THE RHODES SCHOLAR.

Evening Star, Issue 12875, 26 July 1906, Page 7

THE RHODES SCHOLAR.

nffmbev of the influential citizens of Dunedhi, ©specially of those closely interested in education, assembled in the Town Hall yesterday afternoon to "do honor to the now Rhodes scholar, Mr R. A. Farquharson. who Was made a present of tho sum ef 200 guineas, subscribed by the people of Duocdm and of the colony. The Mayor (Mr Gj Lawrence) presided, and the visitors present were His Excellency the Governor of New Zealand and tho Hon. T. Y. Dnhcan (Minister of Lands). Tb© .Mayor, in the course of a short, congratulatory Speech, said that they were gathered together 16 bear testimony to their good-will towards the young man who had achieved such high distinction by giving him substantial help to carry him through his future course of study at Home. Dr Bonham (representing the teaching staff of the Otago University) also congratulated the scholar. He briefly ( detailed the career Of Mr Farquharson, bis qualifications, and the many honors he bad won. He said that the New Zealand University examinations were really conducted by examiners in Great Britain, and a high value attached to the degrees even Outside ibo colony. It was only possible for people of groat industry and ability to gain the success that bad crowned Mr Farquharaon a work. It was highly gratifying that each of the three men selected from New Zealand had been a student of science. The great importance of a training in scientific method was better appreciated in Germany and the United States than in the British Empire. These two countries catered for the advanced study of science by the estab. liflbmont of largo institutions —schools ranking with the universities—to which the men proceeded to pursue post-graduate research. In America and Germany the business men itod commercial men exhibited a greater appreciation of science and scientific training in men in their employ than was shown by business men in the British Empire as i whole. The former seemed to prefer to have college-bred men in their warehouses md factories. They encouraged investigation in matters belonging to the realm of pur© science. because they recognised that pure science must precede applied science. Itt th© Old Country now there were younger universities springing up—as, for instance, in Birmingham—where was provided an adequate course of instruction in science i in science useful in the industries pursued in the cities. In London there was about to be erected a large teclmical institution, which would rank with the Institute of Berlin, for three purposes. The moneyed men of America gave largely in their lifetime to institutions of this kind for the encouragement of learning. They must look to it in New Zealand and make suitable prevision for the study of advanced science, especially research work, either by private benefaction or from the public puree.. There was only one laboratory in the University of Otago that could be said to be equipped up to modern requirements. That was the one connected with the department of physiology, for the possession of which they were indebted to Mr Wolf Harris, formerly a citizen of Dunedin. The speaker concluded by wishing the Rhodes scholar every success. This be said as representing the staff of the University.—(Applause.) His Excellency said that although he had taken his degree at Trinity, Dublin, he did not feel himself qualified to discuss the great attainments of the new Rhodes scholar, or the big advantages he would enjoy at Home. He had been informed that the young man’s attainments were more of a dogged than of an extraordinarily brilliant nature. He hoped that that was so, because it was doggedness that won. His attainments struck the speaker as being extraordinary in this way: that it appeared that he 'might take up any line and do well in it, although natural science seemed to be his special doc. The Hon. T. Y. Duncan expressed his pleasure that Mr Farquharson was one of those who, unaided by wealth or circumstance, had attained great success, 'lest New Zealanders had done well at Home, and ho believed that the Rhodes rel.rar would be no exception to the rule. He trusted, that Mr Farquharson would return with high honors, and conjured him net to forgot the importance of keeping himself physically fit. The presentation having been made, Mr Farquharson thanked all *rom the bottom of his heart for the kind things said about bim and done for him. If he needed any incentive to put his best foot forward at Home that incentive was furnished by the extremely generous appreciation shown of his work. He was proud of having won this scholarship the Rhodes scholarship, and also the Exhibition science scholarship, the two highest honors the University had to confer. There was one aspect of the scholarship he Would dwell on. Most people were aware of the qualifications necessary to gain it, but some were not aware of the ideas which led the late Mr Rhodes to invite the Students to Oxford, and they were—to broaden their views;. (2) to give them an insight into Oxford social fife; (3) to instil into them the advantage that will accrue to them and to the colonies they represent in the unity of the Empire. He would also like to impress on the public from the point of view of the student the advantages to be gained in residential colleges. They were—(l) the social education accruing to those affiliated; (2) the advance in education. For, naturally,' students going from various colonies and parts of the colony would have different views on many subjects. When they met they would talk over the; subjects each from his own point of view, and the sum of knowledge of each would be greatly increased. He had to acknowledge all that he owed to his teachers and parents. Prom the time that he had been at the public school he bad always received tho beet example from* his teachers, and he took this opportunity of bearing testimony to the splendid grounding given at the Boys’ High School The education there received was of immense value, no matter what lino the students pursued afterwards. But ho considered that his parents had had more to do with his education than his teachers. Especially his mother. Had it not been for her tact, perseverance, and Chnetian character. he would never have reached his present position.—(Applause.) No less a man than Napoleon had said that all great men have great mother©. It might never bo his fortune to become a great man, but ho had i great mother.—(Applause.) He would endeavor to act in such a way as to be worthy of her, and then he could not fail to 1)6 worthy of the people of Dunedin. He thanked the Committee, who, knowing so little of him personally, had forwarded his interests to such an extent. He would like •specially to mention Dir Cohen. Everyone knew tne interest he took in matters educational, and he thought that in the near future they would have further proofs. Ho publicly thanked Mr Cohen, and hoped in the future to prove himself worthy of tho interest bo had taken in him. He would also mention Mr Dawe. He took it as a great compliment that, knowing him as Mr Dawe did, he should have come forward to assist him (the speaker). There remained one point. He had already said that the public of Dunedin, Otago, and the South Island had been, especially generous. A sum had been raised which the Committee had no reason whatever to expect. He did not think that he would bo doing his duty‘if he availed himself of the wholar of that sum, which represented more than would cover his total expenses at Oxford. He would suggest that he be given th© £SO cheque, £IOO, and his saloon passage, and that the remainder be set aside as a reserve fund for future Rhodes scholars-from Otago

