The Living Daylights 2(4)

Vol2.No4Jan29-Feb4 30c

can turn into something not only inhuman but truly terrible ”

‘The simple mechanism of anonymous flocking behavior

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SUNBURY SPECIAL INSIDE

or a bawdy weekend of ripper vibes and sensational music,

Editor Lashes out S one squeaky voice in what pur­ ports to be a crude collective, I’d like to say that while Ward McNally’s stirring o f the cesspool o f professional boxing (page 6) is useful, he doesnt come to terms with the bestial nature o f the sport itself; the b lood y concept o f a slogging match and the motives for gambling on other mens blood . Australia has already elevated competitive sports to a level o f caricature, from swimming to Sunday driving; without this paper loiter­ ing at the ringsides.

Harry G um boot is back with a bang, weighing in against work, continuing the debate on this subject which has been surreptitiously fluctuating in these pages since issue one (page 5). Perhaps it’s all a sly apology for his own slackness in these past weeks.

The work o f merely being alive leaves face prints, as Syd Shelton’s shots show o f the Sydney busmen’s picnic (page 12).

The m ood is a graceful contrast to that o f the Sunbury music festival, pulsating with all the usual rituals o f youth; which, if a little hackneyed, were far less so than the newspapers which reported the occasion.

Several Sunday journalists confessed to writing their stories before visiting the scene. So far was the truth from the “ nude orgy, pictures” and headlines, that one shudders to contemplate credibility in other areas.

The living delights guide grows and grows. There was a ballsup last week involving Melbourne Delights which was not the fault o f Chris and Eva, so sorry for any inconvenience. We’ re trying it as a centre spread, to be lifted out and left around. Is all the drudgery and time it absorbs in preparation each week, worth­ while? Please let either the Sydney or Melbourne Delights editors know, if there are any gross omissions o f interesting weekly things to d o (see centrespread).

Margaret MacIntyre is soon to be phasing in as the overseer o f the music pages, joining our growing cottage indus­ try o f contributing editors. She plans to break ou t from the restrictions o f rock consciousness and to concentrate more on indigenous music scenes.

As the commune movement acceler­ ates in Australia, so does the controversy continue as how to balance anarchy with structure. In the first TLD o f the year, Graeme Dunstan, announced a workshop on alternative living to be held in New England, NSW, all invited, $6 fee, february 15 to 20th, more information from Alternative Living Foundation, PO b ox 126, Uralla, 2358. In this issue, Frank Wingham, a widely travelled commune chronicler, airs his rather didactic views, pages 16 and 17 (and he also supplied the pics). S on y, Frank, for the vanished byeline . . .

Some people objected to last week’s feature Men against sexism, and fuller replies will appear next week, as will a vigorous inquiry into Richmond city council . . . a survey o f action plans by pot reform groups . . . a confession from a middle class work addict and anything more that can fit in the puny space allowed — see ya next week — EDS. PS. Due to a deadline time scramble last week’ s story on the Adelaide Triplight Together Company didnt carry a by-line.

The piece was written b y Brian Johnston, a journalist not directly connected with the enterprise. Brian pointed out that Peter Carey, the centre’ s chief spokesman has been receiving more than his due o f the fuzz’ s “ attention” and wished the Adelaide police to know that it wasnt Carey who filed the story.

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Richard Beckett beats up the w eek’s news T ’S A U STRALIA YOU MUGS, NOT BOGNOR REGIS: As $:£: Queensland suffered one o f its natural and rhythmic underwater periods, which have been occurring since at least the end o f time and long before land speculators were even heard o f, tw o matter fact statements went almost unnoticed in the welter o f stories about grandmothers clinging to the tops o f gum trees, heroic rescue bid b y blind 8 $ Spot, the drover’s dog, and telegrams o f sympathy from queen Elizabeth o f Australia. :£:j; The first was made b y environment minister, Moss Cass, w h o said “ the losses were distressing but both the gulf and channel countries o f Queensland were subject to periodic flooding, everyone knew that and those people who are prepared to fly in the face o f mother nature just have to learn to offset profits from the tolerable years against >:*: the somewhat damp ones (or perhaps start breeding cattle with gills). When Brisbane went under water, federal science minister Morrison, while exuding a little clucking sympathy for the wet suburbanites, said many o f the cities flooded areas had been irresponsibly designed for housing or industrial 8$: development. He made no com m ent at j&v all on the mentally defective condition o f those w h o are mugs enough to actually build houses over natural water courses. Meanwhile the Brisbane land speculators remain dry and insulated on higher ground.

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KISS TO BUILD A DREAM ON: Seventyeight year old Edna Edwards o f the Sydney suburb o f Hurstij:$: ville, told police that a thief w’ o stole $100 from her during the night returned $7 o f his takings and gave her a kiss on the cheek before bounding ou t into the night, presumably into the arms o f a somewhat younger companion.

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e d id n t even m e n tio n GOUGH WHITLAM: Author Patrick White in accepting the Australian o f :j:§: the Year award in Melbourne said he S S believed the prize should have been shared b y three other people — historian professor Manning Clark, green bans builders laborer, Jack Mundey and Barry Humphries, chronicler o f the passage o f the great Australian ocker. His i” j:: well healed audience most o f which had vxj: at one time or another suffered from >:W: the hands o f the three unrewarded gentlemen was not particularly amused.

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HY BOTHER, THEY’ LL FALL OUT OF THE SKY ANYW AY: The Australian airforce’s swingwing lead sled, the F i l l fighter bomber, is to engage the Australian army in m ock battle next month. The purpose o f the tests, as announced b y the defence department, appears to be to find out whether the somewhat expensive F i l l ;i;:$ can defy the laws o f gravity for more

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COVER: First two pictures and quotes derived from Newsweek issue on Konrad Lorenz.

Page 2 — T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974

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CAPE TO W N, Jan. 27. — An 11year-old South A frican colored boy w h o was roasted by three white mpn is to nave psychiatric treatment t o try to cure him of fear o f whites.

G od frey Lambert was caught picking up coal at the Beaufort W est railw ay yaid . The whites, aged 18, 20 and 24, beat him. un­ dressed him, smeared his body with grease and held him in front o f a locom otive fire, giving him third degree burns.

The men were sentenced to six lashes each and on e year’s im ­ prisonment, suspended for three years.

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than five minutes o f any given day and whether any members o f the army are still able to pull a trigger in m ock anger. a ck on th e r e a l fr o n t LINE: Firing yet another shot in the great butter-margarine war, the deputy New South Wales Labor opposi­ tion leader Mr Ferguson claimed that the dairy industry wanted to make margarine so unpalatable that people would, “ throw up rather than eat it” .

He also observed that while both armies claimed that they were starving to death, both had managed to mount intensive and costly public relations campaigns to press their points o f view, a fact that somewhat spoiled their re­ spectable images.

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e e p i n g s m a l l n a t i o n s in THEIR PLACE: American secre­ tary o f state, Dr Henry Kissinger, has warned that the superpowers will joint­ ly adopt a “ strike first” war plan if improvements in nuclear weapons went unchecked. He then gave the world a little hope fo r the future b y stating that American nuclear strategists had decided to switch nuclear targeting from cities to military installations in the future because advances in nuclear missile development no longer favored the women and children first principle.

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HERE’S SMALL POX IN THE BLANKETS AG A IN : Senator Neville Bonner has revealed that mili­ tant aboriginals are prepared to use violence against the white comm unity to achieve their aims and are at present stockpiling weapons to fight ,the good fight. The reason fo r this stockpiling is believed not to be entirely unrelated to certain attitudes among the members o f the Queensland police force. But Queensland police minister Hodges, in defending his finest, said all people were equal under the Queensland sun. Actual­ ly he is right, the Queensland police, if anything, enjoy bullying hairy white southerners almost as much as they do intimidating black northerners. Not sur­ prisingly in view o f this official attitude, a group o f Australian aboriginals are now touring China with a view to setting up their own communes once they return to their so called homeland.

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The Living Daylights is published every tuesday by Incorporated Newsagencies Company Pty Ltd at 113 Rosslyn street, West Melbourne, Victoria. You can write to us C/- PO box 5312 BB, GPO Melbourne, Victoria 3001. Telephone (03)329.0700, Telex AA32403. EDIT­ ORS: Terence Maher, Michael Morris, Richard Neville, Laurel Olszewski. CONTRIBUTING EDITORS: MUSIC, Margaret MacIntyre (03)91.3514; NEWS, Piotr Olszewski (03)38.5979; SYDNEY, Stephen Wall (02)698.2652.

PERFECT MASTER: Barry Watts. BUSINESS: Robin Howells. ADVERTISING: MELBOURNE: Robert Burns (03)329.0700; SYDNEY: Stan Locke (02)212.3104.

DISTRIBUTION: VICTORIA: Magdiss Pty Ltd, Tele­ phone 60.0421; NSW: Allan Rodney Wright. Telephone 357.2588; A.C.T.: Canberra City Newsagency. Telephone 48.6914; Q’LAND: Gordon & Gotch. Telephone 31.2681. STH. AUST.: Brian Fuller. Telephone 45.9812; TASMANIA: South Hobart Newsagency. Telephone 23.6684.

h e v o ic e o f th e m ock TURTLE WAS HEARD THROUGHOUT THE LAND: Sir Reginald Sholl, a former Victorian supreme court judge, said in Melbourne, that criminal law should not be changed to excuse drug addicts and alcoholics from their actions. In other statements, sir Reginald said that chronic alcoholism should be punishable by banishment from society, drug offenders should be treated equally harshly and that increased criminal violence in the com m unity was the result o f “ the decline o f religious faith, the growth o f materialist and wholly selfish philosophy, the portrayal o f violence and cruelty as universal entertainments".

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UST IN CASE YOU HADNT NOTICED: The cost o f living in Australia rose by 13 percent last year which should worry absolutely no one who exists on a diet o f cold water and seaweed. However, for the rest o f the community, this could indicate the conditions this year might not be so rosy.

In an effort to damp down this mad spiral, the federal government announced that it would support quarterly cost o f living adjustments and at the same time it increased the health fund contributions - making it highly unlikely that anyone will dare to get sick in 1974.

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EAT ME, WHIP ME: The w orld’s best known child care expert, Dr Benjamin Spock, has blamed himself fo r producing “ the spoiled brats o f America” . He said inability to be firm with children was one o f the commonest problems in the great nation o f the United States today and although he didnt press the point further he indicated that the Vietnam war could have been caused by these “ spoiled brats” .

Dr Spock went on to say, “ in the 20th century, parents have been persuaded that the only people who know for sure how children should be managed are the child psychiatrists, psychologists, teachers and social workers. My talks on child rearing were meant to be helpful but while I did not know it until it was to o late, my apparent know-it-all attitude was undermining parents confidence.”

Perhaps Dr Spock and sir Reginald Sholl should get together.

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Bob Dylan: the singing real estate broker

DAVE BLUE

Bully-boy breaks out the booze Tom hates drugs: “ They pervert and degrade humanity,” he told Melbourne Truth men inviting them to com e along and chronicle his citizen’s bust.

But Tom and Russ came a gutser: Truth's news editor, L ’Estrange, decided to invite co m ­ ments on the legality o f the raid from the Victorian police com m is­ sioner and the Council fo r Civil Liberties. Our heroes were next seen in the Prahran magistrate’s court on a series o f five charges each.

E WENT to southwest Victoria, down by the sea, to Barwon Heads, to its hotel, to see what our old friend, anti drug crusader, hefty heavy Tom Ericksen is hatching.

Tom and his faithful sidekick. Russ Pearson, are peddling the world’s most widely abused drug.

But Tom and Russ like kids, like to keep fatherly eyes on their habits and ways. Why, as recently as june 17, 1972, the Dynamic Duo staged a vigilante midnight drug raid on a South Yarra flat.

Describing the incident, Truth journalist Martin Ryan told the court he saw Ericksen “ aggressive­ ly” handcuff the tw o alleged drug users and tape-record “ confes­ sions” . Ryan said the intrepid pair roared into the pad brandishing a shotgun, knuckledusters, a twoway radio and a tape recorder. He described how one o f the “ bustees" tried to swallow his j o i n t . . .

Ericksen and Pearson prised open his mouth and retrieved the soggy dope.

The case went up to a county court jury, but the vigilantes were acquitted o f charges o f unlawful imprisonment and assault.

Operating from his heavily armed fortress in Toorak, Big Tom used to offer his services as bodyguard. He “ travelled” with abortion reformer, Dr Bert Wainer, around the time o f Mel­ bourne’s big abortion inquiry. He went on to hit the headlines when he was the go-between in an un­ derworld handover o f forged cur­ rency and graciously handed per­

Big Tom 's standover

plexed Victorian fuzz some $17,500 in forged 10 dollar notes.

He claims he had contact with "M r Brown” , the man who con ­ ned $500,000 o ff Qantas. Tom was big and blousy in those gutsy days. . .

These days Ericksen and his buddy Pearson have hung up their guns and bask in the surf and sunshine at Barwon Heads where Tom manages the hotel fo r his wife and brother-in-law. There have been some problems though: the locals recently kicked up a fuss when they learnt T om was selling cut rate petrol, shaving cream, smokes and sweets as well as alcohol.

It’s a shame Ericksen doesnt exercise the same vigilance as in his form er drug-hounding days.

When we visited his pub we could have sworn that some o f the drinkers were under 18 and, in fact, when questioned admitted they werent o f legal drinking age.

T o abide with the licensing laws Tom has a quaint custom at closing time. Patrons are escorted from the lounge where they queue up to buy "supper” for readmit­ tance to drink and dance until 11.45pm .

Russ was on guard duty o u t­ side the hotel's main entrance . . . relieving patrons o f glasses they tried to smuggle out. The local police cruised past the hotel, only stopping momentarily to disperse people w ho were obviously not staying fo r supper. Perhaps they had other more feared drug users to pursue than Big T om ’s drink­ ers.

A.J. W E B E R M A N , self-proclaim ed

dylanologist and founder of the Dylan Liberation Front, has been D ylan ’s m ost trenchant critic, stalking the poet like the crocodile stalked Captain H ook in Peter Pan. Here W eb erm an has a poke at D y la n ’s current US tour H ow many years can an audi­ ence Listen to the same old songs?

And h ow much bread must p eop le shell ou t B efore th ey know they've been wronged?

The answei m y friend A in th ere tonight The answer aint here Tonight. n y o n e w h o pays $10 to see “ Bob Dylan” and The Band during their current tour has got to be out o f their cottonpickin mind . . . and Dylan is laughing his ass o f f at them! He even talks about conning his fans in the Newsweak cover story about him ’cause he knows th ey’re payin’ to see a ghost, to resurrect a mem­ ory o f a time when there was hope in Amerika - he knows how des­ perate you are and is going to squeeze every last penny ou t o f Hattie Carroll, Song to W oody and Mr Tamborine man.

The real Bob Dylan is stoned cold dead — murdered b y capital­ ism, heroin-induced cynicism and racist cultural nationalism.

Mr Zimmerman (Dylan) is a multimillionaire with a large port­ fo lio o f stocks (he once admitted to me that he owned Ling-TemcoVaught — a war materials manu­ facturer) and he also owns a lot o f real estate in Manhattan such as a good part o f a skyscraper at 1400 Broadway along with many townhouses in Greenwich Village. All o f these are purely profit making ventures — meanwhile the Free Clinic o f New Y ork city is going to have to close for lack o f a cheap space . . . The check re­ printed on the last page o f this packet can give you some idea o f Dylan’s wealth — it’s merely the discrepancy between tw o account­ ants after a re-audit o f the books at Columbia - he’s worth at least FIVE MILLION. Dylan’s politics are the same as the Jewish Defence League’s: ex ­ tremely rightwing. He’s contribut­ ed large amounts o f m oney to them — under the name o f Abra­ ham Zimmerman and personally wrote a check to Meir Kahane for 15 grand. Kahane’s latest thing is mailing letters to Israeli arabs offering them m oney to leave the country — Rockwell, the nazi, used to d o the same thing - only the letters went ou t to Amerika’s blacks.

Although I d o agree with the JDL’s contention that there must be a predominantly jewish state — thanks to A d olf Hitler - their pro N ixon stand is intolerable. They want to leave the fate o f Israel in the hands o f rightwing Germans lik e Haldeman, Ehrlichman, Buzhardt, Zeig Heiler and Liddy

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(who "collected nazi memora­ bilia” )! Why I even found anti Semi t i c literature in John Mitchell’s garbage carefully under­ lined to support his contention that the jews funnelled illegal m oney to McGovern in return for his support o f Israel. Israel can exist without Amerika having to be a dictatorship - at least I hope so!

All the bread from the concerts is going to Israel’s most reaction­ ary elements, in total secrecy since Dylan doesnt want any con ­ troversy or arab threats cutting down on the gross.

WHY DOESNT DYLAN SAY SOME­ THING ABOUT THE INSANITY AND INHUMANITY OF THE PALESTINIANS FORGETTING ABOUT THE SIX MILLION JEWS WHO WERE SYSTE­ MATICALLY MURDERED AND THE ISRAELIS FORGETTING ABOUT THE MISERY OF THE TWO MILLION PALESTINIANS LIVING IN TENTS AND SHACKS IN THE DESERT? Everyone needs a place to crash free o f persecution - arabs and jews - and it’s Amerika’s policy o f using the jews fear o f extermination to keep down the arabs that's led to the current tragic situation. Ultra-zionists like Dylan play right into their hands . . . I’m not saying he should give the money to Palestinian terrorist groups who often disguise their age old anti semitism in anti Zion­ ist rhetoric - but there are pro­ gressive elements in Israel who could use his su p p ort. . .

It’s obvious that I have a lovehate thing going with Dylan - if I didnt dig him I wouldnt have spent so much time deciphering his poetry — and after he did George Jackson I was so impress­ ed that I discredited myself by apologising to him, hoping he’d becom e a human again. When I found out he kept all the bread from the single and refused to meet with Jackson’s mother m v hopes were dashed to shreds and I realised I’d been had.

A few years later, when he announced he was playing at the Nassau Colosseum despite all the pot busts that have been going down there and despite the tour promoter’s (Bill Graham) promise to b oycott the joint I realised my contention that — “ The great artist isnt always the great human being” - was the supreme exer­ cise in understatement. Dylan can shit all over you only because you let him — poetic and musical talent is no excuse to exploit & con people - let’s put some grass­ roots pressure on the rock in­ dustry and everyone will be the better for it.

FREE BOB DYLAN ! and FREE YOURSELVES! (NYNS)

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , January 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 3

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The life and times of Omnibus MICHAEL ELVINS N JANUARY 4 after a very successful concert with Captain Matchbox (bless ’em), Omnibus, at 1-5 Glebe Point road, closed down operations, and a rather shaky attempt to create a totally counter-cultural environ­ ment within Sydney was tem po­ rarily abandoned.

N ot much would be gained by going into the whys and where­ fores o f why we did close, except maybe a few myths might be laid to rest.

YES, the licensing squad police did hassle us, and in fact scared the shit out o f us, but on their own were a problem we might have been able to handle, one way or another.

YES, the owner did pull a couple o f vital foundation stones out from underneath us and create all kinds o f hassles in our heads, but he also wanted sincerely for Omnibus to happen, and spent a great deal o f time and money giving us the opportunity.

YES, it was a fascinating building, but it was also unmanageable, and o f the 350 people who turned up to see Captain M atchbox, only about 100 would have had any­ thing like a decent view o f their performance.

YES, we were a pack o f pretty untogether people a lot o f the time, but we were hog-tied almost from the mom ent we opened, and although we couldnt admit it even to ourselves, our ability to be positive and to function with a '•’'ear vision was so clouded by the uncertain ties confronting us that we functioned well below our capabilities.

Still, we had some real vic­ tories, and a few people got a good zap sometimes, and we’ve gained a hell o f a lot o f experience which will be put to good use in

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the very near future, you watch.

Omnibtis is now about seven years old. The first five years were spent germinating in one poor bugger’s head (mine) and the last two disturbing the peace in a growing number o f other peoples heads.

A lot o f people have asked what the hell is Omnibus, and usually they received a pretty spaced-out answer. Unfortunately, it’s not possible to give a simple one. Tw o years ago, it was the name o f a theatre com pany; then it became the name o f a rede­ velopment project in W oolloom ooloo that was to house, among other creative workshops, the the­ atre company.

When the bans were slapped on to W oolloom ooloo, Omnibus be­ came the name o f a couple o f houses in Collins street, Surry Hills, next to the Institute o f Natural Health. We were simply a group o f people who were trying to live a fuller, more com plete existence, and, fo r a while it worked. Nimbin was the high HOSE houses in Victoria point o f that phase, but in the street owned by Frank post-Nimbin euphoria (rather like a post-Billy Graham revival m eet­ Theeman now stand doorless and ing), when the wildest o f idealistic almost empty. Although the signs VICTORIA STREET, fantasies became probabilities, S A VE Omnibus frantically cut itself BUILDINGS FOR NEED NOT loose from Collins street (one day GREED have been blotted out, I hope I’ll be forgiven), and Omni­ Mick Fowler, a lone tenant, still bus at Glebe Point road gradually lives in 115.

Meissner and his crew, are en­ came into being. sconced in the agent’s office. Be­ Essentially, Omnibus is only a low, in Brr jgham street, hundreds name. It is a name a lot o f o f doors, including some fine old people have used in order to cedar ones, are stacked, partly give themselves the courage neces­ exposed to the weather. sary tp stop being a mindless It’s clear that squatting in V ic­ automaton and to start the long toria street — for the time being slow haul into thinking (or more anyway — is no longer on. A solid accurately, feeling) for them ­ row o f police and controllers selves, and, even harder, doing for made any move back into the their selves. houses impossible. For a few days, some squatters and friends camp­ ed under a tarpaulin and maintain­ If yo u're b lack, you can't afford to stand back. If you're w h ite, support ed a picket on the street. Elvis, human right — as you did against conscription, apartheid and V ietn am . Th e whose chimney they pulled apart system killed Nam atjira. It tried to silence Charles Perkins. Now it's after in order to get him out, was the Kevin G ilb ert, aboriginal poet and land rights campaigner. The cops reckon he last to com e down. sent a letter threatening to kill the queen. G ilbert reckons you'd have to be Theeman announced that green some sort of a nut to do such a stupid, fu tile thing. But it got him out of the ban or no green ban demolition way before the openinq of the Opera House and it killed the land rights demo, that he w as planning fo r that d ay. If the charge succeeds, it w ill also get would go ahead. No-one felt very Kevin out of the road fo r the rest of his life. Th e Free Kevin Gilbert campaign optimistic about stopping him. We seeks your support and donations. Car stickers, posters, badges and leaflets are had already learnt from the Rocks available. So, to o , are 4 illustrated poems by Kevin G ilbert at $1 each or $ 4 a incidents last October that even set o f fo u r. Fro m Free Kevin Gilbert campaign. B o x A 7 1 1 , Sydney South PO, with large numbers, demolition, if Sy d n e y . 2 0 0 0 . Protests to : Sir Roden C u tler, Governor of New South Wales, backed by the police, is much S ir R obert A sk in , Prem ier, Parliam ent House, Sy d n e y , NSW . 20 00 . harder to stop than construction.

For the BLF, it was a bad time for a confrontation. City laborers w ho had already lost money through stoppages and lock-outs late last year, had only just return­ ed to work after the holiday period. If the funds o f individual members were low, so to o were the union’s. While the union as­ sessed its position, the thoughts o f the squatters turned to sabotage but the best we could com e up with would only have made dem o­ lition tough, at best to hold it up for a couple o f days.

Then on thursday, january 17, Theeman contacted the BLF o ffi­ cials, and reached an agreement with them that on certain condi­ tions there would be no dem oli­ tion. What made Theeman hesi­ tate at this point? There are sev­ eral possibilities.

Homer with Billy Green, Fonda Glenrowan, Capt. Rock, It’s known that Theeman fears Carl Myriad, Ken White, John Ley, Peter Lillee the publicity building up against him. On his desk there s a file

Page 4 - T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4, 1974

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Victoria St:The Peoples Plan T

WENDY BACON containing every pamphlet, poster and report published. The daily press and TV were not as unsym­ pathetic to the squatters as he must have hoped and have paid some attention to his large invest­ ments in Vale Corporation which is in liquidation. A poster featur­ ing photos o f the thugs had in­ cluded his son Michael. Also Thee­ man knew that the squatters were preparing their own newspaper City squatter which would con ­ tain details o f his business connec­ tions and security organisation. It may be that Theeman, relying on the protection o f the conventional Australian press, had not expected such details to becom e public and was now frightened o f just where our investigation might lead.

A second possibility is that Maddison, state minister for p ol­ ice, w ho supplied the cops for the evictions, was not prepared to back up with hundreds more for the demolition. Also, it may be Thee­ man was not receiving much sup­ port from the other developers who, rather than throwing in their lot with this new boy, preferred to sit back and acclaim him later if he did manage to bust the green ban. The Institute o f Real Estate Developers actually published a statement dissociating their or­ ganisation from Theeman’s use o f violence.

Another possible explanation for Theeman’s change o f policy at this m om ent is that he realised that if he waited another few months, he might well get his development o f f the ground with­ out all the confrontation that dem olition would now involve.

We d o know that after the evic­ tions, he met Doug Danes, a council town planner. Danes is part o f the team o f planners pre­ paring an action plan for W oolloo­ m oo loo (including the west side o f Victoria street) under the au­ spices o f federal minister Uren, Fuller the state minister for the environment and lord mayor Shehadie.

The basic structure plan shown to the W oolloom ooloo residents on january 2, showed Victoria street marked RESIDENTIAL - EN­ TERTAINMENT AND ACCOM­

MODATION (meaning motels, and other temporary accom m oda­ tion). The agreement made be­ tween the BLF and Theeman was that there would be no dem olition until the action plan was co m ­ pleted. The green ban would then be lifted providing there had been adequate consultation with the residents and if the residents en­ dorsed the plan.

Contrary to the union’s usual policy in green ban matters, this agreement had not been reached at the request o f the Resident Action Group. So on sunday, jan­ uary 20, the group met to consid­ er our position.

Aside from our belief that a modified version o f Theeman’s “ development” plan would be ac­ cepted into the action plan, and from the fact that we already had our own co-operative housing plan for the street, more general con ­ siderations were raised.

In days o f public opposition to urban “ development” most cou n ­ cil plans include some citizen in­ put. However rarely, if ever, has this affected the basic political decisions on which the plan is born. Plans go on display, but who knows what happens to the wishes and comments o f the resi­ dents.

So, the Victoria street group made several conditions for par­ ticipation in the action plan. Plan­ ning begins where participation (not consultation) o f residents be­ gins: • The structure plan would have to be scrapped; • All planning decisions to be made at open, general meetings o f residents and other interested p eo­ ple; • Residents o f Darlinghurst (an adjacent suburb) be included since they would be affected by the proposed highrise develop­ ment along William street.

The following day we paid a visit to the council town planning department. The man at the counter told us we couldnt go into to see the action plan until it had been approved by the council, which would not be for several

months. Only after we mentioned that we knew Rita Spiegel, the council sociologist, did we get our way.

So on tuesday about 10 V ic­ toria street residents - joined later by some from W oolloom ooloo - looked over the maps with the town planners. The maps in­ clude details o f traffic studies, topography, development applica­ tions, proposed workforce, and citizen participation. We remarked on the low level o f “ participa­ tion” . We were told this map only represented the results o f a ques­ tionnaire sent out last year. We explained that no one in Victoria street had received a question­ naire. Neither, as she pointed out, had a woman from William street.

The planners insisted the ques­ tionnaires had been delivered.

The basic structure plan, which the planners claim is the result o f all their studies so far, divided the area into five or six land-use sec­ tions. Despite the planner’s suggest­ ions that the sections are related to topography, it is clear that the main residential and community area will be on the commonwealth five and a half acres and that the commercial, entertainment and “ accom m odation” , mixed with residential, will be on the private­ ly owned land, where the develop­ ers already have first stage approv­ al for their plans.

Our dissatisfaction with the plan led to a discussion about the difficulties o f implementing low rent housing.

