CAPPING CEREMONY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 182, 2 August 1900, Page 6

CAPPING CEREMONY.

The gathering in the Choral Hall on July 13th, to witness the ceremony of conicrrlng degrees granted to successful students by the New Zealand University was exceptionally largo. The undergraduate.-? amused the audience with topical songs for half an hour before the Chancellor of the University, Sir James 'Hector, accompanied by Mr .1. AY. Joynt, Registra, and the Most Rev. the Primate, Dr. Cowle ascended the platform at .'J o'clock. Amcngst others on the platform were Professors Brown, Thomas, Tubbs, Segur, and tie Menfolk; Mr Tlbbs, master of the Auckland College and Grammar School, Messrs D. Pttrif, Chief Inspector of Schools; U. D. Bamfjrd, M.A., President of i'io Students' Association; Keys. Canon Nelson, W. J. Williams, Gray Dixou, T. P. Robertson, Dr. It. H. Bakewell, Dr. J. Logan Campbell, Mr P. E. liaume, Mrs Bauine, Miss Currie, Mr Clifford A. Stevens, Inspectors Mulgan and Crowe.

Sir James Hector presided, and upon rising to address the gatherlug was welcomed with prolonged applause, lie said it was a pleasing duty for lain to attend that day, the Senate having again done him the honour of electing him to the position of Chancellor. (Appluuse.) Last year the Senate decided that the Chancellor should confer the degrees lv person, lie liad already done tills picnH'int duty in various coat:a, -!1-"! •\u« I'lcaSv'^ '.o be able to .slate chat, living to tin; kind iir.d generous behaviou' c£ the undtrgraOtatet- and students lie Mad K-yu aIII l" tl< it with pleasure and in ft decorous manner. (Applause.) The University was founded 28 years ago, but it was only within the last 25 years that any actual work had been done. At first they had.one college In Otago, but now there were four colleges, with 48 professors and lecturers, which he considered very satisfactory progress for the period named. (Applause.) It showed how much the requirements ol university education were being provided for, and also how well the advantages offered were being utilised by the POfnilation of the colony. Last year 1333 students from all the different colleges entered loi examination, and there were at the present time 701 persons who had degrees lrom uil N.Z. University, which compared very lavourably with the results attained at the universities in adjacent colonies. (Applause.) When It was remembered that the population of the colony was small, and the comparatively small number of persons between the ages of 16 and 21 years—the usual period of university life— thsy should congratulate themselves that such a fair proportion came forward to receive university education. (Applause.) Without university education a country must go back in me race for pre-eminence towards winch ail were striving. Ho considered something should "ne done to enable more young people to outer the university beyond the present scholarship system, so. that there would be less difficulty for sons and daughters, or poorer people to have the advantages of university education, providing they showed they were capable of profiting by it. (Applause.) He was glad to see some attention was being paid to that view of the question in the Legislature. They might the get the very cream of their youth Into ft course of higher education, which would tend to the great enlightenment and gene - al advancement of the country. They would no doubt all remember the sad acident n the ease of the loss of the Mntnurn, which caused Immense trouble to all the h • sity students, and caused the unfoitilmite re-examination of many of then., rhe examiners in London adopted the gonerous course of not accepting anything from the ITnlversity-at any rate, hardly anythngand they devoted the sum of money which they would otherwise have obtained to the establishment of ascholnrshlp for one year. It was a generous act on their part, which showed their sympathy for the real wo X or the University.- That scholarship mscomo in most opportunely to the University, bebut with the consent of the ( onoi he ex iminers In London, their scholarship naa been divided, and one-half of it applied to each 'of the candidates, who olhcrwise would only have gained half a scholarship. Schmitt. (Applause.)

