APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 2528, 27 August 1902, Page 27

APPEAL TO THE PEOPLE.

A meeting of citizens, con\ened by circular, nai held in the "Victordia, Hall on tho 22nd in>t. to consider the position of tho Otago University. His Honor Mr Jnftico William* (chancellor of th» Otago Uni-vrr-ity) occupied the chair, and there wore prt-er.t. union? tite> 35 or 40 gentlemen who attended the meeting Bishop Nevill, the Jlf\ *. A. Cam-eron, D. Borne, .}. Chibholm, W. hJaundere, Drs Colquhoun, Roberts, Bums, Bntchelor, <=en. aud jun., L. Ferguson, Blomtield, Profes'-ord Black, Gilray, Bcnhain, ])r M^arpliall, Me<=<--rs Cargill, (1. I'Vnwick. G. Bel), A Bathgate, J. White, .lohn Moloney, K. Kambay, W. Fel*, A. Thoru-on, Tj. Mendelsohn, P. Barr. (i. Lauitnce, V. R. Chapman, Williami, W. Mawfoii, P. Duni-an. H. K. Muir, (i L. Uenniston, and Woodhoufe. ApologiCri weie roreived for" th«i abtence of tho Key. W Howit'-on (who forwarded a che<ine for £5 5.), Dr Watt. Profo.-^or Si ott. Mr A. Wil- •■• n, M.\., Mr S. Solomon, Professor Gib bons, Dr Shard, (lie Hon T. FfrgttS, t)io Kov. Curzon-Siggor-j, and Mr F. Smith. Tho riroular rent out contained, inter aha, the following mfoi matiou :—: — -

The fund will be invpfted in the redemption of the University debenture, amounting to JUG, OOO, a.nd in otlici approved investment". The appeal is made because the -lbsolute need's oi ll,e University demonstrate that its financial l.oiition la too weak and must be strengthened hv the patriotic efTortd of tho whole people. 1 lie in°tilutio>i is a. n.itiopal one unhampered lj> restriction of c)k«s or creed, and its future « jends to a large exte it on the generosity of the public. The piegent position of the University finance is abcribable solely to losses, of rental from runs, due chiefly to the decline in price of wool affecting the re-letting of the ci dowmonts. The figures illustrating tli.s may be thus briefly summarised — Fuinur Present ient. rent. Loss. Baiewood run .. .. 11750 £ 900 £SSO Benmore run .. .. 3COO COOO 600 Mu-.fuin Re-rr-o .. 010 550 368 Mn nig ici.'s .. .. 4t>o — 4GO i.G72G .€4450 £2276 Th.it ihe lo r i of 12270 a is not overstated is proved by the fact thut if we go back to the jear 18S0 the difference will be found to amount tfl £23& L 'J-liere is no project oi anything

like the former rental being restored. In 1894 the council endeavoured to meet its losses by, a reduction in its annual expenditure of JE766, and again in the early part of this year by a further reductiqi of JBISO per annum. This reduces the power of expansion and cripples the operations of the University. To carry on tho work in which it is now engaged the University requires an additional income of £500. Bnfc more than this is needed. A chair of physiology is required for the equipment of the Medical School, and for that and" expenditure connected with the necessary accommodation and equipments an annual suni of £1000 is necessary. To place the University on a thoroughly sound footing, therefore, a sum capable of providing this additional £1500 is required. These aic the circumstances which ccmpel an appeal .o the people. His Honour said the University had con\ened the meeting for the purpose of enabling something to be done to put the Umverpity on a proper ba*is. It was not necessary for him to go into the circumstances, becau<e thoy appeared in the printed statement before the meeting. They were aware that for pome years they had, through not any faaiit of their own, been g<ing back, but, thanks to the attitude of the newspaper*, the liberality of the public, and the Government, part of tho difficulty had been got o\er. It was, howeier, necessary to go further. Tn order to do this so that not only might tho present rate of expenditure be maintained, but certain branches, notably the Medic il School, might be extended, to make provipion for further expenditure. They had not means to carry on permanently a-s' tlitey were doing; still less had they means to extend their operations in the way they should be extended, and it was to appeal to the public to help them. that the meeting had been called. He thought that all must recognise that toonev <>_• later thoy would ha\o to go to the Government and ask for their ns«istaucc. There was no doubt that higher education was a necessary part of the educational system of the colony, and in this colony it was of importance that ft should b.> maintained in a state of complete efficiency. Sooner oi" later this matter would havo" to be taken in hand by the Government, and if it was taken in hand, it would have to be taken iv* hand not only in reference to their University, but all other colleges that existect in the colony. They would be in a much better position later on to ask for Government assistance if tlicy put thoir shoulderto the wheel and helped themselves. Th» meeting, as they knew, was called for the m«rpo:.e of considering the best way of raising funds in addition to those from their pre.^nt endowment*. 