NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CV, Issue 12540, 29 June 1901, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

DIPLOMA DAY AT CANTERBURY .COLLEGE.

The ceremony of conferring' degrees and diplomas at Canterbury College took place in the College Hall yesterday afternoon, when there was a large attendance of the public. Sir James Hector, Chancellor of the University, presided, and there were also present on the platform Bishop Julius, ' the Rev Canon Harper, Rev Dr Motley and Mr T. S. Foster (members of tiro Canterbury College Board of Governors), Mr A. E. G. Rhodes (Mayor of Christchurch), Mr J. W. Joynt (Registrar of the University), the Rev Canon Knowles, Mr Bcvan-Brown (Principal of the Boys’ High School), Hon C. C. Bowen, Captain Hutton, Mr W. W. Collins, M.xi.R.. Professors Ha-slam (Chairman of the Professorial Board), Bickerton, Wall, oook and Demly, Dr W. P. Evans, Messrs C. -0. Farr, J. Hight and A. C. Wilson (Registrar of Canterbury College). Apologies for absence Were received l from the Hon W. Rolleston, Mr T. S. Weston and Mr C. BoUrne. The Chancellor said 1 it was again bis 'pleasure to present the degrees gained during the past year. He was happy to report that tito University was making splendid progress in every department. During late years) the faculties of the University had been largely added to, and all branches were being largely availed of by tihe'population of New Zealand. The University was ■ approaching a stage when its constitution required extension. In 1878 a Royal Commission had been appointed, and the evidence taken showed that until the University possessed four Colleges, one for each large centre, no real progress could be made. At that time it had consisted of only two Colleges —Otago and Canterbury —mad these were the first two to attempt successful administration of higher education in the colony. Sin re then Auckland College and Victoria College (at Wellington) had been founded 1 . Xne Victoria College was steadily, advancing; but required larger teaching power, and what, to his mind, was most important, the teaching of natural science, which, as yet, was only represented by a lectureship an geology. Biology, botany and applied chemistry were absolutely essential to a thorough University course. And these were still wanting; but he hoped tha'csoanebbniig would be dene in the immediate future to remedy this defect, and that steps would be taken to render the University a powerful body, capable of interchanging teachers and ■ conduct mg ills own examinations. The University Senate _ had dons wisely in -sending the examination papers Home, and that step had earned' for New Zealand a high name in educational matters Degrees taken in New ■Zealand were thus as high as those taken in England, and this had been set forth in Royal Chiarter. Progress in N'Cav Zealand had. shown, that University graduates, as a whole, had fully carried out the great trust reposed in them in the Royal Charter by her late Majesty the Qu'een, The roll was rapidly swelling. He would nob go into details, but there were 756 graduates who had passed aud taken Their degrees. ihat, m a new country, was worthy of the highest commendation. During the last session 86 had been added, a considerable portion from Canterbury. He wiould call- uipon the Chairman of the Professorial Board to address them.- • j..Y Professor Haslam, who was greeted with enthusiastic cheering, said the Board bad endeavoured, during the past year, to extend its sphere of usefulness as far as pos-,. sible. The University extension lecture system had been promulgated, but though he, believed there were many people consumed "with a desire for knowledge (laughter)—they had, as yet, not arranged a single lecture. Lecturers bad been invited, to send in their names and a syllabus , of subjects: the Board of Governors had generously assisted; and a list of sixteen lecturers' was drawn up.. The- lecture* were to be self-supporting. Circulars were drawn up, and the lectures. advertised, and