DIPLOMA DAY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CXXI, Issue 15335, 18 June 1910, Page 10

DIPLOMA DAY.

CONFERRING OF DEGREES

CEREMONY AT CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Tho annual Diploma Day ceremony in connection with Canterbury College took place in the College Hall yesterday afternoon. A great deal of interest was taken in the proceedings, and the hall was crowded with a large gathering ol graduates and undergraduates and their friends. Following the time-hon-oured traditions, tho undergraduates took their seats in the hall sonio time before the formal proceeding's conimenccdj and, following customs equally venerable with ago, fcliey sang songs,and indulged in a good deal of mild frivolity. Tho Vice-Chancellor of the University of New Zealand, the Hon C. C. 80-wen, presided, and others present- on the platform were Mr J. \V. Joynt (Registrar of tho University), tho members ci tho Professorial staff of the College, Mr J. C. Adams (chairman of the College Board of Governors), tho Hon H. F. Wigram, Mr C. Allison (Mayor of Christchurch) and Lieuten-ant-Colonel Hawkins (officer commanding tho Canterbury Defence Forces). Throughout the ceremony the undergraduates wero frequently demonstrative, though in a mild way, their wit generally finding expression in interrupting the speakers by calls of “ Time” and in counting them out. Toy trumpets and a bell were used with a similar effect. The programme was opened with the' singing of the College song, and several other songs written for the occasion wore sung to popular melodies. The Hon C. C. Bowen said that he thought they might very well congratulate themselves on the success of the year that was passed. All would deeply regret tho loss of Professor Cook, a mail who had always received the respect o 1 the Senate-of the University, and one whom it would be hard to replace. His loss would be felt particularly keenly by all who had been under his tutelage. From ail accounts that lie hoard of the College, he was confident that regular steady progress had boon made. Where there wero isolated Colleges affiliated to one University, it was very difficult to maintain a recognition of its individuality, but he had found that the University spirit was becoming stronger and stronger. There was no- doubt that eventually there would be more than one University in New Zealand, and that the Colleges at present constituting the University of New Zealand would each receive the higher status. Apart from other considerations, lie thought it would be inadvisable to establish additional Universities for some considerable time to come, as any attempt to do so i would have a depreciatory effect upon the prestige of the degrees conferred, and probably two or three generations would pass before New Zealand bad more than one University. The present system was a good one, as a degree conferred by the New Zealand University carried much greater weight throughout every part of the world than one conferred by any of a number of New Zealand Universities would do. Mr Bowen concluded by congratulating the students who had graduated that day, and expressed a hope that their degrees would bring them prosperity and increase their -attachment to the College at which they wore educated. (Applause.) Mr J. W. Joynt read apologies for absence from the Hon D. Buddo, Bishop Grimes, Mr W. Noswortliy, M.P., Mr A. E. Flower (president of 1 the Students’ Association), the Rev W. J. L. Closs and the Rev It. S. Gray. .He then announced the University honours attained by students of the Co'llego during the year. A number of the. degrees, lie said, bad been conferred during the earlier part of the year and in other centres. There was one Bachelor of Commerce, a degree which had been only recently established, and Mr G. J. Park was the second student to receive the diploma. Of the niiio Masters of Arts one had secured double first-class honours, an achievement that had almost exclusively befen appropriated by Canterbury College, for there was only one other examplo of double first-class honours, gained by an Auckland student. The winner this years was Mr C. M. Stubbs. (Applause and cbeers.) Up till the present time Dr J. Higbt had been the only person to hold the degree of Doctor of Literature conferred by the University of New- Zealand, but that day the degree would bo conferred upon Mr J. W. M’Uwraitli. Canterbury College had gained three of the fourteen senior scholarships awarded that year. A further honour gained by Mr Stubbs had been the extremely valuable scholarship known as the “ 1851 Exhibition Science Research Scholarship,” which had been awarded to him out of a number of candidates to whom the examiners considered lie was unquestionably superior. (Applause.) The degrees were then conferred by tlie vice-chancellor, each graduate being warmly applauded.

Professor J. P. Gabbatt, chairman of tho Professorial Board, said that tho Hen C. C. Bowen had fittingly expressed tlie feelings of the Professorial Board at the death of Professor Cook. His death was a personal loss to the members of the Board and to all who had had the privilege of working with him as colleagues or students or both. It- had not been easy for him to take up the work relinquished by Professor Cook, for the memory of his strenuous labours was fresh in everyone’s mind, and great tilings were, expected of bis successor. The result of Professor Cook’s work had been carried into the schools by his pupils, and this to sonic extent had lightened the difficulty he had felt in assuming the position.- He hoped that some memorial to tlie professor’s memory would bo placed in the College hall, though if this were not done it would but show that his work in Canterbury and in New Zealand required no material memorial. Professor Gabbatt referred to tho value of the new chemical laboratory in research work, and went on to say that there was a popular idea that tho endowments of Canterbury College wore enoush for all time. Ho would be the last to belittle the efforts of the founders of Canterbury in the interests of tho province in general and of education in particular, but every forward step meant not only capital expense but also an increase in the annual expenditure. Tlie Board of Governors might easily spend twenty thousand pounds. There was room for further expenditure' in connection with the chemical laboratory; but there was all oven more urgent need for a College library. (Hear, bear.) A library was necessary foV students reading for their degrees; it was a necessary complement of the laboratory, blit for art. students it was the only laboratory. It would benefit every member of tho College, and bo thought that the first, thing that they should endeavour to secure was a properly-equipped and endowed librarv. Another thing which Canterbury College lacked in common with many other colleges was accommodation for tlio social life of the students, a building that would bo the headquarters of the Students' Association. (Applause.) It i would contain a debating linlk dub rooms, reading rooms and possiblv a refectory. Other very necessary adjuncts to tho College were residential balls for both men and women students,, the advantages and disadvantages of which wore so obvious, that there was no tided to enumerate them. Talk of reforms was in the air, and it was said that tho constitution of the University was to be thrown into tho melting iiot. Whether there would emerge’ four Universities remained to be seen, but it was for all associated, with Canterbury College to place it ill the strongest position that, they possibly could. (Applause). ! The chairman of the College Board of Governors, Mr J. C. Adams, who was i greeted with a elioriisscd inquiry; | “ Have you got your old brown socks on.” said that lie knew that tlie students bad a great objection to long | speeches, and lie would not trespass

