CAPPING CEREMONY.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 144131, 28 June 1913, Page 7

CAPPING CEREMONY.

UN UPROARIOUS SCENE. SIR R. STOUT RETIRES. Owing to trouble at recent capping ceremonies in Auckland, the University Senate decided to hold no ceremony there this year, but to present their diplomas to iho Auckland students in Wellington. The Chancellor (.Sir Robert Stout curtly set aside the suggestion me do by the Victoria College Council that the trouble with the Auckland students should be kept out of the Wellington capping day proceedings, and the council thereupon declined to take any' responsibility for the ceremony. Alter this it was only to be expected that Sir llohcrt Stout would not be well received by the students. The Dominion gives tho following account of Thursday’s proceedings:— flie capping was set down for 3 p.m. in tho Concert Chamber of tho Town Hall, and at tho appointed hour the Chamber was filled. Before the Chancellor (Sir Robert Stout) took his seat a student, arrayed in a Maori mat (and little else), mounted the stage. "Xadies and gentlemen,” he said, '‘owing to iho large crowd which has assembled this afternoon to witness tho ceremony, 1 have been asked to announce that it will bo performed in the largo Town Hall. If you will kindly proceed thither you will bo able to witness it.” The audience rose and began to file out. Then many hesitated, wondering if the announcement was a hoax. A little later two of the caretaker's assistants appeared and removed tho tables, and the chairs, and trio water bottle from tho stage to the big hail. Tho public followed, and were scarcely foaled when tho town clerk, in an interval between a Mauri haka and ragtime dance, appeared in the gallery and shouted that the ceremony would be field in tire Concert Chamber. Cries came of “No; we’ll have it here;” more hakns and Turkey Trot. But everyone scrambled back to tho Concert Chamber. Ju a little while, with the doors closed, the gallery empty, and tho roysterers absent, tiio Chancellor took his seat. Among those on tho _ platform with him were: Tho Mayor of the city (Mr. J. I’. Luke) and tho Minister for Education (tho Hon. James Allen). CHANCELLOR AND THE DOCK. Tho Chancellor intimated that ho wished to say a few words on the subject of university education, Tho function of tho university, ho said, was limited. ‘‘X must,” ho continued, “have that door kept closed. 1 am not going to havo tho door open when 1 urn speaking,, The work done by the college has been excellent. Tho .students have excelled not in New Zealand alone, hut in Europe, too, and they havo passed, into high positions in tho United Kingdom. Our Rhodes scholars m Oxford .stand higher than the Rhodes scholars from any other country. What, then, should Now Zealand 'University students strive for? To maintain the’honour of their university, and not to forgot that their education has cost a great deal of money. . . In my (opinion our students have not taken the position in tho social lilo of the country which they should have taken. I ask the doorkeeper to bo good enough to shut the door. I would ask tho students to remember that they havo a duty to tho community in being teachers of the community. . * . . I do not in tend to take up mom of your time. (Applause.) I hope you will show that the State has not wasted its money in tho endowment of university education.” The Chancellor was reading tho list of Auckland students who had won degrees when tho gallery doors flew open, and a flood of girl and boy students poured in, singing; ‘‘Hero wo are, hero wo are, here wc are again!” Sir Robert Stout; I don’t know how that door got open! Chorus: Everybody’s doin’ it, doin’ it, doin’ it. A ‘'Votes for Women” placard was figuring prominently in the gallery. Sir Robert: You will he good enough to keep out of that hall—and take away that placard. If you don’t do so, I shall adjourn the meeting and deliver tho diplomas in the office. Tho placard temporarily disappeared, but the gallery remained filled. Sir Robert: I don’t understand why the hall-keepers havo not obeyed tho orders which 1 gave to keep those doors shut. Pause. Sir Robert: I can’t understand why the doorkeepers don’t shut that door. Chorus: Close tho door! Shut it! Shut it! Hurry up; shut the door! Sir Robert (addressing the gallery): Sit down! Gallery in reply: There are no seats! Lend us your seat, Bobbie. Doesn’t he look nice! Sir Robert: I am not going on with this meeting, I shall adjourn and deliver the caps to tho candidates in the Mayor’s room. Cheers; and cries of: “Alone ho did it.” The audience rose, and immediately the merrymakers solemnly struck up, “God Save tho King.” A Voice: Three cheers for tho Victoria College Council. MR. TREGEAR KISSED. The Gallery: Hip, hip, hurray! Thk Voice: Three for the Professional Board. ..ic Gallery; Hip, hip, hurray! Tim Voice; Three for the Auckland students. The .Gallery: Hip, hip, hurray I The’ Voice: Three for Sir Robert Stout. The Qallery: Hush! Hold your breath! As Sir Robert Stout took his departure down tho aisle (making for the Mayor’s room) the occupants of the gallery leaned over tho balcony, and sang: “We don’t suppose wo will see yon again for months and months and months!” The Chancellor departed, but ' tho audience remained laughing heartily. A brief lull, and a student gowned, wigged, bearded, and generally disguised as the Chancellor decorously walked on to the stage. “Ladies and gentlemen,” he said, “there seems to bo some misunderstanding as to whether the degrees are to be presented here or somewhere else. If they arc not presented here they will be presented in absentia.” (Cheers.)' Just when the diplomas seemed likely to bo presented by the mock chancellor, Mr. B. Hector, Registrar of tho University, appeared and rescued them. The mock chancellor: Please, Mr. Hector, don’t take them away. Mr. Hector escaped with his bundle. Mock chancellor: This is just another instance of the confusion. Mr. Edward Trogoar, who had boon on the platform with the Chancellor earlier in the proceedings, now reappeared. Ho mounted tho stage, and said; “I must say I am rather disappointed. 1 saw the boys at their fun this morning, and I wanted to seo thorn at it eome more. Do you think

