which tite Council can dis­regard electoral irregularities and accept the result of an election.

Ihat Section 8 (1) be amended by the substitution of the word "three" for the word "two" and by the insertion of the words "Honorary Life Membership" after the words "Active membership" and that Section 8 CZ )be amended by the deletion of the words "and the Honorary Life members of the Union".

ITiat Section 18 (I) be amended by the insertion of the word "active" after the word "all".

Ihis proposal is to abolish voting rights for Life Members and Honorary Life Members.

That Section 4(a) be amended by the addition of the words "Post-Graduate Vice-President,

who shall t>e a post-graduate student elected by the post-graduate students" after the word "Treasurer" in the defin­ition of " ' Executive.

liis proposal is to establish a Post-Graduate students' Vice-President and to have as a Member of the Executive and of Union Coundl.

BiU Abrahams, Union Secretary,

UNION COUNCIL

UNIVERSITY OF QUEENSLAND UNION invites nomination for the by-elections for the following positions on the 63rd Council of (he Union for the balance of 1974.

1 Agribulture Faculty Representative 2 Alts (Part-Time) Faculty Representatives I Commerce and Economics (FuU-Time)

' aculty Representative ommerce and Economics (Part-Time)

Faculty Representative

1 Education (Part-Time) Faculty Representative

1 Post-Graduate Students Representative

Nominations are also caUcd for the position of Chairman of the Union House Committee for 1974.

Nominations open on Thursday. 7th March. 1974, at 9.00 am.

Nominations close on Monday, 2Sth March, 1974, at 5.00 pm at Union Office.

Nomination forms are available from Urtion Office and wiU be sent upon written request.

Any active member of the Union who is a member of a Faculty may nominate for the position of representative of the Faculty, ot m appropriate casesfor the position of representative of the members of a Faculty who have the same status as himself.

Any member of the Union may nominate for tbe position of Chairman of the Union House Committee.

These positions wiU be fiUed by appoint­ment at the meeting of Union Coundl to be held on Thursday, 4 th April, 1974, commencing at 6.30 pm in the J.D. Story Room.

BiU Abrahams, •<4Jaioa-Secretary;.—

REVIEWS PAGE 13

FILM 'THE EXORCIST" - FORUM CINEMA

A vastly over-rated, overplayed film and book. If reports from the United States are correct in that "people have been throwing up", "exhibiting signs of demonic possession", "suddenly returning to the practice of the Catholic faith" - then one must wonder at the emotional and psycho­logical *immaturity of young America, and the depth of their Catholic faith. (But then it may be that the old fundamentalist, Radio-Church BUly Graham's teclmique of hellfire and brimstone is the right one after all,)

Not that personal demonic possession is an impossibility. To the present reviewer it is a very real possibility, and one quite Ukely to reappear in Western society of the present tendency to look for simple naive solutions to life's problems continues. Of its nature demonic possession seems always to have been du-ected towards making people lose belief and confidence in themselves, in life, in God. In recent centuries the demonic or destructive forces of Western society have clothed them­

selves in more subtle garments than the young girl Reagan's deformed, bloodied body.

The vehicles of modem nihilism and satanism may be found in many who will see man only as a biochemical process, a sociological pattern, a psychological conditioning, an economic unit.

Are little Reagan's obscenities and violent half-trutJis more horrible, more soul-destroying, than the obscenities and violent half-truths that were or are the Vietnam War, the Gulag Archipelago, Watergate?

If you wish to see a good honor movie, perhaps bettet than a traditional Frankenstein because it Is set in surroundings we can relate to more directly, if you are "turned on" by gallons of thick green pea soup being vomited aU over the screen, then by no means miss this one.