very long on their time. (Applause.) it was with very great regret that lie hud to allude to the loss sustained by the College by the death of its former professor ol mathematics. To many, the death of Professor Cook took from them a personal friend, and from all of them it took a man who had devoted tho principal part of his life to raising the College to the high position ill which it stood. A memorial might be erected to carry bis memory on, but there would bo no need for any such reminder to any student who bad worked under him. (Applause). His influence was not merely in the lecture room, and many had to thank him for the thoroughness and force of character which had enabled them to fight tho battle of life. Mr Adams congratulated those w'lio had received their degrees that day in reward for years of hard work, and also those students who had gained other successes, especially the winner of the 1851 exhibition. (Applause and cheers). Ho went on to speak of tho need for support from the graduates, and after interruptions and calls of “Time,” said that iie hoped the graduates would continue their attachment to the College and their efforts to uphold the prestige and honour of their Alina Mater. (Applause). The people of Now Zealand were too much inclined to appeal to tho Government for assistance. Tho existence of a library and of residential hostels would do much to invigorate the social and academical life of the College, and he suggested that an appeal should bo made for assistance to those people of Canterbury upon whom fortune had smiled, so that tho buildings might bo erected by private bequests, ns had been done in tho case of the Universities of older lands.

The following is the list of degrees and honours gained by Canterbury students : Bachelors ol Arts—Cuthhart Frederick Arnold, Alice Muriel Flora. Candy, Henrietta Eva Dyer, Percy Clement Edmondson (conferred in April), Francis Vernon Frazer, Ella Garland, Elizabeth Gladys Griffith, Mary Isabella Hardey, Dornce Mary llolland, Edith Annie Jackson, Helen Patton Levei-sedgct, Gladys Eva Marriott, Ida Mann, Florence Arnold Williams. Bachelors of Science—Lancelot Shadwel! Jennings, Gwen Lilias Fanny Opio, M.A.„ Edwin John Wilson, M.A. (conferred at Auckland). Bachelor of Laws—Francis Vernon Frazer. Bachelor of Commerce—George John Park. Bachelors of Engineering (electrical) —William Do Renzy, Edward Nigel D’Oyley. Bachelors of Engineering (mechanical)— Robert Archibald Campbell (conferred in January), Edward St Clair Farm (conferred in April), Maurice William Mehafley (conferred in January).

Masters of Arts—Arthur Ilowton Ross Aniess, second-class honours in mental science; Christine Margaret Farrow, secondclass fionours in natural science (botany); Wilfrid William Gar ton, Michael Christian Gudex, second-class honours in languages and literature (French and German); Harold Percy Kidson, second-class honours in languages and literature (English and French); Donald Bannerman Mnclcod, first-class honours in oliemistry (physical); Aby Raymond Ryder, second-class honours in natural science (botany), nbsont; Clifford Morgan Stubb.3, first-class honours in mathematics and mathoraatical physica, also first-class honours in chemistry (physical); Amy Irene Wilson, th;rd-cle,ss honours in languages and literature (Latin and English). Masters of Science—Mary Kuahton Barkas (of Victoria College), second-class honours in chemistry (organic); Laura Christensen (to bo conferred at Wellington), first-class honours in physical seionco (electricity and magnetism); Gwen Lilian Fanny Opie, M.A.; Robert Speight, M.A. (conferred in January). Doctor of Literature—Jamc3 Wordsworth M'llraith.

Senior Scholars—Alice Muriel Flora. Candy, in economics; Edith Annio Jackson,~in heat; Helen Patton Leversedgo, in French. IPSI Exhibition‘‘Science Research Scholar— Clifford Morgan Stubbs. STUDENTS’ CONCERT AND CONVERSAZIONE. Tho College hall was again crowded in the evening, when the Diploma Day concert was given by the students of tho College. The programme was composed principally of a number of chorus songs desoriptivo of incidents and personages of College lifo, set to familiar airs. Those wero vigorously sung” by a large chorus of undergraduates. Mr F. Parsonson. sang two solos, for each of which ho was enthusiastiqally applauded, and a violin solo by Mr G. W. D. Mulgan was a most successful item. A quartette of male voices sang a farewell song, and the first part of the programme concluded with the singing of one of the most successful items of the afternoon’s programme, a song ontitlod, “Courting.’ A one-act farce entitled “ Atclii,” was very well presented, the various parts being takon by Misses R. Hood-Williams and M. Wauchop, and Messrs IV. S. Y, raudio p, R. Twyneliam, and C. S. ThomasDuring the evening the laboratories attached to tlie College were thrown open to visitors, who ’spent a good deal of timo inspecting the equipment. A series of leeturcttes was given, and the purpose and application of tho apparatus were explained by demonstrators.