The Week in Review.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVII, Issue 5, 31 January 1912, Page 1

The Week in Review.

NOTICE. The Editor -will be pleased to receive for consideration Short Stories and Descriptive Articles, illustrated •with photos, or suggestions from contributors. Bright, terse contributions are wanted dealing with Dominion life and questions. Unless stamps are sent, the Editor Cannot guarantee the return of unsuitable MSS. University Reform. THERE are few matters in which there is greater need to proceed with caution than university reform. It is ’ quite easy to find fault and defects in the system both of teaching and examining at the different universities throughout the world. Everybody, whether he is a University man or not, thinks himself fully qualified to deal with all matters affecting higher education. From a Schoolboy in the first primer to the Occupant of the highest professorial chair, they one and all are willing to give opinions on the very difficult matter of the functions of a university, which is not wholly a teaching or an examining body. While it fulfils both these functions, its primary duty is to train the mental faculties and to create a thirst for knowledge. It has been well said that the honour schools Should test the acquisition of a faculty, and the pass degree the acquisition of knowledge. Thus a wrangler should have the faculty of solving problems, and a classical honour man should have the faculty of transferring the thought and idiom of the ancient world into that of the modern. A man who has taken honours in science should have ft taste and aptitude for research and work. [Different schools have different traditions, and in the older Universities these traditions are the growth of centuries, and have left a deep impress on the whole trend of thought. Thus the impress of the mathematical school at Cambridge is seen in the classical school. A Cambridge classic is generally more, accurate in pure scholarship, while an Oxford classic excels in the thought rather than the language of the great writers of Greece and Rome. Scientific accuracy Js the keynote of a Cambridge educaj'on, and deep thinking is the. characterthe man trained at Oxford. So it has come about that Cambridge has produced great men, while Oxford has produced great movements. It would ■e quite easy to reform the system of ciluK-ation at both these iiuivvrsities. they could be modernised. Wo could Jiave chairs of typewriting, shorthand, (, r even cookery and woodwork. In a ''Ord the degree might have a far higher Commercial value than it has at present. the question is, would the universities, if reformed, Htill preserve their strongly-marked chai \xcter Utica. •We doubt it. All reform in not necesfiarily for the better. It takes centuries to build up a tradition, but only a ino*nent to destroy it. That ia why both a-t Oxford and Cambridge the authoriare loth to make any change that impair the present university tradition.

New Zealand University. How does this affect our own University? The reformers seem to centre their agitation for reform round the much-vexed question of outside examiners for degrees. The value of the present degree largly depends upon the fact that the examiners are men. of special eminence in their own particular subjects, and have wide experience in the art of examining. For the real examiner does not merely set questions and correct answers. He is able to judge of thq mental capacity -of the student. In the first place have we sufficient men in the Dominion, outside the professorial staff, capable of examining for honour degrees? If not, are the teachers themselves to be the examiners? If so we can foresee great difficulties in the way. A teacher would be exposed to two great temptations. He might either favour a pupil or else from fear of favouritism he might be unduly severe. The provincial jealousies which are so marked a feature of life in New Zealand might also enter into the question of examinations conducted by professors from the different centres. We do not say that it would, but it might. What is the advantage that it is proposed to gain by altering our present system? First, it is said that the expense will be leas. Then it is urged that there would be less delay in ascertaining results. We cannot see that there is much force in either of these contentions. We want the best, and no question of money or saving of time ought to enter into the matter. Of course, if we have in the Dominion a body of men with the requisite knowledge and training to conduct the final examinations with the same degree of skill and accuracy as the English examiner, by all means let us have the examinations conducted locally. But this body of men ought to be entirely dissociated from the teaching staff. It is idle to suppose that any permanent good could result from local examinations conducted by the teachers themselves. We doubt very much whether outside the professorial staff it would be possible to find a body of examiners skilled to examine -with special knowledge in the many and varied subjects required for our various schools. J* Where Reform Ta Needed. But there are aspects of our university education in which reform is urgently needed. The main value of an education at Oxford or Cambridge does not consist so much in the degree itself as in the corporate life of the University. That is why men talk of their college rather than their university. A Cambridge man says that he was at Trinity or King’s, just as an Oxford man says that he was at Merton or Balliol or New. This is because it is the college life that is valuable rather than the degree. Wo have practically no corporate life. It may be inevitable, but nevertheless it is so. The energy that has been spent in agitating against the present system of examination might have been employed to much better purpose in devising some means for fostering a spirit of camararderie amongst the students. We are too apt to think of the commercial advantages of the degree rather than the university life. It is the corporate life of a university that gives a knowledge of men—a kt»>wledge far more useful than any acquired front text looks or lectures. Again we want to have real professors