it would be a good thing to have the Suffragettes with us.” Tho Suffragettes, two “ladies” in low neck and tights, stepped on to tho stage, and while Mr. Tregoar beamed upon them they throw up their arms, fell upon him in loving embrace, and smothered him with kisses. Tho Maoris entered and encircled the amorous trio with a haka. Mr. Trogear shortly made another attempt to speak. “Ladies and gentlemen, they will have me here because I am ono of the youngest boys among them.” Out went the lights, and shortly the curtain was drawn in upon the speaker. THE MAYOR TAKES A HAND. Accompanied by slow pianoforte, a student mounted the stage, and delivered the following monologue: “Me sec no reason why graduates invited here to bo honoured should bo treated like children at the whim of tho Chancellor.” The slow music changed into popular airs, and well-known songs occupied tho next few minutes. Upon the platform appeared Mr. West. “Ladies and gentlemen, I think that tho students ot tho college owe it to you .” , . ~ Tho Mayor (Mr. Luke) interrupting: X am sorry indeed for Wellington s name that this has happened. (Hoar, bear!) There is to the graduates to bo capped. You are doin<T an inju&tico to these young men. (Aro! No!) X appeal to you . Cries: Vote of no-conhdeueo in bir Robert Stout! . , „ , , The Mayor: Never mind Sir Robert Stout. Allow me as Mayor of your city to have your attention for a moment. A voice; What is tho remedy i Tho Mavor; The remedy! It the ro-aduates "will come into the Council ghambar and bo capped, .fair «ob?r. Stout will carry out the ceremony. Will you consent? Cries of “No; have it here! -Mro some sound of “Yes. 1 and (solus): “Don’t read tho Auckland graduates names out,” Piano and song: “lor ho s a jolly good fellow!” , Tho Mayor: There seems to be a perfect misunderstanding a ;i to who oatho hall. The university engaged it, not the Students’ Association. in the name of the city, and in the name of law and order, I ask vou well-educated young men to go into tho Council Chamber and be capped. (Laughter.) Tho graduates did not budge, and Mr. West again spoke. H■■ said that it had been told them that the gallery would be reserved for students, and ho claimed that what little noise there was was ninth? by outsiders. The noise was very mild by comparison with otiier functions. Before tho ceremony the students had taken a pledge not to create a row, and thev had carried out that ph.-dgo. (Applause.) GRADUATES DECLINE TO BE CAPPED. The Mayor: Come into t)io Council Chamber and have the ceremony performed, and then enjoy yourselves af-ter.-ards. If you will do that 1 will place the big T own Hall at your die*, pusal. Mr. West: I understand that the graduates absolutely refuse to be capped elsewhere than in this hull. (Cheers.) Mr. D. S. Smith spoke to tho effect that the Mayor’s oiler should bo accepted (No! No!) Tho Mayor; Then I will ask you to leave the hall. Ono in the gallery: Read tho Riot Act. The Mayor: Yes, I will read that soon enough. Tho gallery; He doesn’t know it. A voice: Will Bobbie Stout have University reform ? Chorus: No! The voice: Will ho have any other sort of form? Chorus; Yes! The voice: What form? Chorus: Chloroform I The Mayor: I must ask you to leave, please. Otherwise s step will bo taken which will not bo very popular. Someone: What, run us all in? The Mayor: No, but lock the doors. Chorus, to the tune of "Auld Lang Syne”: “We’re hero because wc’ro here, because.” Tho students decided not to go to the Council Chamber. Perched on a chair, one declared that it would be “a sign of weakness to go now.” “You have been insulted by your Chancellor to-day,” he added. A blushing young “girl” took the platform. “Sir Robert Stout.” she said, “will present the diplomas in camera —a secret case, like.” THE MAYOR REAPPEARED. Tho Mayor interrupted the speech. Cries of “Kiss it,” and the “girl” embraced the Mayor and implanted a kiss. Shortly after this tho gathering broke up, but the graduates, with throe exoejitions, did not go to be capped. Tho other degrees wore conferred in tho absence of the students.