The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun. SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1933. CHOOSING A CHANCELLOR.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIV, Issue 285, 2 December 1933, Page 8

The Auckland Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, The Echo and The Sun.

SATURDAY, DECEMBER 2, 1933. CHOOSING A CHANCELLOR.

For the cause that lacks assistance, For the icrong that needs resistance For the future in the distance. And the good that ice can do

Those who may have feared from recent activities of the Oxford Union that the university was becoming a nest of Radicals, Communists and pacifists, may be reassured by the unopposed election of Lord Irwin as Chancellor. Oxford has not deserted its traditional predilection for a Conservative in its choice of a head. The Chancellor is selected by Convocation, which consists of all those who have taken the M.A., degree. It has generally had only one thought on these occasions, and that is whether"- it has secured the right brand of Conservative. Lord Irwin seemed ideal. Ho was the fine product of Eton and Christ Church and a devout and orthodox Churchman. There' was, however, one doubt. This doubt concerned India, where he had been Viceroy and where the dark shadow of Liberalism appears to have fallen on his otherwise blameless record. According to Oxford rumour, he secured nomination from the Conservative caucus only by the barest majority. There was some talk of running a true blue "Diehard" candidate against him, and also a whisper that it Avas time to break from tradition and put up a Liberal or even a Labour candidate. This last would indeed have been to write "Icliabod" on the classic portals of the university. For Oxford, with its beautiful buildings, its academic ritual, and its sound of many bells affords a background of massive, permeating conservatism which survives all changes *and to which most of its sons conform.

A long list o£ Conservative Chancellors was broken when Edward Grey, a Liberal, was chosen in 1928. -A few years before it had been thought that Lord Oxford, who was once described as "the most distinguished living son of the university," would have an excellent chance, especially as his opponent was Lord Cave, a blameless lawyer, who had once been Home Secretary. But Lord Oxford had been the author of the Parliament Act, of Welsh Disestablishment, of Home Rule, and the cloud cast upon his reputation during the war had not lifted. The non-resident graduates rallied to oppose the iniquitous suggestion that such a one should be chosen as their Chancellor. The university which had preferred Mr. Gathorne Hardy to Mr. Gladstone as its member could not be expected to prefer Lord Oxford to Lord Cave. Rejection was a deep disappointment to Asquith, and what this stoicallyminded old ex-Prime Minister felt on the subject was a measure of the importance attached to the post- and of the hold that Oxford exerts upon, all oh whom she has cast her spell. It has often been said that the strength of the Conservative tradition in the two oldest universities lies with the non-resident graduates, especially the country clergy. When any measure involving change is proposed in Convocation or Senate these country parsons aret popularly supposed to come down, "with their umbrellas," to vote against it, often, so it is said, without having any very clear idea as to what "it" is. The British Government subsidises both Oxford and Cambridge, but it exercises no control over them. They are free to work out their ■ own salvation. These institutions have given of their best to Church and State, they have put the game before the prize, and have kept alive much that we could ill afford to lose of England's ancient dower. Such is the place of these universities in the life of England that the election of a Councillor is a national event. It is fitting and encouraging, therefore, that the choice of Oxford should have fallen on one with such a record of public service, so appreciative of culture, so high-minded and deeply religious, as Lord Irwin.