The planners said they couldnt see why so many residents were concerned with the problems o f implementation o f the plan. A p­ parently it hasnt occurred to them that most residents know what they want, but how to get it in an area o f development and land price boom is the stumbling block.

On leaving we told the planners o f the conditions for further par­ ticipation. After some hesitation, they said they would be only too happy if we would d o our own plan and bring it to them, instead o f continuing with such destruc­ tive, negative talk.

Last thursday night, the Vic­ toria street and W oolloom ooloo groups met together. All round dissatisfaction with the action plan was expressed. It was decided that work would begin on a “ peo­ ple’s plan” for the whole area.

This weekend down in W ool­ loom oolo o Herman, an architect who lives in the area, is cleaning his model. Residents and squatters are preparing to shape their de­ sires out o f chunks o f foam rub­ ber. A videotape informal survey o f all the people in the area will begin next week.

Harry Gumboot on work -the curse of the thinking class HE bum-orientated issue o f Penthouse magazine, now on sale, lets John C. Lilly, the voice at the centre o f the cyclone, speak out between the pics o f powdered cheeks. A dolphinologist, formerly with the US navy, he is asked: “ What else are you getting into?”

Lilly: Learning how to d o nothing.

Penthouse: How d o you d o that?

Lilly: Y ou just d o nothing.

Penthouse: How much o f your time is involved in that?

Lilly: Oh, about 90 percent o f it.

Penthouse: Where would you like it to get to?

Lilly: One hundred percent.

Like many people with a super industrious past, Lilly is learning to love loafing. He is late coming to it. A smattering o f the generation which matured in the mid 50s and 60s intuitively realised that work was hazardous to their mental health. Apart from sporadic dust clouds o f energy, designed to divert attention from their hard core drop-out-ism, such people have flourished.

They have mastered the art o f doing nothing with exquisite style.

Occasionally they are to be found in the Slough o f Despond, through guilt; moral outcasts in a society cow ed before the altar o f achieve­ ment. Even as I write, kids are flaked out all over Australia ruminat­ ing on whether . . . “ Shit, shouldnt I be doing something more useful with m yself?” Dont. One false move and you are likely to pick up the malingering habit o f w ork — a habit which has cost humanity dearly, and day by dreary day fuels the plunder o f our soil and soul.

Work is here defined as: m oney induced labor. (Thus separated from esthetic obsessions, enjoyful pursuits and emergency repair w ork.)

Nearly all work is harmful. Not only to the human who indulges in it, but to the spaceship earth which is battered about in its holy name. The disasters crushingly outweigh the dimunitive benefits — and in any sensible society all o f us are prepared to toil a few hours a week to keep the post office opened, the garbage collected and bicycles repaired; in return fo r the abolition o f all material junk . . . and the slavery its production entails.

But let’s here leave the cosm ic sociology to other minds and other forums; look at the effect o f the work drug on the people around you.

A bout 10 years ago, I began to notice that the only people around me who had anything interesting to say, didnt work. People caught up in a career became shallow, one dimensional, narrowly ambitious. Their personalities faded into the archetype o f their occupation. And the busier they got, the more boring they became.

Oh God, how awful it was (and still is) to meet som eone in their office lunch hour . . .

Being busy means not being available fo r comm itment, convivial­ ity or even conversation. And how w ork stultifies the brain (except in the direction o f their “ specialisation” ). Whenever one connects with an old friend, someone you last saw in 1964 setting o ff to play golf with the boss, they’ve invariably lost their sense o f humor, their hair and immediately they start groaning about what unions are doing to the country . . .

It’s the same with cities. Melbourne has always been drearier than Sydney, because to o many people toil. Although at last laziness seems to be making a com eback. Internationally, cities can be rated in terms o f stimulation and imagination, to the proportion o f voluntary unemployed . . . laying about in cafes.

Women are smarter than men, and o f all the ones I vaguely grew up with around the beaches o f Sydney, only those swallowed up by a steady grind and/or relentless dom esticity, have failed to grasp the true significance o f their social options . . . that they are on the brink o f a dramatic change . . . as they continue drone-like in their office burrows.

The brightest wom en d o nothing and mature like a zen garden —

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ACTORS FORUM PRESENTS

Cards are on the table PIOTR OLSZEWSKI TUDENT dissidence is o ff to an early official start in Victoria this year. Front line honors go to the Melbourne uni­ versity SRC who bagged publicity after placing an advertisement in the Melbourne A ge recently warn­ ing students against an administra­ tion plan to introduce student union cards complete with p h oto­ graphs.

Spokesman for the SRC, An­ drew Hewett, said it was opposed to this action for the following reasons: • The university is already a “ closed” institution and the new union cards would make it even more difficult for outsiders to use facilities such as libraries; • The SRC considers this action a frontal attack on civil liberties; it leads to students being unable to move about freely without ID cards;

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• Copies o f photographs could be used by police to identify stu­ dents; • This action renders useless the pool o f union cards the SRC is presently holding to distribute to people.

Hewett complained that the students were misled into believ­ ing that photographs were com ­ pulsory, not, as in fact they are, optional. Hewett says there’s a sign explaining this, but it is so placed that students see it only after having their photographs taken.

However Mr Barrah, assistant registrar, claims that the SRC is unjustified in its attack. He says that he to o would like to see a university com pletely open to the public but he maintains that this can happen only in an ideal state and that our state is far from ideal.

Barrah claims that the univer­

becom ing delicately, intricately harmonious, at peace with their nature . . . Oh, these shimmering mistresses o f Oblomov.

I suppose we must pity the poor wretches who need work as an anvil on which to forge their own identity, but let them not turn the pitiless distraction o f toil into a virtue. The new year’s honor list — tod a y ’s G oebbels diaries — the fatuous medallions pinned to the chests o f land butchers, the achievers, the success stories, the people who produce the most profitable piles o f garbage.

D o not confuse these sentiments with hustling to survive, doing the dance naturally, like the dope dealers, photographers, parttime cabbies, students, designers, models, artists, “ revolution­ aries” , b ook reviewers, models, beach inspectors, and so on . . . all doing the daily jive . . .

Yes, this is being unashamedly middle class. I refuse to don baggy overalls, thicken the voice, flash out angry slogans on the right to work, the next five year plan and humming the Internationale. Mil­ lions o f people are obliged to sweat through material necessity and that is disgusting. But it is also true though rarely aired, that the great stinking, sweltering mass o f the bourgeoisie are not working to fill their bellies, but because o f the indoctrination o f the fantasy aches o f acquisitiveness, status and other ego diseases . . . all reinforc­ ed b y feelings o f guilt about laziness and given incentive by pyramid mortgages. Drop out, you idiots, before you do any more damage. Cut crazy consum ption, leave room for those more desperate than yourself to move.

In these times, a new venture should not be undertaken unless it makes a positive and joyou s contribution to us all. That would eradicate much o f the crap. I dont think the Living daylights would survive the test. Is it worth the killing o f trees, the harnessing o f heavy machinery, the trucks and drivers, the IBM typesetting, the eternal phone calls, ink, energy, proof-reading and office politics? . . . all to produce the piddling Living daylights . . . it seems absurd.

And it is! Remember back to the first time you took acid. Was not that first flash (forgotten now in the sizzling drug sodden 70s), that first flash — especially in a city trip — o f the sheer irrelevance o f most human endeavor, the ridiculous, turbulent overpowering preponderance o f things. Go stoned one day into the grandest de­ partment store in your area, freak out on the junk heaps, sense the sheer exhilarating sanity o f indolence.

If you ’re afraid to take the leap start somewhere easy. For an Australian, the decision not to own a car can be the starting point o f liberation. (See delightful centre spread in the current Digger, on non pollutant, self serviceable push bikes.) Shedding unnecessary possessions is easy. The real challenge is with tertiary capitalist comm odities. Will you “ bu y” education for your children, buy health from the government, buy insurance from those maniacs who have littered the skylines with b ox towers — the gravestones o f freedom?

All play and no politics makes Jack a romantic weakling. Work and corruption are loathsomely entwined, the developers and despoilers must be stopped in their tracks. Which is why Victoria street, Sydney, is the Tobruk o f today. In the same weekend that Melbourne bay swimmers are shown to be in a soup o f human shit, plans are announced to actually mine the area in search for more oil.

More shit . . .

In Australia, with its wide open spaces, a great enemy o f personal freedom is the advertising industry, the gestapo o f the consumer society. Like James Bond — a figure whom they largely created — they are licensed to kill; killing us softly with their words. If the adventure o f life is regarded as a search for truth, both within you and without you, then one feels an almost prim contempt for the citadel o f the lie', with its Vatican in Madison avenue, its citadels in every n ook and cranny, cascading forth with suffocating falsehoods — pumping out a message in every medium, until it is finally the poetry o f our age. _________

G AL A AUSTR ALIAN PREMIERE sity isnt big enough and lacks the resources to cater fo r the current students alone. He added that the high insidence o f theft from the libraries has also necessitated fur­ ther security.

Hewett claimed a number o f the photos o f students were taken and placed on “ file” .

Barrah stated that several photographs were taken o f new students for “ quite understand­ able use” in faculty records. He said that the number o f p h oto­ graphs taken varied according to the faculties students were enter­ ing and he said there was no central filing o f photographs.

As a closing piece o f irony Barrah pointed out that as a result o f the publicity in the Age, busi­ nesses “ d ow n tow n ” were now only recognising cards that carried photographs.

□

G erds Nicolson and Lew Luton IN 'T E R R IB L Y T E R R IB L Y " A black comedy by Alan Hopgooo.

With Beverley Dunn and Gary Down Season strictly lim ited, 30th Jan.-9th Feb.

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T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 5

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RANK STEWART, the Min­ themselves with a cricket bat, will ister for Recreation and haunt the mind o f those o f us Tourism, says Australia madewho its love this cruelest o f all sports, big breakthrough in sport during and want to have it properly 1973, and under his direction. controlled.

And he has announced that his So what's kept Frank so long? department’s inquiry into boxing Shortly after coming to power, is nearing completion. And about Frank Stewart retained form er time, too. top featherweight and ex-SalvaThe b lood and guts business o f tion Army captain, Trevor King, TV ringside will soon be on again, to act as his “ trouble shooter” and a large number o f half fit during the promised ministerial sluggers, and misguided mugs who investigation o f boxing. shouldnt be allowed to pull on a King had been nominated b y glove, will be belting the living Fighter, the only magazine devot­ daylights out o f each other for the ed to boxing in Australia. In fact enjoyment o f the cash customers. Fighter's publisher and co-editor, Once again the spectre o f death Mike Ryan, personally touted in the ring o f severe brain damage King to Stewart and, it seemed at to one or more o f the poor the time, tried damned hard to get bastards who couldnt defend King eased into the proposed

Page 6 - T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974

commissioner’s chair.

But Stewart wasnt having any o f that. Quite rightly so, to o . He told the public through a number o f press statements that he was establishing a comm ittee to in­ quire into the control o f boxing in Australia.

What control?

There’s been n o unbiased, proper control o f the b lood and guts game since the day big, black Jack Johnson taunted little Tom ­ my Burns down at what later became known as Rushcutter’s Bay Stadium, hammering hell out o f him as he did so.

Anyway, the Stewart appoint­ ed com m ittee made the rounds o f stadiums in Australia. Talked to blokes like genial R on Casey o f

Channel Seven, then went over­ seas fo r more watching and talk­ ing.

And that, friends, was nine months ago, and until today the last w e’ve heard o f the boxing commission intended for Austra­ lia.

For a Government which promised quick action in this area while in opposition, Labor has been damned slow in coming up with anything concrete. Are we going to have to wait for another ring tragedy before something is done?

We’ve witnessed a number o f ring tragedies in Australia since the start o f the 1970s already. For instance, little Filipino, Alberto Jangalay died after being knocked

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Idown by Kid Snowball in Festival ■Hall, Brisbane in August 1971. A (postm ortem revealed crusted Iblood on a portion o f his skull.

(This was proof, doctors said, that IJangalay had been badly hammerled around the head before the [Snowball fight.

Under the control o f a comIpetent boxing commissioner and [dedicated commission, Jangalay’s [previous severe head injuries [w ould have been discovered. He |would have been prevented from |staying in the fight game for his [ow n protection.

Johnny Phillips, colorful |Sydney fight trainer who took [Welshman Ronnie James to a [world welterweight title fight [against the famous Ike Williams in [Cardiff, in 1948, and who has [trained most o f the hasbeenswho [have been brought to Sydney to [fight Tony Mundine, said: “ Snow[ball didnt hit Jangalay hard. Poor [Little Alberto had no right being |in the rinq that ni ght. . . ” Phillips also says form er good |fighters such as 33 year old Anlton io Aquiller who lost early to I Mundine at the Hordern Pavilion a couple o f years ago, was rated only 48th among world middleweights when he fronted up to |Tony.

America’s Boxing illustrated I endorsed Phillips’ statement conI cerning Aquiller’s position in boxI ing. On his record he had no right I being in the same ring at the same I time as Tony.

And just prior to the Jangalay |tragedy, Trevor Thornberry, a [clouting Queenslander with little [boxing ability, but dubbed "The [icem an” because he had chilled a [few secondraters with one mighty [swing, collapsed in his corner at j Brisbane’s Festival Hall and was [taken unconscious to hospital.

[Doctors found his condition was |caused b y punishment sustained |over a long period.

After hovering close to death |for days Thornberry was dischargJed into the care o f his wife, Carol. |These days he sits in the sun and I smiles blankly at his three chil[dren. Perhaps he is struggling to [force his brain to recognise them, [and to explain to him who the attractive little woman is who |looks after him so bravely, loving­ ly ?

If w e’d had a properly estab­ lish ed boxing commission then |Thornberry is another fighter who today would probably still be enjoying life with his family. E x­ tensive medical and skull tests would have revealed his state o f health and he would have been refused a licence to box; for his |own good.

Another boxer who would still |be with us was R occo Spanja, the happy Yugoslav lightweight who constantly complained to his land[lady and friends o f severe head­ aches for a fortnight before going into the ring at Newcastle against the then rising star. Hector Thom pson. R occo had even spent [some time in bed, away from |work because o f his headaches.

Thompson knocked him out.

He never regained consciousness.

Fighter and the NSW Veteran Boxer’s Association secretary, Bill |O’ Loughlan. arranqed fo r the bur|ial. The promoter didnt attend 1 the funeral.

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Poor little R o cco . All he stayed in the b lood and guts game fo r was to get enough cash to bring his mother and father to Austra­ lia. Proper, commission supervised medical checks would probably have revealed R o c c o ’s depressed state o f health and he, to o , would have been refused a licence to fight. That’s the way it should be.

And then there was pathetic little Pat Lamanna. Remember Pat? They carried him deathly white and unconscious from R on Casey’s T V ringside at Melbourne and rushed him to hospital. Y ou could say he’s never regained co n ­ sciousness. Certainly the half world o f shadows in which he now lives isnt consciousness.

Pat was an eight rounder. He went back to the game after mar­ rying a nice little Italian girl. He wanted to buy good things for the new house he’d bought . . . things he couldnt buy from his truck driving job. Earlier fights reduced Pat's resistance. He was a victim o f insufficient medical control.

The first loud bellow fo r a boxing commission in Australia was heard after Victorian, Archie Kemp, was carried senseless from Rushcutter’s Bay Stadium in 1949 after being knocked dow n and later belted through the ropes b y national lightweight champion, Jack Hassen. Kemp, a brilliant boxer and popular sportsman, died that night in St Vincent’s hospital. He never regained con ­ sciousness.

In the name o f decency let’s hope w e’re not going to wait another 25 years for that co m ­ mission promised by Stewart.

Poor supervision o f fighters apart, many experienced visitors to Australia have lampooned the

lack o f control here. T w o years ago Felix Smith, leading Jamaican prom oter, brought Percy Hayles, Commonwealth lightweight cham­ pion to Brisbane to fight Manny Santos. The title was to be at stake.

When Hayles suffered a cut mouth during a training session and wanted a week’s postpone­ ment, Dick Lean, boss man at Stadiums Ltd said no dice.

No dice that was unless Smith agreed to take Hayles down to Melbourne and for the fight, a TV ringside affair, to go on there instead o f Brisbane where public interest in the bout had drawn only $200 worth o f reserved seats.

Smith told me, “ Who the hell does this guy Lean think he is?

Some sort o f little Caesar? We signed to put the title on the fine in Brisbane. We chose Brisbane because the climate is like back home, and Percy could adjust quickly to it . . . But Melbourne, hell man, that’s a cold place, and Percy could end up with a cold and be a sitting shot for Santos II Later Smith said: “ Boxing in Australia is goddam undemocra­ tic. It needs humanising. Some o f the guys I’ve seen training to fight prelims on the Hayles-Santos card havent been taught the rudiments o f self defence. T hey’ll end up with scrambled brains. What’s wrong you dont have a boxing commission here, bu d?”

Felix Smith told Lean he wasnt going to be pushed around and have venues switched on him So he took Hayles back to Jamaica. I have read what he told his local pressmen about boxing in Austra­ lia. It made me blush fo r the rest

o f us. We appeared b lo o d y child­ ish. And werent we?

Bill Slayton, intelligent black trainer o f the black middleweight Lonnie Harris, told me in Brisbane 13 months ago when Harris was stopped in five by Tony Mundine, that Harris had taken the fight against his advice. “ But Lonnie has been out o f boxing for 18 months with a stomach illness. He needs the ready cash, so I agreed. But you know, he isnt rated in the first 50 middleweights. I dont think he has a chance in hell o f winning this fight," he said. An hour later he was proved right.

Then he added: “ I wasnt so impressed with Mundine. Lonnie would take him given three more fights to get back into the game.”

Harris wouldnt have been al­ lowed to go in against Mundine under commission control. After such a la y off he would first have had to prove himself b y fighting his way into the main events from semi-windup bouts.

Other examples o f easy recent fights forced on to the paying public to make them think they/ were going to see a fight and not a one-sided slaughter, are' Jureus DeLima and “ Bad News” Austin.

Both helped inflate Mundine’s record o f knockouts.

DeLima was supposed to have

only lost his previous fight against the black i sensation o f the time, Bennie I Brisco, because o f a cut I eye in Round 8. Actually j he was carried senseless from the Madison 1 Square Garden ring only 55 seconds into Round 2. “ Bad News’ /(Austin a went into the Brisbane IJ hall ring with fat falling over his trunks. He lasted a ’ little more than one round. ’ DeLima was belted around for four or five rounds before being knocked down three times. It was pitiful.

So far as Mundine’s concerned there’s a long trail o f neverwassers or hasbeens notched to his gloves.

Most wouldnt have been allowed to fight him under commission control.

That's just part o f the sorry | story o f boxing in Australia.

And now Frank Stewart says the inquiry into the b lood and guts sport is almost completed.

Let’s hope it w on ’t be to o long now before we have a commission operating.

But not so quickly Stewart will | settle for some self-seeker as com ­ missioner who is interested only in the buck he can extract from the game.

N ot someone w ho has milked the game for every cent he can get from it by working both sides o f the fence at the same time, taking from promoters as well as boxers for small services rendered.

There’s a few about the game that I fill that bill.

My nominee would be Fred Henneberry, form er brilliant Aus­ tralian middleweight. Fred proved himself a sound fight commenta­ tor, and a successful businessman.

He is above suspicion. That’s what | we need. A man above suspicion.

Suspicion is the one thing that must be kept ou t o f any appoint­ ment to this important post in a game noted for suspect acts and arrangements.

Boxing has got to be taken ou t | o f the wheeling and dealing area and brought into high public es­ teem. Human lives have for too long been the pawns in a game that has served the pockets o f promoters for far to o b lood y long. T o use a Labor cliche, It’s Time. Over to you, Mr Minister

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T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 7

Page 8 — T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974

a front seat ride while the meter’s ticking.

A few words o f some deals within wheels.

DICK ELLIOTT & RUP BLACK

ESSENING the tedium o f working for m oney is the tenuous thread that keeps people smiling on sunny days.

Regardless o f how you characterise free­ dom — be it with Royal Crown cola or giving oneself to quiet succor 40 miles from a general store - unless you have a lot o f money, or such belief in your inherent creativity that justifies you living o ff other people, y o u ’ll have to work for money at some stage o f your life. That is, your fingernails will becom e dirty for m oney. This is one way o f getting the necessaries whilst reserving to yourself your political potential.

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HE CAB pirouettes on its right earlobe and seizes its opportun­ ity — a four-inch gap in the traffic going the other way - and nudges, first one headlight, then a bumper, and so on. The beckoning whistle which insti­ gated these proceedings is drowned in a cacophony o f horns airing their dis­ content. A flood o f passions and curses erupts from the smoggy serpent, Mel­ bourne’s Footscray road, the implacable face o f the driver suggests a passive acceptance o f this performance as being very much the status quo. He may smile gently, or raise a laconic index finger from the window, which the eyes o f the world may dwell on fo r but a second. “ Where are you going mate?” “ City — Flinders street.” “ O K .”

With the meter ticking and the blinker blinking the car moves ou t into the street, by the fish market, Appleton dock and up past Festival hall (where wrestling fans converge on the doors). Skipping over the grey grime o f Spencer street, left at the Charles Hotham pub and it’s all smooth to the station. “ That'll be dollar fortyfive.” “ Thanks.” “ OK, see ya.”

O f that dollar fortyfive the employed driver has earned 45 percent, or 65 cents.

Nearly five percent will go to compulsory union dues and Sunday rip-offs, leaving the driver with 60 cents, or “ five-eighths o f three-tenths o f fuck all” as the drivers com m only refer to it. Most o f them are aware that the average pecuniary rewards o f the jo b compare poorly with other

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semi or unskilled work. “ They talk about a living wage, but Jesus mate, they dont get up at sparrow’s fart, work 12 hours on the road and finish up with about enough m oney to paper the inside o f a dunny roll . . . Living wage - bullshit that’s what I say. Cobblers to the lot o f ’em !" was the verbatim response from one Astoria driver last week. After months o f agitation, the taxi industry was granted a ten percent rise recently, but failed to leave the drivers glowing with pleasure. They generally set themselves a daily target and knock o f f when they take that amount, which means they spend slightly less time on the road for the same m oney. But the unhappy lot o f the em ployed driver (who, in any case, is the “ intinerant” o f the industry) can be compared to that o f the owner-driver, w ho owns his cab and possibly several o f them. By outlaying around $20,000 for a licence, the owner-driver has made a comm itment to stay in the taxi game; there are not many o f them. *

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ITH handshaking among contem ­ poraries having been long forgotten, in favor o f the popular frenetic nodding o f head, it was disconcerting to have Ivor — all five fo o t six o f him - grabbing one’s hand with outrageous enthusiasm, smiling broadly as his forearm tensed and his fist gripped tighter. At the same time, his left arm swung round to clasp on e’s right arm beneath the elbow, demanding a dis­ tinctly uncom fortable ten seconds lather­ ed in smiles at the door. We went into his house, which has neatly trimmed lawns bordered by a great deal o f clean con­ crete. It lies discreetly in the shadow o f the Pascoe Vale gasometer. “ L ook here boys,” he began forcefully, “ anything I tell you here is genuine, fair dinkum and the truth. I call a spade a spade, an’ if you want to turn it over an’ call it a shovel, that’s your business.”

Ivor Dunstan is 55 and has pushed a

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cab around this old town for 29 years.

His friends call him “ Skavinsky” . (“ E verybody calls me that. Y ou can call me that. I’m not ashamed o f it.” ) His ambition is to drive a Kenworth semi with 30-odd ton up, all the way over to Perth. “ V k n o w , those things will go so slow that you can get out on a straight road and walk beside it . . . like this . . ” At which point Ivor Dunstan went truckin’ dow n the hall, giggling. And why did he drive the streets o f Melbourne when he could be paid to read Pix-Post for eight hours a day as a government driver? “ I’ll tell you b o y s” , he hammered back, " I ’m me own boss. Meeting people every day o f the week from your top businessman to the guy who gets in and goes from one pub to the next. Right mother? Mother nodded.

Ivor loved his cars, you could see that.

The glint that became his eye was the deeply-polished coat o f his “ Stanley Steamer” — an FC Holden that he used as his cab fo r eight years before turning it to the pasture o f his well-appointed garage.

In fact, the whole fam ily loved cars; mother affectionately remembered the time when son was getting married. She was compiling a p h oto album for son’s wife, however, son returned it to mother to include photos o f all his ex-cars. Ivor said, “ Can you find some m other?" She shook her head. “ I looked this morning to get some to show the boys, but I think son took them all. But I’ve got some photos o f our holiday in Fiji - d o you think the boys would like to see them ?”

We saw Fiji.

one-and-a-half hours as he explodes from subject to subject on his wall-to-wall (as his fancy takes him). He is small and round and hasnt stopped smiling as we take our leave. Mother hesitates, then also comes to the d oor to illustrate his parting advice. “ Just you remember that if y o u ’ve got a wife whose prepared to help you as mine has me, then y o u ’re half way there. If you havent, then y o u ’ve got nought, sport.”

Ivor said, "Where are the Cheezels, m other?” He speaks o f his G. J. Coles umbrella, going up like a parachute on rainy days. He also likes the sound o f his meter: “ The kite’s on like a hairy goat an’ tickin’ like crazy.”

He talks faster, “ Dont think there’s a couple o f beers in m e ! ” Ivor talks o f the working class and doesnt sit down for w PL, a <

xCO 2 O Q co u

Ivor owns one cab and drives it ten hours a day, six days a week. He suggests $70 as a weekly wage sufficient to pay the bills: unlike a lot o f owners, he re­ fuses to allow anyone else to drive his cab.

It now costs around $23,000-$24,000 to put a fully fitted-out cab on the road without the added expense o f tyres, servicing, fuel and a weekly subscription o f $7 to the company. The owner can make the choice Ivor has made and run the whole show himself, or reduce the life o f his car by employing another driver at night who will help defray the overheads.

Those who d o this, particularly if they own more than one car, often d o very well out o f the taxi industry with an eight hour day and five day week to boot.

Because o f the tolerably happy lot o f the owner, the employed driver suffers.

The owners are represented by the V ic­ torian Taxidrivers Association, on whose initiative any application to the TRB (Transport Regulations Board - the fas­ cists o f the industry) for increased fares will begin. The employed drivers are renresented bv the M otor Transport and Chauffeurs union, which claims to act on behalf o f three and a half thousand metropolitan drivers and another two thousand “ occasionals” . Secretary o f the union, Jack Waters, sat behind his desk in the trades hall last week and put some damn good sentences together. “ The taxi industry is made the whip­ ping b oy for the shortcomings o f the public transport system,” he said. “ We rely on the com m on hardheadedness o f the owners (the V T A ) in pushing for fare increases; we then add weight to the application before the T R B .” Naturally enough, both the union and the V T A front up to oppose the issue o f any more licences in the metropolitan area, to ensure there’s plenty o f work for every­ one. Jack said 1500 applications were heard when operator’s licences were last issued, but only 100 were granted.

The upshot o f all this is that fare increases will only be seriously applied for when the owners are feeling the pinch. The TRB is responsible for in­ vestigating the economics o f the business before recommending any increase, and is more likely to look at the owner-driver than the employed driver when making a decision. This is partly understandable when the income figures o f employed drivers are as inaccessible as they are; half o f them are avoiding tax and the other half dont know how much they’re earn­ ing anyway.

So, for the average driver we have comparatively poor m oney and rigorous conditions (particularly during the warm­ er weather). Another factor is the govern-

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4, 1 9 7 4 --P a g e 9

than insults dow n at Victoria d o ck and found the situation becom ing grim until he waved desperately to another cab going by. The driver was an oak-tree Maltese, shoe-horned into a Y ellow cab.

The thugs fled, pursued through a maze o f containers b y the gleeful Greek w h o was waving a monstrous w ood file ou t his window and working hard to run them down. Cannonball revisited, he came back beaming, fon d ly caressing his file: “ I f I ketch them, I would k eel th em ."

ONT get the unfounded impression that pushing cabs is a bummer.

Quite the opposite; it’s potentially a way o f life, and the big key is wholly a question o f attitude.