AN IDEAL UNIVERSITY ■Prnfesaor Brown was received with apnlause He sa°d in the absence of any particular subject he thought he might was ah association of those who desired knowledge, and as the number increased the association got a reputation anda strong society grew, following which came organisation. From amongst the associX .would arise special intellects who would gather round them disciples and a school of thought would be termed. The advantage of such an association would be that it could teach anything it liked in any way it liked. (Applause.) That was, however, Utopian, as human nature was against such a system of education, thought and influencing national lite. The reason was that human nature was defective, as very great ability and very great human sympathy were required to found.a school of thought. Unfortunately those two qualities were not often conjoined, but ho was happy to say that in their Chancellor they had a conspicuous example that they could be. (Applause.) No^w, their University was more or less a State institution, although nominally Independent. The teachers were more or less subjected to a sort of general rule that they should not indulge in political discussion. That shut off from the University the whole region of politics. In the' same way it was assumed that there should not be discussion upon religion. What was the result? It was said the University in Auckland did not make snough noise. What would be the effect if in their newspapers there was nothing- said about either politics or religion? (Applause.) The University did genuine work, but that was not to keep the place in a state of general excitement. Then, too, the University was somewhat cramped. They necessarily worked under a number of regulations. That had a great cramping effect upon teaching. Supposing they invited, say, a great Egyptologist to reside amongst them. In the first place, his lectures would not be attended because the, subject matter was not included in the B.A. syllabus. (Laughter.) Then there would be all sorts of things to be done to get it included, and, most likely before that was accomplished, the Egyptologist would decide not to come at all. - He was not asking for any reform, because he recognised the spirit of regulation was the spirit of the times. It was an age of regulation, and they must submit to it. Their Legislature had recently passed restrictions which, had they been, attemnted in England by a Tudor King, would have brought out armed men from every village in the land, but he must stop, for he was going into forbidden ground. He had, however, done no harm in placing before them for a few minutes.the Academic dream. CONFERRING DEGREES. Mr Jo'ynt (Registrar of the University) explained to the students the subjects to be passed for the degree of Bachelor of Music. He also said that the degree of Doctor of Science would be presented in Auckland to Mr Patrick Marshall (immense applause), but the student belonged to the University of Otago. The degree ■was conferred for a thesis—"The Volcanic System of the Auckland Isthmus." In senior scholarships Auckland secured thr B -> out of the seven offered throughout the colony, of which number only seven were awarded. (Applause.) Sir James Hector then presented the degrees as follows:—Doctor of Science, Patrick Marshall (University of Otago)Masters of Arts, Robert Alexander McCullough (Auckland College, second-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics; Edward Herbert Strong (Auckland College), second-class honours in anguages and literature (Latin and English). Bachelors of Art;-, Harold Napier Baker (Auckland College), Annie Blennerhnssett (Canterbury College). Charles Elliot Fox, senior scholarship in geology (Auckland College), Thomas Arthur Harris (Auckland College), Denis O'Donoghue fold regulations). Henry Alnslie Parkinson (Auckland College). Frank Luheckl Pogson, senior scholarship in Latin (Auckland College). Bachelors of Science Mathew Albert Hunter, senior scholarship in chemistry (Auckland College), Christina Murray Crulckshank (Auckland Coilefce). Bnchelors of Law, Thornton Jnnkson (Auckland College), Campbell Larnach MacDiarmid (Auckland College).

His Lordship the Primate (Dr. Oowle) congratulated the students and the Profop^ors upon the progress made by the University of N.Z. Ho could remember the times when they had only ono decree lo confer, nnd about. 20 persons attended to witness' the ceromonv. Now a sro.Tt number of people were Interested in the TTniversity. He mlßht mention that rio Ipps than five students from the Auckland

College were away with the troops in South Africa. (Applause.) When young men went Home from their University they distinguished themselves. (Applause.) The defect of their University at the present time was the want of college. There were defects in young people that could not be got rid of except by college life. Until they had more funds they could not have the advantage of college life for their young people.. (Applause.) The Gaudeamu.s was sung by the student.s, after which the National Anthem terminated the proceedings. TORCHLIGHT PROCESSION. The students of the Auckland University College had no difficulty last evening in proving that that light hearted gaiety and wealth of animal spirits which is characteristics of the old world gownsmen is also characteristic of their colonial comrades. There are many people who complain that they never hear of the College. If they did not do so last night, well—there are aurists in Auckland. Upwards of 100 students assembled at the College at seven o'clock last evening, most of them in fancy—very fancycostume. At the head of the procession rode "Lord Roberts," dressed in full uniform, and acknowledging at intervals the h;.: lutes of the crowd with gracious condescension. Then there was "Kruger"— a splendid representation of Oom—with a grin, however, which even tiie^ exPresident would have repudiated. "Uncle Snm" walked side by side with a stalwart Hussar, and then followed a long line of Chinese lanterns, banners and costumes of all kinds . Corner men there were in abundance, and variety artists, while one or two eighteenth century costumes gave the requisite colour to the scene. Some of the banners were original and striking, one, bearing two rats on a yellow grouna, carried the warning "Cavete Rodentes.' Another appropriately consisted of a transparency of the Evil One, while a third carried the figure of a gentleman seemingly in unutterable agony, adorned with the cry that bids New Zealanders close, "Ake, Ake, Ake! Kia Kaha!" It must be admitted, and the admission is a distinct compliment that the procession on its way up Symonds-st looked exactly like a Boxer raid. The marshal, clad in a long flowing robe, looked as he rushed up and down the line,exactly like a Chinaman running "amok." Each student brought a musical instrument and the effect wns very striking. Halts were made on the way to sing the various songs, while along Karangahape Road a rear attack was made by the enemy. The rearguard however charged, Mercutio, Sir Lucius O'Trigger, and Launcelot Gobbo being conspicuous, and the enemy fled after firing a Few shells. The College was reached sigain about nine o'clock, the brave little column having received no casualties.