EXTRA EDITION

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 104, 30 October 1923, Page 6

EXTRA EDITION

RHODES SCHOLAR

DUNEDIN STUDENT SECURES

HONOUR

DR. ROBERT S. AITKEN CHOSEN.

Following a meeting of the Rhodes Scholarship Committee of Selection at Government House this morning, it was announced that Dr. Robert Stevenson Aitken, M.8., Ch.B., of Dunedin, had been chosen as the New Zealand Rhodes scholar for 1924.

_ The Governor-General (Viscount Jellicoe) presided at the meeting, and there were also .present the Chancellor of the University (Professor Macmillan Brown), the Vice-Chancellor of the University (Professor J. Rankine, Browne), the chairman of the Board of Studies (Professor H. W. Segar), the Chief Justice (Sir Robert Stout), Professor R. W. Robertson, and Mr. C. W. Gilray, LL.B. The two latter gentlemen attended as former Rhodes scholars.

The successful candidate is 22 years i°^ ge'-ilaving been born on 16th APn]. 1901. He attended the following schools and colleges for the periods named: — in?=Slel^P, lstrict HiSh Soh°ol. 1807 to imS; Glsborne High School, 1916 to 1917; Otago University, 1918 to 1923. In 1923 he headed the list of pasßes in New Zealand for the Junior National Scholarship, and two years later repeated that performance in the Senior Najtional Scholarship— truly a remarkable ■ Performance. In 1916, when under age, he secured tenth place in the Junior University Scholarship Examination, and in the following year was second for the Dominion in the same examination, In 1918 he passed Medical Intermediate, iii 1920 the First Medical Professional (with ! distinction), in 1921 the Second Medical Professional (with distinction), in 1922 the Third Medical Professional (with distinction), in the same year he won the Batchelor Memorial Medal, the Medical Travelling Scholarship, and graduated iM.B., Ch.B. Dr. Aitken held the position of relieving teacher at the Gisborne High School in February, 1921, and February, 1922, he was'a lecturer in Osteology at the Otago University from October, 1920, to October, 1922, and was tutor in Anatomy and Physiology at Knox College from October, 1922, to May, 1923. The successful candidate also excels on the athletic field. In 1916 and 1917 respectively he was a member of the second and first cricket elevens at the Gisborne High School, and he was also similarly placed as far as football was concerned. At the Otago University he played tennis and hockey regularly. In the season 1921-22 he was an A grade tennis player in Dunedin, and from 1918 to 1922 he was a member of the University hockey team. In 1921 and 1922 he secured a place in the Otago representative team, and in 1923 he captained the University hockey tea-m. He also, took a leading part in debates, and this year he represented the Otago University in the inter-University Easter tournament. He also contributed to University and Knox College student publications. Accompanying Dr. Aitken's application for consideration were a- number of testimonials which spoke volumes as to the candidate's fitness for-the honour--which has-been conferred upon him. Here is an extract from a testimonial forwarded by Lieut.Colonel J. H. Moir. commanding the iFirst Battalion of the Otago Regiment: " Unselfish to a fault, and inspired with an ardent loyalty to friends and duty, he is in may opinion a real man."

Ap:irt from studies and teaching,- Dr. Aitken's general interests have included literature and public speaking, and, on the athletic side, hockey 'and tennis. At the same time he has taken an active interest in the social side of University life during the past six years. He is particularly interested in teaching. At Oxford his aim will be to take the honours course in physiology, to be associated, if possible, with some work in psychology, particularly from a medical point of view. Later he hopes to specialise in medicine, with a view to teaching it.