UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21919, 3 April 1933, Page 12

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

THE COMMERCE FACULTY TWENTY-FIRST ANNIVERSARY The twenty-first anniversary of the establishment of the faculty of commerce at the Otago University was celebrated with a dinner held in the University Club rooms on Saturday night. There was a large and enthusiastic attendance of past and present students and members of the faculty, presided over by Mr James Hogg. v , Before the toast-list was commenced the chairman explained that the function was part, of the celebrations marking the attainment of 21 years in the life c>f the faculty of commerce. Although the anniversary ball had been held in 1932, the dinner was deferred to the present time as a more suitable date for all concerned and to fit in with the opening of the University classes. In 1912, he said, the first classes in commercial subjects were held in Otago University, and filled a great need, as well as bringing the commercial men or the future into closer contact with the University, and at the same time broadening the influence of the University in the business life of the city. The commencement of the classes was due to the JNew Zealand University agreeing to conduct the examinations for the accountancy professional subjects and the bachelor of commerce degree. The New Zealand Society of Accountants assisted by granting considerable sums by way of subsidy to support the commencement of classes m the four university colleges, and these contributions were maintained until such time as the classes became self-supporting. From a small beginning the faculty grew until in 1932 there were 166 students, taking commercial classes at Otago University, while in the same year a total ot 3018 students sat for the professional subjects throughout New Zealand, and 634 sat for the accountant s preliminary examination. The establishment ot direct association with the University had been of tremendous value to the profession of accountancy, and had undoubtedly raised its status to a higher level. _ "At a time of anniversary, the chairman continued, "our minds turn back to the earlier days, and we can look across the 21 years with great satisfaction- at the progress of our faculty; the place it has taken in the life of the University; the assistance it has rendered to the accountancy profession and the contributions its members have already made to the business and professional lite ot tne Dominion. Many of us can recall with pleasure the early experiences under the first lecturer in accountantcy and auditing Mr G. W. Reid, and under the late Professor Bedford in law subjects. " There has been a strong advocacy over a number of years for the appointment of lecturers and professors from tne ranks of our own University, and it is pleasing to record that in the present lecturer of law, Mr J. M. Paterson, dean of the faculty, and in the lecturer in ac-, countancy, Mr Alfred Thomas we have two prominent ex-students of Otago uniV6 " S i should like to take the opportunity to pay a tribute to the generosity of the Dunedin Savings Bank, which has voted £IOOO as a donation to commercial education at Otago University. In this way the trustees of the bank have assisted the funds of the University and have contributed to the cause of higher commercial education for those who will enter the business, commercial and industrial life of the Dominion, as well as the profession of accountancy. The Chamber of Commerce is. also to be thanked for the encouragement given to commerce students each year in the form of prizes for term examinations. . "I could not close my remarks as chairman without reference to the _two members of our profession who have stood head and shoulders, above all others in the initial work undertaken to link commerce and accountancy with the University of New Zealand—Mr James Brown and Mr Peter Barr. Too great a tribute cannot be paid both by ex-students aud present students to the courage, thought, perseverance, and sacrifice of time which they gave to inaugurate the New Zealand Society of Accountants and to the commencement of the examination system which linked accountancy definitely witn the University. Next to-these two men, no one has done more to forward the interests of the commerce faculty over the period of 21 years than Mr G. W. Reid and as one of his first students I take the opportunity of paying this tribute to him."— (Prolonged applause.) The chairman then referred to messages of congratulation that had been received from ex-members of the faculty who regretted that they could not be present on that important occasion. BIRTH OF THE UNIVERSITY

In proposing'the toast of "Otago University," MrW.E, Brown said he understood that the idea which gave birth to the University had .been conceived m Scotland. The Scottish people had considered the type of education which was to be used in New Zealand, and thought they could not do better than model it on that provided by the institutions ot their own country, of which they were so proud. When the settlement of Otago had been founded for 11 years a movement was initiated to establish a University of New Zealand in Otago—at that time the most highly populated province—but the Provincial Council rejected the proposal on the grounds that it was somewhat premature. In 1868, however, a resolution was passed at a meeting held in Dunedin thac a university should be set up in Otago, and this time the promoters met with more success, because in the following year the Provincial Council passed the University of Otago Ordinance, which included the right to grant degrees. In 1871 the University .was opened in what is now the Stock Exchange building, and three years later it was merged with the University of New Zealand. Since that time the University had been exerting its influence on the cultural, business, and sporting lite of the city, and although commerce had been the last faculty to be established, the profession had reaped a wonderful advantage from its linking up with the life ot the University.—(Applause.) After the University anthem had been sung, the vice-chancellor (Mr W.. J. Morrell) rose to reply to the toast, and expressed his regret that the chancellor (Sir Thomas Sidey) was unable to be present to perform that duty. When the commerce faculty was established, he said, he was one of the two junior members of the University Council, and during the 21 years that followed he had the pleasure of watching the progress it had made irom its beginning to its present importance in this respect there was a great debt ot gratitude owing to the New Zealand Society of Accountants, and he would like to associate himself with the tribute paid by the chairman to Messrs Brown and Barr, whose counsel and assistance had been very highly valued. He would like to refer also to the popular appointment ot Mr G. W. Reid as lecturer in commerce subjects when the faculty was set up, and would say that it was the happiest choice that could have been ade. It must be a matter of great pride to Mr Keid that many of his pupils had risen to take-im-portant positions in the life of the community of New Zealand, and it was very gratifying that so many members of the staff of the faculty during the 21 years ot 'its existence had formerly been students of the facultv themselves. Although commerce was the youngest faculty in the University, it had already built up great traditions, and he hoped that these would grow more strong and binding as the years, went on.— (Applause.) The fact that the members of the commerce faculty were only part-time students, Mr Morrell continued, was deprecated by some/but in spite ct this they had contributed a great deal to the life of the University, and had brought it into closer relation .with the general life of the community. GROWTH OF THE FACULTY

