A MEMORIAL

Dominion, Volume 9, Issue 2622, 18 November 1915, Page 6

A MEMORIAL

OF THE VON ZEDLITZ CASE AND SOME OBJECTIONS LIVELY TALK AT THE VICTORIA COLLECE COUNCIL.

A memorial drawn up by ten members of the council, purporting to ho a- history of the Professor von Zedlitz case, was laid upon the table in proof form at last evening's meoting of the Victoria College Council. On tlie fact being referred to in due order by the chairman (Mr. C. Watson), Dr. Prendergast Knight asked if any authority for the printing of the memorial had been given, and what it was proposed to do with. it. The chairman explained that the motion passed at a previous meeting was that it was resolved to have it printed m pamphlet form for distribution among tho constituents of jjvimbere, and that it bo liled in the archives of the oollege. Mr W. Ferguson said that a reference to it appeared in Clause 25 of the Memorial, which read: "A largo number of tho members of the council had the intention of resigning office, and, by submitting themselves for re-elec-tion, to' obtain ail expression of opinion from their electors as to wlfethor tho council were justified in declining to sacrifice an innocent man to popular clamour. The Government, however, ■ prevented that possible action by an addition to tho Education .Act (No. 2) of a clause enabling the Government to suspehd any such election by filling all vacancies with its own nominees. As the mombers of the council were thus practically debarred from submitting their views and actions to tlioir constituents for confirmation or condemnation, 1 the council ]®.vo deemed it' desirablo to placo this statement on record for tho information of' their constituents." Dr. Knight wisSed to know who was to pay for the printing of it—tho Finance Committee or tho college funds? ?'r. Ferguson stated thai the order, to liavo the memorial printed had been passed, and confirmed in tho minutes. Dr. Knight: "But it was printed hefore the minuto3 were conirmed." If it was a memorial he was of opinion that the signatories should bo attached, and it should be a correci one, 6etting forth that two members were against it—who liad divided on the question. Surely they were entitled ,to have the fact that there had been a division recorded. If it was to be printed and filed in tho aeliives of the college it should at least he correct. Mr. C. B. Morison: "IjS is regrettable that Dr. Knight was not present at the last meeting." Dr. Knight: "That was because the meeting was held on a date you knew 1 could not be present." Mr. Morison: "Wo knew?" Dr. Knight: ''Yes—l told you so!" Sir. Ferguson moved that a sufficient number of copies bo printed and bound in pamphlet form for distribution among tho constituents of members of the council. • •

Dr. Knight: "Have you selected the colour in which it. is to be printed? I should say it ought to be green, as showing the greenness of the council in having it printed; or red, the manner in which it. will be read." On the motion being put Dr. Knight said he objected to the memorial being circulated all over the placo. Ho could not see what good its publication was going to do. The college was practically dependent on the Government, and he did not think it was right to be wasting money in such a way nt the present time. He mentioned that the pnblio_ had practically had it all before them in the petition that had been presented to Parliament by the College Council. The council would be well advised, not to publish it until after the war. The chairman said he thought the matter had been thoroughly thrashed out. He "thought the memorial might be used in a mischievous way 'by the Press by taking' out selections and using them in a manner that might bo harmful. ■On the motion being put (to print and circulate tho memorial) it \wjs Mori son, Adamson, Brown, and Dr. Knight called for a division, which resulted as follows: — Ayes: Messrs. Atkinson, F«r.mj«in, Morison, Adamson, Brown, and Dr. .Anson. Noes:, Messrs. I. a Trobe, AVright, Watson, and Dr. Knight. Copies of the memorial wore not mado available! to the Press.