'Tlio Rev. A. Cameron said, a/3' all present were awaio, this meeting was for tho purpose of organising ami makine an appeal to the pi.blic in order that an Endowment Fund might be laised which would enable the University to go on with its proper, ■work in a more efficient manner. The neett 1 for suclv a fund must be apparent to everyone. The straits in which the University" Council found themselves, he would lik« first to indicate, had not been brought; about by mismanagement on their part, though he believed a number of citizens thought this was the case. Their revenue was derived chiefly from two or tliree runs, and theso run*, with one exception, were let a, considerable time ago when men like Mr John Roberts, the late Mr John M'Lean (of Redca'-tle), and Mr George Gray Russell and others were in the council. He thought no one would say that these men were ait all likely to enter into engagements with regard to the runs that would not be to tho University's benefit. In tho case of the Barewood run — the exception, — on which! there had been the greatest lops of rev.enue, lie thought that if Mr Glendinning were asked it would be found that, if anything. the council had got the better of him, and that the run was really not worth the rent now bping paid for it. This Wiw the only run that had been let during the past 10 or 12 years. The council had found it necessary to retrench to such an extent as to impair the efficiency of the University. They had had to abolish tho Law School, to starve the laboratories and library, and engage lecturers at altogether inadequate "-alaries. In Wellington and Christchurch the universities had fully-paid professors for modern languages, who received £500 or £600 a-year. Here they paid two men £50 a-ycar, and gave them tho feea which for French and Gorman did not amount to £100 a-yoar. In tho eaec of the Otago University there must be no-»tand'-ing still. To stand still was to impair its efficiency. As far as classics were concerned! ii> was possible to almost stand still. They could teach, classics as. their grandfathers taught classics, and quite efficiently. But in the case of Ecience and medicine- it was' another matter. There they must be- progressive. Progress in many" branches of science could only be made by having fullyequippod and up-to-date laboratories, a« i% ell as efficient teachers. That the Otago University had not had. Almolt nothing had been upent, on thoir laboratories for st> considerable tiunp. For instance, lh° Profossor of Phj-bics had a toy battery for f-let tricity he belio\ed. Last year thr-y had an opportunity of buying a splendid electrn al apparatus if tlioy had had the money to buy and house it when bought. Supposing someone were to give them tho cle<--trn <il apparatus thoy had not the money with which to set it up, nor to engage someono to Icok after it. In those department! if tho University wore to fulfil it-> function* it \\:is <".b Q olutely necessary that thpy should go ahead, and the. council specially desired to ornphasi'-e that with legard to tin Medical School. The council folt deeply indebted, a* the whole; community should also do, to Profps*or Scott and all tho lecturers of the Modical Si-hool for the genoroui way in which thov had •-Tvod thorn. Two of the lecturer's hud jnvon their =orooes without lomuneration. Tho other lecturers had Mibmitted to lediirtions on tv. o different occasions, and tlio allowance thoy received was altogethf-r jn<ulcqiiatr> to the services they rendered. Now. if the medical men wore to refuse to saciifieo tli<>ir time for the Medical School they would be brought to a standstill at once. It t-hculd be theit endeavour therefore to gel into such a position as to be ablo to at anyrate maka come slight recognition^ of the efforts of the medical staff, and gi\e thorn something that would --how that the council and tha community appreciated their labours. A' committee had lately been appointed to inquire- as to tho true state of the Medical School and its defects, if any. and it had by all concerned, been agreed that if the school was to fulfil it- functions it was absolutely nocesi-ary that a professor should be appointed to teach phjvioiopry. He dull not believe there was any mrdi' al fr'nooJ under the sun whore tho two cluir- ul anatomy and jihysiology were occupied '•■• ono uau. When Dr " Scott WJia a\ . ...ed