Consider it esthetically: the leafy boulevards, the highways, the streets, lanes and grimy alleys o f the metropolis are the cabby’s canvas, his domain. He grapples with the beery,, neurotic, path­ etic, inspiring and hilarious guts o f Mel­ bourne while hammering the shitter out o f someone else's car. This is the stuff cabbies are made o f — a street-level rapport kneehigh to the gutter lies be­ neath the ethnic sensibilities and language difficulties. Riders o f the storm, sailors o f the asphalt — the four-wheeled mystics!

The new or potential cabbie must, however, remember that not every man jack and driver can grasp this; oftentimes, while you are diffusing your ethnic sen­ sibilities in the suburbs, there are those who will be ripping y o u o f f elsewhere. In short, there are unscrupulous drivers — Philistines who have inveigled their way into the cabby’s ranks, and they together with the older drivers consistently mani­ fest their aim o f laughing long and hard at inexperience. Bear in mind that it isnt the sort o f situation where you can smile at their crassness on other levels with any real efficacy; they seek only to consum ­ mate their quest fo r the dirty fingernail.

The follow ing constitutes instruction for the sensitive potential cabby.

D

ment carrot, in the form o f high wages offered for driving the dearth o f new comm onwealth cars — the taxi industry suffers a Labor government like an albat­ ross around its camshaft. All have con­ tributed to the rapidly diminishing num­ ber o f taxi drivers; the old-timers are sentimental with age and like good sol­ diers, their ranks are near to empty. This has left a g ood number o f spare cabs lying around waiting to be driven; it’s attractive to migrants keen to work long and hard, or to hippies wanting their ow n time. For the diehards who treat their driving jobs as no more or less than work, being a cabbie becom es the same as bending mattress springs or rolling toilet tissue; thus, when the employment situation is buoyant, many are tempted to seek easier work elsewhere. There are, o f course, worse things about the job.

HE NEW violence has found its way from the footpath on to the road; seldom does a month pass without a Melbourne cabbie losing his takings to a bunch o f knife-bearing desperados in a West Preston alley. The cost can indeed be somewhat dearer. In late 1971 two drivers were taken into thick bushland in Victoria and summarily executed, another driver got a misdirected bullet in a Murrumbeena cafe last year. More often, physical danger arises when in­ ebriates choose not to pay a fare or take exception to the route taken b y the driver, though it ought to be said that the latter is not entirely at the mercy o f

T

unsociable clients.

All cars are equipped with warning devices to attract attention when in d if­ ficulty and perspex screens to discourage rape and assault from behind. Each com ­ pany has an emergency code to use over the radio, which produces extraordinary results when called. There is no fiercer ally than a cabbie who has been held up himself, o f course, and the empathy shown between drivers in moments o f violence tends to manifest itself in unre­ strained mayhem upon the would-be as­ sailant. Many drivers carry their own special “ dissuaders” . A young driver we know was recently threatened with more

T ’S easy to becom e a cabby. A l­ though there was a tim e when several weeks o f intensive study and a series o f exams was a necessary precursor to receiving your badge, this is now forgotten on the basis that if you put a rookie on the road he w ould have to learn quick. The procedure is simple and entails the follow ing: front up to your favorite taxi com pany — it’s easiest at Y ellow Cabs down at South Melbourne — in borrowed shirt and tie. Y ou must be able to write in English, " I can speak English very well.” (It has been acceptable when a chronic shortage o f drivers exists after a shooting incident, fo r instance for companies to accept an equivalent verbal statement. This is important knowledge for a passenger; if your driver ever throws up his arms crying he can’t speak English in some forgotten alleyway, now you know he’s fibbing.) Y ou must possess a full driving licence without too many major blemishes and have around $32 on your person. Six notes fo r medi­ cal check, photograph (hence vindicating the painful decision re shirt and tie) and six more for the test at the TRB. The $20 is on ly needed when you decide to sign up with the com pany — it’s surety in case you have a prang. If y o u write o f f the car, fo r example, and it was your fault, then you lose $20.

The licensed driver is entitled to work for the com pany itself, or for a single owner. The owners try to entice you away from the com pany with promises o f automatic cars, good shift times or even a dozen bottles. The com pany (which, in­ cidentally, is owned b y A m pol) can’t offer you new and/or automatic cars, since these are snaffled b y the older drivers. They d o however, offe r you autonom y. There are tw o shifts - begin­ ning at 5 am and 5 pm - and you are entitled to have, hold and use the car for

those 12 hours without any unreasonable demands as to m oney earned. When you drive fo r an owner who has one or tw o cars, y o u can’t say fu ck it and decide not to drive when he has allocated the car for you, for the simple reasons that he’ll gently ask you to remove yourself to fine leg. Besides, y o u might feel more guilty about ripping o f f a small-time owner (with a bigtime mortgage) and beating the pisser out o f his car. Owners like you to be on time, and after all, reliability is a dirty word to a hippy.

An important thing to remember if y o u drive fo r Y ellow Cabs is that y ou are a self-employed person. Y ou sign a form which has the effect o f making you a lessee (ie. you rent the car) o f the cab for

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the period you have it. Legally this means a cabby is supposed to pay his ow n income tax. If y o u ’re honest, b y keeping you r tips separate y o u ’ll be able to cover the tax assessment easily; if y o u ’re dis­ honest the chances are you w o n ’t be discovered as a defaulter. Y ellow Cabs say they dont make the pay-in records avail­ able to anyone, though o f course that’s no consolation to a friend o f ours, who fo r some unaccountable reason save that someone dobbed him in recently found a letter from the tax b oys suggesting he ought to pay $600 in tax. Once the tax people have a mark against your name you are checked regularly; the decision here is yours.

Once on the road with eyes furrowed and enthusiasm rampant the general truth o f experience is apparent. Depending on weather conditions, the time o f day, the day o f the week and the area in which a cabby finds himself, a particular course o f action will yield more satisfactory results.

The experienced drivers use well-tuned radio equipment and that, with a knowl­ edge o f geographical high points, dis­ tances and directions from radio aerials all means they are assured o f winning any radio jo b they want. If th ey’ve been driving fo r some time, they may have half their jobs arranged already before they start the day. One such fellow carts a carload o f elderly ladies up to Surfers Paradise every year, stays in the best hotels on the way and returns to pick them up six weeks later.

When new, you cannot com pete with these drivers on that level because you

lack knowledge. It doesnt matter anyway.

It’s a g ood idea to learn to drive with the m icrophone in your hand all the tim e; whenever you drop out in the suburbs, briefly look at the street directory and memorise all o f the suburb-names in a direct line between you and the city. Y ou are then reasonably prepared for any radio work that falls into your lap; proceed to find a main arterial route back into the city and y o u ’re then more likely to pick up any street work. This is about as much as you can do to ensure a reasonable amount o f w ork in the begin­ ning; before long the stations, bus depots, theatres, pubs, restaurants and other like­ ly spots to find fares will becom e known to you . By listening to the radio and talking to older drivers (their egos are taller than their stories) y o u ’ll gleen useful information about their favorite tricks, ploys and so on.

Occasionally the new driver may win a good radio jo b through sheer luck and be confronted by a surprised passenger say­ ing "I havent seen you before” . Disbelief spreads, twitching the nostrils (how can he know all o f 600 drivers?) until he says that tw o o r three drivers pick him up almost without fail. Each o f them knows the jo b is a long one and precisely when it will be called. One unknowing hippy (he wanted to buy some land and grow vegies, but at the time he was paying o f f his $3000 car) tells o f a case in point. One grey morning, when the wetness was spread by spinning tyres and semi-circular flicks on the windscreen ("vision was good at five feet above the ground” ), he found himself at Oakleigh with the pros­ pect o f returning to the city empty.

Having heard in the past some radio calls directed to the area, he managed to find the Oakleigh station rank where he sat and waited. A t 13 to 7, not a passenger, car, dog nor even water in the gutter.

Within the space o f 30 seconds, five yellow cabs converged on the rank from all directions. It was like the return o f Richard the Lionheart - horns tooted, arms waved, the poor hippy meanwhile dying o f fright and thinking he must have at least four flat tyres, or was his bib hanging ou t the door? But no, at 10 to 7 a call on the radio to our hippy (being the first gar on the rank): first o f a series o f pick-ups out at Noble Park, going in to E lw ood, then to Armadale, then to the city. This is what th ey were all aiming for - an easy ten dollars, only to be thwarted b y an unknowing innocent.

But this is all knowledge to be slowly and painfully acquired, fraught with mis­ takes that will surely cost you money.

The enterprising hippy must look to other ways o f counteracting his short­ comings; there is no reason why he cannot in fact d o as well or better than the craggy old bastards with their boots­ ful o f cunning tricks. A good driver can get $4 or more a day in tips. Since tips are your own money and not registered on the meter, you get the lot instead o f 45 percent. This goes for any m oney earned “ over” the meter, including bag­ gage charges and other rip-offs to be discussed later. Tips can therefore be equivalent to two-three hours normal driving work. Cabbies come to quickly recognise the types o f people who never tip and those who have an open mind on the subject.

Workers and middle class people who over relate to the working class tip the best; never much, but it’s constant. With the latter group, the more charmingly idiosyncratic you are the better. The main thing is to have a bit o f pitter patter to kick the conversational ball into their court, and from the response y o u ’ll be able to tell whether they’re into nattering or not. It doesnt matter how mundane it is — a simple problem o f investment in the verbal flow . T o be considerably richer you should be ready to adopt the mode o f each passenger in the cab. Politically, this means the dialogue is acted ou t by yourself; from worker’s control to people w ho arent sure whether they like Doug

e>

A nthony more than Paul Hogan, and it all serves to keep your sensitivity quotient up. Y our political hue com es to resemble the rainbow and the pot o f gold becomes real, fo r the more earnestly one agrees the larger the tip or the more jellied the bean.

Y ou may discover that a lot o f older drivers are grateful fo r any tip at all, even five or ten cents. Y ou will com e to regard such miserable gratuities with scorn.

Apart from the obvious tactic o f reinforc­ ing the passenger’s views on everything from reactionary politics to the flogging o f bashers - as outlined above - there are many more subtle and entertaining forms o f attack. At the end o f each trip, rather than be seen expertly flicking change out o f a plastic money-holder, grope for your change in a screwtop Vegemite jar with the label half-peeled o ff. Take advantage o f your “ newness to the game” people will smile at your calculated bumbling incom petence and be generous. A fter a time this newness will be difficult to fake, having been subcon­ sciously displaced by an aura o f studied ennui. (Y o u ’ll find yourself deftly sliding amongst the traffic like a rivulet o f mercury, and no one who witnesseth the nonchalant finger on the steering wheel will believe you only started yesterday.)

Try the “ struggling student” or “ put­ ting meself through Taylor’s” line, or supporting six brothers and sisters after the joint death o f your foster parents last year, or anything along the bad luck theme.

Alternatively, take the direct approach and talk about the miserable bastards who ask fo r their change or dont tip at all; ask your passenger doesnt he/she think it reasonable to pay a little extra for a nice, steady and safe trip. Some people react adversely here, but most will be so embarrassed they'll hand you their purse and leap ou t o f the cab like a startled gazelle. Who you choose to sub­ ject to this awful treatment is your business, but do be a little class-con­ scious.

As Melbourne loses its drab counte­ nance in the light o f a newly acquired vision, y o u ’ll find waterside pubs, homes for the insane, the ethnic clubs, hospitals, slygrog shops, massage parlors, gambling joints and striptease clubs becom e known to you as the haunts o f people who need taxis. T o know these places is also worth m oney. When interstate businessmen climb into your cab in, say, St Kilda and ask to be taken to a striptease show, rather than drive them 200 yards down to the nearest for 45 cents, you tell them the best show is back in the city. If they want women you tell them St Kilda’s been busted and then bring them all the way over to Fitzroy. Likewise, when someone in Brunswick wants liquor after hours, you tell him the nearest slygrog shop is in Elsternwick, and vice-versa.

This way y o u ’ll make a lot more m oney.

All this is quite legitimate. As you discover how the system \vorks y o u ’ll learn all sorts o f interesting practices which, whilst not blatantly dishonest, are viewed unsympathetically by the com ­ pany.

It will be obvious that if you speak to a passenger about where he’s going, quote him a cheaper than usual price and take him there without turning the meter on, then it will be similar to receiving a very big tip. This isnt fair to the company, o f

course, who will be paying fo r the petrol and may not make as much profit as they otherwise might.

It is a useful practice to know, and is often used after sporting events (such as the horse races when five people will climb into your cab all wishing to go into the city; the deal is a dollar each without the meter. Workers are generally happy to have a cheaper trip, also young people J&J |»1 i *

with longish hair and anyone else who doesnt lo o k like th ey’d take your number and report you. Care must be taken at night, when a tiny light behind the dom e light tells TRB thugs o r passing com pany “p olicem en ” that the m eter is on o r off.

Taxis d o a g ood deal o f parcel delivery work and it may occu r to you that a parcel is a whole lot easier to negotiate with than a potentially honest passenger.

In fact, taking lunch breaks is a sheer waste o f time until you get a parcel on board; then, with the meter quietly tick­ ing and no actual passenger, the time is ripe to select an appropriate pizza parlor and be paid fo r taking in fo o d . Y o u ’ll probably find you can cover the cost o f a large Cappriciosa by this method. Alter­ natively, you may not wish to turn on the meter at all; instead y o u can indulge in a little multiple hiring b y picking up any street fare whose going in the vague direction o f the parcel’s destination.

Legally, when you stop fo r a fare with your “ not fo r hire” sign is out o f sight, he or she can demand that you take them anywhere at all within the metropolitan area. Fortunately, very few o f them know this, so if they want to go the other way y ou can politely say you have a parcel to deliver and get away with it.

Multiple hiring is a lot o f fun and a favorite o f some o f the older drivers. This is possible when you are the on ly cab around and a whole lot o f people need a taxi; you ask where they’re all going and then suggest a fairly circuitous route which looks after all o f them. They each pay 75 percent o f the total fare up to the point o f their individual destinations (get this straight with all o f them before you m ove) so you can earn about tw ice the metered fare as a kind o f tip, as well as your 45 percent o f what’s on the meter.

This practice is quite illegal, save during train strikes and so on. A variation on this theme is to discover the best fare amongst a group o f people. Y ou find an airport terminal or bus depot with a number o f fares desperate fo r a taxi, announce that

y o u ’re about to knock o f f and go home to sleep (home fo r the mom ent being somewhere like 30 miles away) and in­ quire if anyone wants to go that way. The odds are on that someone wants to go you r way. Y ou then grudgingly agree to take him “ all that w ay” . N ot a bad fare.

All taxi companies have account cus­ tomers w ho carry little credit cards with a number, which you fill in on your d o c ­ ket-book, or they may have their ow n dockets as well. Som e o f these people are quite silly and hand you the docket without filling it in, in which case you generally add on a few cents here and there before you cash it back at the depot. Som e drivers lusting for m oney invent some account numbers by them­ selves and cash $40 or $50 worth; the problem is that the driver’s name and radio number has to be written on each docket. This ploy is on ly for the very desperate and can on ly be done on ce (it’s called forging and uttering, and the taxi companies dont hesitate to prosecute) and it ’s worth remembering that they always have your address and licence particulars on their files.

A final lurk worth recording is the question o f petrol: some unscrupulous hippies we know fill up their 12 gallon tanks at the depot w ithout noting it dow n on the sheet, then go hom e and drain it into their ow n cars. They say this is very satisfying.

The com pany “ p olice” are used to catch drivers indulging in all these prac­ tices. They concentrate on drivers pinch­ ing other drivers job s before the driver entitled to it reaches the address. They nail those w ho take to o long to get to a jo b , those w ho call a jo b out o f their

“ district” and those who deliver parcels without turning the meter on. The TRB officers are a different crowd altogether, consisting mainly o f thugs who couldnt get into the police force. They hate longhairs and have enormous powers over taxi drivers. The best way to avoid them is to keep the car clean and to carry all the right gear (TRB identification etc.).

T ’S ALL made easier with dope of course. N ot only the driving itself, which necessarily becom es cataclysmic at times, but the people — many o f whom you will doubtless loathe. Once acquaint­ ance remembers the Tullamarine freeway as a series o f alligators to be circumnavi­ gated; the passenger remonstrated that he ought to drive with tw o wheels on the median strip at 30 mph.

But you have many friends on the road, and such things can be overcom e; among the drivers, from the wit to be heard on radio, the glint to be seen in their eye and the sort o f cigarettes they smoke, the social order shall be reflected unerringly.

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T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4, 1974 — Page 11

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busman's picnic I havent had me photo taken since I was 1 7 ,â&#x20AC;? said one o f these women at Bronte Beach last tuesday fortnight It was the annual busworkers picnic. The men on the top left, aged 80, 90 and 70 (left to right) put between them 160 years on the trams which once rattled around Sydney.

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Page 13

S tfc U e c f

Stephen Wall 6 9 8 .2 6 5 2 PO B o x 23 , S u rry H ills.

M o v ie — “ B L A C K B O A R D J U N G L E ” — T h e 5 0 s an d e d u c a t io n a l B o w e r-B o y s : Chan. 7 , 1 0 .0 0 p m .

CLASSICS

JAZZ

“ T H E B A R B E R O F SE­ V IL L E ” — A u st O pera C o do R o s s in i o v e r : O p era H o u s e , 3 5 7 .1 2 0 0 , 7 .3 0 p m , $ 6 .5 0 t o $ 1 0 .5 0 .

M ERV ACH ESON T R IO ” : B ellev u e h o t e l, P a d d in g to n , 7 .0 0 - 1 0 p m .

C H R IS TAPPERNAC, D A V E F U R N I S S ” : F o re s t L o d g e h o t e l, 7 .3 0 - 1 0 p m .

M o d e rn , “ P E T E R B O O T H A M ” : L im e r ic k C astle.

S u rry H ills. ‘ D IC K H U G H E S Q U A R ­ T E T ” : Stage D o o r T a vern , C a m p b e ll s treet.

C ity , 7 .0 0 -1 0 p m .

THEATRE “ HELLO AND GOODB Y E ” — A co m p a s s io n a te s tu d y o f “ p o o r w h ite s ” in S o u t h A fr ic a : A u stra lia n th e a tre , N ew tow n , 5 1 .3 8 4 1 , tu es-sa t 8 .1 5 p m , su n 7 .3 0 p m , $ 3 .0 0 p lu s c o n c e s s io n s . N o m o n d a y . “ T H E H A P P IE S T D A Y S O F Y O U R L I F E ” w it h th e M e rcu ria n p la y e rs : N o rth R o c k s C o m m u n it y C en tre, 8 7 1 .6 0 7 5 , 8 .1 5 p m , $ 1 .2 0 , kid s 6 0 cen ts.

FILMS “ L E F A R C E U R ” — P. D e B r o c a (F r e n c h n e w w a v e ): F ilm m a k e rs C in em a , St P e te r’ s la n e, D arlin gh u rst, 6 .0 0 p m a n d 1 0 p m , $ 1 .0 0 , m e m b e rs o n ly .

J o in at d o o r $ 3 .0 0 . “ CRYSTAL VO YAG ER” : M a n ly S ilv er S creen , 5 .3 0 , 7 .3 0 , 9 .3 0 p m , $ 2 .0 0 .

N F T A “ o f f H o l l y w o o d sea­ son” , “ SHOCK COR­ R ID O R ” and “ TAR­ G E T S ” : A u s t G o v t C entre T h e a tre, 7 .1 5 pm , $ 1 .2 0 , m e m b e rs o n ly .

J o in at d o o r $ 3 .0 0 .

ROCK, BLUES JAZZ “ CLOUD N IN E S E B A S T I A N ” : C h eq u ers, 8 -3 p m ,

$ 2.00 FO LK , BLUES: “ J O H N U B E C ” : H ang T o e , 2 1 7 C o m m o n w e a lt h street, 8 .3 0 p m , 5 0 ce n ts .

JAZZ “ THE LORD OF THE R I N G S ” — J o h n S a n g ster’ s o r ig in a l in t e r p r e t a tio n : O p era H ouse.

B o o k in g s 2 1 1 .2 6 4 6 , 8 .0 0 pm to 1 0 .3 0 p m , $ 4 .0 0 . “ D O N D E S I L V A ” : O ld Push. “ D IC K H U G H E S P IA N O ” : F r e n c h ’ s T a v e rn , O x fo r d s tre e t, D a rlin g h u rst, 6-9 pm . “ E C L IP S E A LLE Y F I V E ” : V a n it y F a ir h o t e l, G o u lb u r n s tr e e t, 7 .3 0 -1 0 pm . “ M E R V ACHESON JA Z Z T R IO ” : B is tr o , A voca s tre e t, R a n d w ic k .

c u e d tte a d c ty FOLK V A R IO U S A R T IS T S at E liz a b e t h h o t e l , E liz a b e th str e e t, c it y . B e e a rly , say 7 .3 0 p m , 8 .0 0 p m . P rice: S F A (w e ll n e a r ly ).

BLUES “ J U N IO R AND THE GOLD T O P S ” : F id d le r 's V in e , 115A C ronuU a stre e t, C r o n u lla , 7 .3 0 p m .

THEATRE “ L O V E F O R L O V E ’ : Opera H o u s e , 2 .0 0 p m , $ 4 .5 0 , $ 2 .7 5 p e n s io n e r s , s tu d e n ts , ch ild re n .

TV S it y o u r s e lf d o w n t o R o c k / F o l k m u s ic w it h M arian H e n d e r s o n , B ern a rd B o la n , John J. F ra n cis , A la n L u c h e tti: C h a n . 2 , 9 -1 0 . “ H O R I Z O N ” — H o s p ita l 1922 d ocu m en ta ry on C h a rin g C ro s s t h e n a n d n o w : C h a n . 2, 9 .4 0 p m .

FILMS CRYSTAL V O YA G E R ” : M a n ly S ilver S cre e n , 5 .3 0 , 7 .3 0 , 9 .3 0 p m , $ 2 .0 0 .

P U D D IN T H I E V E S ’ and ‘B R A K E F L U I D ” — B. D a vis: F ilm m a k ers C in em a , S t P eter’ s lane, D a rlin g­ hu rst, 1 0 .0 0 p m , $ 1 .5 0 , m e m b e rs $ 1 .0 0 . J o in at d o o r $ 3 .0 0 .

A CONCERT FOR BANGLADESH” : O pera H ou se, 9 .0 0 p m , $ 2 .5 0 , e x ­ c e p t sun, m o n .

ROCK “ T I T A N I C ” — S ebastian H a rd y : C h eq u ers, 8 -3 a m . $ 2.0 0 .

WORKSHOPS “ C R E A T IV E DRAMA W O R K S H O P ’ b y L ea rn in g C o lle c tiv e : G u riga n y a , 4 4 4 O x f o r d street, P a d d in g to n , 8 p m . F ree o r 2 0 cen ts , m aybe. “ P O E T S R E A D ” — G u est rea d ers — M a i M o r g a n , an d “ J J O ’ : O ld C h u r ch , P a lm ­ e r & S ta n ley streets, D a r­ lin gh u rst, 8 p m . F ree.

CLASSICS “ TAN N H AU SER” by W agner a n d in G erm a n : A ll d ressed up an d n o w h e r e t o g o ? T h is is y o u r n ig h t!

O p era H o u s e , 7 .0 0 p m , $ 6 .5 0 t o $ 1 0 .5 0 .

TV “ H IG H S O C IE T Y ” — m o v ie m u s ic a l w ith B in g C rossby, F ra n k S in atra, G r a c e K e lly , L o u is A r m ­ s tr o n g . W ell w o r t h it f o r n o s ta lg ic s o n g s. C h a n n e l 7, 9 .0 0 .

M o v ie “ N A P O L E O N ” — w ar a n d a little p ie c e — J o s e p h in e : C hannel 10, 9 .0 0 p m .

G T K 7 4 — M ig h ty K o n g at S y d n e y t o w n h a ll: C h a n n e l 2, 7 .3 0 pm .

B R IA N C AD D & FAM ­ I L Y : C h a n n e l 2, 8 .1 0 p m .

CLASSICS IL TABARRO, SVOR A N G E L IC A , G IA N N I S C H IC C H I, by P u c c in i: O pera H ouse.

In fo 3 5 7 .1 2 0 0 , 7 .3 0 pm , $ 1 0 .5 0 t o $ 6 .5 0 .

FILM C IV IL IS A T IO N b y K en n e th C la rk — “ T h e H e ro as A r t is t ” : A rt G a llery o f N SW . 1 2 .1 0 , 1 .1 0 , 2 .1 0 , 3 .1 0 , 6 .1 0 a n d 7 .1 0 . F ree.

A F IL M ABOUT JIM I H E N D R I X : M a n ly S ilv er S cre e n .

In fo 9 7 7 .5 5 0 3 , t im e ? E x c e p t tu es, w e d .

NFTA “ OFF HOLLY­ W OOD” “ C IS C O P IK E ” and “ D R IV E HE S A ID ” : A u st. G o v t. C en tre T h e a trette. 7 .1 5 p m , $ 1 .2 0 , m e m b e rs o n ly . “ C O U N T C O P E R N IC U S ” — a R o c k D o c o : F ilm m a k ­ ers C in em a . R . H a m ilto n (1 9 7 4 ) . 1 0 .0 0 p m . $ 1 .5 0 , m e m b e r s $ 1 .0 0 .

FOOD CHEAP FOO D: U ni o f N SW “ C o -o p ” : R ound h o u s e , 5 p m -8 p m . O u t o f m u e s li te a b a g s th is w e e k .

JAZZ C H R IS W I L L I A M S : U n ity HaU h o t e l , 8 2 .1 3 3 1 . 7 .3 0 p m , free.

D O C W I L L I S J A Z Z : A lb u r y h o t e l , O x f o r d st, c it y .

8 .1 0 p m . F ree.

T R A D I T I O N A L — K e v in G o o d y : L im e r ic k C a s tle , 2 1 1 .1 4 0 1 . 7 .3 0 p m .

ROCK

WORKSHOP

CHOCOLATE W ATCHBAND: F id d le r s V in e , C ro n u lla .

S E B A S T IA N HARDY, T I T A N I C : C h e q u e rs , 8 .3 0 p m . $ 2 .0 0 .

F IL M M A K IN G W ORKS H O P — 1 6 m m fa cilitie s f o r e m b r y o n i c film f u c k ­ ers: O ld C h u r ch , East S y d n e y . 3 1 .6 2 7 0 . F re e , 8 pm .

FILMS FOLK, JAZZ AUST, SCOT, I R IS H , COUNTRY FOLK: R ed L io n h o t e l, P itt & L iver­ p o o l sts, c i t y . 8 .1 0 p m .

U N I T Y J A Z Z B A N D : O ld P ush. 8 -1 2 p m .

PORT JAC K SO N JAZZ B A N D : S tage D o o r ta v e rn , 7 .0 0 - 1 0 p m .

faday FOLK CONTEMPORARY D O N M O R R IS O N , F R E U D IA N S L IP : R edfe m , 6 9 9 .1 7 3 6 . 7 pm .

T R A D IT IO N A L FOLK: E liz a b e th h o t e l, 2 6 .3 1 3 2 . 8 pm .

CELLAR FOLK : YW CA, 1 8 9 L i v e r p o o l s t., C it y .

8 pm .

R e d L io n see th u r s d a y .

C O N T E M P O R A R Y — K e rrie B id d e l, D o n B u r r o w e s , L e e C o n w a y , J o h n C u rrie, M a rtin H e n d e r s o n : O p e r a H ouse. I n fo 9 2 9 .9 8 8 0 . 8 p m . $ 3 .5 0 , $ 5 .0 0 , $ 6 .5 0 .

THEATRE

t / u v n d ft y

V IL L E ” — A u s t O p era C o .: O p e r a H o u s e , 7 .3 0 p m , $ 6 .5 0 t o $ 1 0 .5 0 .

T U R IB IO SANTOS — B ra zilia n G u ita rist: S c ie n c e T h e a tre , U ni of N SW . $ 2 .7 0 , s tu d e n ts $ 1 .7 0 .

