CAPPING CARNIVAL.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1165, 28 June 1911, Page 8

CAPPING CARNIVAL.

VICTORIA COLLEGE. THE ANNUAL PROCESSION. DIPLOMAS AWARDED. ! The Victoria College students yesterday celebrated Capping Day, entertaining themselves, and incidentally amusing the public. Crowds .in tho streets' in the morning awaited the coming of tho procession of 1911, and its accompanying tableaux and burlesques. Like the Coronation procession in London, it had its allotted route, along which tho public lined themselves in two rows. About midday, the procession came, headed by two mounted policemen, and flanked by others on foot. It wended its way along the principal streets of the city, and threw-, our parties of jumping, ginger coloured Maoris, who, apparently, in their scanty clothing, had- either to caper or get cold, so they capered, and other things. Finally the procession ■ came to a halt in front of the Post Office, and held itself up for a few minutes to inspection, afterwards moving off to the college and ordinary attire again. Some of the characters: or burlesques wiro undoubtedly amusing. Auckland was represented holding an Exhibitionall ambitious display of two empty cases covered with baize, over which stood a citizen crying out Auckland's pre-euiin-encc over other cities, consisting chiefly in her "one plague, her 0110 Governor's yacht, and her one million rats." The

"Last of the Barmaids" represented the one a:ud only barmaid left, in the country as the result of the distressing Registration Act*. This character was a good one. In another lorry, on a representation of a monorail carriage, designated the "All Red Monorail," sat two figures, representing well-known public men. Apparently it was another adaptation of the feat, of rail-sitting. Each of the two characters took it in turn to pump the other up with a bicyclc pump, the effect of which .was an alternately, yet continuous, flow of eloquence on to the public. In' another group Was a bearded figure guarding a small l>ox iabelled the "Secret Case," while an attendant squirted from a syringe water dipped from - a "fountain of justice," and so on.

THE CAPPING CEREMONY. A FEW KEMARKS BY THE .GOVERNOR. ""For the capping ceremony in tho Town Hall Concert Chamber in the afternoon the costumes and paint had been put away, but not .nil the buffoonery. It lurked in the rear of the hall among the standing rows of students, and found vent on tho speakers, who had to smile indulgently. Tlio minutes during which ono of tlio speakers', remarks were being inado >ere called out by'. an ..invisible time-keeper. However, it was all looked upon as harmless fun "in the end. No serious interruption of speeches took place, and no -dignitary seemed the worso for being called familiarly by his filename, or termed "scarlet-runner" or "littlo dickey bird," and so"forth; and no ono got angry because, after all, was it not in accordance with hoary tradition? The Town Hall was filled' long before the hour appointed for tho ceremony. His Excellency tho Governor attended with his private secretary, and occupied a seat on the .platform." Mr. G. Hogben (Chief Inspector of Schools) and a member of the Senate, presided as tho deputy of tho. Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout). The Professorial Board, and Messrs. C. Wilson (c.hairn.ian of the College C'oujicil), Hector (Registrar).'A. L. Hcrilinan, M.P., R. A. AY right, M.P., D. M'Laren, M.P., and others . were also present. Apologies for absence were read from the. Acting-Prime Minister and mayors of towns' in the central University district. The Chairman's Address. "I venture to begin by remarking." said Mr. Hogben, in his speech, "that the arrangements made for the conduct of this meeting are in the nature of an experiment. Tho occurrences at some of the capping ceremonies in certain of tho University centres have riot always been the source of satisfaction in an equal degree to the students and the authorities respectively. So tho University Senate resolved to invite the' College Councils to assist; and tho Victoria College Council wisely resolved to ask tho Professorial Board to assist it; and tho professors, still moro wisely, asked tho students to assist them. So that wo havo thus arrived at this happy conclusion—that todav, of all the days in the year,' is tho students' day, and the students themselves, through representatives Of their own association, aro taking a very important part in tho conduct of tho meeting—under tho authority of tho chair, of course." Mr. Hogben then went into a lengthy review of the progress of education during the past sixty or seventy years. By laying down courses of study and giving sanction to them in tho form of diplomas and degrees, the Senate of tho New Zealand University had gone as far, or almost as far, as any of the most modern universities in other lands. Besides recognising tho usual courses of study in arts and sciences and philosophy, it had given its hall-mark to professional courses drawn up for the lawyer and the doctor, for the ■ mochanical, civil, electrical, or mining engineer, for the veterinary surgeon and the dentist, for the farmer, the accountant, and the man of commerce. To the teacher it offered a course in the science of education, to the budding officer a course'in military science, to the man of literature a diploma in journalism, and last, but not least, it had recognised the great importance and noble dignity of tho special work of women in tho world by raising dofncstic science to the rank of a University subject. In pointing out tho duly of tho community to its University, ■ the Inspector-General said that iu 1005 the city of Geneva gavo ,£24,000 towards a new technological museum for .the University, and there were private bcnefacticrs also from merchants, manufacturers, and others. What was Wellington prepared to do to imitate its sister democracy on the other side of the world? ■ An Appeal for Funds. Mr. C. Wilson, chairman of the Victoria College Council, said ho would confine himself to a. few practical remarks. At. the. college, lie said, there were 475 students—the largest number in the history of the college, and tho largest number of any collcge ■iu New Zealand. Their's was the premier University in New Zealand. lie recited tho names of distinguished scholars who, had passed through the college. In reply to critics of tlio college, he said tho council did their best with the funds available. He appealed to the State to bo more literal in its assistance, aud_ ho denounced the meanness of the - Wellington people in this respect. He pointed to what Dunedin had done for her University. He also appealed for funds for the college library, which should be twice as large as its' present size. Ono thousand pounds was required for this object, and .£200(1 for a new wing, and biological laboratory. . (Applause.). After the conferring of the degrees by Mr. Hogben. His Excellency the Governor mado n few appropriate remarks. It would li» a gratification to the students to know lie did not intend to make a. long spccch. (Applause.) no had como tlier9 to offer assurances of sympathy and goodwill to--.va-rds the students and their college. (Applause.) He would also renew his first acquaintance with them, which was made shortly after his arrival in. New Zealand, no would ask them to take (he speech he had made to tliera on that occasion a"> read at this gathering. (Laughter and applause.) He made other humorous remarks, and congratulated those who had won degrees.. ITe drew tho plaudits of the noisy brigade by praising their admirable-turn-out; but the cheers were a little premature, for his Excellency with a smile said. "Not the turnout of this morning—("Oh, oh")—but of Coronation Day. when at the review your representation in the ranks wns so gratifying." (Laughter and applause.) . He .vished them, in conclusion, success and prosperity for tho coming ' year. (Applause aiid loud clleers and the singing of "He's a Jolly Good Fellow.").

