UNIVERSITY. SENATE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 103, 24 January 1908, Page 4

UNIVERSITY. SENATE.

SUGGESTED: SCHOOL OF MUSIC. TH E 3U P P LEW E NTARY EX AM IN AT 10 NS. MILITARY DRILL FOR MATRICULATION ' ' • REQUEST AND PROFFERED PRIZE., . Tho University Senate, sitting in the morning "arid* afternoon'.yesterday Colk lege, traversed a' surprisingly wide rango of business] Tho Chancellor's report' gave riso to some interesting' ■' discissions," though .iiearly all. the, matters dealt- with. were of necessity referred to committees. :; Sir Robert-Stout.broughtjup the question of mimical examinations, to which a special interest attaches,- now that..' a , Society of Musicians' has bien formed for the Dominion. 'Hie Cha.nce.llor suggested that if t!ie University could cor.-bict its .own musical examinations, it might i jye sufficafent iiibiy>v; which" now goes abroad,, to establish .a/.School of 'Music for New Zealand. ; The..desirableness of forming-such a scliume. Was warmly adin;ji .letter, from a; prominent Buriedin musician, who felt sure,, (.hat ..professionals WnliJ- be glad: to 'help.' The-; matter was film 11 v referred to the Music Committee.

The holding of'-the, supplemcntar.y examinations now .in propels .throughout Now Zealand, as the, result of the destruction v of some candidates' papers in tho-' Parliamentary Buildings fire, and tho delay, which occurred in holding these, were severely- criti-cised-.hy some'members of the Senate. 'The. 'Registrar - explaimixl - the unavoidable naturo of tho delay, and the action of those, members of theSenate;'l,wno ordered tho entire. »e-csamii»a.tion, was .approved., •

From the.; Council of. Defence cii-me • novel suggestions for* tho acceptance of military drill as an optioual subject .for matriculation, and in a more advanced form, for tliC', Ji.A. degree., Tho suggestion rather startled' come staid- Senators,, but a committee was . with vthe Council, and obtain .more detailecl informa-r tiou as to Arhat-is'/w^aritcd,

Mr. .T. Haydon, of Canterbury, offered to establish a fund to provide an annual prize for the best essay ori the maintenance of fcea-powar from -an Impcrial : ' : iibiht?'of; view, and intimation was received,of . a ,bequest by the late Mr. Daniel of Pleasant Paint, .for : of 'a scholarship for iticdical stiidents of the Jloman Catholic Faith. .Both- offers were referred to committees.: ■ ■...;v -\- ■' -.'...

. An interesting toiler was -received on - tho iiijiject of. accountancy examinations, j

' A vprj-' large frumVcr •ol'Wjiicktions' we're referred to committees, and these should give rise to some interesting.,reports.