If you want a serious examination of personal evil and its powers in our present society - forget it,

J.M,

THEATRE PICK-A-BOX : 96 CONCRETE ALTERNATIVES

Endgame reviewed by Dolly B.Grunt, What am I doing here? Who is the dog? Will John lose his hang-ups, forget Judy, remehiber Dunkirk, leave Merv and Sue and Rick and all the gang at Beatrice Street and pull his finger out? To pee or not to pee? -these were a few of the questions posed ruthlessly by the entire cast of South Pacific, Gone With The Wind and plenty of nude bodies in Blue Light's latest apocalyptic success -Endgame or How / learned to Stop Worrying, Biting My Nails, Taking Valium and Love Laetitia - Oh, what a beauty - Softbody. What a woman! What a game little performer! What a play! What a scarifying indictment of American involvement in Vietnam! What an investigation of the author -play - audience relationship! What a lot of money I get paid for writing reviews! and why not?

To reconsohdate - let me explain my methodology, hitch-hike to Tasmania, cast caution to the wuid and re­examine my theatrical roots (what fun we had together!). In fact, let me do anything rather than explain why I enjoyed Blue Light's devastating

production of Sam Beckett's craggy off-Broadway hit. The only thing I am certain of is that 1 enjoy plenty of naked bodies. And did we get them in this play? ,.., My God, how we got them! (At least there were plenty in the first half).

And, by the way, what about my anal fixation? What rubbish! What bias! Pure excrement! (1 also think Marowitz is a fart. Brook a shit, and Grotowski a carbuncle on the back-side of the theatre-politic).

Oh - Blue Light really want me to tell you (and listen to this - I'm getting paid for it) that Endgame is a bloody good play - go and see it at the Cement Box on the 14-17th March and the 21-24th of March They would also like to thank the Union and the Administration - if and only if they give Blue Light free gifts, plenty of nude fun, and lots of money.

Yours with kisses, Dolly.

OUESniON: •WBME BO GOATHEADS SOUP - Stones BURN - Deep Purple GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD - Elton John HOTCAKES-Cariy Simon DELIVER THE WORD - War WELCOME-Santana HARD NOSE FOR HIGHWAY - Van Morrison HAT TRICK-America KILLING ME SOFTLY - Roberta Flack MUSCLE OF LOVE - AUce Cooper RINGO WAKE OF THE DEAD - Grateful Dead DYLAN

and many more have in common ?

AMiWl^l: They're all available NOW at Brisbane's ONLY discount record seller. Any of the thousands of records presently released can be bought over the counter or ordered for prompt delivery at your own shop...

The

iBnion music room (located under the SchoneU Theatre foyer)

EVERY RECORD BRAND NEW AND DISCOUNTED.

Normally S5-.9S

ONLY

and similar discounts on cutprice double and treble albums

uithe UNION MUSIC ROOM

For Non-Catholics

interested in tlie Catholic

Faith Here is an opportunity to read a straight­

forward explanation ot whal Catholics believe. The Catholic Enquiry Centre's course of

leaflets is available free of charge and without obligation. More than

55,000 enquirers have asked for the leaflets. They open a new life of living

faith to many. Thousands find hope and courage In the challenge of their simple message. Post coupon for

introductory brochure. Nobody calls.

r mm FREE and IN CONFIDENCE • • m Please send me, without obligation, your brochure in a plain, I

I seated envelope. I am not a Roman Catholic, . SP29 • Hr./Mrs./Mlss |

(Block letters, please) ^

I Address |

Stata P.C I

LC A T H O L I C E N Q U I R Y C E N T R E •

P.O. Box 63, Maroubra, N.S.W. 2035 I

PAGE 14 REVIEWS

BOOKS AUSTRALIAN CONNEXIONS: ABORIGINES, RACE AND RACISM HUMPHREY McQUEEN penguin books, february 1974

The European education system has always served to enfore the prejudices of the society of which it is a mainstay. Nowhere is this more evident than in the number of hostile, embittered adult Aborigines wJio have suffered from the insensitivity of white school­teachers and the cruelty of school children mouthing the racist slurs of their parents.

White contempt for the Aborigine has been officially nurtured in the educational institutions of Australia, through a policy of ignorance and neglect. The textbooks used by many schoolchildren in their formative schoolyears often contain only vague and sometimes hostile refer­ences to Aborigines, These books have encouraged little understandmg of the Aboriguie, his lifestyle and cultural heritage, or his part in Australia's modem history, i.e. since Captain Cook. At best, Aborigmes have been depicted as somethuig quaint (like the koala) or helpful (like Jacky Jacky).

