NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY

Otago Witness, Issue 3332, 23 January 1918, Page 41

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY

ANNUAL SESSIONS OF SENATE. The annual sessions of the Senate of the University of New Zealand opened at 1.0 a.m in the Otago University library on the 15th. The Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) presided. The first part of the afternoon session was occupied with the allotment of various items of business to their appropriate committees; and business of a more or less formal nature. Tho Senate adopted a resolution in favour of allowing scholars and bursars to take courses in music and commerce and recommending that Junior Scholarship Regulation VII be amended accordingly. Tho matter was then referred to tho Statutes Committee. Considerable discussion took place over tho question of 'the powers of the Senate and an amendment to the New Zealand University Act suggested by the Director of Education. . Mr Anderson said thore appeared to be some little misinterpretation of the position. The nucleus of the proposal was a resolution of the Senate itself, that the functions of tho Board of Studies should be materially curtailed by the omission of reference to it of matters of professional interest.' At the last meetng of tho Senate it was strongly urged that tho Senate was in a better position to .deal with these special professional schools than was tho Board of Studies. The omission of the words "of which the Senate shall be tho solo judge" arose through certain untoward circumstances in the history of the Statute of tho University. He was prepared to admit that the question was not one of law at all, but one of policy. If the law was as the Chancellor of the SECOND DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. The Senate of tho Now Zealand University continued its sessions at the University library at 10 a.m. on -the 17th, the Chancellor presiding. It was reported tha.t there had been no competition this year for the Bowen Prize, and the examiners for next year were appointed. B.A. Course. Amendments to the regulations governing the B.A. course proposed by the Board of Studies were considered by a committee, which recommended that the Senate adhere to section 1 of the degree of Bachelor of Arts, as adopted by it in January, 1917, the necessary adjustments being made in tho prescriptions of the pass and advanced grades to meet the objections raised on tho Board of Studies; that the teachers of the subject be asked to consider tho necessary adjustments and report to the Board of Studies at its meeting next November. THE ATKINSON FHIZE. The proposed conditions of thd Arnold Atkinson Memorial Prize lay down that it is to be of the value of not more than £lO, to be given every alternate year, for an essay. The subject of tho essav shall be connected with or shall bear reference to the history, constitution, citizenship, or development of the British Empire, and of its component parts, and their mutual relations, to the relation of the Empire and its component parts to other nations, to the races under British sovereignty or protection, and to past and present systems of crovernment, a study and comparison of which is helpful in elucidating the problems arising in tho development of the British Empire. It was decided to accent tho orize, and to anpoint Professor Hight, Mr H. D. Acland, and Mr Wm. Hurst as examiners. SCHOOLS AND THE UNIVERSITY. ' Mr Tibbs moved in accordance with notico given—" That a committee bo appointed to investigate and report upon tho relationships of entrance scholarships to senior scholarships B.A. degree, and honours, the report to bo made this session.— Carried. COURSES FOR HONOURS. Mr von Haast supported the resolution of the Board of Studies, urging the Senate to abandon the proposal to count two languages as tho equivalent of one subject at the advanced stage.—Carried. LATIN AS A SUBJECT. Professor Macnrillan . Brown (Vico-Chan-oellor) moved the adoption of the recommendation of the Board of Studies:—That, as Latin is no longer compulsory at the pass standard of the B.A. degree, the Senate be asked to make a pass in Latin at tho standard of matriculation compulsory on all candidates for that degree.—After an interesting discussion the motion was put, when tho voting was found 'to be equal—ll for and 11 against. Tho motion was therefore lost on tho principle of maintaining tho status quo. THIRD DAY'S PROCEEDINGS. Tho proceedings of tho Senate of tho University of Now Zealand wore continued at the University Library on .Friday morning, the Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) oresiding. Mr H. 11. Ostler, of Auckland, "was present for the first time. Professor Segar was appointed convener of tho Entrance Examination Committee, in place of Professor Chilton, who is not well. Tho Rev. A. Cameron moved a motion amending the regulations respecting University bursaries by altering tho word £4O to £6O. He eaiol that, in view of the pro-

