CAPPING CARNIVALS

New Zealand Times, Volume L, Issue 11423, 20 January 1923, Page 9

CAPPING CARNIVALS

“VULGAR. ATTIRE AND BUFFOONERY.” SIR ROBERT STOUT CRITICISES PRESENT SYSTEM. “The sonferring of degrees was carried out as sanctioned by the Senate at its last annual meeting,” said Sir Robert Stout, in his annual report to the Senate. ‘‘Several were conferred in absentia. The largest number was given at the three University Colleges and at the University of Dunedin. Judging by. the newspaper reports of the proceedings that took place on the days the degrees were granted, both inside and outside of the buildings where the graduation ceremony took place, the judicious and lowers of higher education must feel grieved. Our people are not likely to be interested in university work if we have the occurrences of these days repeated. “To see processions of undergraduates in vulgar attire and giving way to buffoonery does not in my opinion tend to advance the higher things in. life. Inside the buildings there was little effort made to attract the minds of the audience to educational problems. Instead, in more than one meeting there were noise and disturbances that would not be permitted inside a comic theatre. In two of the meetings the chief speaker, though taking part in a New Zealand University function, thought it fitting to advocate the abolition of our university. No one present seems to have raised any objection to this proposal.”