VICTORIA COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 234, 26 June 1908, Page 8

VICTORIA COLLEGE.

PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS

IRREPRESSIBLE UNDERCRADUATES.

MOREPUNDS WANTED.

Gleeful undergraduates ruled with a' high hand the proceedings at the Victoria College " capping " ceremony yesterday afternoon. The .Vico-Chancellor's brilliant robes .were tho signal: for.. "'Three cheers for the Union Jack," mayoral-dignity upon tho platform promoted hilarious questions about the sinking fund, mingled with a friendly admonition to ".Look out,-FisherJs present," and. grave . members of the College Council were exhorted to take their'hands out of their pockets and stop twiddling -thumbs. Students also who went ju> t.* 1 tafcc thpir diplomas were subjected to a ruiWi%,fire of pleasantries,: more high-spirited i than witty. ■ The Vice-Chan- ' icellor (the Hon. C. C. Bowen), the Registrar of tho University (Mr. J. W. Joynt), and other speakers bowed gracefully to the tem.porary mood of the students, and all tho speeches.were of the shortest. The constant ; interjections of the undergraduates made an entertainment lively, but by no means brilliant. Members of tho New Zealand Senate, the Victoria Collego Council, and Professorial Board, with other leading citizens, were; on the platform, and the audience filled the concert chamber of the Town Hall. HON.' C. C. BOWEN'S SPEECH. The :.yicp-GhanpdUor...(tiie. Hon. C. C. Bowen), who was received with much applause, congratulated, the successful students success' and prospects. Nothing better "had • beeh done in.' this country than the establishment, of .the New Zealand Uni-

, yersity, arid those who benefited by it to-day could hardly realise 1 tho difficulties which attended'its inception. The greatest obstacle was the scattered distribution of population, which made it impossible to found one edu- , cational institution which would serve for \. the whole Dominion. Separate colleges were ' therefore formed-an the. principal centres, which',were affiliated to the University of New, Zealand.. ■ Practically Victoria College : was ;a,'little'University of' its own,. and. He ■i hoped., that they would all look forward l to the day when'each ,'of the' University Colleges..would become a University. The

youngest of those, present ■ might not live to see that, but. in the'future they must look forward to having four Universities in New Zealand, 'one for .each 1 province. The present : colleges, could encourage ah esprit: de corps and establish a system of learning which would live on' in the Universities of . the. future. -He had: much .'pleasure in giving these: degrees, l , which he regarded 'not only as a certificate of:,what students had done, bnt as a guarantee that they would pursuo knowledge throughout the remainder of their lives.' (Applause.)

THE'REGISTRAR'S;ADDRESS. ■ ' . The Registrar of the University (Mr. J. W. Joynt),',disregarding a'-.facetious suggestion .that fie should, to; taken off the menu, referred in detail to -the very satisfactory honours won by Victoria College. The summary of graduates this year was as follow :—■ ten Masters of Arts, one Batchielor of Science, seven-Ba,tclielors of , Laws, and 26 Batchelors of Arts.'. There were also a' few, students 1 of other university colleges': who would receive their degrees here, because they were now,in this district. Mr. Joynt read tho list »midßt'numerous 1 interjections.' :

" THE NEW CRADUATES. ■Tho following are the ift>w graduates:— Masters of' Arts. . Graham R. Barnett, First Class" Honours ,in Mathematics and MathematicalB (conferred at Auckland).-' Edward ■W. Beaglehqle, First- Class Hon- - ' ours-in . Mental Science. . -.. ••Elsie. NJ Bollinger, Isabella D. Bruce", Third i ' Class , Honours/ in -English and Ger- '• -man. • ■; Margaret J',/ Dale,. Third Class Honours > in English,and French; Siegfried -Eichelbaum, /.Second Class lin ■ English;and German. ■William H. Hoult, Second Class Honours _ fin English and French. >" Diamond- Jgiiness; r'First...Class Honours in Latin "and Greek. Fanny R.. Livingstone, • Allan - M'DougaJl, . •First Class Honours' in English and •: French". ' •.■■■ • ■ • ; Owen AV. Williams (of Auckland College),

• ' Master of Science. :, ' James Ritchie, M.A. (of . Otago University). ■ Doctor of Science. Tplm, Henderson, M.A. (of. Otago Univer- .' .sity and Victoria College). - Batchelors of Scicncc. • Annie' Inkster,. M.A.; Robert. /William M'Cullough (of Canterbury Collece); - \ James Ritchie, M. A. (of 'Otago University). Bacholors of Laws. • ; George. Craig, John W. Jlannan. .; Thomas A.- Harris (of, Auckland College).. Humphrey F. O'Leary (conferred in April). William Perry. . William V. Rout (conferred in April). Perdival J. Scantlebury- . (conferred in ■ April). • . Bachelor-of Engineering(Mechanical). George P. Anderson (of Cantorburv Col- .■' jo'sc).'.. >■■;' ;■ v■- . \■. ' .Baohelors of Arts. Francis W. Bartley. Douglas S. Bcddingfiold; .' ' Gilbert 'V.-- Bogle.' , Gertrude F. Cooko. • Amy E. Carrie.. Louisa N. Dallaston. Ivor.Davey. . Arthur 1!. I'itb. William 11. L. Foster. Margaret E. Gibhs. .. Charles T. Graham. Kathleen M. Ilowotson. ■ ; • Ellen Mi' Hildrotlt. \ . . Edith M. Hind. • James Huttoiv. - . William:'At Lyon. , Elizabeth S. Morrison. Floronco Neilson. . Beatrix M. Nicholson . ' ' Matthew H. Oram. 1 John W. Ross. Fanny L. Smith. . Constance.'. T. • Strack. Frederick G. A..Stuckey. x Ida. F. Tcnnnnt. ■ Aile Woodham.