Sir Maurice O'Rorke, lit., M.A., i LL.IX, tho Rev. W. A. Evans, Professor G. S. Sale,',' M.A., and Professor • J;- ,H. 'Scott, M.ft.,' M.R.C.S:, KU.S.K, took their. seats,for the first timo,''.Professor'.R; 'J: -Scott. 31. Inst. C.E., M.'lnst. "VI ju, WH » lns returned Christehurch, .qiid'.tho Yiec-Chan-cc-llor' (tho Hon. C. 0. Bowen) is acting as his proxy.' • TRIBUTES. , 'A committee, consisting ofcthc'ChanccUor, the Hon. O. C. Boweuy Sir, Man rice, O'Rorke, and Professor Sub,..was,, appointed. to prepare minutes in respect-''oFi the : 3tatlis during tho year :i|ithe. ', ' ' SPECIALISATION icEflp" DEGREES. . Regarding y.tho"'%iggestii).ji /liiado in -the report, .to allow 'greo courses, Sir Bobgrt t&mf- said that he icslt-' strongly on this matfcfe'He instanced the ease of a .brilliant student who had not beenable to " take a degree (on' account of i ]iis ■ weakness, in mathematics. • Mr. BaiiniO'.'Said a similar' ease had 'hajv victim was nowa 'Xiaripiagcs'ili a German'Uni- ■ ■ ! Mr. Kogbon; No, • at St. Petersburg. Professor .T. Macmillan Brown ; said ho. thought there was a great deal, to be said in favour of instituting a degreo of Bachelor of Literature. He knew of one student at Canterbury College who had taken nine, years, to get through her. degreo courso on account of mathematics. It was an obstacle .which particularly affected'.wotneil'students.. Mr. Baunic gave notice of motion for Monday next that the Senate seek ppwer from Parliament, to institute a- degree;• of Bachelor of Literature, and that, until such degree 'is established mathematics ; bo not compulsory for. tho B.A. degree. " • SUPERANNUATION OF PROFESSORS. The -question of the superannuation of professors was referred.to' ! by the: Chancellor in much tho same terms as those used by him in his-annual-report. ; Mr. G. Hogben stated that exactly half tho. professors of the University had expressed their opinion' in '.favour of superannuation, and tho other half against it. v Tho 'question was' -referred to., a' special .committee.. . . , : '• ' 0 MUSICAL .EXAMINATIONS. SCHOOL OF MUSIC l'Olt N,EW ZEAIAND;: As regards.the question of musical examinations, tho Cliancell.oi;'said that the profit on tho money which the University was paying to the Associated Board and the Trinity College of Music to conduct thc;e examinations would go a lone way towards the establishment of a school of music in the Dominion. Tho question had been discussed at a mooting of professor? of tho Universities of Australia and New Zealand,' which . he had attended in Melbourne, and a very strong opinion was- expressed., in : favour or these examinations being held by tlui "Universities. Examinations in music were already held' hy a. joint.lioard of tho Universities of Melbourne and Adelaide,; and it was proposed that this co-operation should be extended. Tho ; matter was referred to the Music Committee. Later. on ' the following letter was read from Mr. i 'W.,PagetVGalj!, organist of, Knox: Church;' Dunedin; and conductor of 'the Dunedin. Choral[ Society,-:—'"I -understand a resolution has" been adopted in favour of co-operation between, the. Universities of tho Commonwealth and New Zealand in tho conduct of public examinations in mis,sic. f rfln. recently out fi ; 6m. Homo; (Glasgow), and . ha'vo joined the O'tago Society of Musicians. Just now wo have before us t'ne matter of one society which shall include, the whole of . New. Zealand. If this comes aboiit.,- ; as ,T fully expect it will, on tho lines of tho Home Incorporated Society 'of Musicians, tlion, if the combined Universities conduct examinations ahd'also the Society of Musicians, we shall.have a state ,j>f affairs much to. be _dc'plori;'d.. Having jjad ;a':yory extended experience in-'connection ' with' societies and .examinations', in the Home land, 1; deem it my - privilege to write ,voii : : on i the'., matter.. "What strikes a .Ilo.rne. musician on coming to the Dominion is the entire absence of a suitable college /'for. njii!iii;<al , training—lunderstand there- is ,6iic iri A,mfctat>d— THrious centresl auditr.'scwms 3 matter ' of great'tirgenc^..that'.!such':.ccnti'f.'S should have some such school in connection with tho Universities. I am sura wo professionals' would be. only 100 . pleased • .to •, assist [where necessary. Their.', examination "could lie arranged independent' of any'other country.At present thero is a tremendous amount of money spent 1 on llome :exaimnations which, might quite, easily' lib. kept in the Dominion, and examinations arranged rjis: a much more satisfactory basis. I think it will tie a great pity if co-operation with Australia becomes an. accomplished fact. .. New Zealand is siillicientfy 'musical," and 'has quite' a good repre.seidati'Jli :of, tbpcouidiW "ood musicians,

as toact. on, jts, nn-n initiative." The lei lor was also referred to the Music Committee. SUPPLEMENTARY- EXAMINATIONS. ; _ In respect- supplementary e.vuniinations wh!l;fci : aroj"»now being held' in consequence ™of the destruction of , candidates' papers; 'in- the -five. at the Parliamentary ihlildjrigs,'Professor'Sale s:ii(l that he had b'etff'Vory'mueh averse to holding, fresh ex'iiniipiitipn's for' the whole Dominion, though the' stej) bad been necessary in the case of M T ellington candidates. Ho thought -that they ought- not to tnirkle to public opinion M's'to tho whole examinations simply to make absolutely, certain that justice was being xloiiii); If a separate examination for W'elliiigton' had been held, the examiners' might hiiye becn .expected to deal fairly with the position, fiiul til? whole country need not have been put in suspense so long as it had been*'.' Surely.-tho. examiners could have been trusted••.•t-O'.set fair, equivalent- papers for -those- candidates iwhose work had been destroyed.' - He did not think they should satisfy the morbid "desire of some people for justice that could not be gainsaid. The Chancellor said . that, while perhaps tho examiners.,might have been, relied -on to , set- fair., equivalent papers, - N thoro would almost, certainly have been trhublo. witli candidate:) who thought themselves under an injustice, if they had not; all beeii, placed upon the same footing by a new examination for all. '

ill 1 . Joynt (Registrar) made a lengthy explanation of tho delay which had occurred in hoiding-'the -Supplementary examination*: He stated that even educational bodies did not show the .slightest grasp of what it ■meant to ! arrange those' examinations. It had taken three weeks to get;a definite statement."from all the candidates as to : where- they should sit, then it was. nccessary ,to,-.prepare schedules for tho supervisors exactly,as, on, the previous occasion, the examiners were in four different centres, the Senate's special • printer took fourteen days .to get out the new papers, and then some.of 'the V-au'didates had to sit for 'examinations of ;tti6fßduea'j;Hjn Department before they could bo J ' ' Mr:.'Hogbeji' said he felt with Professor Sale-al)out r : tho-re-holding of tho .examinations. -He thought also that tho supplementary; oxaminations might have been held niDrrt.cjuk'kly,, though he did not think they could blame' anyone, since those who had had,to act had acted according to the best 'of tlitiir jiidgmenl-l. _ : ' V'The Chairman, said that- only 80 or 90 candidates New Zealand had had to sit agaiii.'