the lecturers had then waited lor diistricta to apply for extension lectures—-but they were waiting still. (Laughter.) One district had made the excuse that it was too late in the year, another that the Res were too high, and in o^st^ ,rch - ™ excuse at all was made. _ Doubtless the fact of the lectures involving study ana hard work, had had something -to dp With , the lack of interest. He did not feel disheartened, as he had never expected anything else. (Cheering.) There hemg no response to the lecture idea, showed that the Canterbury College course was ®o exhaustive and so attractive that a-.l de-sir-inc education came there. (Laughter and cheers). The Professorial Board had been accused’ of being a failure. Some little time ago the Board of Governors had to select a professor of modern languages, and had chosen a Home man. It had been said that the Board should have been able to get- on© here, and if not, then failure might be written against the professors. That was nob fair. The question- turned on the words “good enough. The best, man that could be obtained was the only man that was good enough. Whether he was a “ C.M.G.,” which’ meant colonialmade graduate, or a graduate of any other University did not matter'. It would- not he fair to colonial undergraduates to put them- off with one man, when a better could be obtained. The Cambridge University did not give its degrees in medicine on its own resources, and a student required to study in hospitals before being let loose on society. (Laughter.) It would seem, therefore,- according to the reasoning mentioned, that Cambridge was not good enough, because it did not produce the graduates on its own resources. The Otago-University conferred- degrees in medicine, but though the colonially-made doctor might bo a very estimable person, preference, in case of illness, would generally bo given to. the Home-graduated doctor. In - conclusion, the speaker referred feelingly to the work of the late Professor Clarke. The late Professor had been held in the highest esteem for ins good work. He had borne bravely, great, continuous and hopeless suffering, and lie (the speaker), would like to see a memorial to him placed within the College. Others had died in harness, and one had) a memorial in the Museum and another in the College entrance hall. No more appropriate room for a memorial to Professor Clarke could be found than the College Hall. , The Registrar of tire University said the first degree to bo conferred was of special interest, as it -was the highest degree in science, and would be conferred on. a man who had already shed lustre on Canterbury College affld the University. He referred to Professor Ernest Rutherford, M.A., who ■would receive the degree of Doctor of Science. The degree was not awarded by examination, as the others, but in acknowledgment of original composition. Professor Rutherford's papers on “Electricity and Magnetism ” had attracted attention- in many parts of the world, and 1 it was recognised in the scientific world that he was one of the leading physicist*; of the day. Professor Rutherford was not present, bub the degree would be formally conf erred. The degrees were then conferred, and the diplomas presented by the Chancellor, each graduate being greeted with cheers and applause. The following is (the list of the graduates: Doctor of Science—Ernest Rutherford, M.A. (Canterbury College). Master of Arts —Michael Comae Keane (Canterbury College), first-class honours in mathematics and mathematical physics; Edmund Brydges Rudhall Prideaux (Canterbury College), first-class honours in chemistry ; Elizabeth Amy Newman (Canterbury College), and Janet Reid Currie (Canterbury College), second-class honours in -languages and literature, Latin and English; Cora Violet Longton (nee Hickson) Canterbury College, second-class honoursin natural science, botany (received diploma at Wellington) ; Ethel May Jacobson (Canterbury College), second-class honours in languages and literature, end French (re-,