8 .1 5 p m .

P A N D A M G U R I T N O — In ­ d o n e s ia n P u p p eteer — sh a dow p u p p etry : St J a m e s th e a tre , 1 6 9 P h illip st, i n f o 3 5 7 . 1 2 0 0 M s L o r n a K in g . 8 .1 5 p m . A $ 2 .0 0 , C $ .5 0 “ T H E H A P P IE S T D A Y S OF YOUR L I F E ” : see tu e s d a y . “ THE BALLAD OF A N G E L S A L L E Y ” — R o l­ lic k in g A u s t. m u s ic a l: N e w th e a tr e , 5 4 2 K in g st, N e w ­ t o w n . 8 .1 5 p m . “ TH E HOSTAGE” by B re n d a n B e h a n : C ro n u lla A rts th e a tr e , S u rf rd, C r o n u lla . 5 2 3 .6 8 8 8 . 8 .1 5 pm .

“ P U D D IN G AND BRAKE S ee W ednesday.

T H IE V E S F L U ID ” :

ROCK BAN D OF C a m p b e llt o w n tre. 8 .0 0 p m .

L IG H T : C iv ic C e n ­

tu e &

d a p

KIDS “ T H E P IE D P I P E R ” — A k id s p la y : In depen den t th e a tr e , N o r t h S y d n e y , 2 pm . “ SNOW , SAN D A N D S A V ­ A G E S ” : F ilm m a k e rs C in e­

m a, St P e te r’ s la n e, Darlin gh u rst. I n fo 3 1 .3 2 3 7 , 2 pm .

THEATRE “ MY A U N T T H E U N I­ CORN” — C om edy by John H ep w o r th : S tu d io 2 2 8 , C n r . F o r b e s s tr e e t & St P e te r’ s la n e.

K in g s C ross. I n f o 4 3 .0 4 3 3 , 8 .0 0 p m , $ 1 .5 0 . “ THE GH O ST O F G R E Y G A B L E S ” : A u s t th ea tre, L e n n o x s treet, N e w t o w n , 3 1 .3 6 2 5 , 2 pm . “ THE HOSTAGE” : S ee fri. “ T H E H A P P IE S T D A Y S OF YOUR L I F E ” : See tues. “ THE BALLAD OF ANGELS A L L E Y ” : S ee fri. “ SH ADOW PU PPETRY” : S e e fri.

TV, RADIO “ MY W ORD” — F ra n k M u ir , D e n is N o r d e n : A B C R a d io 2 , 1 .4 0 pm . “ S U N B U R Y PO P F E S T I­ V A L ” — H igh lig h ts: Chan.

1 0 , 5 .0 0 p m . “ T H E W ELSH S O N A T A ” — N a tio n a l R a d io th e a tre : A B C R a d io 2, 8 .3 0 pm . “ D IA R Y OF A MAD­ M A N :: — H o r r o r m o v ie

M A C K E N Z IE THEORY: S ta tio n h o t e l, Prahran.

P I R A N A : M a tth e w F lin ­ d ers h o t e l, C h a d sto n e .

FOLK

FOLK

OCKERS ROCKERS: G e o r g e h o t e l, S t K ild a .

K U S H : C r o x t o n P ark, Pres­ ton .

U N IO N H O T E L : C a rlto n has g u e st artists.

BUSH W H ACKERS AND B U L L O C K IE S BAND: P ola ris In n , N . C a r lto n .

BELLENDEN KERR, D A N N Y S P O O N E R , P H IL D A Y : at D a n O ’ C o n n e ll’s, C a r lto n .

P H IL DAY: T a n k e rv ille A rm s, C a rlto n .

JO H N CROW LE: F rank T r a y n o r ’s, C ity .

FOLK

BLUES

C O M M U N E ha s f o l k : c o m e a lo n g .

PETER P A R K H IL L : F ra n k T r a y n o r ’ s, 1 0 0 L t.

L o n s d a le s tr e e t, C ity .

JAZZ DOVE: K ew .

P rosp ect

h o t e l,

FILM

D U T C H T I L D E R S : sings th e b lu e s at F ra n k T ra y ­ n o r ’ s.

JAZZ P R O S P E C T H O T E L : K ew h a s ja z z .

F R A N K T R A Y N O R : tw in ­ k le s a t B eau m a ris h o t e l.

FILM

“ T H E L IT T L E SH O P O F H O R R O R S ” (R o g e r C o rm an) and “ H A L L E L U J A H THE H IL L S ” (M e k a s ): N F T A , G u ild T h e a tre , M el­ b o u r n e U n i U n io n , $ 1 .2 0 ( 8 0 c s tu ), 7 .4 0 p m .

“ JE T ’A I M E . JE T ’ A I M E ” (R e s n a is ) a n d “ H O U R O F T H E W O L F ” (B e r g m a n ): G u ild T h e a tre , M e lb o u r n e U n i U n io n , $ 1 .2 0 , 8 0 c stu.

7 .4 0 p m .

PARK EVENT

PARK EVENTS

R E M E M B E R THE B E A T L E S : T re a s u ry gar­ d e n s , 1 2 .1 0 a n d 1 .1 0 p m .

A F R U IT Y M ELO­ D R A M A : H iss t h e villain , c h e e r th e h e r o , h a ve y o u r s o u l seared b y th e p lig h t o f t h e h e r o in e , F la g s ta ff gar­ d e n s , 1 2 . 1 0 an d 1 .1 0 p m .

R EM EM BER THE BEATL E S : F la g s ta ff ga rd en s.

A F R U IT Y M ELO­ DRAMA: T re a s u ry gar­ d en s.

‘ ‘ G I L B E R T A N D GEORGE” : A va n t-ga rd e a rtists, A B V 2 , 1 0 .5 5 p m .

P e rh a p s i t ’s a jo k e .

RADIO E R I K S A T I E : P ia n o m u s ic , 3 A R , 1 1 .1 0 p m .

tv e d m

e&

s ty

ROCK H O T C IT Y BUM P B A N D : W h ite h o rs e h o t e l, N u n a w a d in g .

RED HOUSE ROLL BAND: C roxton Park, P re s to n .

MEETING L IN K -U P O R I E N T A T I O N N I G H T : 8 .3 0 p m .

t t u t n A d ft y ROCK RED HOUSE ROLL B A N D , T A N K : W h ite h o rs e h o t e l, N u n a w a d in g .

U P P: C r o x t o n p a rk , Pres­ ton .

C H A IN , A B E L L O D G E : W a ltz in g M a tild a , S prin gvale.

B IG P U S H : G e o r g e h o t e l, S t K ild a .

GARY Y O U N G ’S FAT C A T S : S u n d o w n e r h o t e l, G e e lo n g .

S U N R I S E : G r o v e d a le h o ­ te l, G e e lo n g .

A Y E R S R O C K : S t A lb a n ’s h o t e l._________________________

w ith V in c e n t P rice & N a n ­ c y K o v a c : C h a n . 7 , 9 .3 0 pm . “ T R I A L ” — M o v ie w ith G le n F o r d — L ega l d ra m a : C han. 9 .3 0 p m . “ IN C ID E N T AT PHAN­ T O M H I L L ” — M o v ie — U S C ivil w ar d ra m a : C h a n .

2, 9 .5 5 pm .

G o ld e n yea rs o f H o lly ­ w o o d — M o v ie “ I N T R U D ­ E R IN T H E D U S T ” — n o t a film about co n tr a c t cle a n in g : C han. 9 , 1 1 .2 5 pm .

CLASSICS “ I AM A DAN CER” — A b a lle t film w ith N u r e y e v and F o n te y n and oth e r w e ll k n o w n tap d a n c e r s : O p e ra H o u se , 2 , 5, 8 .1 5 p m , $ 3 .0 0 .

T A N N H A U S E R b y W ag­ n e r : O p e ra H o u s e , 7 .0 0 p m , $ 7 .5 0 t o $ 1 2 .5 0 .

FILMS “ TH E BEST O F JO H N H A R D IN G ’ S UNDER­ W A T E R F I L M S ” (n a rra te d live b y F ilm m a k e r ): U n io n th ea tre.

In fo 6 6 0 .1 3 5 5 , 8 .3 0 p m , $ 2 .4 0 . “ W H E R E ’ S P O P P A ” an d “ W H AT’S THE M ATTER W IT H H E L E N ” : N ew A rts, G le b e .

In fo 6 6 0 .6 2 0 7 ,

C hris & Eva 5 1 .9 5 6 3 or 5 1 .8 2 1 4 , w rite F la t 8 , No 7 Irving A v e ., W indsor, 3181.

ROCK

“ IN CONCERT” E dgar W in te r , W ar H e a d lin e , D o o b ie B r o s , J im C r o c e . C h a n ­ n el 7 , 1 0 . 0 0 p m . “ THE E N E R G Y C R IS IS A N D W H A T IT M E A N S T O Y O U ” — Or w hat to d o u n til t h e s to v e g o e s o u t .

C h a n n e l 7 , 7 .3 0 p m .

G A R D E N I N G — F ive m in ­ u te s o f tru e g r it: C h a n n e l 2 , 6 .5 5 p m .

Page 1 4 - T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 19 74

JAZZ “ E C L IP S E A LLE Y F I V E ” : V a n it y F a ir h o t e l, 4 p m -7 pm . “ DOC W I L L I S ” : A lb u r y h o t e l, O x f o r d s treet. C ity , 3 p m -6 p m . “ D O C W I L L I S ” : B e r e s fo r d p u b , B o u r k e s tre e t, S u rry H ills, 8 - 1 0 p m . “ U N IT Y BAND” : O ld P u s h , 8 .3 0 - 1 2 .3 0 a m . “ C H R IS W IL L IA M S ” : U n ity H all h o t e l, 8 2 .1 3 3 1 , 7 .3 0 p m .

B IG P U S H : G e o r g e h o t e l, S t K ild a .

UPP: Sandow ner h o t e l, G e e lo n g .

TV

Y o u n g O pera “ T H E P L A Y O F H E R O D ” an d “ T H E S L A U G H T E R O F T H E IN NO C E N T S” : C o n s e rv a t o r iu m m a in h a ll.

In fo 2 9 .7 9 4 9 . 8 p m . “ T H E B A R B E R O F SE ­

a a fa n d a u

'T K M o u r u tc

TV , RADIO

CLASSICS

F L A K E : W h ite E agle hall, C a b ra m a tta . 8 .0 0 p m .

ROD STEW ART AND TH E FACES: R a n d w ic k R a c e c o u r s e , 8 p m . $ 5 .7 0 .

CHOCOLATE W ATCHBAND: F id d le r s V in e , C ro n u lla .

T IT A N IC G E E ZA : C h e q u e r s , 8 .3 0 a m . $ 2 . 0 0 .

JAZZ D A V E R A N K I N : A lm a h o tel, C h a p el s tr e e t, S t K ild a .

O W E N Y E A T M A N : P ros­ p e c t h o t e l, K e w .

F R A N K T R A Y N O R : E x­ ch an ge h o t e l.

TV S IT Y O U R S E L F D O W N , T A K E A L O O K AROUND: F o lk -r o c k .

A B V 2 , 1 0 .1 0 p m .

{n icty ROCK U PP: W h ite h o rs e h o t e l, N u n a w a d in g .

JO H N R U P E R T A N D T H E HENCHMEN: C rox ton p a rk , P re sto n .

K U S H : In te rn a tio n a l h o t e l, A ir p o r t W est.

PH ASE TW O: G e o rg e h o t e l, S t. K ild a .

RED H OUSE ROLL B A N D : S u n d o w n e r h o t e l, G e e lo n g .

OCKERS ROCKERS: P e n th o u se h o te l, B roadm eadow s.

SKYHOOKS, BLACKSPUR: R oyal B a llro o m , E x h ib it io n b u ild in g .

C H A I N , 6 9 E R S : T e a ze r.

M A T T T A Y L O R , SH ERB E R T , A R I E L : B a ck t o s c h o o l r o c k . F estiv al H all $1, 1pm .

SH ERBERT: M a tth e w F lin d e rs h o t e l, C h a d sto n e .

FOLK D A N N Y SPOON ER, J U L IE W O N G : and o th e rs , O u t p o s t In n , 5 2 C ollin s str e e t, C ity .

P E T E R P A R K H I L L , M IK E O ’R O U R K E , D IA N N E H O L L I N G S : T a v e rn F o lk C lu b , N . C a r lto n .

C A P T A IN M ATCHBOX: P olaris In n , N . C a r lto n .

P H IL DAY, PETER P A R K H IL L , JO H N C R O W L E : A t F ra n k T r a y ­ n o r ’s, C ity .

JAZZ YARRA YARRA JAZZ BAND: P rosp ect h o te l, K ew .

B R IA N B R O W N Q U A R ­ T E T : C om m un e.

FILM “ B E D S IT T IN G R O O M ” and “ B A N A N A S ” : L a te n ite , T ra k , T o o r a k r o a d , $ 2, 1 1 .4 5 .

TV IN CONCERT: R ock , c o u n t r y and w e s te rn , e t c .

H S V 7 , 1 0 .0 0 p m .

M O R N IN G OF THE EARTH: S u rfin g f ilm .

H S V 7 , 1 1 .3 0 p m .

M

r fu n d a # ROCK

M ATT TAYLOR, BUS TER BROW N: C helsea C ity HaU. C O LO RED B A LLS: C ano pus.

PENDU LUM : St Peters, E ast B rig h to n .

A R IE L , E B O N Y : T ea zer J O H N R U P E R T A N D TH E H E N C H M E N : W h iteh ors* h o t e l, N u n a w a d in g .

B IG P U S H : C r o x t o n p a rk , P reston .

69E R S: S o u th s id e S ix M o o r a b b in ( a f t ) .

PH ASE T W O : G eorge h o te l, S t K ild a .

T R ID E N : S u n dow n er h o tel, G e e lo n g .

OCKERS ROCKERS P e n th o u se h o t e l, B roa d m eadow s.

A R IE L , IS A A C A A R O N : M a tth e w F lin d e rs, C h a d ­ s to n e .

FOLK G RAH AM DODSW ORTH, GRAHAM LOW N DES.

a liftout guide to what 's on in the week ahead

1 1 .1 5 p m , $ 2 .0 0 .

M anly S ilv er s c r e e n : C h il­ d ren s m a tin e e p lu s ca r­ t o o n , 2 p m , 6 0 cen ts . “ P R A IS E MARX AND PASS THE A M M U N I­ T IO N ” : F ilm m a k e rs C in e­ m a, D a rlin g h u rst, 1 2 m id ­ night, $ 1 .5 0 , m e m b e rs $ 1 .0 0 . J o in a t d o o r $ 3 .0 0 . “ COUNT C O P E R N IC U S : See thurs.

FOLK “ N EW Y O R K P U B L IC L I B R A R Y ” — D o u g R ic h ­ a rd son , T r e v o r W in n , A n n H issink, D a n J o h n s o n and oth ers: F o l k S h a ck , n ea r en tra n ce t o W arin ga h M all, B ro o k v a le , 9 3 9 , 2 8 6 9 , 8 .3 0 pm -1 a m , $ 1 .0 0 . “ T R A D ” — M o d e m : E liza­ b e th h o t e l. C ity , 2 6 .3 1 3 2 . “ B L U E S ” — J o h n B ou rk e: L im e rick C astle, 1 2 2 A n n street, S u rry H ills, 7 .3 0 pm. “ T R A D IT IO N A L F O L K ” : E d in b u rg h C a s tle, 8 .0 0 -1 0 pm. “ PACT FOLK” : YW CA Cellar, L iv e r p o o l s treet, 8 pm.

WORKSHOPS “ C R E A T IV E DRAMA W O R K S H O P ” b y N im r o d : Old C e r e b o s fa c t o r y , 5 0 0

E liz a b eth street, H ills, 1 p m . F ree.

S urry

ROCK “ BANK O F L IG H T ” — B u ffa lo , K u sh : C url C url Y o u t h C lu bs, 8 pm . “ N I T R O ” : F id d le r ’s V in e C ron u lla . “ T I T A N I C ” — T e d M u lry: G e e z a , C h e q u e rs , 8 .3 0 p m , $ 2 .0 0 . “ O T H E R E N D S ” — C rom ­ w e ll: C ron u lla M a son ic hall, 8 .0 0 p m .

FILMS “ TH E SM A LL W O R L D ” an d “ A L A N D O F B I R D S ” — S h ell a n d R o b e r t R a y ­ m ond c o n s p ir a c y . O p era H ou se, 1 0 a m , 1 2 .0 0 n o o n , 2 pm , 4 pm . “ B L A C K O R P H E U S ” M. C am u s (F r e n c h n e w w a v e ): F ilm m a k e rs C in em a , D arlin gh u rst. 4 p m , 6 pm . $ 1 .5 0 , $ 1 .0 0 m em b ers.

N F T A ’s Im ages o f th e M in d “ TH ERESE DESQUEYROUX” and “ U N S O I R , U N T R A I N ” : O p era H ou s e, $ 1 .6 0 . 7 .1 5 pm .

M em b ers o n ly .

J o in at d o o r $ 3 .0 0 .

“ LAW SON R E U N IO N ” : F ilm m a k e rs C in e m a , 8 p m , $ 1 .5 0 , $ 1 .0 0 m e m b e r s .

U n d e rw a te r film s : se e Sat­ u rd a y .

KIDS “ OPERA TH R O U G H THE T IM E M A C H IN E ” — f o r k id s b e t w e e n 4 a n d 12 y e a rs : O p e ra H o u s e , 1 1 .3 0 a m . $ 2 .0 0 , k id s 6 0 c . “ SNOW , SAN D A N D S A V ­ A G E S ” : see S a tu rd a y .

P H IL IP ” L au rel H a rd y : C h a n n e l 2 ,

an d 4 .3 0

DISTRACTIONS

CLASSICS

1 9 3 0 ’s V E R S IO N OF R E A L IT Y — T he S ydney C ity c o u n c ils b a n d p e r­ fo r m a n c e s — S a lv a tio n A rm y B an d, B and A ssoc, o f N SW , M u sicia n s U n io n : At H yde P ark, V ic to r ia Park, B eare P ark, r e s p e c t. 3 p m -4 .3 0 pm .

F re e of co u r s e .

T R IP A R O U N D A W A R ­ S H IP — H M A S B risb a n e (w a t c h y o u r s te p , n o w ) : G a rd e n Isla n d , 2 p m - 5 pm.

F ree.

ARTS D I S C U S S IO N — N u d ge, N u d g e : C a m p /G a y L ib C e n tre , 33A G le b e P o i n t r d . G le b e . 3 .3 0 . F ree.

M U S IC O N T H E H O U R — F e a tu re s A u st. a rtists an d w orks fr o m th e C lassic R e p e r t o ir e : O p e r a H o u se .

11 a m , 1 2 , 1, 2, 3, 4 p m . $ 1 .0 0 a d u lts.

2 0 c kid s, p e n s io n e rs .

No a d v a n ce b o o k in g s .

TV, RADIO “ P U T T IN G

PANTS

ON

/kl< vee6,

pm.

BOYER LECTURES — T o­ d a y , y e s te rd a y a n d t o m o r ­ r o w — S ir K e ith H a n c o c k : A B C R a d io 2 , 5 .0 0 p m .

S u n d a y P la y b ill “ P A R I S I E N N E ” a tra gi c o m e d y b y H e n ry B a c q u e : A B C R a d io 1, 8 .0 0 p m . “ K H M E R ! K H M E R !” P r o ­ file o n C a m b o d ia : C h a n n e l 2, 1 .0 0 pm .

THEATRE “ THE BALLAD OF A N G E L S A L L E Y ” : see friday.

FOLK BOB H U D SO N , D E C L A N A F F L E Y , PETER QUEN­ T IN , BUDDY W IL S O N : K irk G a lle r y , 4 2 2 C le v e ­ land st, S u rry H ills. 8 .0 0 . $ 1. 0 0 .

MEETINGS IN T E R N A T IO N A L W O­ M ENS D A Y P L A N N IN G M EE TIN G : Womens H ouse, 25 A lb e r t a st, S y d n e y , 7 .3 0 p m .

ROCK, BEBOP B A N D O F L IG H T — G o o d e v e n in g : C h e q u e r s , 8 - 3 a m , $ 2.0 0 .

TV “ W AR AND PEACE’ — A p r e v ie w , a le a d in t o a B B C serial: C h a n n e l 2 , 9 .2 0 p m . “ MONTY P Y T H O N ’S F L Y IN G C I R C U S ” : C h a n ­ n el 2 , 1 1 .0 0 .

FILMS “ L A M A R S E L L A I S E ” J. Renoir: O pera H ouse (m u s ic r o o m ) . 7 .3 0 p m . $ 1 .7 0 .

OPERA “ THE BARBER OF S E V I L L E ” : O p e r a H o u se .

7 .3 0 p m . $ 6 .5 0 - $ 1 0 .5 0 .

C H IN E S E V I O L I N CERTO: N g Tai 3 A R , 1 1 .1 0 p m .

CON­ K ong,

icmdew ROCK F A N T A S Y : C r o x t o n park, P reston .

U P P : Ice la n d s , R in g w o o d .

M A T T T A Y L O R : T h e S a c­ re d H ea rt H all, W in ifred street, S t A lb a n s .

CHAIN, M IS S IS S IP P I: T ea zer.

M E L B O U R N E A R T IS T S ’ W O R K S H O P : A t O rm on d H all o p e n s its d o o r s again w ith “ S U M M E R -E N ­ CHANTED E V E N IN G ” , w ith th e f a b u lo u s ca st o f B L E R T A , H O M E R , w ith B IL L Y G REEN , GLENROW AN, CARRL M Y­ R IA D , C A P T A IN R O C K , P E T E R L I L L E E a n d his b a n d , in c id e n ta l c o m e d y p ro v id e d b y J O H N L E E .

S o f t c o m ic a l c o u n t r y r o c k

ROCK RENE GEYER AND MO TH ER E AR TH : W h is k y , 8 .0 0 - 3 .0 0 am , $

2. 0 0 .

S IL V E R C L O U D : S ta ge­ c o a c h , 8 .0 0 - 3 .0 0 a m , m o n d a y -th u r s d a y , fr e e ; frid a y , S aturday $ 2 .0 0 .

TRANSITION: C oogee O c e a n ic , w e d . t o sat. o n ly . “ W HAT IF Y O U D I E D T O M O R R O W ” b y D a v id W illia m s o n : E liz a b e th th e ­ atre, N e w t o w n , 5 1 .7 4 7 1 , tu es.-sa t., 8 .1 5 p m ; fri.-sa t., 5 .3 0 , 8 .1 5 pm . $ 4 .7 0 , $ 3 .7 0 , $ 2 .7 0 .

“ JAC K SHEPPARD O R A N Y T H IN G YOU SAY W IL L BE T W I S T E D ” — 1 8 th c e n tu ry fro U c: E n ­ s e m b le th e a tre , 7 8 M cD o u g a ll s treet, M ilson s P o in t, i n f o 9 2 9 . 8 8 7 7 , 8 .0 0 p m , sat., 5 .0 0 and 8 .0 0 pm .

KIDS

RADIO

R O Y A L C O M M IS S IO N — “ A LOOK AT THE M A F I A ” w ith a ca st o f th o u s a n d s : S u p re m e C o u r t , K in g street, C ity . C o u rt N o . 3 , c h e c k in “ H e ra ld ” f o r d a ily d etails.

“ TH E P H IL A N T H R O P IS T ’ b y C h ris to p h e r H a m p t o n : Independent theatre.

North Sydney, in fo 9 2 9 .7 3 7 7 , w ed. to sat. o n ly a t 8 .1 5 p m .

SKYLIGHT: P rosp ect h o te l, a ft. G u e st in eve.

P L A N T : P ola ris In n , N .

C arlton .

D A V E R A N K IN : L em on T ree h o t e l, C a r lto n , a ft.

“ T A R Z A N ’S NEW Y O R K A D V E N T U R E ” : L a te n ite , A th e n a e u m , City, 1 0 .3 0 p m . (w it h c h e m ic a ls ).

T A R O N G A Z O O : F e e d in g tim es, allig ators, 1 .3 0 p m s u n ., th u rs.; Hons, 2 p m d a ily (fis h on fr id a y s ); seals, 2 .4 5 pm d a ily , 9 .3 0 - 5 .0 0 . $ 1 .5 0 , k id s 40 cen ts.

“ LOVE FOR LO V E ” by W illia m C o n g re v e w ith O ld T ote C om pany: O p era H o u s e , 8 .0 0 pm , $ 5 .5 0 p lu s c o n c e s s io n s ( e x c e p t S u n d a y).

JAZZ

FILM

O L D C H U R C H — D r o p in t o t e a h o u s e a n d lib r a r y : P a lm er s tr e e t, E ast S y d n e y , tu e s .-fr i., 2 p m - 1 1 p m .

“ T O O T H O F C R IM E ” — “ A Savage S e n d U p o f th e R ock S cen e” : N im r o d S tre e t, theatre, b o o k o n 3 3 .3 9 3 3 , tu e s. t o sun. 8 .3 0 p m ; fr i., sat., 5 .3 0 , 8 .4 5 pm .

PH IL D A Y : O u t p o s t In n .

BOB C R IC K E T , M IK E GALLAHER, M I K E D E A N E Y : C om m une.

PH IL D A Y A N D G U E S T S : Dan O ’ C o n n e l l ’s C a rlton , 3-6 pm .

J U L IE W ONG, JOH N G R A H A M , M I K E O ’R O U RK E, DUTCH T IL D E R S : F ran k T ra y n o r ’ s.

“ PR O FE SSO R Z IG G L E ’S TRAVELS” : C la r e m o n t T h ea tre, 14 C la r e m o n t street, S o u t h Y a rra , 2p m .

v

w it h K E N W H I T E : a n d F O N D A Z E N O P H O N w ill d o his th in g . F o o d , film s, p a in tin gs, b ea u ty b ik in i c o n te s t , s o b rin g y o u r o w n b ath ers. M o u b r a y s treet, Prahran 7-1 am. $ 2 .

FOLK M A R GA RE T ROADK N I G H T , J O H N C R O W L E : O u t p o s t In n , C ity .

D A N N Y SPOON ER, G O R ­ D O N M c I N T Y R E : F ran k T r a y n o r ’ s, C ity .

EXPERIMENTAL M E LB O U RN E NEW M U S IC E N S E M B L E : C o m ­ m u n e.

OUTDOORS C H IN E S E L IO N D A N C E : 1 1 a m , L t. B o u rk e s treet, C ity . Plus K u n g F u a t 3 p m o n S o u th e r n C ross Plaza.

T im e t o c h e c k o u t th o s e step s y o u ’ve b e e n p ra ctis­ ing.

HISTORY OF THE BRASS BAND: M yer M u sic B o w l, 3 p m .

RADIO P A R I S I E N N E : P la y, 3 L O , 8pm .

MEETING IN S IG H T : F. W h ittle, T h e o s o p h ic a l S o c ., 188 C ollin s s treet, C ity .

cttottcfap ROCK

ROCK

OCKERS ROCKERS: G e o r g e h o t e l, S t K ild a .

JO H N R U P E R T A N D T H E HENCHMEN: C rox ton Park, P re s to n .

FOLK P H IL D A Y : n o r ’s, C ity .

F ra n k

/klcueefa THE BOBBY JAM ES SYNDICATE: M a y fa ir room , S ou th ern C ross h o t e l.

JAZZ T ra y -

POETRY, MUSIC POOR T O M ’S P O E T R Y B A N D : C om m un e.

YARRA YARRA JAZZ BAND: O ld M e lb o u r n e M o t o r In n , m o n -t h u r 7 .3 0 o n w a r d s , an d sat. a f t , 3 p m on w ards.

JAZZ

THEATRE

T E D V I N I N G T R I O : P rosp e c t h o t e l, K e w .