physiology had not developed as it now Shad, but during the lapse of years he understood that this subject had become so important that it required the undivided efforts of one man to deal with it anything like adequately. Nat only that, but the hours of the day were insufficient to enable one man, even if he were able, to give tlie « time necessary to teach these subjects. He understood Dr Scott gave now about five hours a-day to anatomy, and no doubt |)liyniology required as much. From this it was evident that the improvement he 'had indicated wsb a necessity and not a luxury. Their Medical School should be t'u2 pride of the whole community, and everything possible should be done to adequately equip it, -which must mean another professor and proper appliances and buildings. It was reckoned , this would • take £1000 extia a-year. At Wellington it had been agreed to appoint a professor .of biology at £700 a-ycar. A man capable of teaohiug physiology could not be got for lesa, and considering *h« requirements for laboratories and requisites the £1000 a-year would not go very far. Then there were the other classes. Almost nothing liad been done to provide the other . science lecturers with proper apparatus and laboratories. Suppose they had a future Edison among their students, he wouid have to "bo exported elsewhere that he might have the opportunity of showing liLs capabilities, for tkerc was no electrical laboratory, in this part of the colony at anyrate, that- would n3-rv.e his purpose. There should be the mean* at hand whereby tl*e student who desired might devote himself to research with all the necessary apparatus at his command. They- liad also what -was once a fine library, and it was still good to look at, but that was about ail. It was in much Ihe tamo condition .now *s when he was tumself a student years ago, and from that it was evident that ihe scientific works iv it could not be of much account All the-coun-cil had been able to spend on the library ■WAB a «inaU sum to keep goiiig a few scientific journals. Other departments hud a.so been totally neglected, aud if .students wanted books they had to buy or borrow them. The library should be properly furnishad with hooks, and put ir.lo jmcli a condition as to be constantly at the command of students. To whom were they to appeal, then, for assistance? Some were in favour of going to the Government, but he thought there were good reasons against ■o doing. In the first place, it was because of their privileges that they were iv their present condition, because the council had Qud more money in hand, aud been able to aun at a larger amount of work, than any of the ttorth-ern colk-?o.s. If they liad only frhe allowance of £4000 a year given to ■Auckland College they could tint have had w. Mediral School, nor have dreamed of it. ■In Wellington about tlvc amount was (received as in Auckland. The Otago Uni.versity had a revenue of £9000 a year. How ooiild the council, then, dnre go to the {Government and ask for another £1500 a iVflar? The northeni colleges would clamour bhat when their revenue -was £9000 a year at was time enough to consider the neceeisities of Otago. It should be felt that an Vnstitution like theirs belonged to the people, and they were entitled to ask the people /to support it. Otago University had already •lone a great deal fpr the people — for the . humble as well as the richer, — and on this account was entitled to ihe popular support ; and even more so for what.it van capable of doing further for the community, whose member* should rally rouud the University, l«ud especially the Medical School, and make it what it should. "Why should Dunedin not ■be made the Edinburgh of the -Southern so far as university education iwas concerned. The fathers of the province of Otago had laid the foundation, and it was for their sons to do their part and complete the educational structure. He would conclude by mo\ing the following resolution: — "That a University endowment fund bo raised, and that an appeal be made to the people for that purpose." — (Applause.) Mr G. Fenwick, in pccouding tho motion, ■eld that for over 30 ysais the University kad been co closely identified with the history and development of Otago and Southland, had «oai'lod s>o many of the f-oiw and daughters of the colony to taka re^poiisiJile ard honoured positions in Hie, uud h&d so largely helped to sustain t!>& reputation of Dunedin as one of the .mo3i; prominent centres of educational life and activity in the colony, that its claim to hearty and affectionate support in its hour of need required no special advocacy. All -who were present would doubrie&s^idinit that a supreme- effort •hould now be made to lift the University out of the almost hopeless pesition in wh:ch j it had been placed for many years. First j and foramo?t among its requirements was i the establishing of a chair of physiology. \ Dr Scott had been burdened for all thcEC ' ye-ars with the work of two max. and <o»len- " didly as he had performed his duty it was ► manifest that he should no loiiger b« over- ', taxed. Fortunately in the Clinical Ward ■ of Dtmedm Hospital his students hi>cl reopjved the benefit of instruction at the hcniU of a? able, earnest, and enthusiastic" a set of nH»n r« were to be Luv.\A in Aii?lralia. It wr.« to the c veriest isg credit of Dr fec-stt ajh.l the Ka=phal ieetiirp^s'ihat, d«..»pitc 'the burden of excessive work cast on the former and tlie vn-:t of lfibraiorv arrommedation a lid t!-c jh j:" nccc.'sories of a well-«juij<ped wheel, r.nd d"?pite thf inadequate r«nuKeratiou of u.e Hospital lecturer? and it- *»ntir*« absence in two ca*e«, the OtHgo M'-di<-al School bad tent forth from it** uoiiala a