The toast of " The Commerce Faculty was proposed by Mr S. P. Cameron, who said that when the faculty was established in 1912 there were few universities in the Empire which had made provision for the teachine of commerce in their curricula, but to-day a very much different state ot affairs existed, and practically every university had a faculty of commerce. Keferring to the growth of the faculty in the University of Otago, Mr Cameron said that its success must not be judged by the success of its students at the University, but by the character of the men who graduated and by their influence on the life of the community. In this way he thought they could claim to have achieved something, since the students who had

passed through the faculty had exerted a considerable influence for good on the professional, commercial, and cultural life of the community. The standard of examination was high, and the curriculum broad, but knowledge and education were oniy the means, not the end. Sound judgment and wisdom were surely the goal to be striven for. In conclusion, Mr Cameron paid a tribute to Messrs G. W. Reid and .1. M. Paterson, to whose influence, he said, the high position the faculty occupied to-day was largely due.—(Applause.) Responding to the toast, Mr J. M. Paterson said they had always hoped that the commerce faculty was an integral part of the life of the University, and he thanked Mr Morrell for his assurance in that direclii.tr. Having made such an auspicious beginning, he hoped they might long be worthy of the part that had been allotted to them in so great an Alma Mater, and he would say that one of the pleasantest things in his life was his association with the faculty and with Mr G. W. Reid, who had done so much for it.

In reminiscent vein, Mr Reid, who also replied, said he remembered very well the opening meeting of the faculty, and the feeling of nervousness with which he had looked forward to that night. Sent there to break new ground, he had been very vague as to how this was to be accomplished, and he had not received a great deal of encouragement from the fact that his anticipated class of about 50 turned, out to be a rather dismal gathering "of six. The number on the roll for the first class at that time was four, but by the end of the year it had increased to 23, and. he was pleased to say of those persons many' had since become very prominent in New Zealand. Those had been difficult days, but the students had come through successfully as the result of having unbounded enthusiasm for their work, and he would adjure present students never to lose their enthusiasm, for that would carry them further than mere ability. Mr Reid referred to the fact that he had relinquished the position of dean of the commerce faculty last year, and congratulated the students on having such a capable dean as Mr J. M. Paterson. In conclusion he made reference' to the popularity at the University of the registrar .{Mr C. H. Chapman), who briefly acknowledged the compliment. SOCIETY OF ACCOUNTANTS , In proposing the toast of "The New Zealand Society of Accountants," Mr A. Thomas said that some three years ago the society had celebrated its twentyfirst birthday, and the high position it held to-day was due in large measure to the work of three Otago members, Messrs Barr, Brown, and Green, in addition to which Mr G. W. Reid was its president at the present time. Some criticism, MiThomas said, had been levelled at the society's examinations, but the students need have no fear whiles that body was composed of men of such high calibre. The examinations might be difficult, but surely such rewards as they offered were worth striving for. A struggle always made achievement the more to be ue81Replying, Mr Reid said that the primary objects of the Society of Accountant were to safeguard the interests of its members and to promote the welfare of the profession, but he could assure those present that a great deal of time was given to the interest.of students -and to the promotion of then welfare. During the.years in which the Sty had contributed to the commerce Sties of three out of_the: four un£ vprsitv colleges in New Zealandl it had Ifven about £6OOO, which,'with the Govfnment subsidy, 'amounted to approximately £12,000. No other professional body did as much as that for students 111 other ways also the soc ety expended a ereat deal of concern in ensuring the Test fofacconntancy studente, and it d d its best to give them fair treatment The total of 3018 students who had sat tor the Various professional subjects at the last November examinations was arecord for any professional course, and the rapia growTh P of interest in commerce could Be gauged from the fact that 101 years earlier the total was only 1200. The. fear had been expressed, be said, that me profession of accountancy wa ß bem g v much overdone, 'but personally, he did not see it that way. Accountancy covered a very ax-ge range of subjects, with the result that 6 the field opened out foiv the student was very much wider than in itv of the examinations aa retlectea m the number of candidates was proof ft the f.e°th»t their pWfewr"»'rt S i ?m,rSo^ o =i«P'S ) ..t g^rEi»^ai« £«+?.« calibre of the men in the accountancy pSeSom-CProlonged applause^ Other toasts were honoured as follows.— « T o h rEx-commerce A-oau-noled by Mr E. R- Grace and responded KS J7W. Howarth, law). . to DurSg evening., songs were given W Mpssrs W. G. Hilliker and W. KcLnrnan and a recitation, by Mr J. L Edoe The accompanist was Mr J.' F. Harris. ■ CRICKET MATCms PAST y. PRESENT On Saturday two picket matches between past and present students of the rnmmerce faculty were played at Logan FaXand/althoJgh not co ducted in accordance with the strictest traditions of the game they afforde da great deal of pleasure to the players, aim provided an enjoyable and effective pro -;„„.,„ */» the evening s tunction. J.ae 51 between The "W Buffers" and fh? students waa narrowly won by the former and the encounter of the stuS and the ex-students resulted in a two-wicket victory for the latter.