“ TH E A R C H IT E C T A N D THE EMPEROR OF A S S Y R I A ” : B y S p a n ish w r ite r F e r n a n d o A r r a b e l, n e w ly tra n sla te d , p ro m is e s t o b e a la rge, p h y s ic a lly c o m i c r e n d it io n o f this p s y c h o -s e x u a l fa r c e . Pram F a ctory , 3 2 5 D ru m m on d s treet, C a r lto n , tu e s-su n , $ 2 .5 0 , $ 1 .5 0 s tu , 8 p m . “ A F R I C A ” : A savage m u s ­ ica l b y S te v e n S p e a rs, Pram F a ctory , B ack T h e a tre , a b o v e a d d re ss , w e d -s a t. $ 2 , 1 0 .3 0 p m .

FILM “ M ” : F ritz L a n g in G e r­ m a n y . N F T A , S ta te F ilm C en tre.

1 M a cA rth u r s treet, E. M e lb o u r n e , s u b ­ s c r ip tio n o n ly , t ic k e ts ava ilab le at G u ild o r D e n ta l screen in g s, o r N F T A , 2 7 C a n n in g s tr e e t, N . M e l­ b ou rn e,

RADIO N E W M U S I C : in te re s tin g k u lt c h a fo r fru stra te d ’ R o o m t o M o v e ’ liste n e rs, 3 A R , 8 .3 0 p m .

FILMS “ W H A T ’S UP, D O C ?” (G ):

JOU RN EY TO L IT H U ­ A N I A ” b y J. M ek a s (N e w A m e r ic a n C in e m a ) : F jlm m ak ers C in e m a , St P eters lane, D a rlin g h u rst, 8 .0 0 p m , in f o 3 1 .3 2 3 7 , $ 1 .5 0 , $ 1 .0 0 m em b ers, except sun., m o n . “ S U N S H IN E SEA” — M o re su d s a n d s u r f: O p e ra H o u s e , 6 .3 0 p m , $ 2 .5 0 , e x ­ c e p t su n ., m o n . “ T H E C O S M IC T U B E ” — S u rfs u p w it h N a t, G e o r g e an d T e d , O p e r a H o u s e , 4 .0 0 pm , $ 2 .0 0 , e x c e p t su n ., m o n . “ W A T T S T A X ” — S o u l w it h Isaac Hayes, Rufus T h o m a s , e t al. “ A f o o t s to m p in g h ip sh a k in g c e le ­ b r a t io n ” ( h o w a b o u t ‘ p it s w e a tin g ’ ): A c a d e m y T w in , O x f o r d s tr e e t, P a d d o , 2 .0 0 p m , 4 .0 0 p m , 7 .4 5 p m . “ TRASH , FLESH ” by W a r h o l: N e w A rts, G le b e , in fo 6 6 0 .6 2 0 7 , m o n .- f r i., 4 .0 0 , 8 .0 0 , sat., s u n ., 3 .3 0 , 7 .3 0 , w e d ., 1 2 .0 0 . “ 2 0 0 1 — A s p a ce O d y s s e y ” and 4‘ Z A B R I S K I E P O I N T ” : R a n d w ic k R it z , 3 9 9 .9 8 4 0 (ch e ck first, m ay be o f f ) , m o n .- f r i., 7 .3 0 , sa t., 3 .3 0 , 7 .4 5 .

GALLERIES H OLD SW ORTH GALLERIES — H erm an , F rie n d , P erciv a l, B o y d , e t c : 86 H o ld s w o r t h street, Woollahra, m o n .-s a t ., 1 0 .0 0 a m -5 .0 0 p m .

TH E S C U L P T U R E G A L ­ LERY — E ast Sydney T e ch , F in a l Y e a r S tu d e n ts : 3 C a m b rid g e s tr e e t. T h e R o c k s , S y d n e y , tu e s .-s u n ..

1 1 .0 0 a m -4 .0 0 p m .

BRETT W H IT E L E Y — Drawings 1960-1973: B o n y t h o n G a lle ry , 5 2 V i c ­ toria s tre e t, P a d d in g to n , 3 1 .5 0 8 7 , tu e s .-sa t., 1 1 .0 0 a m -6 .0 0 pm .

D IV O L A G A L L E R IE S D o b e ll, F rie n d , M iller, Boyd: 165 R ow n tree street, B alm a in , 8 2 7 .3 0 1 8 , th u rs.-fri., 1 1 .0 0 - 6 .0 0 , sat., sun., 1 2 .3 0 - 7 .3 0 .

MARILYN MONROE P R IN T S : A n g u s & R o b e r t ­ s o n ’ s sto re n e x t d o o r , 2 0 7 P itt s tr e e t, Sydney.

9 .0 0 - 5 .0 0 , tu e s ., w e d ., thurs. o n ly .

TV

“ 80 STEPS T O J O N A H ” ( G ) : C a r lto n C in e m a , F ara­ d a y s tr e e t, C a r lto n , th u rssat, 9 0 c , 7 .4 5 p m . “ E N G LA N D MADE ME ” ( M ): “ TRAVELS: W IT H M Y A U N T ” ( M) : D e n d y M a lvern , G le n fe r r ie , r o a d , $ 2 . 2 5 , 7 .4 5 p m . “ THE G O D S O N ” (N R C ) and “ T H E B A B Y ” ( N R C ) : D e n d y B r ig h t o n , C h u rch s treet, B rig h to n . “ PETER P A N ” : has its fin a l s p u rts, F ootscra y Grand, P aisley s tre e t, F o o t s c r a y , $ 1 .4 0 , 7 .4 0 p m .

RADIO

RADIO “ ARE H IE R A R C H IE S N E C E S S A R Y ?” — A new series o f e ig h t d o c u m e n ­ tary p ro g ra m s o n v e r tica l o rg a n isa tio n s: A B C R a d io 2, 1 0 .1 5 p m , tu e s ., w e d ., th u rs., a n d m o n . o n ly .

FILM “ CHARLOTTES W EB” : !

Tow n.

303 P itt street.

6 1 . 6 7 0 8 . 9 . 3 0 , 1 1 .3 0 , 1 .3 0 , 3 .3 0 , su n ., 1 .3 0 , 3 .3 0 . “ A L V I N P U R P L E ” : M ay7 3 C astlereagh street, 2 8 .1 7 3 4 , 1 1 .1 5 , 2 .1 5 , 5 .1 5 , 8 .1 5 , su n ., 1 .4 5 , 4 .4 5 , 7 .4 5 . “ R E M IN IS C E N C E S O F A

“ R O L L I N G W IT H K E N N Y ROGERS” — FOLK? M U S IC : C h a n n e l 2 , 6 .3 0 . “ THE B R U M B Y ” — D o cu ­ m e n ta r y o n A u stra lia n w ild h o rse s: C h a n n e l 1 0 , 7 .3 0 “ ALI V. F R A Z IE R ” — B o th a im t o re tire r ic h a n d s illy : C h a n n e l 9 , 7 .3 0 .

M O V IE . “ CARRY ON J A C K ” — O n e a n d a h a ll h o u rs of poop d eck s: C h a n n e l 2 , 7. 3 0 . “ THE E R N IE S IG L E Y S H O W ” — W a tch it o n c e at least — h e ’ s s o o o b a d : C h a n n e l 9 , 9 .0 0 . “ W H IL E THE C IT Y S L E E P S ” — H igh d ra m a w ith V in c e n t P rice : C h a n ­ nel 9 , 1 0 .3 0 .

i

ARE HIERARCHIES NECESSARY?: 3AR, 1 0 .1 5 p m .

ftOC(A

COMING EVENTS “ TH E C O R O N A T IO N O F POPPEA” : Victorian O p e ra c o m p a n y , fe b 1 4 -1 6 , rin g 4 1 . 5 0 6 1 . La T r o b e U n i are h o ld in g a s u m m e r sch ool in f e b .

F e n c in g , s w im m in g an d w e a v in g , get f i t , t y p in g , w e a v in g , su m i-e p a in tin g , fa b r ic p rin tin g , ja z z b a lle t , c o p p e r e n a m e l­ ling, d r e s s m a k in g , i q u irie s: p h o n e 4 7 9 . 2 1 9 4 .

A D E L A I D E A R T S F E S T I­ VAL: Sydney info,

25.2641.

SYDNEY F IL M F E S T I­ V A L : B o o k in g , 6 6 0 .3 9 0 9 , BH. D A V I D C A S S I D Y : M a rch 2, $ 4 .2 0 . U sual b o o k in g o f f ic e s .

C H A R L IE BYRD, BAR­ N EY K ESSEL, HERB EL­ L IS : S y d n e y t o w n hall, tues. 5 th , thurs. 7 th , 8 .1 5

p m , $ 5 .5 0 , $ 4 .5 0 , $ 3 . 5 0 ; | M itch e lls, G ra ce B ro s., D J ’ s.

SYDNEY SYMPHONY| ORCH ESTRA IN CON- [ CERT W IT H ARTHUR F I E D L E R : O p e ra H o u se , B o x O f f i c e 2 4 1 .2 4 1 6 , 8 .0 0 pm .

E L T O N J O H N : R a n d w ic k | ra c e c o u r s e , fe b r u a r y 24, , 8 .0 0 pm , $ 5 .2 0 , usu a l | a gencies.

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , january 29-february 4, 1974 — Page 15

OW THAT the Tun table Falls com ­ munity is under way at Nimbin, we could be seeing more Nimbin-type experi­ ments, as suggested by Graham Dunstan in TLD 2/1. On the north coast o f New South Wales there are seeds o f a comm un­ ity in gatherings o f people at Mullumbimby, Byron Bay, and the Bellingen Valley. On the Tablelands a community is in the making outside o f Armidale where a workshop is planned from february 1520 to consider the human factor in inter­ national communities. This appears, then, to be a good time to put down on paper fo r discussion som e thoughts about the human dimension in community.

N

*

*

WORKING IT OUT ■TOGETHER,

*

OW COULD it fail? The concept o f a harmonious community free o f the hangups and exploitation o f establish­ ed society surely must work — if we can just get a piece o f bush property away from it all and get things going.

The beauty o f the dream and the striving to bring it to reality may bring people together in initial harmony. The challenge o f organising the physical envir­ onment can be so consuming, though, that the more difficult task o f building satisfying people relationships does not receive the attention it requires. We may think we have escaped straight society, but fail to notice all o f its garbage inside o f us that we carried to the new inten­ tional community.

Along with the vision and hard work o f building a utopia, then, must be a dedication to radical re-orientation o f individual and group behavior consistent with a value system that may be either stated at the start o f the comm unity or allowed to emerge at the same time as people grow and change.

A new community has the choice o f tw o basic roads to reach a state o f satisfaction in relationships and accom ­ plishment o f goals.

The first model is based on a strongly structured value system with prescribed rules fo r behavior. Such a model has given great stability to religious and therapeutic communities such as the Bruderhofs, Shakers, and Synanon. Members conform to what has proved to be a workable system within the parameters set b y the institution.

The open community model sets no initial directions for behavior. It can grow, evolve, and make changes in struc­ ture as experience indicates. A general value system may or may not be stated, but exists as the basis fo r living together.

H

Both approaches may be viable, but it is doubtful if either com m unity will survive fo r long without an in-built m ethod fo r resolving con flict and pre­ venting the buildup o f tensions and re­ sentments. The second type o f com m un­ ity, however, is in greater need o f a system which will allow its members to evolve or metamorphose — shed old skins fo r new - travel the demanding road to self-understanding, expanded awareness, and radical self-change. This is not to say that an organisational plan is needed; in fact a heavy plan shouldnt be laid on fo r people who want to travel the path o f personal and group growth. If their chosen system o f personal develop­ ment in the group setting is successful, it should be reflected in the living structures which evolve.

I visited a com m unity last year in which the structure was already handed dow n - The Brotherhood o f the Sun, a

Page 16 — T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , january 29-february 4, 1974

Santa Barbara, California, group o f 150.

Conditions o f membership include such strictures as: no smoking, no alcohol or drugs, and no nudity in public. Members agree to live b y the principles based on James Churchward's account o f The sacred and inspked writings o f Mu, and I gather that the leader o f the colon y is looked to fo r guidance in interpretation.

Every morning and evening members are expected to meditate. There is a system for resolving differences utilising a medi­ ator. In physical results, the brotherhood is doing remarkably well. It has assets o f $1.5 million, a farm, city house, moun­ tain ranch, contracting equipment to d o income-producing city work, and a 15 fo o t draught yacht to be chartered for round-the-world tours. All this has hap­ pened in tw o years, with help from foundation grants, it is true, but the enterprises seem to be operationally sound.

In contrast, the new Nimbin com m un­ ity seems to be resisting such a highly defined structure and centralised e co ­ nomic planning o f enterprises in the early stage o f its form ation. There are certain broad shared values, however, as express­ ed in last year’s Nimbin festival: concern for the environment, renunciation o f e x ­ ploitative relationships between people, minimum dependence on readymade technology, faith in the ability o f people to take care o f their ow n basic health and spiritual needs, decentralisation o f deci­ sionmaking, and the encouragement o f individual and group responsibility for learning and growth. Presumably these values will be guides for settlers on the thousand acre property at Tuntable Falls up in the hills six miles from the tow n o f Nimbin.

The valley site for the festival shows few signs o f the 4000 who lived on it for ten days, but as Graham Dunstan pointed

out in his article in The living daylights, there were some scars left behind in him and in others. The beautiful life o f the small dedicated crew who lived in Nimbin preparing for the festival was muddled by the massive lifestream which hit the valley in may, bringing with it all the dependency, childishness, and warped patterns o f those who could not see the vision even when they had “ crossed to the other side o f the mountain".

In perspective, though, occurrences such as the rip-offs b y a few customers at the honor system co-op store and the lifting o f materials vital to the operation o f the crafts centre were minor happen­ ings. The major loss was the failure o f many people to contribute, to give o f themselves. We’ might call them “ low energy” people, but in giving them such a name, we may neglect their energy poten­ tial which can, through appreciation and awareness o f self, be released.

H ow do we help people to transform their personal view o f themselves and change their behavior so that positive energy forces begin to radiate? Will this happen ou t o f a magic elixer o f commun­ ity where the vibrations are good, or should their be more deliberate and struc­ tured learning experiences where the growth can take place? I have talked about this with a “ high-energy” member o f the small band who stayed through after the festival, and he has a vision that appeals to me: a total community which is, in itself, a therapeutic community like a self-sealing, punctureless tyre. I hope his vision will com e true. I hope there is a new consciousness in the alternate culture today in Australia which will so pervade the Kves o f intentional communities that the hangups will be hung dow n and peace will prevail. The festival community was, generally, o f good spirit. People did relax, smile, and dance a lot, and there was hugging and warm being-together. There was also the releasing o f hostility with the police bust and the Hare Krishna/Hairy Gumboots conflict.

In my comm unity, I would ensure that people with skills and training for improv­ ed interpersonal relations and personal development are members. Therapeutic communities dont just happen; they are the result o f a planned program o f work­ shops, counselling, and small group en­ counters and mutual validation.

Many communes have found that at least a tw o hour weekly meeting to work out grievances, resentments, and mis­ understandings is needed: they prevent the buildup o f tensions which can lead to the group’s dissolution. This encounter process, while it can be destructive, is a positive, reality-facing force when people have learned to conduct sessions in a

supportive manner.

Exploration o f on e’s present behavior and past experience leading to that behav­ ior is a second process I would want to encourage, to facilitate personal growth.

This, I believe, is best done through a non directive, non judgmental process o f counsellor-client relations. An excellent model fo r lay counselling is the Re-evalu­ ation Counselling movement initiated by Harvey Jackins o f Seattle, Washington, and described in his b o o k The human use o f human beings. A number o f co-cou n ­ selling communities have been established on the NSW north coast in the past year, and more workshops are planned b y the University o f New England in that area.

The general idea o f co-counselling is to take responsibility fo r your ow n analysis and change o f behavior through various forms o f em otional and physical dis­ charge, The counsellor-client roles are reversed to assure that a dependency situation does not develop, as it may in professional counselling. Ideally this counselling process should exist between

people - between friends, within fam i­ lies, but it usually doesnt. It should, at least initially, be structured until the co-counselling habit is established.

A third policy I would encourage is regular opportunity for learning and prac­ tice o f personal exploration o f our inner as well as physical self. There are numer­ ous paths to self-awareness: meditation, retreat, fasting, guided fantasy, bio-energetics, yoga, massage, bio-feedback. There are definite techniques fo r these trips, and if learned, they can produce exciting inner experiences and a recovery from destructive stressful experiences which may make us sick and difficult to live with.

Nearly every comm une has been faced with the decision o f what to d o with the member who is considered “ undesirable” — usually because o f irresponsible or dependancy behavior. Granted, an indis­ criminate entry policy creates such situ­ ations, yet should not a com m unity have room fo r a manageable number o f people who have troubles o f a fairly serious

nature? For such persons, one-way coun­ selling by those more skilled in the process will be needed until they can begin to assume responsibility for them­ selves and get off heavy trips with dope, drink, depression, or other forms of self-destruction.

All this is not to say that the sole basis for communal growth and cooperation is a planned program of therapy. To a degree, internal relationship problems can be transcended if there are strong extern­ al goals. Even with goals, I dont think that their definition and achievement is a process to be left to chance. There are also learning structures for personal and group formulation and implementation of goals - systems that work and build confidence as people see them at work.

Let not, though, the external goals get to be too much of a thing before we are centred within ourselves. Nobody is going to change anything or influence anybody until he is right within his/her own person.

Human transformation is not easy, as the aboriginal tribes recognise in their deliberately traumatic initiation cere­ monies. Communities need ritual, too, but a ritual o f process, not prescription.

The rigid prescription o f aboriginal rites worked extremely well for thousands o f years o f a protected culture, but failed to cope when faced with intrusion o f an alien culture. If the process is right, the comm unity and its people will adapt to change, not be shocked b y it.

I have been deliberately didactic to provoke discussion. I will probably change some views after the A LF Duval Creek Workshop. A few issues have been raised here: 1. Does a com m unity need a manifesto?

If so, at what point in its development, and how is it to be formulated?

2. How will conflicts be resolved?

3. How d o we shed our disfunctional behavior patterns - free ourselves o f stereotyped responses to people around us?

4. Can we build new societies when our main tools are those we learned in the ones we want to transform? How do we acquire new tools?

5. Is intensive inner contemplation likely to lead to a state o f disengagement from life in a comm unity, or can it be a force fo r regeneration?

6. How d o we set goals, both personal and com m unity?

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T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4, 1 9 7 4 - P a g e 17

gorillas- ROBERT/MIICHfiM OBERT MITCHUM is showing my hand some mercy, “ Hello, my name's George Peppard.” Uh-huh. We’re standing three flights up from Sunset boulevard in the smartly subdued offices o f Talbot Productions, the actor’s film company. He’s on what I suspect is a rare visit to the shop to talk to the press about his latest movie The friends o f Eddie Coyie, a gritty gangster drama based on the best-selling novel b y George V. Hig­ gins.

Talbot, like all o f Mitchum’s business affairs, is watchdogged by an efficient, attractive, casually cordial lady named Reva Frederick. Only moments before, she had led me into a section o f the suite where tw o men were finishing a discus­ sion. She introduced me to one o f them, a departing journalist, and waited a few beats to o long in getting around to the other guy, prompting the Peppard open­ ing. Like most o f Mitchum’s one-liners, it can be read a number o f ways - as (a) a good-natured chiding o f his office man­ ager for her momentary forgetfulness (b) as a mock-humble gesture, suggesting that anyone might fail to recognise that bat­ tered, world-weary countenance or (c) a simple, funny way o f getting our meeting o f f to an easy-going start.

It could also be (d) none o f the above, (e) all o f the above or (f) something else again. No matter, Mitchum is relaxed, loose as a goose, his chin tucked into his neck, eyes as sleepy as they used to be when Jane Russell sang to him, only now they’re half-hidden behind fancy-framed tinted specs. He points to an empty section o f couch, then reclaims his resting spot. His big hand goes over the coffee table, ignores a sandwich wrapped in wax paper and claims a frosted glass half-filled with a clear liquid. “ Would you like something to drink,” Ms Frederick asks.

"C old vodka fo r the heat?” I admit it sounds like a fine idea.

Mitchum leans back. I recall a quote o f his: " I have to be able to drink, because the only way to get rid o f people is to out-drink them. It takes 36 hours or more sometimes and it nearly kills me. But in the end, they g o.” Looking at the double shot o f Kremlin Castor Oil in front o f me, I get a flash o f paranoia. He’s got me pegged for a short-distance record.

"Som etim es 3 6 ,” he’ll be adapting the comment, “ but then like that guy the other day, sometimes they kiss the coffee table after only 30 minutes.”

I shoot him a suspicious look, but it’s clear he couldnt care less about my drinking ability. He’s at a point where he’s already run through a couple o f reporters, with others in the wings. And he's being very pleasant considering the savagery o f tw o recent profiles. Rolling stone's Grover Lewis tried to cover him in “ n ow ” journalese and innuendo and Brad Darrach married Freud with Confidential for a gossipy little offspring in Penthouse.

Oddly, both writers obviously admired the man they were poking at, which tells you much more about writers than it does about Mitchum.

With a sip o f vodka burning the back o f m y throat, I depress a few buttons on the tape machine. “ I hope you dont mind if I use this?” I croak.

C ool as his shot glass, Mitchum replies: “ N ot at all. I hope you dont mind if I dont say anything.” Is he smiling? Is the big guy smiling over there? Yeah. OK, then let’s get the jo b done before the vodka starts working its way up the back o f m y head. " I ’ve been reading a lot about your, ah, private life,” I begin, tentatively, “ so maybe we could go on to something else.”

Mitchum looks at me with exaggerated surprise. “ Really? I’d rather talk about that. I dont know much about that.

Might be revealing.” “ Well, if you think so . . .” “ No. Y ou just go ahead with whatever

R

you want,” he says. “ I will reply in kind."

WHAT WE DONT TALK ABO U T: Mitchum’s biography has been the subject o f countless press handouts, news­ paper headlines, magazine articles, inter­ views and, recently, a full-length b o o k b y Mike Tomkies, titled appropriately enough The R obert Mitchum story. Still, it is more interesting than the plots o f most movies he or anyone else has made, so it bears an abbreviated retelling.

Robert Charles Mitchum was b o m on august 6, 1917, in Bridgeport, Connecti­ cut. A year-and-a-half later, his father was crushed to death in a railroad yard accident. His mother remarried and the family - Mitchum has an older sister and a younger brother — did a bit o f relocat­ ing over the next several years. Young R obert did even more. At seven, he ran away from home fo r the first time. While a “ thin, ferret-faced kid” o f 14, he lied about his age and signed on aboard a salvage boat, from which he was tossed when his real age was discovered.

He hit the rails, bummed across the country. In a Pennsylvania coal mine, he discovered he suffered from claustro­ phobia. In Savannah, just prior to his 16th birthday, he wound up in the slams for vagrancy, even though he was Depres­ sion-rich with 38 bucks. Later, he was charged with theft and after he informed the judge that he had been behind bars on the day o f the crime, he still found himself laying Georgia blacktop as a member o f the Chatham county chain gang.

Thirty days o f that and he skipped out, dragging an infected leg (courtesy o f the irons) through swamp and sewer. By the time he caught up with his moveable family, the leg was in such bad shape doctors wanted to hack it o ff. Mitchum’s mother wouldnt allow it and the wound eventually improved.

It wasnt long before he was o f f again, introducing his younger brother, John, to moonshiners in Alabama and railroad bulls in Louisiana. A nd there was Cali­ fornia. A nd T oledo, Ohio, where he had his first taste o f the dread marijuana.

In Sparks, Nevada, he boxed fo r 50 bills a night until “ a guy had my nose over to one side, gave me a scar on my left eye, had me all messed up and I quit” .

His fam ily had migrated to Long Beach, California, where sister Julie had becom e an actress. R obert let her talk him into stage-handling, then doing bits in plays like The petrified forest. He was writing at the time - short stories, poetry, a play titled F ellow traveler that the Theatre Guild would later option and that Eugene O ’Neill would take time to critique. He also wrote material for night club performers and com posed an ora­ torio that was presented at the H ollyw ood Bowl in 1939, produced and directed by Orson Welles as a fundraiser for jewish refugees. “ It was just a vaudeville black­ ou t,” was how the author described it a few years later.

In 1940, after saving enough m oney touring with astrologer Carroll Righter, he married a lady he’d met while still in his teens, Dorothy Spence. The ceremony went against Righter’s prognostication o f marital disharmony. (Regardless, they are still married today.)

The Mitchums settled on the west coast, where Bob eventually abandoned both writing and acting fo r a jo b at Lockheed Aircraft. The work was so stultifying that he developed a psycholog­ ical blindness that went away only after he quit.

He had been asked to leave the em ploy o f the Chandler Shoe Stores (for shouting "Beaver” at a lady customer), when he wangled a part in one o f William B oyd ’s Hopalong Cassidy movies. “ I didnt know if I was supposed to bring my own makeup or horse, or what.” Soon he was

Page 1 8 — T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S ,ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1 9 7 4

pulling dow n “ a hundred bucks a week and all the horse manure I could carry h om e.”

Some 33 movies later, he was a major star, under contract to Howard Hughes’ RKO and to David O. Selznick, riding on top o f the world when he was cast as Prisoner No. 91234. The production fea­ tured a narc bust that fou n d him one o f a quartet o f players taking a few tokes in a house up in Laurel Canyon.

Circumstances surrounding the arrest on the night o f august 31, 1948, were so kinky - entrapment is but one possibility that com es to mind - that on january 31, 1951, the courts reviewed the conviction and ordered the guilty verdict be set aside in favor o f a plea o f n ot guilty.

The news o f his arrest and conviction was widespread. Less publicised was the reversal o f verdict. Curiously, Mitchum didnt bother to spread the word. A fter serving 60 days o f a two-year sentence for “ conspiring to possess,” whatever the hell that means, his comments on the matter were usually about the treatment o f prisoners. A typical one: “ Y ou get a new chimpanzee and put him in Griffith Park zo o and everybody rushes to look him over. A nd if the keepers dont feed him well and take the best care o f him, the public raises hell. But y ou put a person in a cage and n ob od y seems to care how he gets along. And it doesnt even amuse the children.”

He did his thing and walked away with his reputation and his career nearly in­ tact. He was Mitchum the tough guy, Mitchum the iconoclast, Mitchum the movie star.

Still there are no everlasting Mitchum movies. Yes, he was g ood as the soldier in The story o f C.I. Joe. Yes, it is difficult to forget the L-O-V-E and H-A-T-E tat­ toos and Night o f the hunter. The devas­ tated face o f an ineffectual husband o f R yan’s daughter! But these are not Maltese falcon or Citizen Kane or, Red river. Instead, Mitchum was usually cast in something he calls Pounded to death b y gorillas. “ They open on a long shot o f me standing. Then a huge gorilla loom s up behind me and hits me on top o f the head. Boom, I crumple. Boom, boom . I keep falling dow n and getting up again.

Then they cut to a little girl skipping through fields o f daisies and finally she com es to this house and a voice says: ‘W ho’s there?’ As the writers havent figured that ou t yet, they cut back to me.

Boom, boom . That gorilla is still knock­ ing me down. And I’m still getting up again. Finally, the gorilla collapses on top o f me, exhausted. Then the little girl com es in and says: ‘H e’s around here someplace. I just k n ow .’ She peels away the gorilla and there lies our hero - me.

She hauls me to my feet, puts her arms around m e, looks straight into the camera and says: ‘I dont care what you were, I like y o u ” “ I have been playing like this all my life. It’s easier than acting see? Every time the writers run out o f words, they just kick the shit out o f Mitchum. A tried and true fortune.”

WHAT WE TALK ABO UT: “ I think Reva’s spent the whole morning on the phone talking to everybody at Para­ m ount.”

Mitchum is saying re Eddie Coyle. “ The picture we saw last night isnt the picture I thought we were making.

There’s the script. Read it. Tell me if that's the picture that was on that screen.”

I look from the bound script to the actor. “ Then you dont like the movie.” “ I dont know, really. I think it’s a matter o f taste, like time or wintergreen.