It is m childhood that racist senti­

ments are born - learned by example from parents and elders and enforced by a negative approach to such issues in school. Because of their intellect­ually influential position, schools should be educating against racism, not instit­utionalizing it. People are now under­standing the need to rewrite the text­books so that the Australian Aborigines can be seen as they truly were -a highly skilled and culturally sophis­ticated group who have suffered tremendously at the hands of the white colonists.

Humphrey McQueen has touched this problem of re-education in a small book on racism in Australia that hopefully will come to be used extensively in schools. Written with white children in mind, it could be effective in countering the negativism of conventional school textbooks.

The book has much to offer as an educational aid. Only 60 pages long, it is not so heavy as to bore a school pupil. The quantity and quaUty of the inform­ation combhied with an effective layout is quite remarkable. Excellent academic sources on Aborigmes have always been available but were mostly beyond the reach on intellectual understandmg of school children. This book says aU that needs to be said at a level children can appreciate and absorb.

a problem tragedy in three parts with clean words, fully clothed actors, and lush ecstasies of mortal sin.

McQueen does not attempt to con-vuice through argument - too often racist beliefs are based on unreasonable assumptions. He says at the outset that he believes white Australians to be racists and will make no concessions to racist beliefs. Instead he attempts to show us how racism developed and how it is perpetuated today through fear and ignorance,

Interestmg evidence is documented to show how a group of school children had the fear of a non-existent race inculcated mto them in an experi­ment on racial attitudes. When told that the race was fictitious many pup­ils still had an irrational fear of this supposed race. In another case, McQueen illustrates how grossly in­sensitive white people can be by includmg pictures of a so-called scientific display which seemed to suggest that the Aborigine is some kind of missmg link between white Australians, or modern man, and the apes,

McQueen admits to the difficulty of writing on racism. As a white person he too must accept the truth of his own statement that all white Austral­ians are racist. However, as a white person writing for white people, especially children, he has pieced to­gether a book of great educational worth. The book is not an in-depth study of Aborigines and their culture -there are many excellent academic texts available on this. The emphasis of this book is heavily weighted to­wards white Australia, towards a greater understanding of how much we, are responsible for the "Abo­rigmal Problem" and that it could orobably be more properly deflned a "White Problem".

Wendy Tyson

PEOPLE'S BOOKSHOP, 291 ST.PAULS TERRACE, VALLEY, 4006. BRISBANE TELEPHONE: 52-2929 marxist bookshop - carries selection of materials on third world - women's Uber­ation - ecology - etc. good selection of rare and interesting pamphlets.

WORLD PREMIERE SEASON

SCHONELL THEATRE 8pm. March 20,21,22,23,27, 28,29,30.

April 1,2,3,4,5,6,

RED SQUARE AT NOON NATALIA GORBANEVSKAYA penguin books, february 1974

"20th August 1968 at about 11.00 p.m. troops of the U.S.S.R., the Polish Peoples Republic, the German Demo­cratic Republic, the Hungarian Peoples Republic and the Peoples Republic of Bulgaria, crossed the state boundaries of the Czechoslovak Socialist Republic . . . the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Czechoslovak Communist Party considers that the accomplished act not only contradicts the basic principles of relations between socialist countries but is a denial of the basic standards of international law."

Statement by the Presidium of the Central Committee of the Czechos­lovak Communist Party.

"The Soviet Government and the governments of allied Countries (the Warsaw Pact) - acthig oil the principles of indersoluble friendship and co'operation and in accordance with existing treaty obligations have decided to accede to the request to order the necessary aid to the fraternal Czechoslovak people."

Pravda 21st August, 1968

The author of this book is a relatively little known Russian poet. On the 25th August, 1968 she and seven other people, amongst them a

J physicist, a philosopher, a student and \j& party member yfete involved in a

peaceful demonstration in Red Square. They were protesting the invasion of Czechoslovakia by the members of the Warsaw Pact countries. Amongst the banners raised were "Hands off CSSR", "For their freedom and ours". The book is a telling chronicle of how the Soviet courts of law deal with dissidents - "parasites on the working class" as they were labelled by the chief prosecutor. The book is not really easy reading because the author is concerned to explain at length the operations of the courts. What is lost in literary appeal however is more than compensated for by the rigourous objective analysis of the ramifications of the dissidents actions.

