NEW PRESIDENT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23011, 12 April 1938, Page 13

NEW PRESIDENT

XJNIYEEBITY COLLEGE MR. W. H. COCKER ELECTED INTEREST IN EDUCATION The position of president of Auckland University College, rendered vacant by tlio death of Mr. Ff. J. D. Mahon, lias been filled by -Air. W. H. Cocker, who was elected president at the meeting of the college council yesterday. Mr. Cocker has been a member of the council for many years as a graduates' representative and he is also a member of the New Zealand University Senate. Mr. Cocker is a member of the Auckland legal firm of Hesketh, Richmond, Adams and Cocker, and was educated at the Auckland Grammar School. Ho later studied at Canterbury College and for a further two years at Victoria

College. He was senior scholar in economies of the University of New Zealand in 1915. After he served with the New Zealand Expeditionary Force he was demobilised in England and studied for two years at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, taking the honours degree in economics and in law, and being elected scholar and prizewinner of the college. He was one of the representatives of the University of New Zealand at the British Empire Universities Congress at Oxford in 1921. For some years Mr. Cocker has been interested in adult ,education and for four years he was president of tho Workers' Educational Association, Auckland, and he was chairman of the tutorial classes committee. He was representative for the Dominion at the Institute of Pacific Relations Conference at Honolulu in 1927. Mr. Cocker was the only member nominated for the position of president of the University College. The vicepresident, 31 r. A. H. Johnstone, K.C., was not available for nomination.

The registrar was instructed to make tho necessary arrangements for the provision of another member on the council to fill the vacancy existing since the death of Mr. Mahon,

THE LATE MR. MAHON FINE RECORD OF SERVICE TRIBUTES BY THE COUNCIL Deep regret at the loss Auckland University College had suffered by tlie death of the president, Mr. H. J. D. Mahon, was expressed by the vicepresident, Mr. A. H. Johnstone, K.C., at a meeting of the council yesterday. Mr. Mahon had presided over the last meeting of the council with his customary tact, courtesy and dignity, said Mr. Johnstone. "Few men can equal the record of service which Mr. Mahon gave to the cause of education in this city and indeed in this country," he added. "He had an almost life-long association with this college, first as a student, then as a member of the council for 28 years' and as president since 1937." Tributes to the service Mr. Mahon had rendered the university were paid by Mr. T. U. Wells and Professor »H. Belshaw. The council decided to place on record its appreciation of tne splendid services rendered by Mr. Mahon _ to education in New Zealand, especially as a member of tho council and president of Auckland University College.