When it is, these geniuses sit around having conferences and what they seek is a story. George Higgins is a rather narra­ tive novelist and obviously quite success­ ful at it. I don t think the day will dawn

when Paul Monash (C oyle's producerwriter) will be as g ood a writer as Higgins. “ O f course, he doesnt have the same access to materials, either. Higgins has certain advantages being a United States attorney. I assume much o f his dialogue comes from what might be referred to as inadmissible tapes.

"But, anyway, we get the people who ask: ‘Where’s the story?’ The qu ote H olly­ w ood screenwriter unquote has a ten­ dency to look at a property and say: ‘ I can fix it.’ Then he searches for a story.

Mr Higgins doesnt write that way. N o beginning, middle, end. I thought we were there to celebrate the success o f the book . Then they start with: ‘ Do you realise that the computer says that music is 12 percent o f the total success o f a pic . . . ' Everybody chews on that one. It’s a circle jerk. I’m not saying the picture is bad, it’s probably good. I just think it would have been better except for the tampering o f some not necessarily quali­ fied people.”

Reva wanders in to refill the glasses. “ Isnt that just another problem that you always have to face” , I ask, films being an industry rather than an art?”

The comers o f Mitchum’s mouth go further down, the thin upper lip rises slightly. “ There are artists, but they have to work within the system. I don t see why it can’t be a happy marriage. In the old days, the moguls had the good sense to engage innovators and artists. They recognised taste. But now they’re not sure. I think Otto Preminger is a great producer, but a rather mediocre director.

Y ou find that pretty often, but they insist on directing. Stanley Kramer’s an­ other one. He’s been bmised time after time, but he feels he has to keep doing it, I dont know w hy.” “ Speaking o f Preminger, I read a story about your first day on a set in which a director says: ‘I shout at actors, but it doesnt mean anything. The next morning I’ve forgotten it.’ Y our answer is ‘ I punch people w ho shout at me, but it doesnt mean anything. The next morning I’ve forgotten it.’ Could the director have been Preminger?”

Mitchell shifts on the couch. “ N ot at all. Those tw o other guys, as a matter o f fact, Henry Hathaway and Dale Robert­ son.” “ Are there a lot o f H ollyw ood stories that incorrectly get attributed to y o u ?” “ I guess so.” “ Did you ever hang a director upside down by his shoelaces?”

Mitchum shakes his big head. “ N o.” “ Well, what a b o u t . . . ” “ It was a producer. Raymond Stross.

I’d forbidden him from the set (The night fighters) and he came on anyway. He tried to kick me privately, so I think he warranted the treatment.”

This seems like a good avenue to explore. “ Is it true you threw William Wellman into the drink during your brief moments in Blood alley?"

Again the head shakes. “ Absolutely not. The story was that I threw a guy named Coleman (George Coleman, trans­ portation manager for the film ) in. He weighed 290 pounds. N o way. The papers the next day said: ‘Coleman denies being thrown into the water. Mitchum denies throwing him. Obviously som ebody’s cov­ ering up for Mitchum.’ The only thing obvious to me was that they didnt want me around, so I left.”

We are now into the subject o f his movies and for the next tw o hours we run through nearly all o f them, not to men­ tion a few more vodkas. Later, when I play back the tapes. I can almost gauge my intake by the way my voice is going up the scales. Near the end, it sounds a bit like Yma Sumac on the upswing.

Why did you decide to form you r own company?

I wanted a white chair with my name

on it. Actually, I think it was because of some legal advice I got.

Did you ever want to direct?

Sure.

Why didnt you ?

Nobody asked me. Anytime the sub­ ject came up somebody’d always say: First we’ve got the script we’d like you to do. And I'd say: I’d need an awful lot of money in front to do that one. And that never seems to be a problem. They pay it in yen, but they pay it.

D o you up your price for a script you dont like?

Right. And they take me up on it. I dont want to sound like a complete whore. There are movies I won’t do for any amount. Maybe I should go out and do Patton or D irty Harry and piss on the world and its opinions.

You're saying that the morality o f the script is more important to you than anything else?

O f course.

There are a lot o f people who dont feel that way.

They need the job. They need the money. If I’ve got $4, I dont need the fucking money, daddy.

Would you rather do a bad script . . .

No bad script! No way. I dont do bad scripts. I do things that I think have a chance. A chance of being useful or good.

I present m yself in good faith and expect everyone else to . . . well, that’s a fo o l’s game. I know better than that. Still I expect people to respond in kind with their efforts. N ot so. They’re just around to get the new convertible and pick up new broads. They move on to the next caper.

I’m confined in this business. I have great faith in it. I think the audio-visual medium is just now approaching its im ­ portance. I dont take kindly to the people w ho dismiss it and dismiss their responsibilities, to the clever pimps who em ploy it to their own advantage. We should add to it.

We neednt all be millionaires. We neednt be all-powerful moguls. The word “ producer” is a powerful word around here. Y ou can hang it on your car door and drive dow n the Strip and pick up women all night long. That doesnt appeal to me. H ow many can you use a night.

Producers, that is.

The movie industry is a togetherness group. Y ou scratch my ass, I’ll scratch yours. Totally unmindful o f what’s going on out on the streets. Jesus Christ, you know the leaders o f the communications fields should provide whatever can be provided. People have to be informed on everything. We can bounce signals o ff o f satellites so that everybody in the world knows what’s happening at exactly the same time. The most criminal form o f slavery is the denial o f intelligence. Of information. The combined brainwashing system o f the military and Madison aven­ ue is awesome. The least that can happen is that y ou know what’s going on. That you know y o u ’re being gulled, that you know y ou ’re walking around with some­ b od y ’s finger up your keister.

His glass is empty now. He leans forward and in the loudest stage whisper imaginable, says: “ It’s very difficult get­ ting any of that celery tonic in here.” On receiving no immediate response, he mut­ ters: "Suddenly struck earless out there.”

We’ve been talking about Bogart and several other actors Mitchum has known, liked or disliked and a place called Vic­ tor’s that was always getting busted or knocked over. I am sufficiently mellowed by the potato juice to broach the subject of the Rolling stone article.

The actor pauses before replying. “ I talked to that guy for about five minutes.

He asked me about gun control and I

couldnt figure out what that had to do with anything.”

Reva Frederick enters with the "celery tonic” which she puts on the coffee table. “ Why dont I just leave the bottle,” she says. She also mentions that it’s after five.

Mitchum just shrugs and continues on about the Stone piece. “ This guy was accepted, wined and dined by everybody. Except me, because I didnt really know what he was doing there. Rolling stone? I never heard of

Rolling stone.

“ I was called away while I was talking to him, and he resents this. At least, I assume he does. And he writes the piece.

The first thing I see is that he’s got Tim going to Africa (Tim Wallace, Mitchum’s stand-in), which is wrong. Then, I find more and more wrongos and I realise that this cat is just writing a piece for himself, to extol his own mission and virtues.

Also, I note that he has stepped on people — not me, incidentally — but people who dont like to be stepped on and who might make it very difficult for him. If he’s gonna take on the teamsters and the longshoremen and a few other groups and he doesnt know what the hell he’s talking about, well . . . that’s not being exactly cautious. If he really want­ ed to be bold and brave, he should have taken on the fuzz. The fuzz were around the whole time and they’re merciless, right?”

There is a strange grunting sound coming from my recorder and I note with surprise that a third hour-long tape has unspooled. Three hours, and I’m still navigating. Deciding not to press my luck or my capacity, I click off the machine and polish off the remnants of the vodka.

"Before I get out of here,” I say, "what’s next on your schedule of films?” “ I think I start one tomorrow morn­ ing. REEV, WHAT’S THE NAME OF THAT PICTURE I STAR T ON TO ­ MORROW MORNING?” From the next room , Reva sends back: "W e havent finished negotiations on it yet.” Mitchum waves his hand. "There you are.” “ I heard somewhere that you were going to make the film version o f John Updike’s The centaur.”

He nods his head affirmatively. “ I read it. I liked it. And that was the end o f it.

The minute I said I liked it, it became poison. I thought it was a good story.”

He stares thoughtfully at his glass fo r a second or tw o, then: "Getting back to that Rolling stone thing. I wonder what makes writ . . .?” He smiles instead o f finishing the sentence. “ Probably it’s the old story. Frank Sinatra once explained it to me. ‘They jerk o f f and we buy yachts’, is the way he put it.” “ That’s pretty cynical,” I toss off. “ Well, I'm a cynical-style girl. I’ m a believer that a certain amount o f cynicism is inherent in the beast.” He stands up, fixes me with the lopsided Mitchum grin. “ I know it’s all bullshit.

But it’s also a pretty good ride.”

DICK LOCHTE, — LA free press.

Dont things like Watergate help to smarten us up?

Alright. So . . . ?

So the problem i s . . .

The problem is dumb people! Several years ago, I got back here from Vietnam [asked there b y the state department, the actor spent three months in the war zone and took part in over 150 missions] and I tried to talk to people about it. I asked why people werent being permitted to know what was going on over there . . . no fucldng way. Bob Kennedy got up and walked ou t on me. His absence was excused b y the statement that his advisers werent present. Bullshit! Where were my advisers? I had just com e from a place where something had happened and the newspapers were sending out the wrong information. I was there. I saw it. But he was gone, didnt want to discuss that. The implication was clear. Just sit there and keep on sucking. *

*

*

WHEN someone once asked Mitchum why he consumes all the booze he does, he answered: “ I drink as a preparation for death. When that great day comes, I will be com pletely inured. It will be just one more hangover.”

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 - Page 19

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TERENCE MAHER & the photography collective: BRENDAN HENNESSY,ROD MANNING® & DON SHARPE OR THE 30,000 rock & roll fans who sweltered and snuggled in the foothills at Diggers Rest in Victoria over the Australia day weekend the 1974 Sunbury R ock Festival was a ripper. The vibe was good, Mother Nature smiled and the music was surpris­ ingly brilliant.

Australian rock & roll has had to com e a long way to get to the crescendo it reached at Sunbury this year. Four days supply o f musical energy through a 4000 watt outdoor hi-fi system And it took a local group who have been on the rock scene for over eight years to crystalise that energy and make Sunbury '74 a raging suc­ cess.

Billy Thorpe and the Aztecs completely electrified a very dis­ cerning crowd o f 25,000 people on the Saturday night to take line honors as the best rock & roll band in Australia. His awe inspir­ ing performance at this, his third Sunbury festival, far outclassed the other tw o contenders for his crown - Sydney’s Sherbet and skinheads pride, L obby Lloyd and the Colored Balls.

Thorpe had the crowd b y the knackers with his huge sound sys­ tem and his fast ’n ’ furious style, and he used this power to make his point that "th e old boys still have some life left in them y et” .

He made no bones about his use o f the Sunbury battleground spot for a grudge match against what he termed his “ knockers” .

The crowd roared and sang like it was an FA Cup Final as Thorpie hung his legend on the line. “ Y ou might like this and you might hate it,” he said breaking into a fault­ less rendition o f Somewhere over

F

the rainbow. He bashed out the rock classics with barely a two second pause and played to the mass singalong hill crowd like he had been rehearsing with them for weeks. He eulogised a former Sydney conviction for indecent language in You can’t go round saying fu ck on stage and he turn­ ed the crow d ’s m otto “ Suck More Piss” , into a frenzied improvisa­ tion which captured the spirit o f Sunbury and its King.

O f the 40-odd acts on at Sun­ bury this year, more than just the Aztecs should receive recognition and respect from rock and blues consumers. Band o f Light, Sky­ hooks, Matt Taylor, Colored Balls, The Dingoes and Mackenzie T heo­ ry won many new admirers with some fine sounds. If the local industry has this much depth w e’re in fo r some really good Australian rock & roll over the next few years.

Y ellow journalism had a field day depicting the festival as a “ Pop Orgy” in the youth putdow n mould.

The cops to o k a low profile and avoided provoking the main crowd. Only 14 arrests were made fo r drunkenness up till sunday which isnt bad for 30,000 people at a rock festival. A b ou t 40 bikies, Satans Soldiers and Devils Horse­ men, were asked to leave late Saturday night when they came on a bit nasty. F o o t injuries were halved this year because bottles were banned and there were no serious accidents. The drug squad were there but could not find anyone to arrest which was nice for all the people w ho were sm ok­ ing, and also nice fo r the drug squad.

Over all, facilities at this Sun­ bury were much improved on previous years. The provision o f a second stage at the top o f the hill and a big folk/jazz tent gave music freaks an alternative to the noise power o f the main "Sin C ity” stage. The rock ballet made rowdy bikies placid. Mackenzie Theory made mind magic fo r heads when they got together with a light show in the tent. APG did Africa for the skinheads.

On the religious front, western religions were the predominant sect. The Salvation A rm y’s “ Jesus Folk” won b y default when the Hare Krishnas and Divine Light Mission failed to show. Perhaps they dont like rock & roll in New Delhi. The festival was so peaceful that even the catholics and anglicans got a big crowd when they held a joint rock service on Sun­ day morning.

Main ripoff, not considering the $12 weekend ticket, was a public relations hype by Com alco for their recycled aluminium cans.

Breadhead kids were offered 25 cents for every 50 cans they lug­ ged in. Promoter John Fowler proudly boasted that one kid dragged in 800 cans. He didnt mention the kid had to individual­ ly crush them in an outrageously inefficent machine before he got his miserly $4.

The promoters o f Sunbury, Odessa Promotions Pty Ltd did a good jo b in organising this festival and consequently the consortium o f businessmen w ho ow n the com ­ pany will gain financially. What a pity that the musicians and their associations cant organise their own festival and so cut out the middleman.

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 21

other races o f men feel the same oppression and seek the same re­ lease as the black man, or will his emotions be inevitably simulated, a pale imitation o f the real thing?

Blues from one heavy smoker ROB KING THE JOKER: The Steve Miller Band.

T WAS not so long ago that a very serious debate raged within the music world. The point o f contention was whether the white man could play the blues.

The circumstances were that groups such as John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers, The Paul Butter­ field Band and Canned Heat were setting themselves up as blues bands and playing black music with far greater success than the black man himself.

The purists argued that the white bands were merely exploit­ ing black music, that the blues was the expression o f the collec­ tive cultural experience o f the American negro, with its roots in tribal Africa. Those who support­ ed white blues, claimed that like any music, the blues was merely a vehicle for the expression o f uni­ versal human emotions. While ac­ knowledging that it was the Amer­ ican negro who had evolved the form, it was by no means inacces­ sible to any sensitive human be­ ing.

There were the rudiments here o f a classic debate, but fo r some reason both sides seemed to get cold feet. Perhaps it was some­ thing to d o with the fact that music at this time was so closely entwined with identity, that even to raise the subject in conversa­ tion represented a serious danger o f destroying a perfectly harmless personality. In any case, it seems reasonably safe, in 1974, to once again ask the question, what is “ blues” ? The joker, the most re­ cent record by the Steve Miller Band, provides an excellent reason for doing so.

Steve Miller was among the first brigade o f bluesmen. He was a “ natural” guitarist - a man, fo r whom, like Clapton, fluency and grace came without effort. What made him more exceptional still was that he possessed a fine blues voice; he never attempted to mimic the voices o f the black blues men, and yet he was able to convey the entire range o f em o­ tions associated with blues, from the piteousness o f a Robert John­ son to the assertive arrogance o f a Howling Wolf.

He assembled a band which included Boz Scaggs on second guitar, and a black drummer (at a time when mixed bands were rare). They had a feel for the blues, and on their first album put dow n a beautiful interpretation o f Big Bill B roonzy’s K eys to the highway. But, whereas most white bluesmen contented themselves with endless interpretations and variations on 12 bar classics, Mill­ er attempted to develop the blues, to endow it with the qualities it had not previously possessed.

And, although he has rarely let an album pass without including at least one “ standard” , the bulk o f

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his recorded work does n ot read­ ily fit into what is traditionally conceived to be the blues id iom It is for this reason that any consideration o f his w ork de­ mands an answer to, or at least consideration o f, the question, what is blues?

Blues involves the celebration o f em otion over reason. It allies itself with chance and fate against science. It insists that it is a far

Howl away husky moondog!

AMOS DRUMMOND M O O N D O G MA T IN E E :The Band HEN I was a snot nosed, peg panted, slick haired, shifty eyed youth roaming the streets o f New York city in the days before Alan Freed coined the expression “ rock 'n roll” anything funkier than Sha boom (the operative words in those days were “ co o l man” and “ crazy” ) was given the name "M o o n d o g ” .

Moondoggers could be heard on a black radio station hosted by Jocko, the Jet Black A ce From Outer Space and were copied b y every pre pube bastard in the p oor man’s echo chamber — subway stations.

The name allegedly com es from a legendary and almost mythical drummer o f the same name. I dont really know or care.

But the early Penguins was M oon­ dog.

The nostalgia b o o m with Fat Old Bill Haley and Arrogant Old Little Richard has, to a large extent, satisfied my desire to re­ capture m y pimply faced halcyon days (although why anyone would

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better thing to be down, no mat­ ter how low, than to be out o f contact with feeling. It is a means o f escape or release from oppres­ sion.

It involves a statement that in the end there is which

has a hold on me. I am what I am, and this is how I feel. It is a means o f de-socialisation, even o f de­ personalisation. It’s not surprising that the blues thrived in the black ghettoes o f the big American cities, along with alcohol, mari­ juana and heroin.

It is here that the great debate on blues crystallises. Can the white man with his affluence and his domination over nature and

he’s right) and Levon Helm - the w orld’s greatest rock drummer and reputed mattress magician - still sings like he gargled with and just cleared his throat. I think (and that’s im port­ ant) the best numbers are Holy cow - a recent Allan Toussaint like to relieve that revolting and song, A change is gonna com e traumatic period is beyond me). (prophetic?) by Sam C ook (I But enter The Band, which has to mean you have to like this one be one o f the greatest rock ’n even if you dont. The guy is a roll (or M oondog if you prefer) martyr) and Aint got no hom e by groups o f the decade with their Clarence “ Frogman” Henry. tribute to the not so distant roots.

They throw in the Third man The situation is reminiscent o f theme for a laugh and us radio the time when Bob Dylan came fans but I think the number is just out with his Self portrait album. too damn cute.

Here with this album, the critics T hey’ve done a lot better but are weeping and lining up their alu­ their “ not so g o o d ” is a lot better minium buckets because o f the than most groups “ better” . How lack o f original R obbie Robertson com e critics never asked Otis Red­ material. They have a point. ding or Janis Joplin or Joe Cocker Robertson is a shithot song writer. to d o original songs? Eh? But the main point is The Band is In a recent interview, Bob a shithot band who could play Dylan, the man who articulates Roger Miller songs and get away my maddest ideals and lack o f with it. same, said because his type o f The album, M oondog matinee, music, o f the late 50s and 60s, is a tribute and a good one. isnt being done the way he likes it R obbie R obertson plavs his usual by anyone else, he’s back on the tasteful, frill-less dissecting guitar road with The Band. Cool man, (I always want to hear more but that’s sayin’ it.

In The joker, Miller assumes some emotional commitment to the blues. It is, in fact, more steeped in blues conventions than his last album, Recall the begin­ ning.

In the spoken introduction to Your cash aint nothing but trash, he poses the classic blues dilemma: “ Well you may have heard about the Gangster o f love, and the Space cow b oy, but I’ m gonna whip the cat on you right now. Is that worth the trouble, trials and tribulations?” The Gangster o f love and the Spacecow b oy are figures from previous albums, previous affirmations o f the Miller identity. And in this song, and the one which follow s it, The joker, he proceeds to demolish the both o f them, to insist that what a person is has nothing to d o with wealth, or success, or even what they say they are. Identity is feeling and feeling is transitory.

The joker, incidentally, seems likely to becom e Steve Miller’s first ever hit single in this country.

Its widespread acceptance is per­ haps evidence o f the emergence o f a new kind o f ghetto o f despair, and in particular o f the influence o f marijuana in this realm. Miller sings I'm a joker, I ’m a smoker,/ I’m an all night toker,/1 sure dont want to hurt no one.

In Evil, a slow blues, the o p ­ pression is on a personal level, with the motifs o f guilt and re­ venge tortuously intertwined, until he lets fly with a couple o f devas­ tating guitar solos, forcibly un­ ravelling the double bind. Evil is a live cut, and, at the end o f the first solo a wave o f relief breaks over the audience, an all too rare reminder that the power and feeling o f a great concert can be captured on record.

It is in these songs, and in the last track — a gentle love song — that Steve Miller is most articu­ late, Lie down, m y love, lie down,/ Rest easy and close you r eyes./ Like clear water in a m oun­ tain stream/1 will com e to yo u in you r dreams/ Like pictures re­ flected in a mountain lake/1 will be with yo u when you wake.

There are occasions, however, when his intentions seem obscure, and his music slightly trivial, and. if it is to be enjoyed thoroughly it has to be accepted for what it is: the work in progress o f the m od­ em white blues man. It stands up well to repeated listenings, and will assume a prominent place in Steve Miller’s already large anthol­ ogy o f recordings.

Like so many innovative art­ ists, Miller borders on -th e para­ noid, desperate to be accepted, for the genius he believes himself to be . . . and at the same time convinced that his work is not understood. In a sense, each o f his albums has been a repair job on the one before, an attempt to correct the false impression creat­ ed by the previous effort. This makes him an elusive musician, and there are few, in a consumer society, who have the patience to accept the seemingly endless^ evo­ lution o f an imperfect idea. j

Fairport’s fun feast MIKE O ’ROURKE

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AIRPORT Convention is having paid out good m oney and seven years old this year, a all that crap. But even with all 'good healthy life for any bandthose in points dow n from the start, these days o f instability and John Currie made it. If the sup­ change. Fairport has changed, cer­ porting act has any reasonable tainly, but the changes seem due function apart from humiliating to the natural processes o f Australian musicians, it is to warm growth, accretion, and wriggling, the audience up and settle them out o f old skins. N ot a single down. Mr Currie did a fine job . original member o f the band is Interval, and outside fo r a cig­ left in the present lineup, but arette and a drink o f rum and to there still remains a strong sense listen to people complaining o f continuity. about one thing and another. Is it The influence o f Fairport Con­ possible that there are people who vention has been strong and per­ are even more dreary and boring vasive. A shoot removed soon than me? But this is where the grows into another tree. They story really starts . . . stand at the centre o f a widening Fairport Convention did not network o f English musicians who explode on to the stage, nor did are doing things that n ob od y would have dreamed possible be­ they ignore the audience. None o f that superstar hype about this lot. fore Fairport’s magnificent Liege No power trips, no demonic-posand lief. session or I’m-just-so-fucking-evilT o my knowledge, they were t h a t -I ’ m -gon n a-h am m er-yousethe first electric band in the world to use straight traditional mater­ into-the-ground-!ike-a-nail fantas­ ies. They just said hello in the ial. Ashley Hutchings, founding friendliest possible way and start­ member and bass player up to ed in on The hexhamshire lass.

Fairport Three, was a founding Perhaps n obod y w ho has not member o f both Steeleye Span been interested in folk music for and the Albion Country Band; Ian Matthews, after playing with Fair­ some time can really understand what is involved in playing tradi­ port for tw o years from their tional songs on electric instru­ in ce p tio n , form ed Matthews ments, because they are unlikely Southern C om fort and later Plainto know what these songs sound­ song; and the later adventures o f ed like before they were electri­ Richard Thompson and Sandy fied. We’re all used to it b y now, Denny are not without honor on but b y God it was a shock at first. as many continents as there may Arguments are still simmering on be. about whether or not it ought to It is always possible that the be allowed, fo r those who want to early promise o f a band might be betrayed or negated b y its later manifestations. But Fairport Con­ vention - as might be expected o f a group that plays so much tradi­ tional music — has held faithfully to the solid ground o f its own past. N o damned jerrybuildings here; this group’s music is cut into the living rock.

The Melbourne venue was the infamous Festival Hall. The seat­ ing is poor, the acoustics have ^occasioned unfavorable comment, and on a humid night like last ffiday night, the place gets to o hot for com fort. For some reason this turned out to provide a mar­ vellous atmosphere. Last year’s Fairport concerts at the sedate Dallas Brooks Hall suffered, in spite o f the near-perfect sound and visibility, from a coldness that was evidently due to the over­ whelming ascetic slick surround­ ings, or maybe it was caused b y the malevolent vibrations o f the arcane mystic rites practised in the same building. A bit o f dis­ com fort is always good for an audience. It makes them feel vir­ tuous and stops them dropping o f f the sleep. Whatever the reason, the audience was generous, excit­ able and cooperative.

The “ supporting act” was Irishborn Sydney singer John Currie.

It’s a difficult position to be placed in, with little chance for glory and the possibility o f mak­ ing the more uptight members o f the audience actually angry with you for wasting their valuable time. Otherwise kind and reason­ able people start muttering about

use folk music as a h obby like stamp-collecting, or as a personal­ ity prop, have fairly well lost the game b y now. The music will go on growing no matter how many admonitary hands are raised.

Dave Swarbrick’s antic postur­ ing, his struts and swaggers, c o m ­ bine with his magnificent fiddling to produce the most delightful and unselfconscious stage pres­ ence I ’ve ever seen. Swarbrick is the most effusive o f the group on stage, balanced b y the dignity o f Trevor Lucas and Dave Pegg. Dave Mattacks has a fine chimpanzee act that I remember from last year, but this year I couldnt see him fo r cymbals. And Jerry Dona­ hue just sort o f stands there most o f the time.

The first three pieces were all traditional: The hexhamshire lass, the fiddle tunes The hen's march through the midden and The fourposter bed, and the harrowing broadside ballad Polly on the shore, which contains some o f the most moving lines in English tradi­ tional song: And m any’s the thousand times I’ve wished m eself at home, 'All alone with m e Polly on the shore.

She's a tall and a slender girl, With a dark and a roving e y e; And here am I lie a-bleeding on the deck And fo r her sweet sake I must die.

Trevor Lucas’ restrained and sensitive singing in this song was perfectly complemented by the on om atopoeic violence o f the in­ struments.

Probably the most immediately impressive o f Fairport’s achieve­ ments is their precision in playing traditional tunes.

Difficult changes o f time are negotiated with offensive ease. Their unison playing is a remarkable a ccom ­ plishment; Dave Pegg is the only bass player I’ve heard who can play fiddle tunes on his instru­ ment. His face occasionally co n ­ torted into the involuntary grim­ aces that some musicians show when they have to play with particular speed and precision, but Jerry Donahue and Dave Swar­ brick just grinned and capered all the way through it, the heartless o f John F. Kennedy.

I dont think it is fo r sale in Australia as yet. If you have any doubts about the corruptness o f the Nixon administration this book s will dispel them. It costs $1.50. Send $3.50 fo r an airmail­ ed co p y to Rising Free, 197 Kings Cross road, L ondon WC1. * * *

STEPHEN WALL HAVE just finished reading a small, 90 page b o o k called Watergate written by an Austral­ ian journo called Philip West. It’ s published b y the Alternative News Service in England. It is the most devastating piece o f investigative reporting I have seen on contem p­ orary America.

The most unnerving thing about this b o o k is that it is quite possibly all factual. It details (1) The connections between CREEP and the crash o f an airliner which killed the wife o f one o f the Watergate burglars. (2 ) N ixon’s links since 1948 with the mafia and corrupt American labor unions. (3) How Nixon and Agnew sabotaged peace in Vietnam before the 1968 elections. (4) Why George Wallace was a victim o f a CREEP conspiracy to elim­ inate him from the 1972 election.

(5) How a double agent may have been planted in the Nixon cam­ paign to uncover Watergate. (6) Nixon’ s links since 1961 with the Cuban Americans w ho broke into Watergate. (7) How one o f the men who planned the raid was connected with the assassination

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HE UK based Peoples News Service is no doubt a g ood “ investment” in inform ation/ news/event fo r gatherers and/or publishers. Naturally it covers items that the international mass media often finds “ to o sensitive” .

Besides good domestic (UK) news, the international scene is fairly well covered. In the issue I have, it covers conditions in Czechoslo­ vakian labor camps, a Democratic Rights Committee form ed in Malaya and Dutch protest over Indonesia plus lots more.

PNS is issued weekly and costs tw o pounds for ten issues for firms and institutions and one pound to individuals, left groups and publications. If Enoch Powell is your idea o f a good moralist, d on t waste your money. PNS, 119 Railton Road, London. SE24.

