MR. J. W. JOYNT.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 895, 15 August 1910, Page 5

MR. J. W. JOYNT.

HONOURED BY GRADUATES. UNIVERSITY AIMS. DEBT TO.THE PAST. Mr. J. W. Joynt, Registrar of the University of New Zealand, who is leaving tho Dominion to take tho position of Loudon agent to tho University, was entertained on Saturday night by the Victoria College Graduates' Association at a dinner in tho Hotel Windsor. Mr. F. A. de la Mare, president of the association, was in the chair, and among those present-were Sir Robert Stout (Chancellor of tho University), the Hon. Dr. Findlay (Attorney-Gen-eral), Mr. George Hogben (InspectorGeneral of Schools), and other educational workers. Sir ChaTles Bowen, Vice-Chancellor of the University, was among those who sent apologies for. absence. The chairman, in proposing the health of the guest of the evening, said that tho association was a comparatively small body, but its members were bound together by a common regard for Mr. Joynt, and by a sense of a common heritage. The University of New Zealand owed much to both Oxford and Cambridge, and if it possessed'some of the reverence for things unseen, some of the reverence for ancient learning, and some. of. the devotion*to absolute truth which characterised older institutions it was surely duo to men of the typo which the University of" Dublin had sent to the administration of its affairs. A Farewell Address. Mr. do la Mare then presented Mr. Joynt, who is a graduate of Dublin University, with tho following address, which was beautifully bound and illuminated:— "To Mr. J. W. Joynt, M.A. "Dear.Sir, —On the occasion of your retirement from the office of , Registrar of the University of ■■ New Zealand, we, the undersigned graduates and undor-graduates of the fonr affiliated colleges, wish to express to you our appreciation of the able, courteous, and dignified manner in which you have for the past eleven years carried out the duties of your office. Wo believe that your influence has contributed in a largo degree towards instilling into the University of this young Dominion something of the best spirit and ideal of the ancient homes of learning. The kindly and personal: interest you have always taken in tho students and their uc-_' tivities has endeared you to several University generations, by , whom you will long be affectionately remembered; • "We arc pleased to think ' that your name .is perpetuated in one of our most valued competitions, and the 'Joynt Debating Challenge , Scroll' will be a lasting memorial . of your connection with our annual University tournament, which owed , not a little at its inception to your \ sympathetic- interest and hearty co- ■ operation. "Wc take this opportunity , of congratulating you on your ay: pointment. as representative of the '_ 1 University of New Zealand in Lori-

doii, where we are glad to know . ' your experience and advice will still be directed towards furthering the , interests of our-Alma Mater. "With best wishes for ,your health, happiness,' and prosperity in' your new sphere of activity,, wo •bog to -subscribe ourselves on bc- , half of tho University students of ■ Now Zealand." Mr. Joynt's Reply. ' Mr. Joynt, in replying, said that the intensity of the gratification which he felt at the feelings expressed towards him came from the conviction that they ivere genuine. Ho could see before him graduates of many universities, those of New Zealand predominating. That,; tho. latter should have assembled to oxpress their regard for'him gave him much pleasure. Ho thanked them from his : heart for their kind expressions. Nobody was more conscious of defects in his'work than he was himself, but lie thought that at least he had gone from year to year making various improvements in himself. Ho had discovered points of weakness in his work every year, and he had mado an honest attempt, ho thought, to correct them when discovered, and the kindness and sympathy, of tho students had been a great help to him. What was going to bo done in London he did not know, but ho was,going to do his best. It was with a.shock of something like consternation that, he had heard-of the death of thtf late London agent, Mr. Eve. They had lost one of the most sympathetic, tender-hearted, r and cultivated men whom he had known. Mr. Hogben: "Affiliated Colleges." Mr. George Hogben proposed the toast of'tho "Affiliated Colleges." Before doing so he warmly endorsed Mr. Joynt's tribute to tho late Mr. Eve. Ho expressed his deep gratitude to Mr. Joynt for his faithful-co-operation ' in those matters in which thoy. had been brought together. Mr; Joynt had taken a wide and liberal view of his duties as Registrar in giving all the help that was required .by the Department ol Education. Speaking of University-'re-form, Mr. Hogben said he could not conceal his sympathy with the movement, though he thought it .was inevitable fr.oin tho geographical configuration of the country that there should be four • university colleges in New Zealand. . If the benefits of ■university education-' were to bo aa widespread as they had been, four colleges were essential. All the 'iour colleges had done good work, and all of them had their distinguished graduates. Their professors also had included men who were well able to inspire their students with the love of. learning. Ho asked them to drink to tho colleges as they were, and to the good work which, of course, under a reformed constitution, they would do in Iho future. Replies to the toast wcro given by the following :—Mr. James (Auckland University College), Mr. H. F. von Haa-st (Canterbury College), Mr. J. W. Salmond (Otago University), and Mr. U. H. Ostler (Victoria College). Sir Robert Stout's Speech. Sir Robert Stout, in proposing "Universities Beyond the Seas," said it •was the impulse that canio' from John Knox that led to the founding of the lirst university in Now Zealand. If. it had not been for tho strenuous attitude of the early Otago settlers, despite tho opposition of the Parliament of that day, he did not believe that there would oo a university in New Zealand now. If wo would rival tho old nations and found a nation worthy of the name, we must keep the University ideal that the old founders of the early universities had when they started, and try to do the best wo could in our position. Wo wore indebted to tho old universities for inspiration, ' for the ideals of university life, and we were indebted to thorn -as no other colony was. because in tho early New Zealand Parliaments tho- majority of the members were university men, and tho leaders of the people in those ■ days wove university men, who had a knowledge of past' history, and were inspired by and inflamed with tho idea that they might do something with that learning for this country. Ho referred to such men as Fitzherbcrt, Fox, and I?it2geial<L They, .were the founds

ers of truo Liberalism in New Zealand, and they drow their inspiration from the great universities of which they had been studeuts. Wo should never forget what the old universities had done, and with how little they accomplished so much in the olden times. Ho supposed that when Sir William Thompson became professor of physics at Glasgow ho had not half the equipment that belonged to a New Zealand college. The great teacher made tlio great University, and it was also necessary to have ditfused through the people the lovo and passion for education, so that they would fight for it as for their lives. That was why, in all their struggles for university education, thoy should not forget the old masters wlio had educated them years ago, and who were educating them yet. The old universities had an inspiration in their buildings and historical associations which wo could not have for hundreds of years, .but on the other iand wc had some things that we could teach thoih. Even the gathering of that night could not tako place in Oxford or Cambridge, which had no lady graduates. Except, perliaps, in Manchaster . ai)d some 0/ the new institutions tliey could not have a meetini;, like theirs, of ladies and gentlemen sitting, down together to pay tribute i.-. a graduate of a great university, it miorhi come to pass in the future, but it' was not so now. Wc had also to rely on' the old universities for onr teachers and administrators, and in recognising the ability and devotion to duty of Mr. Joynt it must bo recognised that he also had received bis inspiration from these great institutions which we should revere and always remember. Professor von ZcfiYiiz. replied to tho toast. Other Toasts. Tho Hon. Dr. Findlay proposed "University Professors." Professor Kirk responded to the toast. Dr. Foil proposed "University Women," and Mrs. W. A. Evans replied. Songs were given by Miss Newman, Mr. H. -F. von Haast, Mr.F. P. Wilson, Professor Picken, and Mr. Reid.