OUR 'VARSITY AND THE SYNOD.

New Zealand Herald, 12 March 1901, Page 3

OUR 'VARSITY AND THE SYNOD.

to the EDITOR. Sir,—Your correspondent, who. with much inconsistency, signs himself "Ignoramus," discourses on the absurd attempt of the Senate to debar holders of junior scholarships from taking up other work.: He says: It was a strange, autocratic idea to forbid holders of junior university scholarships . to take up other work!", Truly so. And how far, indeed, is the notion from the custom of, say, the Scotch universities, for instance, where it has ever been a pride and boast that their students, even if poor, could pursue their university course with some success while " making both ends meet" by private work. One would, not unreasonably, think that such work could be most easily obtained, and be best done, with the universities situated within large cities, as in Scotland. And yet the universities of Scotland have had, through their,-alumni, some little say in the subjugation of this world, and in the organisation of what we call our Anglo-Saxon civilisation. • Contrast "Ignoramus'" broad and secular view of the subject with the view taken ;lately by the Synod in respect to St. John's College. The Synod is determined that no easy.road to "private work" shall be open to the students of St. John's. It is true a commission was appointed to visit tlie place, and advise the Synod what was best to be done. The commission recommended in most unequivocal terms that the college should be brought into town. "When, however, the Synod again met and proceeded to consider its commissioners' report, it arrived at a most curious conclusion. ■-:,

I subjoin the clause of the report on which the directions of the Synod to the governors is based:—"The committee regards it as essential that students at St. John's College, especially candidates for Holy Orders, should "have the advantage of university training, and therefore agrees with the finding of the commissioners that the college should be within easy reach of the university. . . . The committee therefore is of opinion that for the,- present St. -John's College should remain at Tamaki." As Tamaki is a good hour's ride from the University College, the conclusion to the ordinary lay mind would seem to be a nonsequitar. " If only "Ignoramus" would render to the Church some little service by urging it to do for its students what he rightly rejoices has been preserved to the scholars of the university, he would indeed earn the gratitude of those students.—l am, etc., St. John.