who might be in a similar financial position' to his own. He thought that it) doing So he was looking at tho matter from tho point of view of subscribers. It was possible that this scholarship might,become an annual or biennial thing for OtAgo, and people interested in education might be asked to Contribute annually to such a cause as the present. With the largo number of subscription lists already open to the public, therefore, the strain might easily become tort great, and a sum sufficient to properly Oqmp Rhodes scholars at Oxford might not be forthcoming. Further, if the national memorial to be erected in honor of Mr Seddon should take the form of a Seddon Scholarship, the unique position which the Rhodes scholarship at present holds might easily pass away. The novelty of it would disappear, and a greater difficulty might be experienced in raising a sufficient sum. For those reasons, therefore, ho made the a cation, and hoped it would meet with ic approval. And interest in it might ■decline. With this suggestion, he again thanked those who had been so generous towards him.—(Applause.) _ Mr J. F. Arnold, M.H.R., as representing th© district of Mornington, in which Dir Farnuharron lived, moved a hearty vote of thanks to the mayor, His Excellency th© Governor, the various speakers, and the Committee who had worked so successfully. Ho thought that the. people of Mornington and the school there at which .Mr Farquharson had received his early education had a right above tho rest of the citizens to feel pride in this Rhodes scholar. The motion was carried by acclamation. FOOTBALLERS’ FAREWELL. When it was known that Mr R. A. Farquharson had made arrangements to leave Dunedin on Monday, the Otago Football Association, who had arranged a farewell ceremony for that date, hastened their preparations to meet with his convenience. Last night the Executive Comnuttee met their representative sportsman, and presented him with a useful travelling kit and a neat gold ornament in the design of a pair of goal posts and ball In making the presentation, Mr S. Myers, president of the 0.F.A., said that so many nice things had already been stated about Mr Farquharson’s scholarship that it was almost superfluous to add anything on that score. Ho had gained the highest scholastic honor that it was in the power of New Zealand to bestow. We of Otago fully appreciated the honor given to the province in the honor paid to one of her sons. He had brought distinction to the schools in which he had been trained, and distinction to the Association game. For they were assembled to testify to the fact that while gaining achievements in the scholastic world he had been a worthy supporter of their game. Ho was captain of the Wakari Club, whose appreciation of his services had already been, warmly expressed; he had represented on different occasions his province and his colony; and at the present tune he was one‘of the best backs in Dunedin. At Homo he would find Association to be Tuii game. Though no doubt his time would bo precious, they hoped sufficient might be spared to enable him to keep in touch with football as played m England and with its supporters in Otago. Any information he might see fit to furnish would be received with thanks, and would rece.ve serious consideration on account of the source whence it came. He assured him of tne good-will of all, and a thorough appreciation of his services both as a scholar and as a man.

; Dr Nisbet, vice-president of the 0.F.A., said that he had managed to put off an engagement in order to attend what he expected to be an ordinary business meeting of the Executive, and he bad been anticipating the somewhat rare experience of attending a nieeting without being called upon to speak. He was not going to allude further to Mr Farquharson’s academic distinctions, to which the honor ho had gained, the congratulations which had been showered upon him, and the journey he was about to make all abundantly testified. He hoped that Mr Farquharson might have the pleasant experience of witnessing the ancient game of football as played in some of tho border towns of Scotland, where, a few years ago at least, it still flourished, unhampered by modern rules, as it had four or five hundred years ago. He mentioned an historical instance of a band of Soots who, strung up by the excitement of a vigorous game of football, had made an entirely successful raid on England, Mr Farquharson would be keenly interested in the strenuous international struggles, though the speaker deprecated the general employment of professionals, who, he said, were the modem prototype of the gladiators of old. The numerical strength of the players as compared with the spectators in the colonies was a matter for congratulation which could not be felt concerning the growing tendency in the opposite direction at Home. Messrs Emslie, Braithwaite, and Clark also spoke in congratulatory terms, the latter voicing the appreciation of all active players with regard to Mr Farquharson’s record as a “ clean ” sportsman. In reply, Mr Farquharson, who was warmly applauded, said that the paucity of the English language did not permit to' fittingly clothe in words the keen feelings aroused by all the eulogies of himself that he had listened to. As a plaver he could say that the efforts of the 0.F.A., frequently under tremendous . difficulties,' had always been thoroughly appreciated by all. They had seen him on that most severe of all testing grounds—a football field. ' He had always played the game for its own sake, as a means of relaxation and interest. He realised his responsibilities to the Association l|le was leaving behind, and as colonial agent for the O.F.A. he would have pleasure in attending to all their wishes, and -in endeavoring to uphold the standard of play as in New Zealand. His vocabulary of thanks was exhausted, and he resumed his seat amid cheers.