THE UNIVERSITY

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXV, Issue 23037, 14 May 1938, Page 17

THE UNIVERSITY

GRADUATION DAY TOWN HALL CEREMONY LORD GALWAY ATTENDS STUDENTS' RESPONSIBILITY Degrees and diplomas won at the last examinations were conferred at the annual graduation ceremony of the Auckland University College held in the Town Hall last night. The president of the college, Mr. W. H. Cocker, presided over a very large gathering. A special guest was the Governor-General, Viscount Galway. A cheerful atmosphere prevailed throughout the ceremony, which, was occasionally enlivened by the presentation to graduands of representative .vegetables in the hands of members of the Hongi Club. Before the ceremony there was a procession of the graduands into the hall, followed separately by a wide representation of the court of convocation, and by the official procession of members of the college council and staff. There were also many members of other organisations and of local bodies.

Tribute to Late President After "Gaudeamus" had been sung to organ accompaniment, the president warmly welcomed Lord Galway, the Mayor, Sir Ernest Davis, and other visitors, and congratulated the successful graduands. Mr. Cocker also expressed the regret of the gathering at the death of Mr. H. J. D. Mahon, who had presided at the last graduation ceremony, and of Sir Algernon Thomas, professor | emeritus. At the first public ceremony of the college since Mr. Mahon's death, said Mr. Cocker, they would do honour to his memory and pay tribute to his dignity, his courtesy, his wisdom and the sympathy with which he carried out the duties of his office. Of Sir Algernon, Mr. Cocker said not only the college, but alsp the many other educational institutions of the city which benefited by his wide culture, sound judgment and administrative ability would be the poorer by his passing. Degrees Conferred After his address, Mr. Cocker con-

ferred their degrees upon the 115 graduands, who were preseiited in groups by the deans of their respective faculties. The winners of diplomas also came forward to receive the president s congratulations. Special mention was made by the acting-chairman of the Professorial Board, Professor H. Belshaw, m congratulating the graduates, of Mr. G. L. Hogben, a graduate from the arts faculty, who was lately awarded a Rhodes Scholarship.

Professor Belshaw also associated the staff with the president's remarks about the deaths of Mr. Mahon and Sir Algernon Thomas, both of whom, he said, had given a lifetime of service to the college and to education in the Dominion. College's Urgent Weeds Mention was made by the speaker of the urgent needs of the college. He did not wish to say more than that a sense of mutual responsibility between the college and the community must be recognisad if the college was to give fuller and more effective service. At the present time the college felt frustrated by inadequate staff, equipment and finance. The responsibility of the graduate to the communitv was emphasised by Professor Belshaw. If the education which had been received at the college had not qualified the graduates for giving a fuller and wider service, and developed an attitude of mind winch ensured a willingness to serve, it had failed in one of its major purposes. It was not a cloistered task he would ask the universitv graduate to undertake. Thei constructive thinking which the assumption of intellectual leadership demanded was a continued adventure into new realms of thought, which inspired attack upon entrenched positions. These were not given up without resistance Importance of Freedom There was also, said Professor Belshaw. the help the college needed from its graduates. If the college was to succeed in equipping its students for leadership, it must be free to administer its own affairs and determine its own policy within the limits imposed by finance and bv its membership of tiie University of New Zealand. The members of its staff must have freedom to inquire and freedom to speak. All these were necessary if responsibility were to be fully exercised. Those who were engaged in the active work of the college, lie said, did not shrink before criticism and recognised it as a corollary of the freedom they demanded. They recognised that graduates were more qualified than most to exercise the function of criticism constructively and sympathetically, but they also' asked that with it would be associated a willingness to support resistance to such restraints as might threaten from time to time, and to assist positively in the attainment of the conditions necessary to the efficient performance of university functions. Mr. E. H. Halstead, president of the Students' Association, also congratulated the graduands upon their success. PROGRESS AT WELLINGTON RECORD NUMBER OF STUDENTS [BV TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Friday The rapid progress of Victoria University College, Wellington, which this year has a record number of students on its roll, was referred to by the chairman of the college council, Mr. P. Levi, who presided at the annual graduation ceremony in the Town Hall to-night. "We touched the 900 mark last year." Mr. Levi said, alluding to the number of students. "This year we have passed the 1000 mark—there are some 30 students over that < number attending the college. The college is progressing rapidly in performing its functions of giving to the youth of this city the higher education it is intended to give. "With this increasing number of students the pressure on the facilities hns made it necessary to increase the accommodation at the college. By a grant from the Government we arcnow proceeding with important additions. Hakas were performed by a party of students several times during the evening, but the ceremony was a very quiet one, compared with those of recent years. *