UNIVERSITY EXAMS

Southland Times, Issue 20633, 3 November 1928, Page 7

UNIVERSITY EXAMS

STRONG COMPLAINTS. STUDENTS AND ACCOMMODATION. ATTENTION DISTRACTED. (Per United Press Association.) Wellington, November 2. The Winter Show building is being used for the University Examinations, and strong complaints are made by the candidates at the cheerless conditions, especially by the ladies. It is asserted that the place is cold and uncomfortable with its iron roof, concrete floor and rain dripping in. There is no provision for cloak rooms, while the noise of the workmen and an electric motor distracted attention and prevented concentrated attention on the examination papers. It is also alleged that there are not enough supervisors for the 600 candidates and their attention could not be obtained. The cold is intense as there is no heating system and the building is quite unsuitable in such inclement weather. To these complaints the official reply is that the University has for some years had difficulty in finding a suitable hall and under ordinary weather conditions it was thought the Show building would be quite satisfactory. It is admitted the candidates must have suffered from the cold and the noise, but buildings previously used would also have had discomforts in such weather. The officials considered some of the complaints exaggerated and groundless and said the wettest places were away from the section used and there was plenty of dry space, nor was the building draughty to any extent. SERIOUS MISTAKE. STUDENTS GIVEN WRONG PAPER. Christchchurch, November 2. A serious mistake was made in the conduct of the University degree examinations on Thursday. Students who should have sat for the history II paper, (a) were given the history II paper; (b) the question for which they are scheduled to sit next week. They had worked on paper (b) for about 15 minutes before the mistake was discovered. The paper was then removed and replaced by the correct one. This is a serious matter seeing that the students know the contents of next week’s paper several days before the examination. It is not yet known what action will be taken in the matter. MISTAKE ALSO OCCURS AT AUCKLAND. Auckland, November 2. Students sitting for the second stage in history at the degree and diploma examinations of the New Zealand University were issued with the wrong papers at Auckland to-day, being given paper B (which was to have been taken next Monday) instead of paper A. The mistake was discovered by the students shortly after they had taken their seats and protests were made to the supervisors. The wrappers in which the papers were received were found to be labelled paper A. After deliberation, it was decided that the candidates having seen the papers would have to work upon them. At the conclusion of the three hours period prescribed for the examination, all papers containing the questions were collected and the candidates were not allowed to take them from the room. The mistake has been reported to the Registrar of the University in Wellington but no decision has yet been made whether the examination in this paper will be held as valid.