MASSEY COLLEGE

Manawatu Standard, Volume LIII, Issue 167, 14 June 1933, Page 6

MASSEY COLLEGE

GRADUATION CEREMONY. FUNCTION HELD TO-DAY. Degrees and diplomas won by students were presented by Sir George Fowids, chairman of the Massey Agricultural College Council, at the graduation ceremony at the college, to-day. The ceremony was the occasion of much hilarity and not a few. practical jokes, but retained, with speeches, the air of culmination of study and effort on the part of those successful students who were called to,the platform. Those present included Sir George Fowids, Sir William Perry, Mr J. A. Nash, M.P., Professor G. S. Peren (principal) and members of the tutorial staff. Apologies were received from the Chancellor and the ViceChancellor of the University of New Zealand and from members of the council unable to be piesent. The first essential for a fine universitv or collcg© was not fine buildings, and its final success did not depend upon,the staff, said Sir George howlds. From the foundation of the college, though the first students had not the fine buildings now in use they had had a highly qualified staff. But the success of the college depended upon the students. He kneiv that .those who ivere passing through the college would equip themselves tor the greatest service in the districts to which they might go. The future of the. college ‘lay' in the hands of the students themselves. Their performances would be the means for inducing others that, were to come. . The enrolments this year were substantially in excess of those of last year Sir George added. Ihe total ot the ’increase in students was not so great, but the type of study they were undertaking showed an advance. Ono of tho important works of the college was the science of manufacturing, and in that respect there were 72 students this year as against 61 last year. Sir George said that naturally ho wns very interested in the college mid had laboured for 25 years to see the establishment of an agricultural co - lege upon a university' basis. Although the service of the college to the community had been necessarily restricted just at present, the service given was greater than in the past and would bo greater still in the future. He wanted to see the Agricultural College as a centre of life and interest to the farming community. There was room at the top, and the best in farm products was demanded for export. There was a spreading realisation that investigation and research work was -of great importance and the problem now being gradually solved was how to disseminate that, knowledge gained through research. The chairman then proceeded to confer the degrees and present the dip'.omas, which were as follow: Master of Agricultural Science.— William Christison Neil (second class in dairy science, 1931 examination); John Dunstan Atkinson (first class in economic mycology) in absentia; Frank Sydenham (field husbandry) in absentia. Bachelor of Science.— Owen Mortimer Shroff. . Bachelor of Agricultural Science. — Geoffrov Gordon Taylor. Bachelor of Dental Surgery.—Owen Jeffrey Yule (University of Otago) in absentia. Lord Bledisloe Prize.—W. M. Hamilton (leading student in the first year professional examination for the degree of B. Agr. Sc.). , ... National Dairy Association s Medals (leading student in each year of the dairy manufactures course). — Ist year, G." W. H. Jones; 2nd. year, E. Booth; 3rd. year, A. E. Sawyer. New Zealand Factory Managers’ Association’s Medal (leading student in cheesemaking, dairy manufactures course). —E. J. Metcalfe. The Runnerstrum Medal (leading student in butter making, dairy manufactures course). —W. L. Harkness. Sir Jas. Wilson Medal (leading student in tlie sheep farming course). — Miss E. Richards. The Trading Company’s Medals (leading students in the dairy farming course). —P. E. C. Gillett and T» F. Southon, in absentia. Diploma in Dairy Manufactures.— Buttermaking Option: E. Agate, R. Gilbert, W. L. Harkness, D. S. Harris and H. J. Meliarry; in absentia, J. S. Douglas, M. A. Kingdom, C. A. Martin, T. P. C. Robinson. Cheesemaking Option: J. O. Larsen, E. J. Metcalfe, E. A. Piper and A. E. Sawyer; in absentia, R. E. O. Mason and R. Young. ■ Certificate in Dairy Farming.—C. J. Craig, I. H. Gillies and T. R. Ngata; in absentia, C. M. Coventry, P. E. C. Gillett and T. F. Southon. Certificate in Sheep Farming.—Miss E. Richards and A. K. Sgelman; in absentia, L. E. Atkinson, H. G. Chenr.ells, O. A. Elphick, E. D. Holt, E. Oliver and G. S. Richardson. Certificate in Poultry Farming.— Miss E! Christian. Mr J. A. Nash, 51. P., said that- it was ill 1870 that the control of the higher education was vested in the University of New Zealand. It then went on until a Royal Charter had allowed degrees to be conferred. There could be no question that in a very short space of time the progress pf ilassey College had been phenomenal. They had been successful in having such a capable staff. They all realised that the college was now supplying a long felt want as far as the sheep farmers and dairy farmers were concerned. Essentially an agricultural and pastoral country, New Zealand’s very existence depended on products of the soil, and we should export only the finest. “At tho present time, and for the last two years, Massey College has been suffering from economy cuts,” said slr Nash. “I feel that that is wrong. There was never a time m the history of New Zealand -when more money shod Id be devoted to research work. That research must bo carried out, even the more so because of the low prices for primary products. It is quite clear from what has been done by hard work that much more can be accomplished.” Surely the depression would pass away very soon and surely the Economic Conference would be able to turn the tide and bring us along the road to prosperity, said Mr Nash. “slay success attend you in the future wherever you may be,” he concluded, “and may your work at this college be for the betterment of those about you.”