N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

Evening Star, Issue 11621, 4 July 1902, Page 4

N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

PRESENTATION OF DIPLOMAS. TO OTAGO STUDENTS. The annual presentation of diplomas of the New Zealand University to students of tie Otago University was the occasion of a large and representative meeting in tho Choral Hall this afternoou. The chair was taken by Professor Sale, and the following members of the staff were present:—Professors Gibbons (chairman of the Professorial Board), Shand, Salmond, Black, Benham, Gilray, Scott, and Marshall, and Mr Waters. The Registrar of the New Zealand University (Mr J. W. Joynt) was also present. The University Council were represented by Messrs E\ B. Cargill, D. M. White, the Rev. Mr Cameron, and the Registrar (Mr A. Hamilton).

The Chairman, after stating the business of the meeting, expressed his regret at the unavoidable absence of Sir James Hector, Chancellor of the New Zealand University, and said he was sure that Sir James himself was equally disappointed. As a matter of fact Sir James Hector was originally identified with Otago before going North—he was here in the early offs—and to him we mainly owed the building now used as a hospital, it being builW for the Exhibition of 1866, of which Sir James was the moving spirit. The speaker also referred sympathetically to the death of BL'hop Cowie, a member of the Senate, and then went on to explain at length the relationship existing between the New Zealand University and the affiliated bodies, his remarks bang in the direction of showing that the present arrangement was advantageous even in Otago's interests. " ° The students then filed in, and were met with the customary welcome from thencomrades at the back. The Registrar read a statistical statement showing tnat 1,049 diplomas had been conferred since the University was founded. He ako referred in terms of high praise to the career of Mr J. W. Mellor. who has passed from this University to Manchester. -The Chairman then presented the diploma.- to as many of the students named in the following list as were present-: Degree of M.A. Barr, Beatrice Helen Barton, Henry Haveloek Bedford, Harry Dodgshun Given, Walter Alexander Guthrie, Ernest Graham Haggifct, Percy Bolton Hay, John Alexander Hercus, Eldrcd John Dick Lsng, John M'Knight, Sussanah Catherine Campbell Handle, Eva Marie Rees, Annie Lee Tewsley, Cyril Hocken. Degkee of D.Sc. Mellor, Joseph William. Degree of B.A. Armour, Wm. Allan Barr, Janet, Rhoda Bressey, Florence Farmy Brown, Cyril Palmer Callan, John Bartholomew Gibson, Glorianna, Forsyth Gow, Harriet Hampton, Lena Ella Harrison, Wilkinson Lewins Hercus, Eldred John Dick Inglis, Alexander I/craas, John Shand M'Culloch, Malcolm Kennedy Neave, Thomas Roberts, Elsie Tubman, Francis TJttley, George HarrV White, Robert. Victor. Degrkk of B.Sc. Henderson, John. Degrke of £L.B. Bartholomew, John Rankin Hay, William Grant Degrke ov M.B. and Cn.M. Allan, Sydney Chalmers Baiilie, James Hamilton Hall Brugh, James Crawford, Andrew John Gordon. Colin Huntley M'Ara, William Maddison, Jessie Clarkson Simmons, Wilfred Thomas. TJlrich, Frank Ferdinand Aplin. Mr E. B. Carsill then spoke as follows: Thirty-three years have passed since in 1369 this University was founded by ordinance of the Provincial Council "to promote yound learning in the Province of Otago." Two years later, in 1871, it was opened. It began on a modest, scale, the professorial teaching staff comprising three chairs of classics, mathematics, and mental and moral philosophy—occupied respectively by Mr George Samuel Sale, Mr John {now Dr) Shand, and Dr Duncan MacGregor. Professor Sale we are happy to have still with us in his original chair, still fit and actively at work", and Dr Shand, at a later period transferred to the chair of natural philosophy, equally lit and vigorous: while Dr MacGregor, after serving the University for eighteen years, resigned his chair to take up the position of colonial inspector of lunatic asylums, which he has continued till now toiT occupy with conspicuous ability. These three men worthily fulfilled the duties undertaken by them, and succeeded in putting the stamp of thoroughness upon the teaching of the University, and so laying the foundation of the high character it has since maintained, and earning for it the confidence and hearty support of the public, not only within the provincial district for which it was created, but throughout the colony. We owe them a debt of gTatitude for their zealous and successful labors, and it.is » cause of grata-1 lation that the two veterans—Professors' Sale and Shand —still occupy their chairs j and a leadinr T>osition in the University, j

