THE CAPPING CEREMONY.

Evening Post, Volume LXXXI, Issue 104, 4 May 1911, Page 8

THE CAPPING CEREMONY.

STUDENTS IN REPLY. TO THE EDITOB. Sir, — As the Chancellor of tho University is not satisfied with tho explanation of our conduct on last diploma day, given by tho Presidont of tho Students' Association and tho then President of the Professorial Board, wo take tho liberty of übing your columns as a medium of expression of the undergraduates' view ol tho question. We agree with tho Chancellor in saying that it was premeditated. But _ our leaving the room as a protest against too long v speech wus advised by Sir Robert Stout himself. On this fact ho makes no comment in his letter lo your paper of the 3rd inst. Our action was premeditated only to prevent its being disorderly, and at the meeting at which wus decided the courso to be adopted, it was stipulated (hat it should bo adopted only in the e\ent of any speech exceeding reasonable bounds. Wo ro'-o at tho end of twenty minutes, und Iho Chancellor's cpeech continued for another quarter of an hour. As to the charge of dUorderlinc:*, it is sufficient evidence contra to sbtato that tho audience on (he floor below were neither disturbed by, nor even aware of, our proceedings. An insult is such only when it is meant and h-putpd as an insult. , Our action was neither to meant nor at that time so treated. Sir Robert Stout took tho affair in good part, and jestingly thanked tho students for giving up their seats to a few .visitors. As to the alleged breach of faith on tho part ot the executive of tho Students' As-iocintion, we respectfully submit that they did all that could in justice bo expected of them. They succeeded in quelling, all (he disorderly nois.o that characterised the previous year's proceedings. Professor Kirk, too, issued tickets of admission to the students' gallery only under promioO of good behaviour. Ami we have yet to lcari> that anyone beside the Chancpllor thought thero was any irregularity in our quiet and orderly exit. — We are, etc., E. W. INDEX, Timekeeper. L. P. LEAHY, Usher. ' No further action has yet been taken | towards netting up tin? commission (an- ! nounced by Sir Joseph Ward just before i he left for England) to enquire nito the j condition of tho various mines in the Dominion. Trouble arose qver the personnel of the commisf-ion, but it is not considered likely that Cabinet will take any action in the matter until all the members are in Wellington, and that will not b? for a week or two yet. It is Buuge&ted, therefore, that there is pot nnu'h likt'lihood oi the commission «.iug appointed at all — or ;tl any rale until after the general elections. Even if the appointments ft'tre mpdc very noon anil the commission at once got to work, it woidd be late in the session ;il the earliest bnfore it. could report, and it is not considered probable thai Parliament would take any action on the eve of an election. A piivale telegram luis been received from Mr. T. Ti'ricy. who was (as is reported elsewhere in thic i«-suc) beaten un point 6by Denis Murphy in a boxing contest at Blenheim Ipst night, to tho effect that he (I'iacy) "broke his left aim in the nret round."