large body of duly qualified medical men, who occupied honourable and useful posi<ion« throughout the colony. The urgency of this phase of the T'nivemty need* had been brought before him very forcibly by some comparisons lie had made showing the scale of staffing in the leading -medical schools in other colonies and other parts of the world, and the absolute necessity for tlie expansion of our local Medical School was strikingly shown. In Melbourne in the Medical School they had on the anatomy side a professor, fc lecturer, three demonstrators, and four assistant demonstrators. For pathology they had a professor and a lecturer on bacteriology. For physiology they had a professor, n lecturer, a demonstrator, and an assistant demonstrator — all qualified medical men. That was the work which for years had been performed here by one saan. Taking Sydney, almost the same conditions existed as in Melbourne. The Sydney Medical School had for anatomy a professor, a senior and two junior demonstrators, aim a curator of the museum of anatomy. For physiology there was a profeseor and a, dempnsfrator. and -pathology had its professor. The attendance at the Sydney school was only about double that at the Otago Medical School. He did not wish to depreciate in the least tho value of the work done by the latter school — the position its students had taken both at Home, and in the colony spoke volumes for it, — but it -was qtlite cleov th-e council bad l>eer>. endeavouring to do imnpasibilities with a staff that really, should be quadrupled. As to the mean* to be aciopted to secure the endowment fund proposed, -he agreed wit4i what Mr Cameron .had . advgncsd. In the course of some efforts he had put forward during, the pa.«t few weeks' in the way of assisting the organisation and .establishment of this urgently, necessary fund he had been met occaFionally with the reply that the public ' should not be appealed to, but the Uni- ; versity should go straiglrt to the Government — tftat the needs of the University, were so great that it tips absolutely impossible for the public to su'b«cribe sufficiently to be ' of much sorvdes ; end that they might as well go to the Government at once as eventually. His reply had been that this, <was not the only part of the colony Iv which there -was a university college. If • the Government w,ere appealed to to supply the whole of the funds to put the University on a thoroughly satisfactory footing, there would be an immediate clamour -from the other colleges lor similar large grants. He , thought the public chould first come forward, and show by a strong acid unanimous ■effort that they saw the tieceesity of providing a certain part of. the anoney themselves, and then they would have a .strong and legitimate claim on the Government for a subsidy. If they were to set to work with a will he thought they would raise a fund that, with the Government rubaidy, would wipe out tho £16,ti00 debt on the institution and leave ?ometiiiae;- <to the -good. This w-uuld afford the University grrat relief, and give them good heart for still further efforts to do all that was necessary to put it on a strong foundation, in -the sneimtime a chair of physiology could be established. He had every confidents that, as a remit of the effort that was about to be made, they would in the course of a year or two "ftpd the Unhersity in a very much better position. — ' ( Applause. ) Biehnp N«yill said he had .listened with very great interest- and attention to the speeches ndcLresaetl to the meeting in support of the -motion. The motion, he understood to be *l»at they were to make an effort to largely increase the endowments of fhe .existing University in Dunedin. ¥<hey bad been told that the sum of £16,000 - would do little Tiinre than wips off the debts nlready existing. If tl»ey confined themselves to tb© raising of tliii £16 000 it wa« all 'they «ould look for from this community. It did not seem to him that all thoae great requirements which had been so plainly and logicilly and clearly put before lhe~ meeting, were likely to be attained. He agreed with Mr Fenwick that they teertftuily oujrhl to grapple with the whole tjwestion, but he thought it was too large a sum for a society such -us ours. Mb coufessed he wad ana of -those who thought tho -might, to sujjpjy all the funds needed to establinh an efficient University. .The deecsiplion of the reqiuremeiits of -the University .had been *uch that he did not think £16,000 would be anything like sufficient to . meet them. It appeared to be apparent on all hands at tlie present time that the idea was that education from ihe lowest to the JiigSiest should be in the hunc!« of the Government. lie thought ke could illustrate the position i with tli<3 story of Uua *ud tlie lion. He \ look it that the beauty of our educational 1 .^yetem might b? represented by Uua .seated ' on fhe body of the lion, wkioh symbolised i Htreafrxh and pewer. Let the lion represent j iiio <.TOv^ram?nt of the country oa-rryung j Una on its tack. Bishop NeY>ll went oa. !> to say that if- the Government found the } burden ton heavy how was a small com1 nraiSity *o ta-ry it on it-s shoulder.". : hie thought the Univrersiiy oitgfet to be fully equipped in ono or. two places, and i titst there -hould be an cfßcknt university ' mi each island. Gxvo mi^ht he e^taidasfced in £>unedin and the other in Auckland. Perhaps the people of Wellington would cry out. but as that t-Ity was tiie oomtnercial coutro and the political metropolis of the co-Icny tiny should be tfontetw:. He vrms delighted a* ttie amount tviueh bad botn already subitiibul iv aid of the Uflii>-er=ity ;

