THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20033, 15 September 1930, Page 13

THE RHODES SCHOLARSHIP.

TO TEE EDITOR Off, THE' PItESS. Sir, —In connexion with the recent election of candidates for nomination tr> the Rhodes Scliolrship, held by the Professorial Board of Canterbury CollogOj there seem to be some details which do not accord wi'th the rules laid down by tlio founder and by the Rhodes Trust. First, one candidate for nomination was informed that one factor-contri-buting to his non-success was that h© had not been a full-time student. This candidate entered on a teaching carper "at the age'of 16, and-since then lias been undergoing a course of training fo'v the teaching profession, and studying for a degree at the same time. He haa done exceptionally well: and lias gained marks at' the- examinations which very few full-time students can equal. Surely, this fact, if anything, should carry more weight with the selecting body, rather than actually count against him. A full-time student has far greater opportunities for participating in sports and thus gaining representatives places in tournament teams,,-than the part-time student, : and yet' this particularstudent, with h?3 time, so limited, has. been able' to " gain such a - place - and a College "Blue;"' One of the candidates nominated, a 'full-time student, ~;has actually not been .able 10. do-'this. Secondly, an irregularity which has: been brought to my notice, is that

( no of the candidates was not brought lief ore the Students' Association for consideration. The Rector advertised ;t certain date for the closing of applications, but apparently this candidate had not then applied to bo considered lor nomination. Mr Rhodes himself stipulated that the candidates should each bo voted for by the students as a body. Of course this application may have been approved by the executive of the Students' Association (ho certainly was not 1 considered at the students' meeting), but this is not sufficient and certainly does not by any means carry out the wishes of the founded - . I consider, Sir, that thes© two. details .require explanation by the chairman of the Professorial Board; and I should like to see his reply, through the columns of this paper.—Yours, etc., P. September 12tli, 1930. ["'The candidates were officially informed of nothing beyond the fact that Messrs Beau and Farrell had secured nomination," said Dr. J. Hight, Rector of Canterbury College, when the. above letter was referred to him. "So far as consideration of the candidatesby the Students' Association . is concerned, the Professorial Board had-be-fore it a recommendation from the Executive of tlio Association. The Board has always submitted the names of candidates to the Students' Association, although at present- the regulations governing tlieir selection do not mention the expression of student opinion."]