coived diploma at Wellington); Arthur Hugh Norris (Canterbury College). Bachelor of Arts.—Arthur Sims (Canterbury College), Reginald Cyril Evsritt Atkinson (Canterbury College), Walter Lawrence Scott, senior scholar (Canterbury College), Ruth Constance Gibson (Canterbury College), Annie ChristinaFinlaysou (Canterbury Collega), Mabel Connon (Canterbury College), Mabel Florence Bowman (Canter- - bury College), Eustace King (Canterbury College), Nina Agatha Rosamond Greensill (Canterbury College), Rose Emma Avery (Canterbury College), Alithea Mary Batiiam (Canterbury College), Georgina Agnes Cowles (Canterbury College), Frank David Thomson (Victoria' College), Struan Sholto Douglas Robertson, senior scholar (Canterbury College).

Bachelor of Science—John Sitson St George Cooper, M.A. (Canterbury College), to receive diploma «t ’Auckland; Edward James Parr, M.A. (Canterbury College). Bachelor of Laws.—John Glasgow (Canterbury College). After the ceremony was concluded Bishop Julius, who was greeted with enthusiasm, addressed! the assembly. He said it was refreshing to come out of the noise and excitement of the past week to the quiet College. (Laughter and cheers). New Zealand bad seen, within the last two years, a great wave of Imperialism reach* these shores. Its advent had not been unexpected, as its coming had been watched since the Fraueo-Pmssran war. It had been manifested an the uncomplaining way in which Volunteers in Christchurch had been living on indifferent food) for tho past week or two, and cadets had lived in indifferent quarters, actuated by the same spirit. In that Imperial passion there was a great deal of good, but there was also evil. It was not only to England, that this applied. America had managed to swallow enough of her Munroe doctrine to make her feel uncomfortable. A few years ago the Britislb nation stood alone in commerce, bub now German and American competition was keen, and was even outstripping Britain in some directions. Behind the strengths of those countries was education, and without education a country was nowhere. The soldiers of those countries were educated, intelligent men. Britain, df not behind, was threatened, but it was mob for want of energy, but for want of education. Britain required to encourage the military spirit in so fair as defence was concerned, but the best defence was education. If the people were educated as they ought to be, Britain could hold her own with- any country in the world’. There were two ‘things necessary. Firstly, there was necessity for bringing education up to date; and,'secondly, there was necessity for its extension. - Education would- have to be brought up to date. Ho thought ib a good thing that the New Zealand Colleges were being specialised, as, for instance, medisince in Otago, aniD .engineering .in Canterbury. : It was better That one' thing should be done well than many half done. The Colleges might very well specialise, but the University had no right to specialise, and it required to give education in all branches. Ib would bo a great error if it dropped the classics altogether. The University had made it very hard indeed to obtain a degree in Greek, aud it was very hard that that should be so, but the University could, and should, encourage unci Canterbury College might, and did to Some extent, cany that branch- on. While the University should net be blind to the necessity of encouraging modern study, it could nob neglect that which had made good men in the past, and would,do so in the future. While it was easy to provide lecturers for University extension lectures, -it was not easy to provide the people to listen. Perhaps the time might come when the scheme might flourish, but it should not be forgotten that there was a danger of popularising them. He Would have the University within reach of all, but God forbid that it should! ever become a political institution. He hoped ’the New Zealand would never sever itself from the. interests, of the. people,' and would never degenerate into a creature of the State. In conclusion the speaker referred to tho work done by .the late Mr H. R. Webb, Chairman of the Board of Governors, and trusted that ai memorial tablet/ would be erected to his memory. j The Rev Dr Morley said it was out recently that Canterbury had celebrated its Jubilee, and its education for so young a colony was something to be proud of. Those men who had taken the responsibility of founding and governing the Colleges were deserving of the highest honour, and he believed he voiced feelings of a great many in saying that ft was men such as the Hon W. nolicisto-n amd the Hon 6. 0. Bowen who should! have been noncured in connection with the Royal visit. He hoped that in future there would be no “ cheeseparing ” as far as University education was concerned. He hoped Parliament would increase its education vote, and that private -individuals who had gathered wealth in this fair province would devote a share of it- to educational endowments. ' This concluded tho proceedings, and those on the platform retired. Tlie graduates then held d ceremony or their own, in which mock diplomas and orderl were conferred, and during the proceedings graduates and' undergraduates san* “The College Chorus” and Gaudeamus.” The National Anthem finally concluded the meeting.

In the’ evening there was a concert by the Students of the College. A number of topical College songs were sung at intervals during the performance by the students, and as they usually hit the desired point, were set to popular aim, and were sung with a moderate regard to tonic requirements, the very large audience was lavish in, its applause. Necessarily, the Absent-Minded Beggar supplied 1 one of the motifs, extolling the recrudescence of College football," and a fair sample of its calibre is the following verse:iHeie’s the man who .played at tennis; here’s the man who flirted, too, ■But he has loft tho girls, tho tea and all, And is now seen .playing Rugby ©very Saiurday afternoon, 1 And fighting like a nigger ipr the -ball. ■- ( There’s the man who’s got an M/AG there s a 8.A., iB.Sc,, And the man whoa got no letters on -behind him; He’s chucked the tennis over when he heard ihe captain’s call, And jn the (Park on Saturdays you 11 find him. M.A.,- -8. A., man -with a BjSo., First year’s undergraduates—we’ve called ’em all away; Each of ’em doing a Trojan’s work, but what shall wo do with tho girls? Why, let ’em -bring refreshments when we play, play, play! “ Tho Wear In’ o’ the Green,” “ The British Grenadiers,” and) “The Deathless Army ” et haec omnia also suffered at tho (hands of the academic parodists. “A Mc-dicevai Legend,” a Gilbertian fantasy, was most creditably performed by Messrs Currie, Edwards, Cook and Prideaux. Miss Newman -and Messrs Sandsbein, Irwin, Rice, Thomas, East and Merton contributed items, and a very pleasing evening’s entertainment concluded with ,-a farce by some of the men, students, which was remarkable for the lack of that amateurism that is usually associated' with affairs of a similar nature. Mr Poster and Mr Holderness were especially good. After the performance a very successful dance was held.