>;.-Mn , 'Hpgben'-said that tho number of students concorned'did not affect the inconvenience to the-individual.

Mr. Von Haast admitted that it was very easy to be wise, after the event. Ho was Sure that'those members-of tho Senate who had decided to hold tho whole'examinations again had dono so for other reasons than because they were moved thereto by popular clamour, nud that the officials had done all they could to' expedite the matter. Professor J. Macmillan Brown said-that tho delay; hqd«.cqjised very considerable inconvenience to pupils of secondary schools who had sat- for scholarships, and who did nqt know-whether they would have to go back to 'school, or not. At. the sanio time .'life' %ai> perfectly'satisfied with Mr. Joynt's csplariation' of the delay: ■ . ' ''•M'rilßaamc thought; that as only eighteen CandidateV-had had their papers destroyed, the'inconve'mbnMi to: students and expense to the University of a total examination should have been avoided. Candidates) who had'run -their course should not have been rciiiiircd to ruii-the race again.

'-It' wii s' -'pbintccl' out that races wore very often '"rati" kgtfiif.'-. when circumstances rendered it advisable.- A easo had occurred quite recently at Wellington. (Laughter.') DrrFitchett moved that the action of the Wellington members of tho Senate in respect of re-examination bo approved. Professor'-Salo'-seconded tho motion, and stated. that he succially desired that Mr'. Joynt's actiou iu'tho matter should bo vindicated. . , ' Mr. Baume, said that be was willing to support- tho motion, though .ho still felt that the course takeu had .not been tho best one, and lie was extremely itoxious that the same course, should not be adopted on a future occaslonf' • Tho. Chancellor-pointed out tliiit it would have'been impractical to get fresh papers forthe Wellington candidates alone, because, tho 'National' Scholarships were ;awarderl 011 the junior scholarship credit list, and they could not,iii aecordanco with-the.-statute, awar.d them" ; bir I twb separate credit lists, ono for Wellington and tho othor for the rest of tho 'Dominion.'" ' " . 'AftcT further'discussion, tlic motion was adopted....... HEW DEGREES. Somo discussion took place on-the refusal of tho Privy Council to 1-ecogniso tho University's now degrees of Doctor of Laws, Master \if Master- of Surgery, and Master of Scieneo. ....... Dr. M'Dowell said that, this was not moreiy a colonial affair. Tho Prh-y Council 'had' "held" up a' number of other new degrees including some, degrees of Edinburgh University. This removed tho suggestion that tho Neiv Zealand University had been reflected on in any way. The Privy .Council had had trouhlo with other British Universities,'i-tho-standard of-whoso curriculum, was not sufficiently high, and this had mad'o them''very "careful. They did not liko tho number of degrees that had been asked for, but -Would, probably have granted a fow of them at a time. Mr. Hogben defended tho Government from- -any suggestion of remissness in tho matter.'' Ho thought that tho Senate had one"reason for complaint against the Privy Council, in that that body liad_ formally •referred-.the matter to another University. This actiou.was perhaps a slight to a University holding a ehartev presumably not inferior to tho charter of any other University i.u tho Empire. . Tho -Chairman said it was perfectly plain', that- tho cause of the trouble was. that the application _ for recognition of hew degrees liad como before men who were impressed with tho old University ideas, and \vlip,;..thought..that degrees should 'only .lie granted after the manner of those given Jjy Oxford'and ' Cambridge. They must oxpcct this sort of treatment if they went to Kng,lnnd for. endorsement. The conservatism of England in educational matters was well known. , . BACHELOR OF SCIENCE DEGREE. Somo strong .remarks were made, against the liaehelptMif Science degree, adopted by tho Senate lute in its last session. Professor Shand characterised t.lio degree as 11 disgrace to the. University, and gavo uot.ico to move next Tuesday that the statute authorising "it be rescinded. ll' a similar degree on improved conditions could bo devised, well and good. ' Tho matter was referred meanwhile to the Science Committee. PROFESSORIAL REMITS. In connection with certain remits from Dr. Right, of Canterbury College. Mr. Baume. raised: tho point whether professors and U'cturtrs op subjects which were common to other University Colleges of tho Dominion should' forward recommendations to t.he Senate; without obtaining tho opinions first of colleagues ill the other colleges. Tho Senate could consider these much more satisfactorily, if they had before them tho views of all the professors and lecturers conccrned. Professor J. Macmillan Brown expressed tho samo opinion. Mr. von Haast moved that tho matters of administrative, detail contained in the proposals, should'be .dealt with bv a committee, ami questions of principle referred to the Professorial Hoards for consideration. This- was seconded hy Professor ,1. MacmilJan .Brown,, and carried. I