Tony Watkins

At our final strategy meeting before the students left to protest against the destruction of the Clutha Gorge by the Scheme F Clutha Dam I advised Keith Johnston to stop off in Wellington on his way down and get a prospecting licence.

In a sustainable world the architectural profession as we know it will become irrelevant. Sadly architects are interested in artistic houses for the wealthy rather than a good environment for all. They sacrifice ethics to become the servants of exploitation. At the very bottom of the architectural heap the worst living conditions in New Zealand are endured by pigs. It is a tragedy. Pigs are not only very sensitive and concerned about their living conditions, they also love building. The students set out to give our pigs a helping hand.

Getting someone else to build your house for you is rather like getting someone else to make love for you.

It is efficient. It saves time. Someone else takes all the risks. When it goes wrong you have someone else to blame. You can get on with the really important things in life, like making money. The arguments are very convincing.

One technique for saving a building from demolition is to buy it. The students raised three million dollars and came very close to owning the Auckland Central Railway Station.

At the Course and Careers Day those seeking a University education paid scant attention to the slick, expensive public relations Power-Point presentations. Instead they showed early intellectual promise by queuing up to take a ride on the solar powered go-cart.

The weather had already closed in by the time I set out in the dark to climb up the side of Mount Tongariro to the Ketetahi hut. With snow falling and sleet biting into my skin I was driven on by the thought of a warm hut and a riotous welcome from the students.