THE SEDDON NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

Otago Daily Times, Volume 13696, Issue 13696, 12 September 1906, Page 2

THE SEDDON NATIONAL MEMORIAL.

THE UNIVERSITY COUNCIL'S ; , PROPOSAL. The- -Otago University Council litis for-' warded to the Hon. T. W. Rislop, Mayor of Wellington and.chairman of tho Scddon Memorial Gencrat'Committee, its opinion upon the suggestions -'remitted to it, in i circular lett-cr.from tho. General Committee,, on the subject, of tho-form which the national' memorial in -honour of the late Premier should take. Two suggestions vcro Ridmiitlcd for consideration in the circular— (1) The establishment of scholarships [ortho youth of the colony, tomewhat on tho lines of the Rhodes, scholarships; and (2) tlestablishment of a New Zealand Technical University with freo scholarships, the ct. in rylijch.tlib university is to be built to be decided upon by rcprc-iontiitives from every pprt, of the colony. THo opinion of the University Council on the matter' U expressed in tho following letter: — University'of Otago. Dunedni September 10, I9OC. T. W. Rislop; Esq., chairman General Com- ' luitleo Scddan Memorial, Wellington. Deai' Sir,'—The Council of tho University of Otago having considered the .proposals confined in your circular of tho 10th August ro national memorial to the Into Right Hon. Riclmrd .lolmSoddon, instructs mc to reply ,tn iollows:1. Tho council disapproves of tho two sttg"'gestions mcutioned in your circular of tho above date.' '2. The council recommends the adoption by. your committee-'of tho following scheme;— (a) That a. national fund bo raised as a Memorial to tho. lato Itight Hon. liichard John Seddon,' . ,- (b) That the fund lio'usotl for the oncourage- . ment of research and discovery bearing ou the .w-ellbcing of the people and the '' devoiopmcnl- of the resources' of tho .- colony. (c) That the inlcr'cst-fOi iho capita! fund bo awarded from time to time to tho person judgeo lo have" made any important discovery likely to'further tho wcllbcing oi tho people or. the development of the resources of the colony. • (d) That the administration of tho fund and tho awarding of tjie prizes bo placed m 'tho hands of a"central committee.

■ (e) That the coiureitteo bo appointed by IUo Government, Tho memorial hero proposed seems to the Council. of tills "University diieolly in liar, mony with, tho public lite of our .late Premier, who ever claimed to seek the wellbcing of the people and the development of tho resources of the colony. 1. One advantage ot the scheme > outlined above is that the.prizes proposed- would be open to nil classes. The po.itioifa who proved himself the promoter of schemes which multiplied tho resource of. tho colony, or greatly increased the wellboing of the people would have a claim to recognition. So toa tho literary ina.n who gaye the world n book worthy of recognition within the limits of this scheme might bo rewarded. The' doctor who discovered n remedy for, say, cancer, cr other such fruitful source of misery and death, would lay claim to a Seddon prize. Then the agriculturist, who did for the Juluro what the inventor of tho refrigerator did for tie present, itid the scientist or son of tho soil who discovered an effective remedy for the rabbit pest, might be rewarded. The miner and tho mariner, and every other worker with head or hand,.would find under this scheme nn open dopr for the recognition and reward of work of exceptional advantage to the people of tho colony. 2. Another advantago of the scheme proposed is, that the monoy Taiged would bo used only when work worthy of recognition in 11) is

special way had boon done,' TUo prizes would be givon from tinio to time, not ovcrv year, perhaps not oftener than once in five or 10 years. Tiio prize would be given not bocause it must ho awarded, but becauso oi work of a very high order which ought to ho recognised and rewarded. 3. This scheme u-ou'd link the name of our late Premier with all the great discoveries vet to bo mado by tlie sons of New Zealand for the welfare of the people and the development ot the re?oHrces of the colony. The Scddon prize might become as widely known as the Nobel or the French Academy prizes, which are something of tho same, hind as the prizes hero proposed.—l am, etc., ■ W. A. JUsox, Rcgisirar.