This ended the capping ccremony Tho Degrees Conferred.

The following were the degrees conferred and tho successful students:— -

Masters of Arts.—Bertlia Isabel Langlfj Bogle, (uee Eseve),' second-class honours

in mathematics and mathematical physics; Joseph Knelt, second-class in mental science; Robert Jledley Biggar, third-class in languages and literature (Litin and English), conferred at Canterbury College; Jessie Marion .Butler, third-class in languages and literature (Latin and French); lTorcnco Winifred Cooke, third-class in natural science (botany); Olive Vyse Haddrell, third-class in languages and literature (English and French); George William Moriec, third-class in mental science; John Carrington Pope, thirdclass in languages and literature .(Latin aiid German). , Bachelors of Arts.—Emmie Hillens, John Campbell Burns. Alfred Edward Caddick, Ellen Christine Cascv, Elsie Dorothy Graham, Xora Gwendotin Isaac, HarricUo Marv Jenkins, James Henry . Lynskey, Frederick William Martin, Gerard .Henry Nicholls, .Tames Russell, Gwendoline Minnie von Turizolmann Saxon, Annie nifred Teychenne. William Mebsior Thomas, Ronald Sinclair Watson, Frank Alexander "Wilson. A] alters of Laws.—Robert' Kennedy, M.A. first-class honours in international law and conltict of laws, contracts and torts, and company law; Herbert Edgar Evans, 8.A., second-class in honours m international law and conflict of laws, contracts and torts and company law. ' Bachelors of Laws.—Archibald Douglas Brodie, James Christie, Michael Gilfedder, Dndlev Reginald Hoggard, Trilby King, Eric Lyon, Frederick Oliver Reuben Phillips, Albert Hugh Powell, Elliott Stanley Rutherford, John Lawrence Short. Masters of Science.—Theodore Kigg, first-class honours in chemistry (physical) ; Hugh-Vickerman. Bachelor of Science.—Percy William Burbidge. , _ . Senior Scholarships. —In electricity: Percy William Burbidge. In chemistry: Percy William Burbidge (proxime accessit). , . ; In Botany.—Harrictte Mary Jenkins.

THE STUDENTS' CARNIVAL,

A METAMORFHOSIS—IN FOUR THASES.

In the evening the students held high carnival in the Concert Room, TownHall. Tho hall was-positively, packed, and the entertainment provided bv tho students, and carried out in their characteristic way, was a capital one. Tho first part o'f the programme -consisted of miscellaneous items —college songs, recitations, glees, and capping songs, and so on. Of these, "Jerrybim in tho Oven," an amusing recital by Mr. E. Lym, was especially good. The part-singing of the students'" glee quartet, and of the combined students' chorus, was quite enjoyable. In the body of the hall, organised bands of students saw to it that the audience did not weary between the items; squeakers, "motor-liorns," quips, and candid comments about their fellows kept the people highly amused. The "piece de resistance" on-the programme! was the farcical extravaganza., entitled "Reform," or "The Metamorphosis of the Evolutcrs." The "Metamorphosis" consisted of four "phases," socalled, though each was a distinct study. It set out "the.adventures of "certain ladies and gentlemen with bees in their bounds." Phase'l set forth how certain ovolutcrs reformed their Emperor. The cast included an exceedingly frivolous Emperor, in scarlet and crown, "Herlock Sholmes," "Dr. Watson," and a collcct'ion of fright-ful-looking anarchists, tho opening sceno of tho phase being the anarchists' bomb factory, shrouded iu appropriate gloom. The Emperor is beguiled by one "Thomas Taylor," disguised as "Andrew Carnegie," surprised and terrorised "by tho anarchists; he promises all sorts of things, and ends up by knighting tho lot. Phase tho Second is an amusing skit on the suffragette, the dramatis personae being Mrs. Spankhuist, Helen Menelaiis, Queen Elizabeth, Lucretia Borgia, a harem skirt girl, Sir J. G. Ward (Bart.), Mr; Asquith and a policeman. -I'hase- the Third affords "a glimpse into the. lives of certain criminals, living nnder tho reformatory conditions introduced by qno_ 'Fin-Lee'." Needless to say, the conditions of life depicted, in "Fin-Lee's" reformatory are painted in - roseate hues. This phase is featured by an excellent parody on the well-known "Duko and Duchess" recitative and duet from "The Gondoliers," entitled "The Way In." Phase the Fourth, or "The Absolutely Obsolete," is a diverting skit on the professorial, agitation for university reform.

The students are to be congratulated on thO success of their opening performance, .and oil the occasion of the second lierformanco this evening should appear to even better advantage.