UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 13888, 24 January 1913, Page 3

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

(Per United Press Association.) AUCKLAND, January 2a. This mo riling the Senate resumed the discussion of the proposal that cani’e forward from the Professorial Coofetencc (held in Wellington in November) with’ regard to the abolition within the next live years of the external system of examination for degrees in arts. The discussion, was opened on Tuesday, and a short pari •of yesterday-afternoon was also devoted to it. i Professor F. D. Brown said he proposed again this year to vote against the suggestion to abolish the system of external examinations. He 1 thought the proposal was entirely impracticable. 11 Professor Marshall said there had been a strong body of feeling even at the Professorial Conference against any change to the internal examinations. Professor flight supported the motion as an impeachment of the present system. He was, he said, opposed to the total abolition of what was known as the external examiner, so that he could give the proposal only modified support. Professor Clifton opposed the suggestion as to being - a practical proposition. The Bov. A. Cameron said. Unit, although in theory he felt that a tcaclici ought to have a very Large say in the examination of his students, he could not see that any practicable proposal had, so far been submitted to replace the present system. Dr. AlcDowcll expressed appreciation of the entire good, faith and sincerity of University reformers. Their methods may not have been of the best, but of their sincerity in the interests of the University he felt there was no question. Air Yon Haast, in opposing the motion, pointed out that the combined wisdom oi the party of reformers had not been able to suggest a satisfactory system to replace the system of external examinations that they propioscd to abolish. The llev. AV. A. Evens supported the motion. The, Chancellor drew attention to tnc differences between the suggestions approved by some professors at the conference, and what they were now making for. Professor Hunter and Professor Bankinc Brown had said that the ideal system was to have an internal examination with no assessor. Apparently the idea was for the examiner to know the person who was being examined. Yet if the other University teachers in the same subject were brought in they would be examining the work of students whom they did not know. These men were virtually external examiners. Apparently the reformers were advocating an ‘.’internal" examination by “externa:'' examiners. Professor Hunter, in s reply, said that there had bedu no suppression of opinion on the part of those who advocated the abolition of the external examination system. There had been no attempt to mislead and no breach of faith. There was surely room for difference of opinion without any imputation of bad faith. AVith regard, to the motion finder consideration, he said that most of the British universities had an external examiner, but it could not be .said that they had an ; external .system of examination. The motion was defeated by 17 votes fo 6. The voting was as follows:—Ayes: Professor J. Eankine-Brown, Rev. Air Evans, Professor High, Mr Hogben, Professor Hunter, and' Sir Maurice O’Eorko. Noes : The vice-chancellor (by proxy), Professors Bonham, E. 'D. Brown, J. AI. Brown, Rev’, Air Cameron, Professor Chilton, Hon. Dr. Collins, Dr. Fitchott, Air Gordon, Mr A r on Haast, Rev. Air Hcwitson (by proxy), Air Tibbs,’ the Hon. Mr Tole,-and the chancellor.