sent cost of living, tho limit imposed was altogether unreasonable. The Board of Studies had approved tho proposal. The matter was eventually referred to the Entrance Scholarship Committee. Mr von Haast reported, or. behalf of the Wellington Commitee set up to consider tho getting of reports safely from 'the Old Country and tho sending of examination papers' Home with the minimum of risk. Tho committee recommended instructing tho University's agent at Home to send the reports by registered letter by three different routes, the duplication of all others, and the sending of certain papers Home by registered letter instead of in bulk. — The report was approved. B. 80. STATUTE. Amendments to tho B.Sc. Statute proposed by the Board of Studies were brought foiwr.rd by Professor Segar. Professor Segar recalled that last year tho Board of Studies had presented a scheme for a science degreo containing purely science subjects. The Senate, after deliberation, decided to include an eighth subject consisting of an option of a language or certaivi other subjects. Tho Board of Studies rejected this proposal, as they considered it spoilt tho whole scheme, and they recommended that the eighth subject be deleted. The B.Sc. was a purely scientific degree, and to his mind the unanimous opinion of the teachers of science should be decisive. Professor Benham seconded the motion. Professor Macmillan Brown raised his voice against the proposal, and argued that the B.Sc. was not purely a science degree. Two-thirds of scientific advanced work required a knowledge of foreign languages to carry, ft on. It was decided on the voices to strike out clause eight providing for an optional non-scientific subject. Tt was decided to strike out the words " industrial chemistry" and nothing else was inserted in their place. Other amendments were for the most part adopted. An important amendment proposing that after the passing of B.A. or B.Sc. two years should be allowed for taking honours was lost. The statute as amended was referred to the Degrees and Commerce Committee for revisal. If.A. DEGREE. Professor Segar proceeded to bring fox--ward amendments to the M.A. statute proposed by the Board of Statutes. It was decided to add the words "and honours to diploma " to the title of the degree of Master of Arts. Several detailed amendments were agreed to. " REPEAT " SUBJECTS FOR B.A. Professor Hight submitted the report of tho Degrees and Commerce Committee on the question of " repeat" subjects for the B.A. The committee recommended that on page 6 " any two of the following " . be deleted and that clause IV, page 10, be amended by adding the proviso "provided further, that a candidate who takes two languages as advanced subjects shall take three other subjects at the pass stage." Professor Segar said that since the institution of the " double repeat" students who were proceeding to honours in languages had enjoyed an advantage which was denied to candidates in other subjects, because they were enabled bv the regulations to devote the whole of their time after taking the first section entirely to their honours work, whereas candidates in other subjects had to take in addition a new subject. At the meeting of the Senate last year it was decided, in order to remove this disadvantage, that at tho "repeat" stage two languages should count as one. Hence tho insertion of the proposed provision. That, of course, evoked a protest from the teachers of languages. The fairest solution seemed to the committee to be to provide that a candidate who took two languages as advanced subjects should take three other subjects at the pass stage. Tho effect of that would be that all those who were going forward to the M.A. degree with honours, whatever subjects they might be taking:, would bo placed on an equality. Candidates in languages would bo obliged to take one subject other than the one in which they were proceeding for honours. Their degree would be somewhat broader, and that was a good thing. It was thought that there was no hardship in obliging a man to take three other sub-, jects in addition to what was in effect four language subjects. Mr von Haast seconded the motion for the adoption of tho report, and it was carried. FOURTH DAY. The Senate of the University of New Zealand continued its sittings on Saturday morning, the Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) presiding. The Hon. Dr Collins was present for the first time. On tho motion of Professor Segar it was decided to refer the question of senior scholarships to tho Degrees and Commerce Committee for re-port, particularly with respect to mathematics and physics. A letter was received: from Professor G. E. Thomson, writing- on behalf of the professors of modern languages, asking the Slenate to allow proposed amendments to the requirements for honours in French and German to stand over. « The professors were of opinion that tho present standard was quite sufficient to provide two years' work after the pass. —The letter was referred to the Degrees and Commerce Committee. ORATORY IX THE UNIVERSITIES. The Senate had with it a notable visitor in the person of Professor Trueblood. professor of oratory in the University of Michigan, the first university in tho United States to establish a chair of oratory. Professor Trueblood is at present visiting Australia and New Zealand with.a view to arousing interest in this subject as an appronriate one for a university curriculum, and was glad of ihe opportunity to brine*- tho matter directly before the Senate. Ho was introduced and welcomed by the Chancellor. Professor Trueblood said that during the last 30 years there had been a great awakening in the United States in the study of speech, argumentation, dobntincr. and other related subjects. These had now become part of curriculum of most of tho nni versifies. The first chair of orntorv had been established in tho University of Michigan in' 1892; the last largo university to take it tm was Cornell, which had established such a chair !r> -= r- ynr. Interest was first widely aroused in the matter fn 1873 bv the establishment of an oratorical association, tho nurnose of which was to 'encourage original writing and sppsl-dmr. largelv by means of content--.. Then ' came the organisation of the Northern Oratorical T.oame. embroehifr sevop universities. More reeentlv a very comprehensive contest, called a near" contest, under which th" United States was divided into six sections for competition.

