A COLLEGE STRIKE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIV, Issue 10347, 23 January 1897, Page 2 (Supplement)

A COLLEGE STRIKE.

OxroitD has been stirred to its depths recently by the action taken by the undorgruduatea of St. John's College, who haven grievance- against tho authorities on tho matter of food. For some time past chero hits been complaints both us to quality and quantity of the dinner placed upon the hall table, one of the sufferers describing it as " fourth rate coffeehouse grub at hotel prices.' At length tliostudentsdetermined to "strike," and one night recently, to the amazement of tho dons at high table, only a single undergraduate turned in to hall and even he would not stay, but after graco was said picked up his cap mid went out without dining, The next nip lit not a single one came to dine, and the heads of the college, umcli annoyed and perplexed, demanded of tho young men next day the cause of their abstention. They were then politely but firmly informed that not a single man would come to hall to dine as poorly as they desired them to. Representations had been made in vain, and now they were determined to have a hand in tho ordering of tho dinner they won) expected to eat and pay for. A truce has been patched up while the complaints and dosires of tho stu Jents are being discussed, but the movement is spreading, and at two other colleges a similar protest; is likely to bo mado. The Undergraduate committee which ha* been formed proposes a scheme by which the students shall be represented on the Kitchen committee in proportions according to seniority, The authorities consider the movement a serious one, since it aims at subverting that strict discipline which they consider necessary for the goverance of tho university students.