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HE ALLEGED content and the actual content o f street dope are often quite different.

(Been burnt Bruce?) In the US, the home o f information innova­ tion, there exists a service which will analyise your dope. Y ou sim­ ply wrap up a sample o f your latest chemical, make up a six

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unfeeling bastards.

The American tunes Brilliancy m ed ley and C herokee shuffle had the interesting additions o f Dave Pegg on mandolin and Dave Mat­ tacks playing bass with his hands and bass/drum and hi-hat with his feet. The Brilliancy m edley featur­ ed a few wrinkles that even Eck Robertson never thought of.

It came as a surprise to many people in the audience when Trev­ or Lucas introduced his wife, Sandy Denny. Last tour she was advertised, her name in fact writ larger than Fairport’s, and she didnt show up. This time the promoters modestly did not ad­ vertise her appearance at all. Nicer that way, I think. I knew she was coming myself, so som ebody must have been spreading the word. She started o f f with the grim and fearful ballad o f M atty Groves, which drew appreciative opening applause from the surprisingly large number o f people who rec­ ognised the first few bars.

Sandy Denny’s voice is a not­ able instrumental addition to the band as well as a vocal lead. She has power, control and consider­ able expressiveness. A recent visi­ tor to this country (I nearly wrote our shores) was billed as "sim ply the best female singer in the world” . Well, Sandy Denny is not that simple.

The most impressive single piece in the concert was the stun­ ning 20-minute Thompson/Swarbrick com position Sloth. The words o f the song are strong in a way not often found in contemp­ orary songwriting - a virtue that seems to be Richard Thom pson’s particular glory; that is, they are both reticent and dramatically dense. There is a tremendous story in the song that is told only in brief flashes o f frozen action, like isolated stills from a film Movement occurs through the in­ strumental solos, which are noth­ ing short o f hair-raising.

This band has the rare ability to build up an instrumental tissue slowly, layer by layer, playing with total absorption and relaxa­ tion, as if the song had to be slowly discovered as it was played, as if it would on ly reveal itself if one waited patiently for it to digit number and send it to ’em with details o f what it was sold to you as and how much you paid for it. Four days later you ring them and quote your made-up number; they will give you an accurate analysis. I’m still not sure what one does with on e’s para­ noia. Still even if it is funded b y the CIA etc, there is a regular printout o f the state wide results which would be o f use to drug researchers, social workers and ab­ solute dop e fiends. I think it’s free. The Pharm Chem Newsletter, 1848 Bay Road, Palo Alto, Cali­ fornia 94303, USA. How about someone starting up something here?

NTERNATIONAL Womens Day is going to happen on march 9 and 10 this year and the Sydney Womens Liberation move­ ment has decided to initiate activ­ ity around the theme: Women against the violent society. On monday, february 4, at 7.30 pm at Womens House, 25 Alberta Street, Sydney, they have planned a discussion. Open to all women and wom ens organisations wishing to assist with this activity. Ring 61.7325 for further details (be­ tween 6 and 9 p m l

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HERE’S AN estimated 87 million acres o f native forest in Australia. They form an integ­ ral link in the “ web o f life” o f our continents — natural forest sys­ tems influence local climate con ­ ditions, protect watersheds and prevent erosion, are the habitat o f

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loom up ou t o f the mist. I cannot think o f another band that could carry o ff a com pletely unaccom­ panied bass solo lasting about four to five minutes without losing either the song or the audience in the process.

It was a little annoying that many o f the audience, perhaps thinking they were at a jazz or a bluegrass concert, insisted on ap­ plauding each instrumental solo as if it were a circus act. They meant well, but the song tends to suffer if the solos are regarded as “ breaks” or displays o f virtuosity.

Sloth is a brilliantly conceived and controlled piece o f music, and I think I have never heard anything so totally absorbing as this con -' cert performance o f it.

Fairport Convention played for about tw o and a half hours. A t the end o f it all, Dave Swarbrick very politely asked everybody to stand up. This was a very clever move because people will not stand up in a concert hall if they can help it. Ask them to dance and only a few exhibitionists will d o so, because it’s necessary to stand up before you can start dancing. But if everybody is al­ ready standing up, the battle (for hearts and minds) is already won.

Naturally, everybody stood up, and Fairport started on a medley o f dance tunes. And the crowd went wild, folks!

Hot sweaty steaming bodies undulating beneath the tropic moon. It was marvellous to see the young people enjoying them­ selves so much. Everybody seem­ ed to be smiling or laughing, clapping their hands or jumping up and down. A few drug-crazed hippies removed articles o f cloth­ ing, probably transported in the throes o f their fevered visions to Sunbury or other scenes o f aban­ don. It could never have happened in the Dallas Brooks.

For an encore they played a couple o f old rock songs, eg.

That’ll be the day, which kept the excitement and the dancing going nicely. But all to o soon it was time to go and we all had to go home tired, but happy.

Fairport Convention is a rare group indeed. There’s n obod y like them. native fauna, prevent nutriment loss through run o f f and their root systems stabilise underground water tables and salinity levels.

At the moment there are tw o lobbies associated with our native forests - the environmental lobby and the w oodchip/forest lobby.

This latter lobby is made up o f a number o f bureaucrats in state and federal forestry interests and members o f local and foreign cor­ porations. This lobby regards at least 37 million acres o f the 87 million as “ a permanent industrial crop” . Worse still, in the past, sustained yield felling was the order o f the day — now the hungry turds have devised new methods called clear felling and "total tree utilisation” . The old method wasnt to o damaging , the new methods are truly devastating Australian forests may well be on the verge o f being raped by unthinking, profit hungry corpor­ ate delinquents. According to the environment lobby, most o f the planning and subsequent govern­ ment approvals is being carried out without sufficient public openness. Y ou can find out more o f the facts, and please do, by sending 20 cents (more if poss.) for a copy o f The woodchip in­ dustry. Send to the Campaign T o Save Native Forests, C/- Ecology Action, Box C159 P.O., Clarence Street, Sydney. *

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SEND your info nuggets and ac­ cess gems to APP, P.O. Box 8, Surry Hills 2010.

T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 23

1HIS/WWISAGIMER4

ALBIE THOMS

HE PREMIERE season o f Jonas Mekas’ s Reminis­ cences o f a journey to Lithuania at the Sydney Filmmaker’s Cinema this week, offers a rare glimpse o f a New York figure little known in this country. Saint Jonas, as he has been affectionately called, is an almost mythological figure in the film world, but his signifi­ cance extends far beyond the film medium: for he is a one-man crusade for the cultivation and development o f poetic sensibilities in an increasingly materialist world.

It is not surprising that he chose that most materialist o f places, New York, as the centre from which to spread his gospel, for in many ways it is the centre o f the world, and tho a difficult place to survive and succeed in, it is a place where local success quickly extends to every region o f the earth and makes its influence felt. While in person Mekas is a quiet Lithuanian poet, thru his films and writings and activism, he has becom e an inspiration to people in many lands.

As is revealed in Reminiscences o f a journey to Lithuania, he was born a peasant farmer, and joined the underground when his coun­ try was conquered by the Ger­ mans in the second world war. He was captured and sent to Ger­ many as a slave worker in Ham­ burg, before escaping and even­ tually arriving in New York as a displaced person around 1950. A poet, b y nature as well as practice, he acquired a war-surplus Bolex camera and began evolving his personal filming style, now crystalised in film diaries that suggest the precision o f the Goncourt brothers in their ability to reveal intimate sensibilities briefly and poignantly.

In Reminiscences some o f his early footage from when he was a DP in Brooklyn is shown as a prelude to more recent footage (1971) shot when he returned to Lithuania after an absence o f 25 years to visit his brothers and sisters and his amazing 85 year old mother, w ho still lives the peasant life o f the last century while her children and grandchildren work on modernised collective farms.

The em otion o f the prodigal’s return flows from the screen in waves o f light as Mekas’s camera nervously comes to terms with faces and places from his past.

This new film contrasts very much with the only other Mekas film that has been seen in Aus­ tralia. The brig (distributed by the Sydney Filmmakers’ Co Op) is a searing record o f brutality in American military prisons as was recreated by the Living Theatre (an artists co o p ) in their produc­ tion o f Kenneth Brown’s play.

The precision noticeable in Me­ kas’s diary films is here apparent in the ever-moving camera taking us into the heart o f the action, so much so that it seems to be filmed inside a real prison with the camera being the eyes o f one o f the prisoners. Mekas o f course knows what it is like to be a prisoner, for as well as his experi­ ences with the nazis, he has also been imprisoned for screening Jack Smith’s transvestite orgy film Flaming creatures at a time when New Y ork ’s film censorship laws were far less liberal than now.

And it is Mekas’s courage in show­

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ing that film and others b y War­ hol, Anger and Genet, that led to the breakdown o f New Y ork ’ s censorship restrictions, and in their wake the general liberalis­ ation o f film censorship through­ out the world.

The brig shows Mekas’s con ­ tempt for repressive authority in another way. It was shot illegally, after the FBI had closed the Liv­ ing Theatre on some tax loophole.

Mekas and the actors climbed into the theatre thru a skylight and shot the movie in a long night while the FBI stood unwittingly

you r Times and Pravda today?

Why d o you wonder, then, that poets are beginning to get uneasy?

Yes, the artists are abandoning the beautiful, happy, entertaining, self-glorifying stories. “ They are beginning to express their anxiety in an open and direct manner. They are searching for a freer form , one which per­ mits them a larger scale o f em o­ tional statements, explosion o f truths, outcries o f warnings, ac­ cumulations o f images — not to carry out an amusing story but to fully express the tremblings o f the

outside guarding the padlocked doors. The film went on to win a grand prix at the Venice film festival o f 1964 in the docum ent­ ary section!

consciousness o f man, to confront matheque. us eye-to-eye with the soul o f It was Mekas w ho was the modern man . . . ” photographer o f Empire, that Nowadays the film hardly most-talked-about o f Warhol’s seems radical or avant-garde at all, films, lasting eight hours, but but then it caused quite an ou t­ more talked-about than seen. cry. It was also one o f the first Mekas is probably the only person films to chronicle the anti war to have seen the film thru twice. protests which have since becom e He rarely talks about, or writes familiar sights in American m ov­ about a film unless he has seen it ies. Mekas was a protester then, at least twice. But when he does b efore it became fashionable, write about a film, as he has in the when Kennedy was the darling o f Village voice newspaper weekly the liberal press and was waving for at least ten years, he writes H-bombs threateningly at Russia. with an eloquence and passion Mekas was also an early associ­ rarely found in film criticism any­ ate o f Tim othy Leary, and was where in the world. It is not an with him in the happier times at overstatement to say that the Millbrook, as is recorded in his American underground cinema film diaries. These are also notable would be virtually unknown were for an interview with the sheriff 'it not for Mekas’s writing and his who busted Leary in what was to efforts to get films shown.

An early Mekas film was Guns o f the trees, made at the peak o f the Beat period in New York, with a poetic narration b y Allen Ginsberg, fusing Beat notions o f existentialism, pacificism and zen.

Anticipating the hostility which always greets avant-garde work, Mekas advised his audience: “ There is no story. Telling stories is for peaceful people and content people. And at this juncture o f my life I am neither content not peaceful. I am deeply and totally discontent. Do I have to list the reasons why? Havent you read

Page 2 4 — T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974

be the first o f a long series o f political charades for the guru o f ecstasy.

Mekas encouraged the acid ex­ periments o f New York artists in the early 60s (before the hippy craze rendered them banal), show­ ing their psychedelic and multimedia experiments at the Film­ makers Cinematheque (o f which he was the founder) until that too invoked the wrath o f the authori­ ties and was closed by police. He was also the “ discoverer” o f Andy Warhol as a filmmaker, and show­ ed his first films in the cine-

It was he w ho founded the New York Filmmakers Distribu­ tion Cooperative, and helped de­ vise its democratic constitution which has been a m odel for co-ops throughout the world. Though the Sydney co-op was founded in ignorance o f Mekas’s efforts, it quickly took inspiration from their success when those inter­ national activities became known thru the much-publicised New American Cinema international exhibitions (organised b y Mekas) which drew world attention to the radically different cinema that emerged in the USA during the 60s.

No doubt it was Mekas, who had served in the Lithuanian underground, who gave the new appellative validity when applied to these films and popularised by Time and N ewsweek till it came to cover new music, newspapers, and many things other than the movies o f Mekas’s New York band. His magazine Film culture helped define the new esthetics o f these movies, and his more per­ sonal impressions o f these films and their makers can be found in his b ook Movie journal (Collier, 1972).

Mekas is now the director o f the Anthology Film Archives in New York, which provides the only comprehensive screenings o f the history o f film as an art form.

Over a period o f tw o months, in a hundred programs, one can see the whole history (as it accords with Mekas’s vision) o f film art.

And the films are projected in a “ perfect” cinema, built like a space capsule, with everyone able to see the screen (and only the screen, due to “ blinkers” on the seats), and be totally transported into the world o f the film.

But it is in his own film Diaries, notes and sketches also known as Walden (1969) that will assure Mekas o f some permanent place in the history o f m odem civilisation.

This three hour home movie is o f such density and exquisite imag­ ery that one is awed in its pres­ ence. It covers his life from 1950 to 1969, 20 years o f impressions and glimpses, a recording o f the poet’s sensibilities, his nervous system rendered as light and sound.

Reminiscences o f a journey to Lithuania is its sequel, another home movie rendered as art o f a high order. Its nervous twitchings might seem difficult to watch at first, but they are the p oet’s way o f conveying his emotions at g o ­ ing home after 25 years away.

And if we persevere, we adapt to his way o f seeing things, feel the experiences with him, share his wonder and his joy. Such little beauties are not to be sneered at.

T oo often we fall for the bullshit o f glamor and miss the fleeting delights that are ever around us.

We need poets to remind us o f these missed opportunities, and Mekas is one o f the great poets, and luckily, one who has chosen film as his medium o f expression.

The result is a different kind o f film, epiphany-filled, that is worlds removed from the super colossi of the cinemascope screen. As Mekas himself has stat­ ed: "W e are the measure o f all things. And the beauty o f our creation, o f our art, is proportion­ al to the beauty o f ourselves, o f our souls.”

Dwellings M elbourn e. G u y , late 20s, needs a hou se to share (p refera b ly s/e suburbs). A n y o n e g o t o n e o r will­ ing t o lo o k w ith m e? IN C b o x 7579.

M e lb o u r n e .

A c c o m m o d a t io n w alking distance L a trobe univers­ ity .

H ouse o c c u p ie d students o n ly . O w ner resides elsew here.

M ixed h ou seh old — several room s available. Prefer ca m p , bisexual m ale as m anager fo r ow n er. R ent n eg otia b le. D iscretion param ou nt.

INC b o x 7 5 9 4 .

M elbourn e. Perth gu y, vegetarian, arriving M elb ou rn e late february, seeks digs in con gen ia l h ou seh old close city o r p u b lic transport. INC b o x 7593.

S y d n e y -R o s e B ay. C heerful girl, m id -2 0 s, w a n ted t o share hom e un it w ith guy.

Own room . $ 1 5 .0 0 . P h on e 3 7 1 .7 5 4 8 .

S y d n e y -A rta rm on . T w o fem m es o r co u p le share large h om e with another. T w o b e d ro o m s. Tidiness and sensitivity m an d atory fo r fel­ icito u s co h a b ita tion . Chris, Sandy 4 2 .2 1 5 6 .

S y d n e y . Prim itive cotta g e avail­ able f o r gentle anarchist, near Bathurst, in exchange w o rk fo u r fertile acres, c o w e tc. INC b o x 7606.

S y d n e y . H ap p y, easy going p eop le n e e d e d f o r large restored , m ix ed terrace. O w n o r share r o o m in com m u n al atm osphere from $ 8 .0 0 w e e k ly . J a k e ’s M o n a s te ry , 133 D ow lin g street, W o o llo o m o o ­ lo o .

S y d n e y . Me o n e y o u n g indian, 2 6, wan turn o n e y o u n g squaw , 1 8 -2 2 , share teep ee at reservation on tro p ica l island. C lose t o d on k ey express t o big sm ok e and trading posts. C ostum $ 1 8 .0 0 per w eek, teep ee, fo o d , water. INC b o x 7578.

Doings Be at T ra y n o r’s 8 .1 5 pm Wednes­

days fo r the D u tch m a n ’s blues night: D u tch Tilders and various guest artists. 1 0 0 Little L onsdale street, M elbourn e. O nly blues venue.

E xistentialist S o cie ty : “ T h e h u ­ m an p red ica m en t and th e m ystery o f tim e .” G e o ff Forster, 8 pm tuesday, february 5. R o y a l S o ci­ ety , 9 V ictoria street, M elbourn e.

Pottery classes. C hurch hall, A da p lace. U ltim o. Beginners and ad ­ vanced. A fte r n o o n s and evening classes co m m e n ce february 11.

E nrolm ent and inquiries, Satur­ d a y, february 2 t o friday february 8, 2 pm t o 7 pm .

Australia party state con v e n tio n .

S unday, february 3, 2 p m at Park T ow ers, Hay street, Perth. T h em e, 1 9 8 4 minus 10. A d m ission free including refreshm ents. Details from 6 8 .5 6 9 2 .

S yd n ey . O p en E n cou n ter G ro u p , 2nd w eekend in feb ru a ry. E xp eri­ ence jo y . D iscover y ou rse lf and others. Call G o r d o n Meggs on 6 6 5 .9 2 8 0 o r w rite t o PO b o x 2 2 9 , C oogee. 2034.

Deliveries D o c to r D u ncan rev olu tion b o o k ­ sh op : C oop era tiv e m ov em e n t sup­ ply o f fem in ist and gay liberation resources. Free catalogue. M on th ­ ly b o o k n e w s $ 1 .5 0 p.a. PO b o x 1 1 1 , E astw ood , SA. 5 0 6 3 .

O verland travel th ro u g h o u t the w o rld — Asia, A frica , S ou th A m erica, Russia, fro m tours to full scale ex p e d itio n s. C o n ta ct the experts. Trail Finders, 1 5 H unter street, S y d n e y . P hon e 2 8 .4 0 1 1 o r 3 2 3 B ou rk e street, M elbourn e.

Dalliance Q u eensland-C alou ndra. T a ll, slim,* h o m y gu y, 3 7, well hung, desire drag q u e e n sim ilar age o r you n g er fo r m utual pleasures. INC b o x 7602.

V icto ria -G e e lo n g area. Y o u n g , in­ exp e rie n ce d , ca m p gu y, intelligent b u t h a p p y , needs lover o f arts, to 4 0, t o help him o u t. A ll answ ered.

INC b o x 7 6 0 5 .

M elbourn e. Tall m ale, 30s, living near c ity cen tre, interested p o li­ tics, S panish da n cin g and guitar, seeks fe m m e , 2 5 -3 5 , f o r genuine rela tion sh ip . IN C b o x 7 6 0 4 .

M elb ou rn e. S in cere, lo n e ly , y ou n g guy, sexually in ex p erien ced , w ishes to m eet y o u n g cam p guy, 1 8 -2 3 , f o r genuine frien d sh ip and e x p e rie n ce . N o bias tow a rd s ef­ fem inates. INC b o x 7 5 9 8 .

M elb ou rn e. S ensuous, m o u sta ch ­ ed , d o m in a n t, se x y F ren chm an, seeks subm issive fe m m e with hankering f o r fre e w ed d in g dress.

INC b o x 7 5 9 9 .

Deaths

S y d n e y . G o o d lo o k in g , artistic m an, 2 8 , seeks similar. M ust be frie n d ly , intelligent. O n ly reply if m ale. INC b o x 7 6 0 0 .

Seeking in form a tion , address and fee o f com m u n e like group in Cairns; the one w h ich has its m em bers co m p ly with every rule if th ey d o n t w ant t o be sh ow n o u t th e b a ck d o o r . INC b o x 7 6 0 7 .

S y d n e y . A ttra ctive, soph istica ted la d y , 3 7 , u n in h ib ited , discreet, wishes t o m eet sim ilar m an fo r m utual e n jo y m e n t, sensible c o n ­ versation, outings, m usic, relaxa­ tio n , e tc. INC b o x 7 6 0 1 .

Departures

S y d n e y . A ttra ctive b u t shy y ou n g gu y desp erately seeks ch ick to teach him a b o u t sex and end his virginity. INC b o x 7 6 0 3 .

S yd n ey . G u y leaving fo r Asian overland trip later this year, w ou ld like ch ick w ith w h ich t o share exp erien ce. IN C b o x 7 6 1 0 .

H E A D IN G S : (C ircle required listing) D a llia n ce; D ealin gs; D ea th s; D eliveries; D ep a rtu res; D e p lo y m e n t; D ia lec tics; Dialling; D istress; D oin gs; D o p e ; D u e ts ; D w ellings.

B een ch eated la te ly ? ?? N ow have w hat y o u want. C o m p le te ly un­ ce n so re d , u n in hibited , im p o rte d “ a c tio n ” p h o to s, b o o k s , films.

T ry b e fo r e b u y in g . $ 1 .0 0 f o r sam ­ ple and ca talog u e. T he Manager, PO b o x 1 3 , E d g e cliff, NSW . 2 0 2 7 .

Extra words @ 10c each

A dvertisers using INC B ox n u m bers f o r replies m ust a llow 3 w o rd s in t e x t and add 20 ce n ts fo r this fa cility — we forw a rd replies w eek­ ly . D alliance ads m ust use INC B ox n u m b er, w h ich w e a llocate b e fo re publishing.

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POSTCODE________ MONEY ENCLOSED: C ategory A ( $ 1 ) ............................................................................$ C ategory B ( $ 2 ) ........................................................................... $ C ategory C ( $ 3 ) ........................................................................... $ E xtra W ord s (1 0 c e a c h ) ............................................................$ IN C B ox fa cility ( 2 0 c ) ........................................................... $ R e p e a t/d u a l p u b lica tio n a d s ....................................................$ -

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A D V E R T IS IN G C OSTS A ctiv ity ca tegories determ in e m e basic co s t. C ategory (A ) is fo r free p u b lic m eetings ($ 1 fo r 21 w ords).

C a te g o ry (B ) is fo r individuals ad­ vertising u n d e r a n y heading ($ 2 fo r 21 w ord s). C ategory (C ) is f o r any b u s in e s s enterprise advertising u n d er any heading ($ 3 fo r 21 w o r d s ).

ALL A D D IT IO N A L W ORDS 10c EACH. R E PL IE S V IA INC B O X N O S .

All replies t o INC B ox nu m bers m ust b e in a stam p ed, sealed, un­ addressed e n v e lo p e with th e adver­ tiser’ s D -n o tice b o x n u m b e r clearly w ritten in th e to p le ft c o m e r . This en v elop^ is t o b e e n c lo s e d in a s e co n d o n e addressed t o : INC Dn otices, GPO B ox 5 3 1 2 BB, Mel­ b o u rn e . 3 0 0 1 .

D alliance re sp o n d e n ts m ust in clu d e $ 2 p a y m e n t w ith ea ch re p ly w hen sending t o IN C f o r forw ardin g to advertisers. N o n -co m p ly in g letters are d e stro y e d .

S y d n e y . Light, casual w o rk fo r y o u n g e x p e cta n t o r nursing m o th ­ ers. G o o d rates; write w ith partic­ ulars fo r details t o : INC b o x 7609.

C am p m u so ’ s w anted fo r ultra ca m p B ow ie-style band starting in A d ela id e. W ritten reply o n ly .

4 /3 0 Park terrace, G ilb erton , SA. 5 08 1 .

Wanted to Buy (Cheap) Morris " J " Van (baker's van)

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nONtXiag ing "C o n tro l" — Women's A bor­ tion Referral Service.

Sydney 61.7325. 6-9 pm week-nights.

Stuff like leather bags, sandals, belts, jew ellery, dresses, bikinis.

Everything for the sum m er rip -o ff season.

SIL V E R C A V E R o ck -o n H andcrafts 330 Lt. Collins St, M elb.

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A ll c o p y m ust b e printed IN B L O C K L E T T E R S on this fo rm — c o p y su b m itte d in any o th e r style is u n a cce p ta b le . T e le p h o n e nu m bers and addresses m ust in d ica te c ity o f lo ca tio n . D w ellings and D alliance ads m ust c o m m e n c e w ith their lo ca ­ tio n , eg. Canberra. C o p y is u n ce n ­ so re d e x c e p t where necessary fo r p u b lish er’s legal p r o t e c t io n

D -n otices f o r N a tio n R e v ie w : n o o n , T uesday p rio r t o p u b lica tio n . Dn o tice s f o r T h e Living D a ylig h ts: n o o n , T hursday p rio r t o p u b lica ­ tion .

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G a rco n , th e b est c o lle c t io n o f m ale nude p h o to g r a p h y . Im m ed i­ ate d eliv ery . Send $ 6 .0 0 t o Chris­ t o p h e r W ilde, PO b o x 50H , Terrey Hills. 2 0 8 4 .

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A ll m o n ie s sh o u ld be p a ya b le INC P ty L td . E very ad m ust b e prepaid — in clu d in g rep etitive and du al-p u b­ lica tio n appearances — and a cco m ­ p a n y in itia lly su b m itte d c o p y . '

H orm on es. Male ty p e req u ired ; p re fe r fro m q u a lified persons. A d ­ vice o n where t o get them w ou ld b e rew arding. INC b o x 7 5 9 5 .

S y d n e y . F o rm e r UK sch o o lm a ste r is w illing t o e n r o l y o u n g la dy p up il f o r private tu itio n . M ust be w illing t o learn and am enable to trad itional m e th o d s o f discip lin e.

INC b o x 7 6 0 8 .

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T o r p e d o P rofiteers o f P op Music W orld . Send $ 2 t o b o x H 38, A ustralia square, S y d n e y , f o r pir­ ate cassette o f R o d M cK u e n ’s A ustralian co n ce rt. G enuine.

C o n ta c t M ik e R o b e rts 3 8 .5 9 7 9

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N om in a te o n e listed heading on ly .'

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F IR S T A V A IL A B L E OF E ITH E R P U B L IC A T IO N (

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S y d n e y -B o n d i. A verage g u y , m id 20s, w ith panel van. L oves the surf. Digs k n eeb oa rd in g an d skindiving.

Seeks you ng, lo n e ly , spu nky surfie f o r m utual frien d ­ ship and c o m p a n y . Have g o o d surfboard the right gu y can have, plus will pay A L L exp en ses fo r w e e k o r t w o travelling a rou n d and cam p in g o u t. W ill g o anyw here y o u w ant. P h o to and p h o n e num ­ b e r N O T essential, b u t if available send th em . Please b e gen uine. INC b o x 7 37 7 .

H E A D IN G S

N A T IO N R E V IE W A N D TH E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S (

NAME

S y d n e y . S w inging c o u p le s w h o are y o u n g , attractive and intelli­ gen t are m eetin g casually in the relaxed a tm osp h ere o f a restau­ rant/bar o n m arch 9. G enuine inquiries w e lco m e , p refera b ly with p h o n e nu m ber. INC b o x 7 57 5 .

In d ica te w ith cross w h ere c o p y is t o b e p ublished . Insertion co sts are co n sta n t f o r each appearance irre­ spective o f p u b lica tio n /s used.

Please insert this a d vertisem en t in: N A T IO N R E V IE W O N L Y ( ) T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S O N L Y (

S y d n e y . Male, 3 0, g o o d appear­ a n ce , visiting S y d n e y f o r o n e w e e k m id feb ru a ry, seeks fem ale fo r co m p a n y and dalliance. INC b o x 7576.

S y d n e y . T w o y o u n g guys w ou ld like to m eet others, gay, 2 0 -2 6 ,

P U B L IC A T IO N

7z\ in corp ora ted Newsagencies C o m p a n y P ty L td G .P .O . B o x 5 3 1 2 B B , M e lb o u rn e , 3 0 0 1 , V ic .

f o r frien d ly evenings an d co m p a n ­ ion sh ip . IN C b o x 7 5 6 4 .