and not merely tutors. At present the major part of the professor's time is taken up with purely coaching work. This ought not to be. It is no part ot a professor’s duty to cram students for a degree, whether pass or honours. Further, our professors have 'to cover too wide a field. We expect One and the. same man to teach botany, zoology, and entomology. The professor of classics is largely occupied in correcting elementary Latin prose. We should have an efficient teaching staff, -and leave our professors leisure for original work. It is quite a mistake to suppose that in higher education you can get good results by overworking the professorial staff. Every inducement should be given to our professors to regard their university duties as their life’s work. At present our professors are underpaid, overworked, and have neither security of tenure, nor adequate provision for old age. In education as in other matters you get what you pay for. In New Zealand, thanks to the devotion of the University staff, we get a great deal more than we pay for. But this cannot go on for ever, and the sooner we recognise the fact the better it will be for us all. The Value of Education. In a democracy such as ours it is essential that the highest education should be free to all. The State which can pay so liberally for experimental public works grudges the few thousands necessary to place our university on .a sound footing. We want to train our students in such a manner that their character may be developed as well as their intellectual faculties. We cannot show them the dignity of learning as long as we are content to house- them in such ramshackle old sheds as those that are present dignified by th? name of the Auckland University College. We cannot train their characters as long as we neglect altogther the corporate life of a university. Education means training and developing the intellectual faculties, not merely filling the head with ducts. What arc we doing for the children of our out back settlements? What, indeed, arc wo doing for the majority of our population? Practically nothing. Wo want a well organised system of university extension lectures. We want libraries in the country districts, and wo want men. capable of lecturing on the contents of these libraries, and rousing interest in different subjects. It is quite a mistake to suppose that our young people in the back liloejp could not be interested in the m-ittcfof higher educa-

tion. The man in the country has abundant leisure for reading; he wants to know more about science, literature and history. At present he has to pick up for himself such education as he may desire without receiving any help from duly qualified lectures. Not only in the matter of roads and bridges and rail ways are our settlers neglected, but also in most matters of education. The best schoolmasters are located in our towns, the best lecturers and exponents of the arts and sciences seldom leave our large cities. Is it any wonder that parents look for a eity life for their children, and the country life is chiefly praised by those who write of it, as Pope wrote his description of landscape, with their backs to the window of a comfortable suburban residence. Sharks and Bathing. At this time of the year when such a. large number of people take advantage of the splendid natural bathing facilities afforded them iu this country the appearance of a large shark in Auckland Harbour last week is very disconcerting. We are thankful to note that we are not often menaced from this source. At the same time it behoves our bathers to be very careful where they bailie, nnd not to venture to™ far out. The unwelcome visitor was first noticed by two launch masters. It was swimming about off the Man-o’war steps iu chase of smaller fish. The two men immediately made preparations to catch him, and after some difficulty, the capture was effected. The shark, a rather large specimen, nearly ten feet in length, and weighing half a ton, attracted considerable attention, being the object of curiosity to many people. Perhaps the largest shark known to have been seen in Auckland Harbour was one which a few years ago followed the Northcote ferry boat, and was said to have measured twenty-two feet in length. Fortunately it is very rarely that a shark will attack bathers in the harbour, and we can only recollect one occasion in which a bather suffered this awful experience. At Ponsonby a few years ago. a man was attacked whilst bathing, and bitten rather Imdly. He recovered from his injuries, but still bears the mark. At the majority of the beaches about Auckland the waler is rather shallow for bathers, and consequently sharks are not likely to venture in. The Takapiinn and Milford licacbes arc considered quite safe for bathing, nnd the people of Auckland, judging from the crowds that have bathed from these Ix’aches since Uhrlak*

