UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 20101, 18 May 1927, Page 15

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO.

CHANCELLOR’S REPORT. The following report regarding the University of Otago for 1926 has been forwarded by the chancellor (Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P.) to his Excellency the Gov-ernor-General : I regret to record the fact that dining the year the professoriate lost through death two valued members —Daniel Black Waters (Professor of Metallurgy and Assaying) and Raynor Colin Bell (Professor of Clinical Dentistry). Professor Waters was a graduate of the Otago School of Mines, was appointed lecturer in 1900, and professor in 1909. He was much respected as an able lecturer, a capable administrator, and one who took an interest in the general affairs of the University as well as those of his own faculty, His death unfortunately was hastened by the effects of the war, in which he did distinguished service. Professor Bell was also a graduate of this University, and the first holder of the degree of Doctor of Dental Surgery of the University of Now Zealand. He was appointed Professor of Clinical Dentistry in 1920, and from that date till his death devoted himself whole-heartedly to his duties. By students and staff his loss is very keenly felt. A further loss to the teaching staff was caused by the resignation of Mr Hinton, Beverly Lecturer in Physics, whom the council was glad to congratulate on his appointment as Professor of Physics at Colombo. To til! the vacancies thus created, and also to provide for the growth of the University, a number of new appointments have been necessary. In the Dental School Dr R. B. Dodds has been appointed Associate Professor of Dentistry, whilst Messrs J. R. Burt, L.D.S., and G. H. Parkinson, M.S., L.D.S., formerly part-time lecturers, have also been appointed full-time associate professors. The vacancy in the Mining School has been filled by the appointment of Mr Herbert Black as Lecturer in Metallurgy and Assaying. Mr Black ip a graduate of the Otago School of Mines, and previous to his appointment here held the position of director of the School of Mines at Zeehan. In the Law School Mr C. J. L. White has been appointed Lecturer in Evidence in place of Mr H. S. Adams (resigned), Mr P. S. Anderson Lecturer in Property I in place of Mr F. B. Adams (resigned), and two additional lecturers have been appointed, viz., Mr E. L. Fairmaid, Lecturer in Conveyancing, and Mr A. N. Haggitt Lecturer in Roman Law. To replace Mr Hinton the council has appointed to the physics lectureship a distinguished graduate of Melbourne, Dr C. M. Focken, and to the lectureship in geology Mr IF. J. Turner, M.Sc., F.G.S., of the Auckland University College A further appointment which should be noted is that of Miss G. L. 0. Jeffreys, 8.A., as librarian in place of Miss F. C. Mowat, who resigned I have pleasure in recording the fact that during the past year the new Dental School was completed, and that it wao formally opened by the Minister of Education on June 11. The new building is well planned, and is proving of enormous advantage in the working of the dental department of the University. I have pleasure in recording the fact that during the year the council received several generous benefactions of which the following are the most important: Mrs M. J. and Miss Massey, £IOOO, cancer research ; Mr T. K. Sidey, £IOOO, Dental School; Dunedin Savings Bank, £IOOO, Museum extension; anonymous, £IOOO, lectureship in physics; Home Science Alumnae Association, £ll2O 3s sd, extension of hostel accommodation; Dunedin Citv Council, £450, Museum; Mrs J. Dunbar (bequest), £945 15s 7d, medical research. To these benefactors the council expresses its warmest thanks. I regret to point out that in order to provide for the essential needs of the University the council has been forced with very largely increased expenditure. The council sincerely trusts that the Government will very shortly see that the University finances are put on a satisfactory basis.