N.Z. UNIVERSITY

Evening Post, Volume CXXXI, Issue 103, 3 May 1941, Page 7

N.Z. UNIVERSITY

i BUILDING

FOUNDATION-STONE LAID

PLACE OF EDUCATION

High tribute to the founders of 1 University education in New Zealand and to those who have followed was paid by the Chancellor of the University of New Zealand,,the Hon. J. A. Hanan, D.C.L., : - <M.L.C, yesterday afternoon, when ■ he laid the foundation-stone of the administrative building for the University on the site at the top end of Bo wen Street. ■ ■] Others present included the Minister of Education (Mr. Mason) and Mrs. Mason, Mrs. Hanan, other members of the University Senate, and representatives of the constituent college councils and professorial boards. After asking "the gathering to rise and pay tribute to the memory of,the heroic dead, Mr. Hanan traced the history and growth.of the University of New Zealand and remarked that \the university colleges, with.their affilir ated institutions, had' been a-, source 'of immeasurable benefit itO; the Do : minion in promoting learning and as a moulding; influence; in I^e national life. While the early ■ settlers recognised, as a means to progress, material comforts and improved envirirament as helpful factors,they had riot,>s6 their everlasting credit, failed to recognise the vital need of education in the dissemination of knowledge for mental, moral, and spiritual growth. They had placed a great heritage in the keep- ., ing of, this young nation. ,; In order to -fulfilthat s trust they : must carry forward education'to meet the wants of the hew age. Mr." Hanan also paid tribute to the work of the pioneer professors for; the University and for the Dominion, and said that the enterprise had. been Worthily car-ried-forward by the successive relays of teachers to. whom in their turn the beacon had been handed. ; . ■■■•■'. enrolments. ••■■'. As evidence of the growth of University education in New Zealand, Mr. Hanan said that the number of students 'at Canterbury College had increased from 83 in 1874 to 1089 in 1940', at Auckland from 53 in 1883, to 1140 in 1940, at Victoria College from 124 in 1899 to 1088 in 1940, and; at Otagp1 University; College, from 81 in .18.71 to 1522 in 1940. Reference was also ( ';made by Mr. Hanan to substantial financial grants made to the colleges!.by Governments and by public- ■ spirited individuals. ■ / , 'r. While he admitted that there was room for reforms, it had to be recognised '■• that New Zealand was ; a .young country, with conditions of life -and work all its own, and that in the circumstances the New Zealand University colleges,. with their attached . -institutions,, had already within the short ; s'pan of their existence, a fine record of achievement in higher edu- • catibhV' The work done by the graduates of the University probably held ■ its. own in ..comparison with the re;.cord of their^contemporaries in other and in Britain. ~ ;../i "Tjiere is abundant evidence.' avail-. -J able to show that a verySgreat number of people in New •Zealand of humble ;Otigini': narrow circumstances,- and ;'srbali; i Eidy.antages, ha^e vby> ability,"■ in-. dusti'y;;'diligence,. and ,f orce of char- ;. ,aej;er made /their 'merits known, quali;fied for the learned and i Reached high places of influence and 'ilaOnour inNew- Zealand,;.,not to- speak ■■'V :."»f.:those brilliant ;ones>.\^ho-have at'^l^i^ed .^world-jfwide" distinction," added ;Sai^|vl|^i^ •- > $$*.A -;': ..: ,^>-;:He) J ,^xp'res^d^r|h^i;:hopeV-tha st. ..the:', ' :V;contrt»feof -:;high'er/education-in this j :' - country woiild; continue to be vested i v"" in the New Zealand ;tJniversity. Such ; '. a policy of non-political control had , ■'■■■■.•I been laid down in Great Britain by\ . 'various Royal Commissions in their reports on .university education. " ' MINISTER'S CONGRATULATIONS.'.' . Mr.; Mason congratulated the Uni- ■ yersity on the prospect of a splendid new home and also on the fact that, even though, the nation was at war and so \much was being put into the r war effort, the University was v not neglecting to mark an important occasion in its history.: Above all human 1 institutions, he felt that the university had a special significance at the present time. The University, however much it might be a national institution, was undoubtedly an institution /;which so ■'ehribbled the mind of man as to make one very conscious of human brotherhood.. In the "ennobling process the .mind could not fail, and did not fail, to; become conscious of ; that .brotherhood which quite trans- ■ cended-^any of those moral forces . which divided mankind. ' • It was a "gpod thing to remember what the university stood for. Sound learning and the pursuit of truth., were the- foundation of the runiversity anywhere, (and It was a; matter of congratulation that in the midst of> the struggle; in which the r Empire .was,eh-; gaged .significance of. the university in' 'New : Zealand was not undervalued. He felt -strongly that it was well;; that .they : should meet to mark their .faith in what • the university ■ stood fdx\-:.Xi'.y':-':^ .:'■■ .-■■'■ '■'■.•': In conclusion, Mr. Mason said he was gladHto hear the; reference made by. Mr. /Hanan . to \ the ; founders ■of the University, for he thought they could never be sufficiently thankful' that the pioneers'of: New Zealand did not f orgejfe • -the .; importance of " sound learning and the pursuit of truth. "We should-,be -ungrateful indeed and unworthy of our? heritage," he added, "did .not .sometimes call to mind what we owe, to those who founded our University. It becomes . an. inspiration, to carry it on in the future, throughdayS which may be very difficult." .'(Applause.) ••'■' Mr. Hanan then laid the foundaiionstone; and was presented with a silver trowel, by the ■ architects, .Messrs, Prouse and' Wilson. After laying the stone, Mr. Harian expressed the hope that the University would prosper, grow greater, and be an enduring honour to: New Zealand.