UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Mataura Ensign, 27 January 1912, Page 7

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

AN IMPORTANT S!TT!WG. LAW PRACTITIONERS. PEB UNITED PUICSS ASSOCTATTON. WELLINGTON, Jan. 2Q. At the sitting of the University Senate to-day Mr L. Cohen moved that the legislature be requested to amend "The Law Practitioners Act, 1905," so as to deprive solicitors who have been practising as such for five years or solicitors who have been managing clerks for five years of the privilege they now have of being enrolled as barristers without further examination. Mr Cohen said that the section of the Act referred to dated back to IS9S, and the retson for its insertion was that it was to give status to two persons—it might- have been more than two. It was a sample of that "sugarcoated abhorrence" which they knew as "special legislation." It was giving the unearned increment out of the pockets of the qualified person. It was political patronage. But the section of the Act had served its purpose and should now be eliminated". Hon. J. A. Tolo seconded the motion. The legislation, he said, gave a status for which those who benefited under it were often not qualified. It was a scandal that by the mere effluxion of time men otherwise, unqualified should be admitted to the highest courts of the land. The dignity and status of the LL.B. were lowered by it. The motion was carried on the voices.

Later in the sitting-Mr Cohen moved that it be a, recommendation to the judges that solicitors applying for admission should he required to furnish satisfactory evidence that they have had experience in office work. He said that solicitors were admitted who often had never read text hooks or statute hooks, or knew anything about a law "use. It was the boast of coaches in instances he had noticed that the- had got young solicitors through their examinations solely by the perusal by the candidates of their own notes. Advertisements were exposed in the Dominion to the effect that law students could he coached for their examination': without any necessary connection with practical law office work.

Hon. J. A. Tole, K.C., seconded the motion. He had assisted Sir GeorgeGrey towards the obtaiuing of the concession now complained of; but he had come to see that it might he altogether undesirable. A number of men might be cut out; but better this than that they should start on a career without practical knowledge. Such men often spent more years in making up experience than if they had been articled. Rev. A. Cameron said that th e Senate was asked to vote upon a question of which many of them knew nothing, rt was not, in any case, a matter for the Senate to deal with.

Mr G. Hogben agreed with this view 'the motion was carried.

Education of Girls.

The Rev. A. Cameron moved that a committee be appointed to consider (a) the question of allocating some of the junior university scholarships for competition by girls only, (h) the subjects of examination for such scholarships. Mr Cameron referred to the heavy task that the open competition imposed upon girls, and to the fact that some of the subjects were not necessary for the girls. He moved also that a committee he set up to consider the matter and the subjects that would be suitable. Mr G. Hogben supported the motion on the ground that the evil it tended to overcome was a real one. He thought that the best remedy would he to sweep away the present competitive system of scholarships and confer them on all who were qualified, for them.

The Chancellor remarket! upon the pi-oneness at all Senate meetings to make important alterations and new departures. He saw no reason for differentiation between boys and girls at the Universities. If it were desired! that girls should not learn Latin or mathematics why send them to the University? Send them rather to the technical schools. He recalled that the head of the Victoria College this year was a girl and remarked also tho prominence of the girls in the scholarship examinations. It was almost impossible to have different subjects for either sex at the colleges. The motion was lost.

Degrees in Divinity. Sir Maurice O'Rorke moved at the University Senate that the Senate regrets that the Government did not coinply with its request last session for an amendment of the law to enable the Senate to grant degrees in divinity, hut hopes that the Government will this year comply with the request by submitting a measure to Parliament.

Mr James Allen seconded the motion

Professor Salmond thought the matter should be kept before the public, though he did not think the Senate would be successful. There was no need for the bogey of sectarianism to militate against the proposal. The Chancellor declared against the motion, which, he said, was contrary to the non-sectarianism of the education system of the Dominion. It was only where there existed a State Church that degrees in divinity were granted by State universities.

After further debate the motion was carried by 14 votes to 10.