’VARSITY GRADUATES

New Zealand Times, Volume XLVII, Issue 10901, 16 May 1921, Page 6

’VARSITY GRADUATES

' ADDRESSES AT THE ANNUAL LUNCHEON. LOOKING~AHEAD. The annual luncheon of the Victoria University College Graduates’ Association was held in the Dominion Farmers’ Institute on Saturday. There were present:—Mr F. A. de la Mare, of the University Senate, Messrs P. Levi, M.A., E. K. Lomas, M.A., M.Sc., F.R.G.S., of the College Council, Professors P. W. Robertson, Rankins Brown, and T. A. Hunter, of the college staff; Messrs S. S- Eiohelbaum and A. Fair, of the Graduates’ Association, and over one hundred graduates and undergraduates, Mr Arthur Fair, president of the association, in extending on behalf of the graduates a hearty Welcome to the new recruits to their yanks, said that it gave him great pleasure to be able to perform that office at this time when a new degree record had been established, siixty-nine students having been capped. He felt sure that they had left the tradition of the college in worthy hands as excellent in quantity as in quality. He referred to the need of a hostel for students and assured his listeners that the association . was doing all in its power in this direction and that they had the-full sympathy of the Minister for Education, who had given them every assistance. Mr Phillip Broad, L.L.M., replied shortly on behalf of the graduates of the year. Mr P. Mar tin-Smith, president of the Students’ Association, proposed the toast of Victoria College. It was, he said, not to be regarded as a place of learning and an armoury of equipment for life, but a place where high ideals were formed and aspirations quickened to being. Mr P. Levi, chairman of the College Council, said he was pleased to hear that special efforts wero to be made to bring past and present students together. He spoke of the council’s efforts in this direction, and said that at present the college numbered 730 students:—a tremendous total. Mr F. A. de la Mare expressed his pleasure to be able to congratulate the new graduates. Professor T. A. Hunter, chairman of the Professorial Board, replying on behalf of the college, hoped- that the new graduates might form part of a substantial body of academic opinion which he hoped one day to see In this country. He was glad to take every opportunity of gatherings such as these, and on behalf of tne professors and lecturers he could say that they were all one with the students as members of a great college and n6t mere -body for the progress of studies. Personally, he believed, in view of the way the institution had grown, that it would not be long before Victoria University College became Victoria University. (Applause.) The lunoheon ended with the singing of two college songs, “Absent Friends” and “Just One Stave More.”