UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION.

Otago Witness, Issue 2722, 16 May 1906, Page 12

UNIVERSITY STUDENTS' ASSOCIATION.

The quiet purlieus of Castle street wer-e j disturbed by unwonted clamours on Friday j night. Tl)ero were screams, cat-er.waulines, i howl«, and amiable objurgations, noises genial and dismal, human and dejno.niac. Sometimes these weird sounds swelled intolerably, and anon thc3' almost ceased. Quiet ped&strians looked fearfully at each other, exchanging timid interrogations. But in a little while all fears were quelled. There was no revo- j lution, no anarchist riot, no infamous j celebration. The young ladies and gentlemen | of the University Students' Association w.ere j holding their annual meeting exuberantly, as is their went. When the reporters ; arrived they were greeted with vociferations. 1 ilr J. W. Shaw was in ithe ohair, J apparently making remarks; but it was ' difficult to hear him while .a hundred young men earnestly besought him to get his hair cut. The young men .ueie .in great form. One had a bugle and one a cycle bell, and each of the others earnestly pursued his individual taste as 'a creator of inappropriate and discordant sounds. ' Collectively, they contributed Maori war- j cries and more informal yells in unison, i In a lull, tho chairman succeeded in making himself heard. ; The Chairman, in moving the adoption .of the report (which has already been pub- i lished in the Otago Etailv Times), said that ore or two unavoidable mistakes had been made and published. (Many voices, sadly: "Oh!") The credit was shown as £51 11s Id. and the liabilities as nil. Since then, one or two accounts had come in, , making the liabilities £3 13s. — (A Voioa : ' " Shame !") There was .another mistake in the report. — (Uproar.) It was stated in the published report that the credit balance on ! the last capping ca-rnival -was 18s 3d. ! It was now discovered that 'the credit ' ba'anee on that account only amounted to £59- 16s. — (A Voice: "There's something crook about that.") Well, he had moved the adoption of the report. Was anybodygoing to second it? — ('"No!" "No!" "No!") The jpotion was apparently seconded. On being put to the roeeti-ng there was a storm of '" noes," and the motion was declared carried unanimously amid great applause. The balance sheet was similarly disposed of. and the meeting proceeded to ballot for the election of officers, whioh ' resulted as follows:— President. Mr J. W. ' Shaw, 105; Mr S. J. Simpson, 82. Mr Shaw returned thanks in a speech that was not audible. "Vice -presidents, Messrs Coli-n Giirav and S. J. Simpson ; auditor, Mr F. H. Campbell. Mr R. C. Begg moved, pursuant to ' notice — " That in view of the small number of students who attend, and the lots in-ourr-ed by thr> association, this meeting recommends the executive -to abolish the University ball, and to .substitute in its place an add,'fonal student function." — (Pio. longed disorder.) This was not really a ' function for the students. At the outside there were not more than 20 students at the ball last year. In explanation of this it had been said' that the "students did not. believe in associating with their social superiors. — (Laughter and disorder.) Unfortunately, tho students had to foot the bill. The lot.? on the ball last year, the lowest yet recorded, was over £6. Two reasons wero adduced why the ball should he continued: fir-t. that it brought the students into relation* with the public. Nothing of the kind.— (Uproar.) It was said that it was a sort of roeompenFe to the public for roming to the capping carnival. When ncople bought tickets for the ball rhey did nnt trive rhe University & thought. Thp ball had proved a failure in every esso.— (Bowls.) Tf it was said that the ball was needed for the Sydney footballers this voar. it .would be better to (ret up something special in their visitors' honour. Mr S. J. Simnson. who was received with joyous acclamations, said it was clearly seen that whpn h*> pTit his motion on the grounds of fcb-e financial deficit. Mr Begg was suffering from a nationality — (Laughter and applause.) A small deficit should not interfere with the continuance of the ball. Last year there were 29 men students and about 10 lady students present, in addition to thp professors and their wives, the doctors and their wives, -ptet student? and their wives, and present students' lady friends. — (Fervent cheers.) After some further discussion the following amendment was carried by 95 votes to 20: — "That it he a recommendation to the ovecutive that the University ball this year ■ bo held on Ihc occasion of the Sydney U<nivcr;itv' team's visit" This concluded the business. The etydeute

dispersed, «nd the neighbourhood relapsed into its accustomed .sleep.