was organised. This body ha-d worked up a widespread sentiment for peace and arbftrationv but since the war broke out its aciivitict, had lapsed. 'lhe work of teaching ora tory usually began in tho English course. The courses offered were along two lines—tho Bclf-exprcssiona! and the interpretation. Following that was a courso in extemporaneous speaking, in which students were given opportunities to make speeches. Then there was the study of great orators and the sources of their power and success. The next course was one on argumentation and debating, tho main duty being to de bate 24 public questions in the class, which was divided into teams. Another course was that in advanced public speaking. On tho other side there was the interpretative work, in which more attention was paid to expression than in English classes. Plays were presented most frequently without costume but some times in character. The course prescribed had proved of the greatest practical value to men of affairs who had taken advantage of it. If asked to name the greatest living American orators, most peoplo would mention William Jennings Bryan, Senator Beveridge. Senator La Follctte, C. E. Jefferson, Bishop Hughes, of Boston, Prasident Woodrcw Wilson, Secretary Root, and Miss Jane Addams. Almost all these had had the advantage of oratorical training during their college courses, and Professor Trueblood urged on the Senate the importance of taking steps to establish such a course at the earliest opportunity. Mr von Haast moved, and 1 Dr Anderson seconded, a motion expressing the hearty thanks of the Senate to Professor Trueblood for his address. The motion was unanimously carried.

COURSE IN ACCOUNTANCY. A deputat'on consisting of Messrs J. S. Barton (Wellington), P. Barr. J. Brown, and W. Green (Dunedin). from the New Zealand Society of Accountants, was received by the Slenate. Mr Barton, who acted as spokesman, said they wished to speak in favour of some alterations, which he outlined, in the accountants' examinations. The Chancellor said that the recommendations made and syllabus suggested would receive the careful consideratoin of the Senate and the Committee of Degrees and Commerce.

FIFTH DAY—MONDAY. The Senate of the University of New Zealand continued its sittings in the Otago University Library on Monday morning. ELECTION OF OFFICERS. On the motion of the Ilev. A. Cameron,seconded by Dr Anderson, Sir Robert Stout was re-elected to the position of Chancellor for the next throe years. Both speakers paid a tribute to the very valuable services rendered to the University by (Sir Robert. On the motion of Mr Von Haast, seconded by Dr Collins, Professor J. Macmillan Brown was re-elected vice-chancellor. Professor Brown was also re-elected as a member of the C4eneral Council of Education. Mr Von Haast was re-elected treasurer of the University. CANCER RESEARCH. The Hon. Dr Collins moved: "That the New Zealand University establish a research scholarship, open to the medical profession in New Zealand, on the subject of cancer and allied malignant diseas.es. That the terms and conditions be referred to the Medical Committee of the Senate." Dr Collins explained how he had come to bring this matter before the Senate by notice of motion. The proposal was to use the funds of the Sir George Grey Scholarship, for which the number of candidates was found to be small and the conditions unsatisfactory. With reference to the subject of canhe spoke of the great progrees that had been made in recent years as the result of scientific research. Ho outlined the conditions prevailing- in the seventies of last century and the great advances that had been initiated by Pasteur, Lister, ajid others. It was necessary not only to have research, but to interest the public so that the results of the research might be made use of. It possible even in a small community like this to carry out investigations that would add to the stock of common knowledge. He referred particularly to the remarkablo results obtained in research work by Dr Truby King in reference to the preservation of infant life and the promotion of the health of women and children. He quoted figures showing- that, while the death rate from cancer pen- 100,000 of population in New Zealand in 1877 was 32. the rate in 1915 was 82. This in itself was sufficient justification for the demand for research work on the subject. It was an interesting fact that, as the death rate from cancer had gone up, the death rate from phthisis has gone down in corresponding degree. The death rate from phthisis had declined from 87 in 1877 to 63 in 1915. The general death rate all round was declining. The research work of the last 50 years had done an immense amount to preserve life, and there was no reason why within the next 50 years cancer should not become a curable disease. Dr Wilson had drawn attention to figures pointing to the curious conclusion that British immigrants were much more liable to cancer than were native-born Australians. At the present time cancer ranked second to heart disease as a cause of death. In 1915 there were 224 deaths from cancer in New Zealand. The following up of the history of "discharged patients would be a very valuable branch of research. He thought the research scholarship should be worth at least £4OO or £SOO a year. He would like to see the holder of it visit every hospital In New Zealand to see every case of cancel-, to inquire into every case under the care of a doctor, and to" get the opinions of both doctor and patient in every individual case. The results cotild then be sent to the committee concerned at Home. _ Dr Ferguson, in seconding the motion, pointed out what a research scholarship meant, and said that anything in the way of an undergraduate scholarship like the Sir George Grey would bo quite useless in this case. There was an awakened interestin research scholarships at the present time. But if any research was to be carried out satisfactorily it must bo by a man of considerable training, under the guidance of a most experienced man. The revenue of the Cancer Research Committee at Home was something like £BOOO a year, end though they had been at work for 15 ycai-s, they had not so far done funytmng towards reducing the cancer death rate. He thought the sum mentioned by Dr Coih'ns would be onlv the very beginning of the expenditure. ('■Hear, hear."} Willi ££oo a year for one man, without mat-vial or equipment, no results at all could be expected. He thought the matter was one that might well bo brought before the Government, as