and that there was a reasonable prospect of getting a still larger sum from a particular institution which" had been mentioned. — (Hear, hear.) He would like to see a great deal of mon-ey subscribed for the University, and it -would be an evidence of our deep interest in it that we were willing to deny ourselves, notwithstanding the fact tho Government (as he thought) ought to do the whole thing. — (Applauee.) The resolution was then put and carried unanimously. ~ Mr George Bsll said the honour had been conferred upon him of moving the resolution — "That the committee named in the printed papers in their hands bo appointed. The names were as follows: — Representing mercantile interests — Mr John Roberts, C.M.G., Hon, T. Fergus, Messrs R.. Glendining, G. Joachim, C. Speight, Keith Ramsay, Alex. Thomson, D. Haynes, T. Brown, P. Miller. W. Scott (of W. and R. Scott), J. A. Johnstone, C. W. Rnttray, P. R. Sargood, G. Bell, John Mill, G. Fenwick, and W. Fels; legal— Mesurs A. Hanlon, F. R. Chapman, J. H. Hobking, W. Downi-e Stewart, W. A. Sim; medical— Dr F. C. Batchelor, Dr Wm. Brown. Dr Lindo Ferguson, Dr Baruett, Dr Macpherfton, Dr Martin, Dr Colquhoun ; clerical — Rev. J. Gibb, Rev. W. Curzon-Siggere, Rev. D. Borrie, Rev. W. Saunders, Rev. P. W. Fairclough, Rev. A. Ohodowski, Rev. J. Guy; graduates and past students — Mr Mawson. M.A., and others." H© (Mr Bell) had great pleasure in moving the resolution, because it brought to a practical point what had been put before the meeting by those gentlemen moving and esconding the first resolution. They had all come to the conclusion that this was a desirable movement to carry out, and they must by every means make it a sucoewful movement, and that depended entirely upon themselves. In reference to the remarks of Bishop Nevill, lie had put forward that it was a large sum to raiee and beyond our resources. H© thought part of the proposition might be admitted at once, but that it was beyond the resources of the community h« took leave to doubt. He did not think it was all going to come from the residents of Dunedin. They had responded very nobly for temporary assistance, and he •believed it -was only an earnest of what they were going to do. But thpre were several towns in this province representing great wealth, and the University was for their sons and daughters also. Then there were a great many country districts, although scattered, the people in which had opportunities of having a University education. • He know it was true that a great many people did not put their shoulders to tlie wheel in the matter, but he trusted it would be the business -of the conjrmittee to bring it before tho various sections of the community, both in Dunedin, in the towns, and in the country districts, nnd the forar-cl-ern wovil<l l>e -evenly «vha.recl, in which case it should not prore a burden to anyone at all. The difficulty in getting Government assistance was that otbere would milk the cow us well as themselves. There was a great danger in getting Government assistance for the University, and that danger would always be political appointments. He took' it that everybody present would deprecate Government influence in the matter of the appointment of professors. • Then, with regard to . the £16,000. the Bishop had remarked that to raise that would be a serioas burden if they went in for ' extension. He (Mr Bell) did not profess to be a financier, but it seemed to him that the interest on £16.000 being saved would go a long way to establish a chair of physiology. When they had obtained the £16.000 they would have got a good portion of the fuiid-s required, and they might go forward with a better heart. H« thought it was better to have our schools near our own homes, with the boys nnd gkl3 tinker our own -eyes. Th-o committees would have to be permanently active, in their work so that the periodical -contributions which were to form a luraje part of this £16,000 mii?ht be collected. Tic hoped it would i«sidt in more than £16,000. Ai gratifying piece of newp had been told him. A gentleman had said that he would he glad to learn that a telegram had come from Wellington that Sir J. G. Ward had introduced a hill -giving the Savings "Bank rowf>r to u?e £6000, or ir-ore, of its surplus piofii« for the benefit of the "University. — (Applause.) Thpt. was to be done without winding up the Savings Bank, as far as he kticw. a thing he would deeply regret. — (Appleupe.) **

Mr D. R. Whito seconded the motion, which wa# carried, and the meeting ended.