UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

Dominion, Volume 22, Issue 51, 23 November 1928, Page 13

UNIVERSITY EXAMINATIONS

Sir, —As one of the sufferers from the appalling conditions under which the university examinations were held this year I have been interested in the correspondence which has appeared in your paper. Ido not think it is necessary for me at this juncture to enter into further details on the point, particularly as they have been well set out by other writers. I should, however, like to be allowed to reply to certain statements made by Mr. J. Costin Webb and published in your issue of November 12. Mr. Webb is reported as having said ffiat candidates did not move round the room during the sitting. How Mr. Webb can make such a statement is absolutely beyond my comprehension. Surely he knew that on Thursday, November 1, several candidates shifted to avoid leaks, and that again on Thursday, November 8, tables were moved to get out of the sun. On the second occasion in one block alone at least half a dozen candidates shifted their tables and chairs from various positions right to the front of the building, and in some cases they were assisted to move by the assistant supervisors. Personally I was asked if I found the sun too much and. was told that I would be helped to shift if I desired, but decided to remain where I was. Even if Mr. Webb did not know of these occurrences, surely he would have been wise to make inquiries from his assistants before making such a definite statement to the Press. Mr. Webb is also reported as saying that the building was quiet, except that during the southerly gale the roof rattled a little. It makes one. wonder what Mr. Webb considers a noise. Turning to the writer who signed himself “Two Guineas,” I think most of the candidates would agree with him that the tables and chairs provided were a very decided improvement on previous years, but would certainly not agree with the rest of his letter. Granting that, with the weather what it was, conditions would not have been ideal in the buildings previously used, yet they would have been infinitely better than at the Winter Show buildings. Certainly they would have been warmer, and if Iwo Guineas” was not, as he seems to suggest, seriously affected by the. cold, might I suggest that Commander Richard Byrd has missed a very valuable recruit for his Polar ex P editson -;^ E Wellington, November 19.

Sir —lt was not until several letters relative to the conditions under examinations were being held in the Winter Show Buildings had appeared in the columns of your newspaper that I had occasion to attend the Show Buildings for the purpose of sitting for examinations, and, naturally, in view of the controversy, I was somewhat perturbed. My first morning was characterised by a cold southerly wind, and I discovered that the previous statements as to the conditions were not exaggerated. lhe premises were draughty and the cold was intense —it was so cold that the sparrows were huddled together and refrained from the incessant chirping in which they have indulged on every occasion that I have attended since that morning. In fine weather the conditions, as far as I was concerned, were somewhat better, but no-doubt I benefited by sitting beyond the reach of the sun, which streams in through the large skylights on to the unfortunate candidates who happen to be sitting below, and they are further troubled by the strong glare. Taking everything into consideration, the choice of these premises for examination purposes was not a sound one, ano, as the candidates are the sufferers, the authorities responsible are morally bound to make some redress.—-I am, etc., TWO GUINEAS’ WORTH. Wellington, November 20.