-SU thffl -v.6 may say, -while -at tie &me fan* accordlag the full meed of honor das toHthe body of able and zealous occupants of chairs and lectureships who are comprised- in the present greatlv-enlarged staff, whoso labors have obtained for the University a wide reputation, extending beyond the hounds of tho colony, a body of graduates whose influence, already considerable, grows year by year, stimulating in cur people an 'wer-inereasbg estimation of the value'of the higher education. And let us not forget what we ovrt to our Provincial authorities, headed by Mr Macandrew, then Superintendent, and the colonists of the day associated with them, by whose efforts, in the face of strong opposition, the work* of creating the University of Otago was accomplished. Among other steps taken while the discussion was in progress a series of qutstions was printed and circulated among leading men of light throughout the colony, to which many of the replies were singularly discouraging, the chief ground of objection bemg that the proposal was premature, and that it would be better to establish scholarships to enable students to attend the great universities of the Home Country—a good thing in its way. But to substitute that, for the local University would have been to miss the point and purpose of the movement, which was not to create a limited number of exceptional scholars, but to " promote sound learning in the Province of Otago," to domesticate the higher education and make it the cope-stone of our educational system. I take it that the benefits are not confined to the gainers of degrees, nor even to the large number who attend classes without attaining to degrees, but extend as a leavening influence throughout al! classes of our people. Mr Macandrew and the 'Provincial Council saw the thing in its true light. They at once passed an ordinance creating the University, and bestowed upon it the Post Office building and the handsome land endowments from which its revenues aro mainly derived. At the same time the Presbyterian Church provided, from funds held by them available for that purpose, the endowment of one chair —that'of mental and moral philosophy. Two other chairs were subsequently provided from the same source—viz., English language and literature and natural philosophy—and £I,OOO was given for apparatus for a physical laboratory. It appeared for a time as if this were to be the only University in the colony, and some steps were taken towards obtaining for ifc a Royal Charter. But at length the rest of the colony woke up to the situation. &The colonial Parliament passed an Act creating the University" of New Zealand, to which the teaching colleges of Christchurch and Auckland and our own University became affiliated, and finally the Victoria College, of Wellington. And thus what was begun in Otago became spread over the colony, and teaching colleges are established in each of the chief centres, in affiliation with the University of New Zealand, all, in effect, working together in the same cause. While, therefore, the spur of friendly rivalry may be maintained with advantage, there should be no feeling of unworthy envy between them, but all should stand together in furtherance of the common cause, and assist one another in obtaining from the colonial Government such aid as may be required to bring the whole combination up to the point of thorough efficiency. Nothing short of this should be aimed at, and Parliament would undoubtedly have the support of every section of the people in providing whatever aid is further necessary for the pur- i pose. It is certain that further aid is necessary, but to whatever extent it may be so, it will not figure largely if j divested of its present local character, and i made a question for the colony at large, quite aside from concessions to this or that local interest. To return to our own University, we are unhappily in this dilemma —that our present undertakings are beyond the measure of our resources; or, in other words, our present revenues are insufficient to meet our contract engagements and the unavoidable contingent expenses. During the past year, despite the most rigid economy, the expenditure has exceeded the income by about £3OO, and during the last eight years the accumulated deficit amounts to £1,500. There has been no fund to meet any unusual demand, and even the necessary repairs of our buildings have of necessity been unfairly postponed. The cause of this discrepancy has not been any extravagance on the part of the Council, or disregard of necessary economies, nor of coming under engagements in excess of apparent income, but it is to be found in the large and unlooked-for fall in the rents of the lands which form the main revenue. The reduction from this cause amounts to no less than £3,000. . The report of a committee who lately investigated the finances shows that a sum of £1,200 is needed to straighten things up, and that to carry on satisfactorily the work under the several faculties and maintain the establishment an addition to the annual revenue of £2,000 is necessary. The University contains faculties of arts, science, i medicme, and law, and a School of Mines. There arc eight chairs occupied by pro- ' fessors, of which three are supported from the trusts of the Presbyterian Church, and numerous lecturers, besides the staff of the School of Mines. It is plain that some addition to the present revenue must be a condition of continuing the work as it is. But more than this is needed. A report presented to the Council by Professor Scott, dean of the faculty of medicine, shows the urgent need of considerable extension and increased teaching power in the School of Medicine if it & to hold its own with other schools in the colonies or elsewhere, and be properly up to date. But if, in the face of all that I have stated", we can get no further help from Parliament, what, then, mu*t be the alternative? Must it be to cut off or cut down? In view of existing engagements and contracts that would be yerv difficult, and possibly disastrous. But the question is, in truth, colonial, and not provincial, and sooner or j later must be so recognised—the sooner ] the better. I would therefore urge that we should take steps to have it brought before Parliament in this shape, and that we should invite the co-operation of the other affiliated colleges. We attach great importance to our School of MediHne, and it would be a great blow to our University if, from any cause, its efficiency should bo marred. The other affiliated colleges probably attach the chief importance to other subjects. Auckland is Paid to desire chieflv its School of Mines, Wellington law, and Canterbury engineering. If the Government are to bs moved, as it is to be hoped they will, to make it a question for the whole colony, then of necessity their aid will be distributed amonsr the several colleges, and we may be called upon to give up our School of Mines and of law, that they may be transferred 1o the colleges specially desiring them. It appears to me that this opens a wav of escape from our present position of undertaking more than our means permit of, and at the same time gratifying the desires of the other colleges and securing their tood-will and co-opera-tion ; and we might be well content to retain our faculties of arts and of medicine, with nil that pertains to them. It would not perhaps be out of place if the Senate of the University of New Zealand were to give their united wisdom to a consideration of the subject, which'they could do free from local influences. The governing body of this Universitv are only the servants of the peopTe and the Government, striving to admi"is»teT to the best advantage the trusts committed to them. But they cannot do impossibilities, and are compelled to appeal for help to the Government. Such help can only be given from the colonial revenues, and this at once makes it a colonial question. I sincerely trust we shall not be forced into any retrograde step, but shall be enabled to push on the pood work, which has hitherto yielded gratifying results and benefits to the people '■ that f-re not to be measured against the j expenditure of a few -pounds. j The meeting was proceeding at 4 p.m. f