it whs one for thu Public Health Department. Professor Segar expressed his sympathy with the motion, but said he was sorry thai Dr Collins had made use of statistics of an alarmist character. In these statistics no allowance was made for the change in the average age of the population, which had considerably increased. lie quoted from careful investigations made by himself somo 17 years ago, showing that tho increase in cancer was not nearly so great as was generally supposed. The increase in the figures was partly due to improved diagnosis. Ho also strongly challenged the inference thai cancer is more prevalent in immigrants than in the native born. Mr von Haasfc moved as an amendment 'That the Senato represent to the New Zealand Government the advisability'of taking steps for the encouragement of study and research in the subject of cancer and .allied, diseases." Dr Anderson, who seconded the amendment, took the view that the' matter was one outside the functions of the University and belonging to tho Government. Dr- Benham pointed out that there already existed a scholarship of £250 a year for three years, giving a student opportunity to pursue his studies of cancer in the Old Land. Professor Kirk said it was regrettable that the small matter of the Sir George Grey scholarship should have been mixed up with the larger question of cancer research. He wished to remove the impression that these scholarships had gone b?gging as far as Victoria College was concerned. The Hon. Mr lianan suggested setting up a committee that might bring definite and practical proposals before the Government. It was a matter on which the Government naturally desired to have professional advice. It seemed to him that the main question was ono_ of finance. If the research was to be taken up successfully it was the most skilled and advanced men who should be induced to give- themselves to it. Professor Hunter said it would be a great pity if anything was done to prevent good students from taking advantage of the Sir George Grey scholarships, which had been put to excellent use at Victoria College. The Chancellor expressed tho opinion that the Sir George Grey scholarships were never meant to* be research scholarships, but intended as an aid to students of science, Ho agreed that it would bo a mistake to abolish them. He believed that valuable investigation might be, made in this country as to the effect of our climate and surroundings on the incidence of cancer. He thought, the general principle of the necessity of such research should be affirmed, and it might then 'be left to the Medical Committee to suggest the exact details. Tlio Rev. A. Cameron pointed out that in the Ota go University a most distinguished series of graduates had been helped by the Sir George Grey scholarships. Dr Collins, in replying, said his idea waa that tho research student should work in this country and get a very clear idea of tho amount of cancer in the country.' Dr Oollins's motion was lost, and Mr von Haast's amendment was agreed to on the voices. . LL.B. DEGREE. Professor Segar moved: "That candidates for the LL.B. degree be allowed to take a section of the examination at the end of tho first year." Ho explained that he intended that the candidate should be allowed to take two or three subiects in his first year. In the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees candidates were allowed to take as many as four subjects in their first' year. He proposed that the whole matter be referred to the Law Committee, and this was agreed to..