The dissidents were charged with "hooliganism and disturbing the peace" even though they took great pains to avoid breakuig any laws and even though their actions were quite in accordance with the constitution of the Soviet Union which guarantees its citizens the right to peaceful protest. In fact the only hooliganism which took place came from KGB provo­cateurs in tiie crowd who using such ephitets as "Anti Soviets" "Bloody Yids" (the Soviet proletariat is quite anti-semetic) and "Fascist Renegades" created an ugly situation m which several of the demonstrators were bashed severely; this, of course, was overlooked by the courts of law. The dissidents were found guilty of "deliberately spreading false and malicious slander of a treasonable nature". Some were sentenced to jail, others exiled and the author and one other person delcared insane and placed in a psychiatric ward.

It is easy for any person in this country to believe that this and worse injustices are perpetuated in Russia by the Stalinist Brezhnev regime, the recent exiling of author Solenzhitsyn after a hate campaign by the Russina press is yet another example of the official attitude to discussion or debate of any but the most parochial issues, the basic rationale behuid the "excesses (somewhat of an understate­ment) of the stalmist era is still in force.

It is all too easy for a person in this country to say "WeU that's Communist slavery for you" or some other well worn cold-war cliche. The theory or ideas of Communism have little or nothing to do with the suppression of dissidents in Russia today. Centrali­zation of power has lead to an entrenched bureaucracy who have as httle respect for the truth as they have for the attainment of Communism ai Russia and the rest of the world: this power.elite uses such cries as "working class solidarity" and "fraternal obli­gations" to will the people into complacency and thus retain the status-quo to their obvious benefit. In many ways the soviet bureaucrats are more conservative than their western counterparts.

In Australia there was a wave of protests recently concernmg the expulsion of Solenzhitsyn over the expose of KGB crimes m "The Gulag Archipeligo"; the Courier-Mail immediately started "Red-Baiting" and all manner' of neo-fascist groups (Citizens • for Freedom) leapt onto the bandwagon. Such phenomena are to be exposed as empty polemics unless they deal with the fact that the dissidents in the Soviet Union are a tiny majority. Most of the lumpen proletariat cheerfully believe the lies perpetrated by the soviet press as indeed their counterparts in Australia cheerfully believed the lies perpetrated by the Australian press concerning Vietnam. As the author of "Red Square at Noon" vividly discloses the mass of the people who watched the Red Square demo or who later attended court hearings would have happily dis­membered each of the dissidents. Again it has been my experience that these people's Australian counterparts had the odine deshe during most of the demonstrations m which I have been

REVIEWS PAGE 15

BOOKS involved. As -the autlor says "Everythuig dirty and cruel ui our history was covered up in the name of the people and greeted with roars of popular approval".

Though idealism and protest are now somewhat "out of fashion" m a world led by Nixons and Brezhnevs and though the "avant guarde" has settled into its rather murky niche of slick cynicism it might do well for people to reflect on the power of the ideal: the motlavation for good action despite the consequences,

"Discussions about the conse­quences for the world at large of one or other of our actions cannot serve as guidance for our actions and behaviour than is endowned with another and uitracontrovertible guidance - the guidance of his conscience, by following which he is certain that what he does is what he should be doing -hence the moral principle and guide to action, - I cannot lf«ep silent."

-, , , Leo Tolstoy Graham Jones

A HAPPY DEATH ALBERT CAMUS penguin books, february 1974

"A Happy Death" is uncomfortably sunilar to "The Outsider", which.

however, it does not approach in terms of literary merit. In fact, it is clumsily composed, though there are some extremely well written parts. For example, we not only have to put up with the death of Mersault's own mother, but also that of Cardona, Again the author dwells on the hot Algerian sun, the sea, and the beach. The murder of Zagreus parallels that of the arab; a man with a dog is encountered m both novels; Mereault's isolation at Chenoua reminds us of Mersault in prison in "The Outsider"; and both novels are divided mto two party (even the number of chapters are simikr - six and Hve as against five and five).

