A SCOT MAKES MERRY.

Auckland Star, Volume LIV, Issue 101, 30 April 1923, Page 8

A SCOT MAKES MERRY.

■ A DOWER-JESS WIDOW. XOT SO LOW AS BOWERY. (From Our Special Corre-pondent-) LONDON, March 5. It is surprising, but none the less true, that Sir Robert Home, a distinguished Scot, ex-Chancellor in the last Lloyd George Ministry, and still Lord Rector ,of Aberdeen University, can make a joke. It is contrary to all preconceived notions. j Sir Robert was on Saturday enter- ; tamed at a luncheon by the Aberdeen ; University graduates in Glasgow, and he replied to the toast of his health in ! a humorous speech. i "Xo one is more amazed than myself at the various responsibilities I have been called upon to undertake," he said. , "When I firs, joined the Government I i felt like a debutante with a fluttering heart entering upon her first season. When I went to "the Exchequer I had innumerable suitors, but I very soon '. found they were all after my money. | Xow I am a widow without a dowry." He told of a Scotch minister who arrived in his church and found he had forgotten his sermon. He told the congregation that, being without his notes, he would have something very much I better to say in the evening. ; He recalled a conversation, during his recent American visit, with an American who was curious to know about Aberdeen. "I did my best for Aberdeen," continued S-ir Robert. "I told him of the great University and of the climate, which was the best in the world, though perhaps a little relaxing. I told" how round Aberdeen there were distilleries which produced the best whisky in Scotland, and though the people were very fond of it they were so magnanimous that they exported large quantities to I countries whose people were prohibited ! from drinking it. I "'I told him that although the winter nights were long and dark there was no need for artificial illumination, because the people could rely on the Aurora Borealis. He appeared a little dejected and asked if we had anything as high as the tower of the Metropolitan Insurance Company. I replied, 'Xo, but we ' have nothing so low as Bowery.' " j Sir Robert also told a story of Lord Balfour. When the same Metropolitan tower was pointed out to him he was told it was 800 ft high. "Really," replied Lord Balfour. He was told "it had 48 . flights, and he answered. "You don't I say so." Moreover, he was assured, it ; wa_ built of fireproof material and could I not be burnt down. "'What a pity," replied Lord Balfour. j Sir Robert referred to the many changes in University education. In the old days one had to take seven classes : in the arts faculty, and he still regarded , them as the "seven lamps of architec- { ture" in the temple of learning. Xowaday3 university education was applied more directly to fitting a man for his occupation in life. He believed that it did not much matter what one learned so long as it w_s learned well and was worth learning. The great thing was , the development of the intellect. It was a mistake to drive people into a I narrow groove. The great thing was to give the broadest possible education.