UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17981, 26 January 1924, Page 7

UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.

IN NEW ZEALAND AND MELBOURNE.

A CHAT WITH DR. C. E. WEATHERBURN.

Tho Chair of Mathematics at Canterbury College, made vacant by the resignation of Professor J. P. Gabbatt about twelve months ago, was filled by the appointment of Dr. C. E. Weatherbcrn, of Melbourne University. Yesterday Dr. Weatherburn arrived in Chnstchurch to take up his duties at College at the beginning of the academic year. In the course of an interview with a, representative of "The Press" yesterday, Dr. Weatherburn had some interesting tilings to say on University affairs in genera!.

Dr. Weatherburn said 'that he was a graduate o£ Sydney., University.He won a travelling . scholarship and went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he gained a first-class pass m the mathematical tripos. After obtaining his degree, he was appointed lecturer in mathematics and natural philosophy at Ormond and Trinity • 'Colleges at Melbourne University. " lie held his position at Melbourne for thirteen years.

Speaking the residential college system in Australia, Dr. Weatherburn said , tliat the system was carried but oil. ti larger scale in Melbourne than in Sydney. The Melbourne colleges were larger and more influential than those in Sydney, though they were conducted on the same principle. However, of late years the colleges in Sydney had grown enormously. He himself had for a time been a resident tutor at St. Paul's College, Sydney. At Melbourne University there were some 110 students in residence at Ormond, about 75 at Trinity, and between 50 and CO at both Queen's and Newman Colleges.

The New Zealand system of four separate institutions .affiliated to the University, said Dr. Weatherburn, had much in its favour. Over-centralisa-tion tended to make classes much too large. Better work would be done in separate colleges, though the expense of maintaining them might be higher. In the end he considered the present system would be better for the country. Asked his opinion of the change upheld in many quarters that four separate universities would be a better system, Dr v Weatherburn replied that lie would "be sorry to see separate universities established, though he had not Ihe experience of New Zealand conditions to apeak authoritatively.

Tlio standard of the New Zealand syllabus, continued Dr. Weatherburn, was much lower than in Sydney and Melbourne. It was only a matter of time before the standard would be raised considerably. High schools, he considered, could do much more than at present. 'lf the standard was made higher there, • students could come to the university with a better equipment, and would be able to go through a better course. The pass degree standard ih New Zealand was about the same as that of matriculation in Melbourne — in mathematics at least. Ho had not enough experience to speak of other subjects! In "Melbourne a Board was appointed partly by the "University and partly by the Education Department and the secondary schools to control affairs relating to public examinations, namely, the intermediate and leaving examinations. The' latter examination corresponded with, the junior university scholarship 'examination in New Zealand. •. A new. constitution for Melbourne University hafl been passed at the end of the year, continued the professor. The TJni.versity Council was the governing Body, and there, was also a Court of Convocation, consisting of the whole of the graduates of the University. The Convocation had no legislative power, but had the power of putting a veto on university legislation if it desired to do so. The whole body of [graduates was found too unwieldy, and a committee of forty had been chosen to act for the Convocation. The Convocation had not vetoed any proposals but had gained some minor changes in university legislation. The reporter, then asked Dr. "Weatherburn's opinion on the proposed legislation in New Zealand to exclude members of the teaching staffs of the colleges from holding a position on' the University, Senate. Dr. Weatherburn said that it was a great mistake. In Sydney and Melbourne they had gone the other way, and now there was representation, even for the undergraduates, on the University Council. Many yeara ago an attempt was made to exclude what were called interested parties from holding seats on the Council, but it was found to be a mistake in policy. "There is sure to be discontent among the staff unless someone can represent their interests," said Dr. Weatherburn. "They must have someone to explain their point, of view, for they know more about University affairs than anyone else." Examinations were very necessary, and c'oukl not Be done without., remarked the new professor. While human nature was such as it<is,-it was the only way to be sure, and, if wisely conducted, examinations were no great evil. .They become .an evil only when the teacher crammed his i>upil for the examination. The year's work of a student should certainly be taken into consideration. He himself was strongly in favour of making the four professors examiners in each subject. The four professors of the subjects in the different colleges could form a board of examiners, "to confer and set papers. If one professor wanted..to set the paper along his own line, the other professors would act as a check. The New Zealand'- system of sending final degree papers to be marked in England was not at all necessary. There were men in Sydney and Melbourne perfectly capable of marking thepapers. He would certainly welcome the time when the professors formed a. board of examiners.

"Do you think the professors would like that?", asked the reporter. "If they -were.- like me they would welcome it," "answered Dr. Weatherburn. "In Adelaide;' and Tasmania they have outside examiners, but thev do not send the papers outside Australia.' If it is not necessary for Adelaide to send the papers awav, it is surely not. necessary for New Zealand. Melbourne and Sydney Universities conduct all their own examinations. The professor draws up the paper and submits it to a board or examiners and alterations are made if the paper is_ thought unsuitable." The standard ot the New Zealand degree, considered Dr. Weatherburn, would not be affected much by such a change. The standard was determined by the syllabus. There had been a number of interchanges of teachers between Melbourne and New Zealand. Mr E. J. Pitman, who had been acting-professor of mathematics at Canterbury College, had been one of his pupils, and Mr W. E. Packer, also on the College teaching staff, was another old pupil. Professor Laby, formerly of Victoria College, was now Professor of Physics at Melbourne University, and Professor Picken, also of Victoria, was now Master of Ormond College. Mr W S Littlejohn, of Nelson College, was headmaster of Scott College, Melbourne, which, with over 1000 pupils,

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was said to be the largest school in the British Empire. Professor Dettman. of Auckland University College, was headmaster of the Sydney Grammar School. Another graduate of »ictoria College, Mr E. O. Hercua, was lecturer in physics at Melbourne L'Diversity. Dr. Weatherburn said that he had been very favourably impressed with Canterbury College. The _ buildings seemed to hav.e an academic air, reminding him more of the colleges of Oxford and Cambridge than any he had seen in Australia.- The buildings were beautiful and the quadrangle and cloisters very fine. His first impressions had been very favourable. This was the first time he had been m New Zealand. From the land letters of welcome he had received on his appointment he felt he was going to like Christchurch. In many ways it resembled Melbourne, and in some respects seemed prettier. Dr Weatherburn, who will commence work at the beginning of March, _ is keenly intereste'd in tennis and swimming as a means of recreation.