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T h e h o u se at th e p reviou s elsew h ere, esp ecia lly V icto ria can rely on th e stu rd y S y d n e y S e h o o lk id s address has b e e n d e m o lis h e d , m u ch to sta tion a ry-n ess o f M e lb o u rn e h ead m aster R o b K in g, still ou r surprise, s o co n tr ib u to r s residing at “ L o d g e R a lp h ” , h o ld y o u r fire u ntil w e D avid roa d , L ily d a le , lo ca te a p e rm a n en t p o s t fo r rovin g S y d n e y S e h o o lk id s V icto ria . What are y o u d o in g o n y o u r h o lid a y s , kids? e d ito r, J o h n G eake. P eop le

READ in the Just us kids columns about other kids’ schools faults, but our’s is really bad, Henry Kendall High. Our’s represses Love, and puts it on the same plane as violence.

That is they give the cane, or other punishment they wish to choose (thinking they are Gods) if y ou are caught kissing or hugging a member o f the opposite sex, and you get the same punishment if you beat another kid’s head in, in a fight.

If the teachers think that to show love and affection is the

religious fighting, w e’ve got the arabs hating the jews and viceversa, w e’ve got the bombing o f innocent people, w e’ve got the rising rate o f crime, w e’ve got the ever increasing hate o f the w ork­ ing class against the capitalists, and in the middle o f all this w e’ve got our school repressing Love (probably other schools to o !). It sounds ridiculous but it’s happen­

ing in Henry Kendall High (or Hate) school.

T o quote our vice principal: “ A nyone who is hugging or kiss­ ing a girl will be punished.”

And, “ We dont want to see these hugging sessions!”

So as you see we at school are in need o f a revolution to get rid o f teachers like that, who think Love and Peace are four letter

words. It makes you wonder what the heroes o f these people would be: (a) Hitler or, (b) Ghandi, and Martin Luther King . . . Probably (al And I’ve heard people tell me Anarchy would only spread Hate and Killing. Well look misguided people at what’s been fed into us in school, and the Hate and dis­ crimination this conditioning has brought us!!!!

Remember Love is the answer!

And Anarchy is the Key! B y the Friendly Anarchist, and occupant o f Henry Kendall High Pt Clare, NSW

structure was the famous driving lesson. Ian and Brian came out to get grapes one day after school and o f course they wanted to drive my Mini-Moke around the yard. Well, there was no harm in it so they each had a turn - starting from basics having never driven before. There were those hectic moments o f nearly pranging the front gatepost or Brian’s effort o f heading fo r the fence, panicking and pressing the accelerator. Colli­ sion averted luckily.

So the first driving lesson be­ came a regular thing - round the paddock or up and down the back road. We did it because they were keen to learn and it was the first time that I had seen kids this keen to learn anything.

The difference it made at school was astounding. From b oys unwilling to co-operate at all in class came the comm ent that “ they werent gonna muck up no m ore.” They had a sense o f achieving something and so were willing to give me a chance in lessons. N ot that they suddenly made great strides, not even that they cared about the work, they were just willing to give me a chance and that was a breath o f fresh air. And I really learned something about intrinsic motiva­ tion.

I saw the same sort o f thing on the Table T op Mountain trip.

Sometimes Jim Buchanan would organise weekend expeditions into the bush. “ The gang” o f mostly town b oys always liked to come.

On this day we were exploring an old track and came to a washaway on the mountainside. Everyone hopped in to rebuild the track (maybe a half-hour jo b ) and, as

we carried rocks in, someone just remarked that it was like the convict days. We drove the Moke over our engineering feat and about a mile on came to a great boulder in the middle o f the track.

Once again it was manual labor and someone wanted to shift it like the Egyptians used to. An­ other idea was to break it up, with smaller rocks. Eventually we suc­ ceeded with Egyptian log rollers (and a modern crowbar). NB. This was n ot us playing teacher on Sunday - it was just passing conversation amongst the group.

Eventually we found the end o f the track and cooked lunch near an old slab musterer’s hut.

For me that day was a very significant lesson in history and education. It was not “ History” and it wasnt even “ education” but it showed that that simple experi­ ence contained very meaningful and diverse learnings. It was not a matter o f making a point about the history, the landforms, the map or the mechanical troubles.

It made the classroom laugh­ able. Y ou might try to introduce a lesson on convict labor. Y ou would make stencils, draw pic­ tures, write notes, ask questions, set exams but there it all was in a few simple comments during a day’s outing.

A fter that came the “ Adven­ ture Camp” - named as a big deal one-day-off-school thing. Eighteen boys, tw o teachers. A weekend at a logging camp in the coastal rain forest. Junior, boys had to cook fo r themselves - some o f them (obviously!) for the first time.

The best event o f that camp was discovering the old mine. We vaguely knew where it was and follow ed our forestry map until odd signs o f industry appeared in the bush, then a tiny railway track and old w ooden steps down to the abandoned crushing plant.

Some o f the group scrambled dow n to examine the old diesel engine. How did it work? How did the clutch work? The (pelt and pulleys? Others raced along the old railway and over a bridge to find the old shafts and abandoned tunnel and ore-race. We found a bat. We saw the shoring timbers and pushed the old trolley. Some likely looking rocks were claimed fo r testing.

Meanwhile back at school we had reached a sort o f stalemate.

English became more tolerable when I disposed o f some o f the obviously hopeless books. 3B worked on the themes o f “ Love” and “ Personality” . We made a successful play for the school con­ cert. 1A made a film. 2B respond­ ed to the “ bankbooks” gimmick where they were "paid” a bank entry in their n otebook after each period or fined for bad behavior.

It was only a trick but finally had some value as arithmetic exercise.

This year I have helped to drive

kids away from learning because a set number o f periods were on the timetable for me to fill up with teaching. We may have the best intentions, the most individualised programs and the best gimmicks but the inevitable result is still the holding operation.

And th e teacher-training people continue to live on aca­ demic cloudland. It is time for teaching apprenticeships right from the start with college lec­ turers in there teaching real snotty-nosed kids and for long enough to feel the grind. Students could realise their own weaknesses and be involved in a long-term professional education instead o f an initiation course before getting hit with the cynical system.

So I have becom e a teacher dropout. Next year I would be even more a school-teacher fashioning symbolic information and pouring it by clever new gimmicks into understandably re­ luctant heads. No, I need to learn more about things myself before I can hope to help others learn — more about communicating and history and society and schools and. kids and everything else.

I wanted to change to Social Studies activities with 2B but it had been decreed somewhere in the upper reaches o f the Wyndham Scheme that History would be a CORE SUBJECT! And that was law. So kids who could barely read were studying the Protestant Reformation and Elizabethan England. We did a power o f notecopying and I set the exam easy but still nothing was absorbed.

After the exam there was a general atmosphere o f relaxation.

We had limited freedom to con ­ duct our holding operation in different ways. For me this was simply to present a few sets o f English type games (“ TutorSystems” Puzzles and “ Scrabble” ) as well as work cards and books, and clear away some desks. I brought in some soft chairs and put up a few big posters. The kids knew they didnt really have to d o anything yet they worked on Eng­ lish and enjoyed it. We approach­ ed a “ kohl-style” open classroom at last - after the Real Work was done.

This year I wanted to see from the inside if there was any hope for schools. I tried to com e as an apprentice and not hassle too much with the superficial bureaucratic jobs. The only alternative is the “ havoc” approach o f more pure revolutionaries which probably has stimulating social effects de­ spite its personal effects.

A year “ in the service” as they say, has been time enough to conclude that schools are unwork­ able as they are. But the year’s weekends have shown the im ­ mense possibilities o f de-school­ ing. The point is to reorganise learning to properly use the staff and facilities which already exist.

1

F THIS must be called something it is a personal letter to myself - something like I might set for 1A English: “ Write a personal letter to yourself in 10 year’s time. What d o you want to remember about Now? What d o you want to be Then? (1-2 pages)” It is the end o f the year now and I’ve been wanting to write this for months. But school just keeps coming at you and there is no time to sit and be reflective.

Everything this year has been done in such a hurry. Even relax­ ing is hurried.

This pressure-cooking o f time would be the main feature o f the year. Even to be an inadequate teacher you must work like hell not hard work in any physical sense, but each day consists o f maybe thousands o f little personal exchanges starting with “ good morning” to the boss, and through the various conversations or conflicts o f each lesson, to the four o ’clock nod to the cleaning lady as you escape. Each o f these encounters costs a little emotional energy until you get home and walk around zombie-like for a while, or hypertense and snarling, and y ou lo o k up tom orrow ’s time­ table and seven periods loom ahead as well as tw o sets o f books to mark and a lesson register to fill in.

Tension is a real thing and a cumulative thing over a term.

There is always something to d o even if it’s only background read­ ing in English or History. Y ou becom e a clockwatcher allocating time for preparation or marking or rest.

I’ve got to say though, in this pressure bit, that I was lucky to get into this school. It was sheer accident o f course. I’ve never know n anyone to get where they applied for - except one case by pleading to the local MP. Sure, this is a conservative school but at least people will let you d o things.

Being a small school you can get to know everybody and you can get a feeling o f comm unity both in the school and in the town that is still a worthwhile thing. I felt that my efforts counted.

Imagine being an alienated teacher in a staff o f 60 or 70 - no wonder there are alienated kids!

I guess the realities o f a class­ room hit after the first period o f the year - a honeym oon period. I gave out a little questionnaire to try to find out about the people, in the class. Here is a fairly normal looking third form group, 25 kids and m y g od !!! about eight can barely write. It wasnt anvthinq against the new teacher - they didnt know yet what they could get away with. They just couldnt cope with simple English reading and writing. It was a fact - 14 and 15 year olds — nine or ten years o f school and what result?

same as beating people up, well I’ve got news fo r you, it isnt - it’s these same people who show screwing as a “ sinful” thing. Shit! our society (world) has enough hate in it, thanks to governments o f the world (anarchy is the key) w e’ve had the first, second world wars, Vietnam, Chile etc; w e’ve got racial prejudice, Ku Klux Klan, anti-semitism, w e’ve qot the

How could they d o anything with­ out those basic skills?

The answer was simple - they didnt.

The 3B battle began. It was not an unfriendly battle, just that no lesson ever worked. Well three did for the first half o f the year. That is three in about a hundred. M ost­ ly it was a series o f diversions not a class conspiracy — just individual guerrilla tactics: “ Where’s your book , Peter?” “ Home, sir” .

Ruler fights. “ Sir, ’e’s pinched me port.” “ Sir, ’e ’s thrown me pencil case out the w indow .” “ Can I go and get it, Sir?” General conversation prevails — reports o f Number 96 or the m otor bike races. Desk tapping, chair scraping.

At least the chaos was contain­ ed in the room . We would have a modified version o f the prepared lesson amid diversions and pack­ ing up would com m ence as the bell-monitor walked out to allow himself five minutes o f preparingto-ring-the-bell time.

I tried grouping the different interests and ability levels. The non-readers would complain that every jo b was to o hard and they were the most easily diverted any­ way. The rest o f the class saw group work as a chance to be o f f the hook. Sometimes they would work outside the classroom but this only spread the diversions.

Another problem arose when sev­ eral people would ask questions at the same time and give up if I didnt com e immediately. S o much for another sacred cow o f the Dip. Ed. My first really practical evi­ dence o f the failure o f the school

Page 26 - T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974

Truth hurts I HAVE bought every Daylights since volume 1, No. 3, and I must say that I agree fully with Anonymous (TLD, 2/3). Volume 1 showed signs of TLD becoming a great magazine. It was interesting and had something to offer Eg. dustry, Coca-Cola story, world of cons

everyone. inside the massage in­ and the classical expose of frogs and

the ad-men.

If you had kept in this groove you would have a bloody good paper, but why the hell did you change? After the anarchy issue the paper degenerated into a load of politics and crap.

Who gives a shit about the Warmambool pub, or Michael X (who is trying to make himself look a martyr any­ way)? And fuck student rats in South Korea. If a bugger pays 30 cents each week to buy a paper, give him some­ thing to read and understand. If you are going to print crap like “ Cosmic Epics in Speech Balloons” and Chopin

and Zappa jammin' together, translate

the bloody lot first, so that people can read it.

Not every bugger is as literary minded as the editors are, or pretend to be. I doubt if even the bloody authors know what they are talking about.

So wake up to yourself. Dont be such fucking hypocrites. Print a few good stories in each paper to make it worth buying. How about continuing Tabloid story instead of crap like “ Just us kids” , perhaps more interviews such as with Ian Sykes, or the brilliant interview in the Anarchy issue.

I can only give you one piece of good advice: dont be snobs. Dont talk down to people and act superior, just because you know big words and know how to rearrange others to sound as if you are clever. Because people won’ t think you are. They'll say what kind of a dick writes this crap, and throw the lot away, there are other ways to get your point across.

ANONYMO US,

Balgownie, NSW PS. If you believe in freedom of the press (it is guaranteed to you because you own one) and dont print this letter (or even consider my suggestions) you can stick your paper up your bum, because it (my letter) makes more sense than some of the (other) bullshit you print.

Men and sexism AT LONG last the whole question of men and sexism and children is starting to come up fron t About time. I’ve been looking after a young kid since

she was one and a half, and after nine that they know what little girls should months o f doing so I can tell you: be doing and what little boys should be there sure are problems about being a doing and the words o f Carol Ambrus, single male parent looking after a girl. a Canberra womens liberationism still Even though the women at the ring in my head — roles are already creches dont say it, they seem to think internalised before the age o f three. that it's a bit weird for a man to be I can see what they want to do with taking care of his daughter. But what Cass and I can see what I’d like to they will quite boldly say is that they happen: a free environment where Cass think it’s so important for a child to can develop herself, particularly free have it's “ mother” , deliberately trying from sexist role pressures. And yet to somehow make you feel inferior when I asked around to see if any child because you havent got that certain minding co-ops had been set up with something a “ mother” is supposed to the idea o f combating sexist pressures have. Ah, fuck! As long as there are on kids, the people I spoke to looked “ mothers” then men will be able to askance at me. “ I mean, a creche is a keep within their own physically, creche” , they seemed to say, “ what emotionally lonely domain and outside d'ya mean, a non sexist creche?” of a domain which demands tender­ People are going to leave the creches ness, understanding, patience (and bags in the hands o f the “ professionals” o f resilience). because — particularly in the case o f But your man’s quite right. A lot o f men — they feel they want to be as far lefties themselves, as well as being semi away from children as possible. And terrified by kids or just plain cold the professionals, by motherhood!, will towards them, know fuck-all about certainly make fine young men and what children need. But, he’s not Women out o f all o f them. And no totally right, fortunately. There have nudity in the Sydney day nurseries, been people who’ve been really good either.

Ah well. If anyone is interested in a to me. But on the whole, male lefties creche co-op that attempts to deal with do see children as another race.

All this, of course, is intimately sexism in some may maybe they could bound up with gay lib, but in a way write and let me know. Anyway, the that most male activists havent grasped idea may catch on.

Keep the men and sexism articles yet. Being closely involved with chil­ dren, particularly young children, de­ flourishing. I think TLD is a pretty mands a level o f physical response — of ratshit paper, basically, but I’d crawl tenderness, in a way — that most o f over buckets 5f shitty nappies to read them arent up to. But if you can your men against sexism articles.

JOHN WILKINSON, manage to achieve this with kids you’re Erskineville, NSW going to be a lot better able to do it with other adults. It's difficult — I’ve still got great difficulties myself, as much as anyone else, but the “ Men I GUESS it’s pretty obvious, the sys­ against Sexism" article is so right: all tem stinks. That is the whole world the aggression and ego shit at lefties “ conferences” , for example, derives in so many ways from each man’s physi­ cal and emotional distance from the other.

Which leads me indirectly on to the communal childminding venture at Victoria street. One of the more posi­ tive things that emerged was a weaken­ ing o f the sexism that usually crops up in child minding arrangements. All the children played with the buckets and spades as equally and together as when they played with the dolls. For me, one o f the more encouraging things was that even up till the time o f the bust most of the boys still called Cass “ he", which meant, for me, that be­ cause Cass had worn boys clothes most ADRIAN DICKIE of the time and had played with the boys they had been unable to stratify O it was, comrades, that my her into a feminine role. fellow travellers and I pre­ After the bust it’s back to the pared ourselves fo r a week’s so­ Sydney day nurseries, where the journ in the Lerderderg gorge, a woman informs me, that it’s so crucial to have the “ mother” around in these place - although popular with the early years and implies that Cass sympathisers o f Baden-Powell and suspicious types o f that ilk - o f should be home all day stifled with the captive “ mother” . Groan. I can see still relatively untainted beauty. It

Jesus saves

system, not just politics, but the greed, hunger and selfish ego inside each one of us who call ourselves human. Like John Lennon says: “ You can wear a mask and paint your face, you can call yourself the human race . . . but one thing you can’t hide, is when you’re crippled inside.”

There are several suggestions for alternatives around, but they dont change that selfish ego inside. The only real solution is found in Jesus, not the crap which many preach as Christian­ ity, but in Jesus Himself as a real, living, spiritual being in our world today.

By surrendering control o f our spirits to Him and to His spirit can we destroy that selfish ego. He came to heal that part o f us which is “ crippled inside” . His blood from the cross is the means provided to spiritually revolu­ tionise our lives. Because He is alive our spirits can live. I know because it has worked for me.

ROBERT HOPE-HUME, Lower King, WA

Five lines FIVE lines which sum up the death of any city — this city? — and its murder­ ers: Thick, grey smog enveloping the city like a shroud; Constant traffic humming a cheerless funeral dirge; Mourners bravely hiding their sorrow behind a mask o f indifference; Bright neon signs etching solemn epitaphs on giant-size concrete and glass tomb­ stones.

BARBARA MAHLE,

Help please on

CAN YOU check up a song which could, maybe, make a really good national anthem, better than the pres­ ent choices. The song is The star

which I learnt just starting primary school

crossed flag o f Australia

a

as kid in NSW, circa 1914 or 1915. It was sung by all public school children in NSW. The full words and.musical score were published on the back page o f the NSW public school gazette or magazine issued by the education department.

Just an idea to stir up some o f the stuffed shirts and arty-farty crew who are trying to run the musical side o f this country.

ROY WOODLAND, Water Wheel Gardens, BaUina, NSW

Dickhead Beckett

WITH A beer in one hand and my first edition o f Bullshit, no let me see, The living daylights in the other I must 'av a go at Dickhead Beckett on his run­ ning away from it all in P.N.G. piece.

Fkst of all those 10,000 non racist Australians you mentioned, well let me tell you at least 7 000 were not prepar­ ed to accept living in a country and treating their black brothers as equals and the other 3000 were doing jobs that the locals should have been train­ ed to do years ago.

It is still paradise here compared with all your strikes, inflation, bloody politicians lobbying up every few minutes on TV. MARGARET STEPHENSON,

Roughing it—up in the gorge

S

sits astride the Lerderderg river several miles to the north o f Bac­ chus Marsh, Victoria.

Here, we intended to soak up some nature, tipple a mite and share the com m union o f the odd log or tw o fo r as long as our inclinations and pouches allowed.

We threw organisation to the wind, kisses and adieus to our loved ones. We departed with a jo ie de vivre known only to mis­ creant inductables and the pure o f heart.

All seriousness aside though we decided, or rather through lack o f preparations, were obliged to pro­ vender ourselves from some SuperFreakOutMarket on the way. This almost proved our un­ doing . . .

Now everybody knows that it’s a fucking drag to hump any weight exceeding say 20 pounds more than several miles in a ruck­ sack; so in our infinite regress we agreed to buy PACKET FOOD. Y ou know the stuff; Rice-a-Riso, Vesta Chicken Maryland (“ empty contents into pan and just add

water” ) etc, thus keeping HEAVY CANS dow n to the minimum So, suitably sutled and nigh on spaced out by the heavies at Northland or Westland or what­ ever they call it, we wound our ways to the Lerderderg.

With the battered Peugeot hid­ den from w ouldbe strippers and other dwellers o f darkness, we proceeded up the gorge. We selec­ ted a spot about five exhausting miles up river, pitched tent and settled dow n to sn ooze, the O.E.Ds. Definition o f which is “ to pass time in lazy indifference” .

The initial inkling o f why I should put this experience down for my grandchildren came with our first meal. We opted for beef flavored Rice-a-Riso.

N ow I would suggest I have a considerable working vocabulary, but any attempt to accord this . . . fo o d . . . substance . . . fascist plot . . . spaces me out!

With heavy hearts, and other vital parts, we snoozed some more, swimming in the deep rock pool, salving our city-scarred bodies and knowing, somehow divining, that the worst was yet to come.

Yes, the auguries were not pro­ pitious . . .

The evening meal o f Vesta Park Italienne left no disappointment to chance. The packet extolled its

contents in terms of “ tasty pork pieces, twigy capsicum, tomatoes, selected mediterranean spices, a popular international favorite” .

Inside, however, were tw o sachets; one containing no more rice than would fill a sparrow, the other a brown powder (“ when reconstituted; m onosodium glu­ tamate, fo o d acid . . .” ).

We ate in silence, exchanged glances which even for hardened cynics as ourselves were incredu­ lous, then drank long and often.

Two days passed, between us passed an uncommunicated con ­ sensus.

On the third day it was desper­ ately time to replenish supplies from Bacchus Marsh. Ten minutes before opening time, we waited outside their equivalent o f “ Big W” . We waited for the store to open, lust in our hearts, pains in our guts. When finally the big glass doors swung open we raced inside.

CANS CANS CANS: we loaded tihs into the supermarket buggy, directed it to the pay counter, paid the bill, put the goodies in the packs and trucked back to the camp. Here we tore the cans apart, we dived in with relish . . . we ate, yes, BAKED BEANS, GLORIOUS BAKED BEANS, the only staple for the Gorge.

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T H E L IV IN G D A Y L IG H T S , ja n u a ry 2 9 -fe b ru a ry 4 , 1974 — Page 27

This report is from two Australians now living in Britain. They were visiting Sydney over Christmas, hence the surprise on their return to discover that - contrary to press reports - “ the crisis is the best thing that’s happened to British capitalism since sliced bread” .

IT T IN G in Sydney reading the aus9s ie press, we envisaged the entire population of England frozen and im­ mobile in flickering candlelight before their dead telly screens or roaming the streets with a hungry look in their eyes.

We find it not so. Compared with the days of the 1972 miners strike, things are very quiet. The belts have tightened, but so far only the usual people (pensioners, invalids, unsupported mothers) are having to eat cardboard.

Trafalgar Square has been taken over by the pigeons, its fountains switched off (to impress the tourists?) You see the occasional petrol queue. Shopfronts are darkened to save electricity (a field day for shoplifters).

There arent so many cars about Lots of people seem to be maniacally digging up their gardens. The pubs are fuller.

With people at home an extra two days a week, experts are predicting a baby boom soon. Mothercare shares have soared.

Otherwise life seems to be proceeding much as usual. Like in the blitz. Unem­ ployment is up, homelessness is up, pov­ erty is up, rents and prices are up, b u t the barricades are n o t

S

Poor old p o m s . . . b u t a great old crisis What about the "crisis" we've all been reading about? The truth is that this "crisis" is the best thing that's happened to British capitalism since sliced bread.

We're supposed to be on a three day week because the miners dispute is de­ pleting energy stocks. In fact these stocks are healthy — the arabs have reduced our oil supplies only slightly. The real reason for the three day week is to try to turn the blame for our economic ills on to the miners, traindrivers and "reds" generally.

Heath has denounced the miners ac­ tion as "illegal". In fact, they arent even on strike (despite what you hear on Australian T V ); all they're doing is ban­

ning overtime. The shorter working week — Heath's answer to this perfectly legal "illegal" action — is costing Britain 800 times what it would cost to concede to the miners wage demand.

Crisis mongering has other advantages for the government and the bosses. It's led to a big shakeout of many small businesses and inefficient firms while at the same time workers have been conned into "pulling together to save Britain" and accepting previously unthinkable conditions.

A t Albion Motors in Glasgow, men are working compulsory overtime with no heating; it may be a mild winter, but this is ridiculous. So long as the government can keep people believing in their "crisis" they can get away with murder — literal­ ly. People are working harder in lousier conditions for less pay than any time since the war.

And the bosses arent going to forget it.

When the "crisis" is over, they'll be demanding the same rate of effort.

Union bashing - T U C style The unions and the Trades Union Council are saying that the Conservatives are stopping people from working; in fact, people are working harder in three days than in their normal five. (Leftwing leaf­ lets welcoming the three day week but demanding five days pay have been well received down at the dole queues — especially by women.)

But the T U C leadership is, as usual, more frightened for its jobs than those of the people it represents. We therefore have the wretched sight of the body which is supposed to be representing workers interests pleading with Heath to let it — the T U C — discipline workers itself. The T U C promised to accept any­ thing Heath lays on it in future if he gives in to the miners claim.

Showing the flag Thanks to this pseudo "crisis", British capitalists are feeling more confident about dealing with their own very real problems — increasing balance of pay­ ments deficit, a low level of capital investment in industry, a predicted fall of one percent in GNP this year.

In order to remain competitive with European markets, they're going to have to depress the peoples standard of living even further than at present. That there's a class war going on even the Conserva­ tives admit.

The ruling class carries on with un­ diminished arrogance. Its spokesmen go on T V urging people to clean their teeth in the dark while the rest of them go off on holidays to Europe and the Carib­ bean. Those who stay behind spend their time trying to whip up patriotic senti­ ment against the "threat from the left" which they see as destroying Britain . . . like this imbecile, who wrote into the Daily telegraph the other day about flags: Sir, Why is it apparently impossible to buy a miniature Union Jack? Is it owing to a shortage o f material, or some deep psychological reasoning that considers it unwholesome for a child to be able to wave its country's flag? Perhaps it is national defeatism. O r yet another sign o f communism at work.

What about all these communists?

Despite the absence of large scale resist­ ance to the Conservatives policies (con­ trast the situation now with 1970, when millions marched to protest against the Industrial Relations Bill), the government is clearly worried about the growing sympathy for revolutionary ideas.

Take the occupation by squatters the other day of Centre Point — a large office block in the heart of London. (Its mil­ lionaire owner, Harry Hyams, has found

it more profitable to keep Centre Point standing empty for the past four years.)

The Centre Point occupation sparked off a large spontaneous demonstration in support. Increasingly people are seeing breaking the law as necessary to get what they want — whether it's work, homes, lower rents, or playgroups for their kids.

The Heath government's reaction is to rely more and more on overt repression.

Coordination between the police and the army for the control of predicted "civil disorder" has been planned. Those tanks at Heathrow were there more to prepare the ground for future occasions than to stop any arabs taking potshots at jumbos.

The law on picketing has been tighten­ ed up. The recent jailing of three building workers (one for three years) for their part in alleged violent pickets during a building strike was meant to warn off all militant trade unionists.

In Kirby, Liverpool, a rent striker found herself in prison. In London, a special unit of police (the "Special Patrol Group"), trained to pick off active mili­ tants, is making its presence felt. Only last week, it arrested 30 squatters who were demonstrating outside an electricity board office; yesterday it bagged 19 more outside Centre Point. In Bristol the local trades council has uncovered evidence of police use of an agent provocateur in a local left group.

But the more the government has to rely on force, the less stable becomes its rule. Even the Financial times is saying it: British society is in a more fragile state than at any time since the war. There's a feeling that if workers and other oppres­ sed groups start to push against the door, the whole edifice of British capitalism could come tumbling down . . .

The power crisis is just that: a crisis over who runs Britain.

HOW THE HOUSEWIFE CAN PUT BRITAIN BACK ON A FOUR-DAY WEEK

H16HT STORAGE HEATER

Hkw= On for 8 hours uses 18 units HAIR D R Y E R -

Uses 1 unit in 1 hour I

Published b y Richard Neville at 174 Peel street. North M elbourne for Incorporated Newsagencies Pty L td , the publisher and d istrib utor, 113 R osslyn street, West Melbourne.

Th e Queensland floods worst for over 70 years — have been exacerbated b y the w aterw ay-blocking greed of developers. A n om en that the tide is fin ally turning?

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