Xias, tnoroughly appreciate the safety and pleasure to be derived from sea bathing. J* „•* The Cricket Trouble. Once more sport has been the cause of a considerable amount of friction in Australia, and it is very unfortunate in the interests of their great national pastime. On this occasion the trouble has arisen over the management of their representative team that is to tour England next year. The custom has been for the players to chose their own manager, and now that the Board of Control lias decided to appoint a manager the cricketers in all the States are up in aims. If the players were able to choose their own manager it is practically certain that Mr. Frank Laver, the famous Victorian, who was such a signal sti’cess in both the 1905 and 1909 tours, in the dual rapacity as player and manager, would be chosen. The players complain that this action on the part of the managers is another proof of the Board's intention to exercise autocratic authority over the whole game, and they point out that, in accordance with the rules under which the English tours are arranged, the Board has no right to to interfere, with the English tours are arranged, the Board has no right to interfere with the choice of the manager. Several players, whose position in the team is considered a certainty, have intimated that they will not go if the Board continues i n its present action. But the worst side of the squabble is rather squalid. According to the “Age’’ several well-known cricketers have declared "decidedly and without qualification" that the idea is to "ring in" either the perennial Mr. P. McAlister, the ‘•stormy petrel" of Australian cricket, or tin Board's own secretary, who resides in Sydney, and wiio is to receive this trip and .£4OO as a reward for his fidelity to the Board throughout its troublous career. There is also a strong impression that an attempt is . being made to "jockey" Laver out of the team to make way lor McAlister, while imputations as to the divisions of the gate money are constantly being hurled by Laver'® supporters. How the trouble will end we cannot say. but it is a great pitv that the national game cannot, lie carried on without controversies and continue] bickering. J* The Mancini Dynasty. The Manehu dynasty, which has Just fallen in China, was. perhaps, more plotted against than any other known to history. China is seething with fecret societies. Perhaps the reason for this is to be found in the regime of misgovernment and extortion that has characterised the Manehu dynasty. At the time of the siege of the Legation we heard mu-h about the Boxers, who wore generally supposed to lie the biggest revolutionary party in China. But that is not so. The biggest of these s< eieties >. known as the Triad, and the members, who are under the control of enlightened men. such as Dr. Sun-Yat-sen. have been working for years for the purpose of obtaining r, better government and the overthrow of the hated Manehu dynasty. They Lave at la-t succeeded. The Boxers are quite a different ■ la-t of men and much inferior to the Triads. Every resident in Peking keeps a watchman or doorkeeper. who is qualified for the position by virtue of bls being a member of the Ta-Chuan, or Big Fist, and is known to the European as a Boxer. The member- of this Society are men who from their youth have been trained in not only guarding houses, but convoying treasure. Up to a few years ago there was not a single ,a-e of a Boxer being faithless to his truet. The Society's reputation -offered ons'ulerably during the anti-foreign riots, when all sorts of disreputable characters appeared, calling themselves Boxers, avowing that their object wae to exterminate the missionari<— and al! native 4 hristian-. Thus the ■Boxers became divided up into various organisation-. Among these were the followers of the Red Shade, the Golden Bell, the Iron shirt, and also the Sect of the Great Water. Another powerful Foeiety is one named the White Lily, which is about two hundred years of age, and which but for an accident would have blown up the Palace at Peking. The conspirators were discovered in the a-t of lighting the gunpowder through one of their number crying out in alarm owing to the light they were lifting being suddenly blown out by a gu-t of wind. However, this Society mill exists, and is characterised

iby a fierce hatred of the Mancha dynasty. Scores of secret societies in China’ bear no animosity towards the Government, and their aims are in direction of . trade reformation, while others devote their time to religious matters and philanthropic schemes. In fact, China is the land of secret societies. J* Wireless Telegraphy and the Weather. The question as to whether the climatic conditions are affected by wireless telegraphy or not, is one that has caused a considerable amount of discussion. When we come to consider what delicate matters climatic conditions are, it seems quite possible that the introduction of a new element into the atmosphere might have some effect on the weather. There is something refreshingly new about associating a certain behaviour of the atmosphere with the winged flight of the electric waves through space. We might imagine them stirring up the air into a tempest tossed as the Bay of Biscay in a cyclone, for the Herzian waves are started daily from hundreds of wireless stations over land and sea. Practically every large ship on the Atlantic —English, French, German, American—nearly every warship in the world's navies is fitted up with wireless apparatus, and, consequently, there is a eeaseless flight of messages. If we could be hoisted into the air at' a spot where messages intercept (supposing these messages could become audible), we should hear something worse than the original Babel. With all this energy passing through space, and apparently in perpetual violent collision, it is easy to imagine that the air is. as it never was before, a seething cauldron. However. when we come to consider waves, whether in water, in air, or in ether, are merely undulations. That is, there is no actual forward movement of matter or gas, as is apparently the ease where a rope is used to produce undulations. Even in our own small baths it is possible to inaugurate a series of small waves which pass ansi repass from one end to the other until their energy is exhausted. Nevertheless they maintain: their individuality to the last, and there is no violence whatever caused by the meeting of their crests. .st Miniature Mankind. In Paris there exists a colony of midgets. They are not dwarfs, but perfectlv normal human beings. There are some three hundred of these people banded together under Mr. Nicola Gerson, who has brought them together from all parts of the world. Living largely to themselves they are not so much' under-sized humans, but another species, the opposite say of the superman. Practically all the work of the civilized world is done by people varying in height from five to six feet. A man who stands over seven feet or below four may be said to face life with a considerable handicap. Mr. Gerson’s colony contains Welshmen. Turks, Danes. Roumanians and Americans. Happily the midget is as a rule a born linguist, and his capacity for learning is quite astounding. Therefore Mr. Gerson had little difficulty in selecting a theatrical company of fifty members who have quite distinguished themselves. The stage manager of this company is Mr. Deiderieh LTpts, a Hanoverian. His parents were curiously enough of normal size, and young ITpts received the usual education. Then he went into business, but soon found that the stage would raise him to a higher level among his fellow men. Now at the age of, fifty he occupies a prominent position, and an interest in German politics proves that the small mind is not always the result of a diminutive body. The trials peculiar to life in miniature are several. Careless and stupid people are apt to treat them like dolls. To a mature man who knows two or three languages and follows a profession, this is somewhat embarrassing. Tailors, too, charge them more for their clothes as they are so difficult to fit. Shoes of course, must lie made to order, and clothes generally cost them considerably more than the normal man has to )*ay. They are very, sensitive about their size, and do not like to be regarded as freaks. They have all the seriousness of adults, and to be addressed in Baby talk as they sometimes are is a terrible insult.