The book suffers from its division into two unequal parts 'Natural Death' and 'Conscious Death', (part one contains hardly more than one-third of the whole). Both parts are divided into five chapters.

Chapter 1 of part 1 contains the murder of Roland Zagreus, The other 4 chapters are flashbacks: chapter 2 to Mersault's ordmary life; chapter 3 to his relations with Marthe and to his sexual jealousy; chapter 4 to his long conversation with Zagreus; and chapter 5 to his encounter with Cardona, the banell-maker.

In summary: Mersault, an ordinary office worker meets the mvaUd Zagreus through his lover (who used to be

2^greus' lover). He learns from Zagreus how he made his fortune, murders him and leaves the country.

Part 2 deals with Mersault's stay in Prague (chapter 1); the rest of his journey and his return to Algiers (chapter 3); his departure for the Chenoua, where he buys a house (chapter 4); and finally his death (chapter 5).

Camus' portrayal of male characters, as usual, is very good, but he doesn't handle his women well m "A Happy Death", We are unconvmced with his rendering of the 3 women hi the House above the World - was Mersault sleepuig with them or wasn't he!? The author appears to be embanassed by the erotic and emotional episodes, which he plays down, and which consequently doesn't come across very well.

The description of the North African landscape in superb:" . . . the little village with its close-set red roofs between the mountains and the sea overflowed with flowers - roses, hyacmths, bougainvilleas - and hummed with insects,,.", This typical example makes us overlook many of the book's deficiencies.

The hero pursues happiness through wealth; finds it eluding him m Prague; regauis it with his return to North Africa, firstly at the House above the W-orid, -and then m the solitude at

Chenoua. And having achieved happiness, he retains it m death.

John MacCuUoch

BOOKS REQUIRING REVIEW

The following list contains recent re­leases which arrive at Semper Office for review. Any book is available free to any students/staff member who will guarantee to submit a review for publication hi Semper Floreat.

"Key to Psychiatnr" - a text book for students, by M.I Sainsbuiy. Published by ANZ Book Co. 1973.

"Dictionary of Architectural Science" by Henry i. Cowan. Published by ANZ Book Co. 1973.

"A Manual of Clinical Dermatology" by Petet ]. Ashuist. Publidied by ANZ Book Co. 1974,

"Racism - The Australian Gxperience • Volume 2 - Black versus White" edited by F.S. Stevens. Published by ANZ book Co, 1973

"Realities of Race" - an analysis of the concepts of Race and Racism, by Keith R. McConnochie. Published by ANZ Book Co. 1973. Interested? Drop by Semper Office, First Floor, Main Union Building,

Briaa Wiite in aeBooiatlon vith the Aus-tralian Film InB-tituta (Vinoen-t Library) presents

nEI3. HOSTRHCIRn EXPERieiEnm

Ficeis 1974

l 6 o f the l a t e s t works ty young Austral ian independ­ent film-makers working vdth grants from the Aust­r a l i a n Council for t h e Arts Experimental Film and T e l e v i s i o n Fund. None of these f i lms has been seen i n

Brisbane before .

SCHONELL THEATBE Student Conoessions

Friday Saturday MARCH 15/16 only, 7.30

The Blue Light Student Theatre Company

PRESENTS

a play by Samuel beckett

everybody's hell

n i E r c n 21st - 24th 8:15pm

CEMENT BOX

O . A

M S c o o<,?'a

o. §plL s

— Of

b-a ° S S o 2'-'

Pulsus

J D Of t .SeP

( D £ W >. a r t

CS e g o r.

tt.n«ao,g > . B

3 >,« C I

I g ' 1

Z

CO 1/3 .J

5w,S

( H O g

00

o-SQ e .« ,a

a feiS^S e.S

g e u g S i o

.SI s ' ^^ -A

11 -

iiiii.

n S o

ifiH

\C v,S

< if S

I SI n J3 ^

f— o<a « S'c'5 'Q>B S S O a A

i|lttll|| mi I