A STRIKING SILENCE

Walking in the main square of Oslo enjoying June sun and temperatures in the 80s — double enjoyment, for at the time the temperature in the Flower of Cities All was in the 60s and it was raining — became aware that some kind of demo was going on by Ibsen's statue in front of the National Theatre. Seeing the Bokbuss with trade union flag displayed (see picture) gathered from attendant librarian that it was an attempt to bring home to the local citizens the effects of cuts in city expenditure. Oslo has, for the time being, given up social democracy and now a city council, rather right of centre, is imposing cuts. (Still, the country as a whole has a woman social democratic prime minister and recalled with some joy TV newsreel shot of Theirs and Ours sitting side by side in a helicopter, neither looking pleased with the company). A cut of 11 per cent in the city library expenditure will mean reduction in mobile library service. So they brought a mobile to add point to the demo.