MATRICULATION PAPERS.

Press, Volume LXIX, Issue 20757, 18 January 1933, Page 8

MATRICULATION PAPERS.

MISTAKE IN THE TIME ! ALLOWANCE. CONSIDERATION BY UNIVERSITY SENATE. (rRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) WELLINGTON, January 17. At tho matriculation examination held throughout New Zealand last month, after tho algebra paper had been handed out to the candidates, an error was found to exist in the printed instructions as to the time allowance. The authorised time for algebra is two hours, but the candidates through an error were instructed that three hours would bo allowed. Some supervisors discovered the error immediately and duly informed the candidates that they would be given two hours, while others did not. The registrar of the Now Zealand University, Mr E. T. Norris, was communicated with, and urgent telegrams were dispatched to all examination rooms advising the supervisors that tho answers were to be collected at the end of two hours. Thus a very complicated state of affairs arose. Some candidates had been reckoning on having three hours to do their paper, and were informed some time after commencing that they would have less time. The question was considered at the annual meeting of the New Zealand University Senate to-day. An explanatory statement was received from the examiner, Professor R. J. T. Bell, of the University of Otago, and the Benats, on the motion of tho Pro-Chancellor, the Hon. J. A. Hanuii, decided that in future the matter of the time allowance and the permanent portion of the heading required on the examination paper shall be the joint responsibility of the examiner and the registrar. Professor Bell said steps had been taken to try to minimise tho effects of the mistake. In his explanatory stateinont, Professor Bell said that after the draft examination paper, which contained merely the title of the paper and a note that only seven of tho eight questions were to be answered, had been submitted to the Board of Moderators (for approval), ho assumed that the heading would bo put in by the University office. Mr Hanan said that they wanted to fix the responsibility clearly on the examiners, not only in regard to the actual questions set, but also in regard to other particulars. Dr. W. P. Evans did not think the Senate was right in putting all the responsibility on the examiners. Tho examiners' responsibility was to put the questions forward and see them properly printed. After further discussion, a motion by Mr Hanan was passed in the following form:— "That the explanatory letter of Professor Bell be received, and that tho matter of time allowed and the permanent portion of the heading required to lie stated on examinations papers shall be the joint responsibility of the examiner and tho registrar."