THE CAPPING CEREMONY.

Evening Star, Issue 8614, 7 September 1891, Page 4

THE CAPPING CEREMONY.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—The multitude assembled on Friday evening in the Garrison Hall weie well pleased with the capping ceremony, as indicating good substantial work in the higher education of the youth of the colony. Ihere was also evidence of the higher tone of civilisation in the whole of the proceedings. Sir Robert Stout, as representing the Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, was in excellent form. Without apparent effort he was heard distinctly. He seemed as though he could have gone.on till the small hours. He had the good sense not to weary the audience. Some dozen lines, at least, in the closing sentences of the addresses by Sir Robert Stout, Mr John Macgregor, and Dr Stuart, I do think cannot be too prominently or frequently placed before the public. Sir Robert said : «• What does the State ask ? Only this: That you will be true citizens, using your talents, your education, your culture to help your fellows. You have to become the defenders of the higher education, and never to cease advocating its claims, and perhaps the beat advocacy you can advance will be your own worth, your conduct, your life, your self-sacrifice for the needs of your fellows." Mr Macgregor said : " ' Society originates for the sake of life, but is for the sake of good life,' The State must search for intellect and moral force as for a hidden treasure, and wheresoever it has found them it must, in the general interest, equip them to the best purposes for work, and put them in the way of doing it. This is the British way of realising the triune ideal of liberty, fraternity, and equality." Dr Stuart said: " Look at this portrait of a stainless chivalry, which we owe to a prophet and Psalmist of the long ago, and say if it does not merit a place in the temple of the heart. That is my request for you ; that 28 my prayer—that you might be exemplary in your life, like the portrait which has been sketched in the 15th Psalm, whioh has been admired for 3,000 years, and will be admired till sin is burnt out of the earth, and the divine image is restored to every soul."—l am, etc, Cosmopolitan. Dunedin, September 5.