First Warden Is Guest Of Honour

Press, Volume CVIII, Issue 31767, 26 August 1968, Page 2

First Warden Is Guest Of Honour

Miss A. M. F. Candy, the first warden of Helen Connon Hall, in Christchurch, was the guest of honour at the jubilee celebrations of the hall, at the week-end.

Helen Connon Hall, the University of Canterbury hostel for women students, was founded in 1918 with six residents. Seventyone university students now board there. A distinguished graduate of Canterbury College and a former lecturer in history, Miss Candy was warden from 1936 to 1951. All the other academic wardens who succeeded her were also present at the celebrations. They are Dr Mary Harding, Miss Marion Steven. Dr Jane Boons, Miss Betty O’Dowd and the present warden, Mrs Marie Peters. Original Residents Four of the first six residents at the hall attended the jubilee: They were Mesdames G. M. Maxwell (formerly Miss Aitken), M. Bradshaw (Innes), M. Evans (Bell) and Miss Eva Rowe. A letter was received from Mrs H. Harrop (Valentine), who now lives in London. The sixth resident was the late Mrs M. Seddon (Miss Innes). , , Of about 160 who attended the celebrations, 140 were former residents of the hall and 28 of them stayed at the building over the week-end. Former students came from Auckland and Dunedin to attend the jubilee and one, Mrs P. Ellen (Miss Ngaire Meikle) came from New South Wales. At the formal opening ceremony on Saturday morning, official guests included members of the staff of the University of Canterbury. They were the Pro-Chancellor (Mr T. H. McCombs) and Mrs McCombs; Professor G. Jobberns, professor emeritus, and Mrs Jobberns; Professor R. T. Sussex, Dean of the Faculty of Arts, and Mrs Sussex; Professor A. M. Kennedy, Dean

of the Faculty of Engineering, and Mrs Kennedy. Canon J. O. Rymer, principal of Christchurch College, was present, as well aS Mr Da W. Bain, a member of the university council, and Mrs Bain. A letter was received from the Vice-Chancellor, Professor N. C. Phillips, who is in Australia and was unable to attend. His wife is a former resident of the hall. Tour of Campus

After a buffet luncheon, the visitors were taken on a guided tour of the new university campus at Ham. A formal dinner was held on Saturday evening at which Mrs Audrey Gale, of New Ply. mouth, was the guest speaker. Yesterday, former students attended a church service in Christchurch Cathedral. At the close of the celebrations, a presentation to the Connon Library was made, in memory of the late Judith Taylor (Miss Passmore), a former resident, who was killed in a climbing accident in Scotland in 1965.