'■." Senior' Scholar. Francis W. S. Bartley, in Mental' Science Mr. ii, Hi. Eve's Prize for French and Gorman. Clara C. H. Rockel. The' diplomas were presented by the ViceChancellor. SPEECH BY PROFESSOR ADAMSON. ■ Professor Adamson, who was received with deafening applause, in the midst of which a bunch of carrots was placed upon tho stage, congratulated the now graduates on behalf of the Professorial Board. With only a few months' knowledge of Now Zealand, he thought, that it would be presumption for him. to, givo advice to thoso who administered the afEairs of the College—(Voice : They can do with it)—but ho thought that the country might be proud of that institution. It differed in many respects from the'col.legcs to which, he.was accustomed at Home. In the University at which he had "graduated the work.carried on hero by two professors was carried on by six professors and three lecturers. He hoped to see ■ tho day whon that would be tho caso at Victoria College. He hoped that the graduates would make good use of their learning..in whatever career they .might pursue. The Board wished each an,! ali nf fiwervrsuccesß-in-their future

lives, and hoped that they would always cherish the memory of their Alma Mater. (Applause.) WANTED: FUNDS. Mr. T. It. Fleming, Chairman of the Victoria College Council, said that almost the wholo of the educational system of the colony was due to theSHon. C. C. Bo wen. (Loud applause.) Mr. Bowen, when the present Univorsity Colleges were first proposed, had referred to them as babies, and of those babios Victoria Collego was the youngest. (Voice: Where's the perambulator.) The feeding ground, so to speak, of this College 'contributed to the University of New Zeajand 40 per cent.- of its total students; They received the same revenue as the other collegos from the Consolidated Fund, but thoir revenue from endowments was only onetenth of that of tho collego next in order, and fine-hundredth of that of Canterbury College or Otago University. There were 433 students at Victoria College, and no other college in Now Zealand had attained a membership of 400. Victoria College had not received from the' people of Wellington such assistance as had been given to Auckland College by wealthy citizens of the northern city. Considering the largeness of the Col-, lege, .the smallhess of its endowments, and' tho way in which the professors were handicapped, lie thought, that the Council was justified in asking for additional financial.assistance. In conclusion, Mr. Fleming proposed a very hearty vote of thanks to the .Vice-Chanceilor for presiding. ' • The vote of thanks was carried with acclamation. . ' STUDENTS' VIEWS. : Mr. H. O'Leary, speaking as tho representative of the students, outlined some of the needs -of the college as they appeared to them. Before doing so. ho thanked the Council for their great assistance to the College, not only as regards class work, but in social and athletic matters. Ho also,'thanked the Government for their splendid donation towards the gymnasium and social hall, as well as private subscribers to that object. Ho : had'been'asked by the students to say something: about tho LL.B. degree and tho diploma fee connected therewith. At present a student who failed on his first Property paper was' not allowed next year to take" both Property papers together. The students thought that this privilege should be allowed • him. It was also felt that the fee of £7 7s. for the LL.B. diploma. should be reduced. The amount,of-this fee was considered quite exorbitant. Students would not agree to any raising; of ; the matriculation standard. Errors in the cabling of University examination results, had caused both disappointment and anxiety, and it was hoped that something might be done.'to obviate this trouble. Mr. lO'Leary also dwelt, on the inadequate accommodation. at the College. If.the Government could not provide more funds,' ho hoped that, public-spirited citizens •'would come forward and assist. ■ A collego hall was also urgently required, and the surroundings of t-he Collego should be rendered. loss ■ unsightly. ' ./

• The Vice-Chancellor'thanked the students for their behaviourj" arid the [proceedings terminated., .

, ■ STUDENTS' CARNIVAL. Students filled a variety of parts in an excellent entertainment given to a crowded audience in the evening. Capping songs, not striking as literature, but bright with local and personal allusions, and set-to admirable tunes, afforded a great deal of amusement. 'Miss C. T; Strack and Miss May Newman sang pleasingly, the Glee Club acquitted itself, with credit, and Mr. A. W.' Newton won much favour as a. monologue entertainer. A circle; of'.'-'niggers"-furnished diverting minstrelsy < and quips, their efforts. being loudly encored. Spirited representations of ' a Maori haka, skirmish, and tangi also produced much amusement. The second part of the programme consisted of a comic opera, "South Sea Bubbles," 'which, under, the guise of a professors' strike, burlesqued recent happenings in connection with tho Arbitration Act. The characters in this comedy were: admirably taken as follow:—Professor "Watt-Buncombe '(on tour of-'the-world); Mr. A. 11. Boglej Dri Pliin Leigh (a Minister of the Crown), Mr. G. Rae Hutcheson: Adam (a labourer), Dr. D. N. Isaacs; Mrs. Watt-Bun-combo (wife of Professor), /Miss D. Isaacs. The songs, set to well-known operatic , airs, formed ho small feature of the comedy's sue-' cess.'. ,

'iiie entertainment, which will be repeated to-morrow night, was followed bya'students' supper .''and' dance} Mr;".Fl A. de la Mare proposed the toast of "The Graduates,"'to which Mr. H. F. O'Learyreplied ; Mr. H. E. Evans proposed "The New Zealand University " responded to by Mr. J. W. Joynt; Mr. D. S. Smith proposed "The College Council" (Mr. T. R. Fleming), Mr. A. MacDougall "The Professors" (Professor Mackenzie), and Mr. J. M. Hogben "Absent Friends;" , A graduates' reunion lunch was held at Godber's rooms, Cuba Street, yesterday. The .President of the Graduates' Association (Mr. F. A. de la Mare) presided over an attendance of about eighty, and proposed the health of the new graduates, to whicn Mr. W. Perry replied.