UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Globe, Volume XXIII, Issue 2298, 15 August 1881, Page 3

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

CEREMONY OF CONFERRING DEGBEES. The ceremony of presentation of diplomas to the graduates of tne yea? took plaoe at the ProTinoir'. Couno l '' Chamber at noon to-day. There was a large attendance of visitors, especially ladies. The body of the chamber was fp'l, and the ga"ery was oocupied by the students of the College, who, after ancient custom, saluted their espeoip l favorites with loud plaudits, a bevy of " sweet girl grc iuates" especially coming in for loud and oontinued cheering as they took their seats. The Chan, cellor and the professors also received the same compliment es they appeared on the dais.

The Chancel'or (Mr H. J. Tancred) said it was perhaps desirable that he should explain the instructions given by the Senate as to the conferring of degrees. It had been ordered by the Senate that the oeremony of confer, "ng degrees should take piece ?*i the various parts of the colony at the same time, on such date m shor'd be fired by the Onanoe n or. He had therefore fixed that day as being most convenient. The Senate had a'so ordered that there should be no addresses delivered except by the Chancellor, or some person whom he might call upon. Having thus explained the proceduro of the ceremony, he would call on the Beg'-t-f to read the resr't of the lest year's work. Tho B;gistrar;(Mr W. M. Mrkell) then read tho resist, as follows : _ The following were admitted to Matriculation : —Alfred Pickering Clarke, Nelson ; Reginald Wodehouße Cocks, Canterbury; Catherine Colebrook, Bartholomew Cronin and John Davidson Davis, Auckland ; I_ederick Philip Fendall, Canterbury; Walter F.lend rid Bobert Gilkison, Otago; Janet Gilmer and George A-thur Gribbin, Auokland. ; Henry Francis Guetitz, Canterbury; Andrew Hanna, Auckland; James Johnston Hay, Otago; Beginald John Keith Jackson, Wellington; Herbert Louis James and Carol;ne Agnes Jervis, Auckland; Bobert MoNab, John Wilson Martin, Emilia Menzies, Donald Munro end Bobert Campbell Niven, Otago j David Norrie, Auokland ; Ada Pike and W''Ham Arthr" Bobinson, Canterbury ; Thomas Kay Sidey, Otago ; Joseph Henry Simmonds, Canterbury; Helen Simpson, Auokland ; George Leighton Stewai.,, Otago; Joseph Sykes, Auckland ; Fredeiick Valent<ne Waters, Wellington; Louisa Melvi'le Wi'l, Otago; Jessie Wilson, Auokland. The following obtained Junior Scholarships: Leonard Chapman and Edith Howitt Searle, Canterbury; Maiy Montgomery, Ot'.go; Wil'iam Perceve 1 Evans, Nelson; Arthur Jonathan May ne, Canterbury; Adolph William Philip Hamann, Otago; Edmund Wilkinson, Canterbury; Malcolm La'ng, Otago. The following passed the first section of the examination for the B.A. degree : —Wi'liam James Cattan, University of Otago ; Thomai Beid Fleming, Nelson College; Carol-'ne Freeman, University of Otago ; George Alexander Hasbness, Nelson Col'ege ; Walter Hislop, Frederick Ho wart h Jeffooat, Edward Agnew Phillips, and John Wi ,,! am|Salmond, University of Otago; dement Watson, Wellington College j George Watson, Canterbury College. The following passed the final examination for the B.A. degree.—Charles Cb''toa and Benjamin Miohael Connal, Canterbury College ; John King Davis, St. John's College, Auckland ; Margaret Lilian Florenoe Edger, Wi'Ham Fidler, Thomas Soholfield Foster, John Innes, and Basil Keith Senior Lawrence, Canterbury College ; William McLean, William Drans Milne, P lexander Montgomery, Donald Muir Stuart, and Alexander Brao Todd, University of O'igo ; Edwin Watkins, private tuition ; James Bseve Wilk'nson, Canterbury College ; Charles Fr. le.lok Wykesmith, private t\"tion. The following obtained Senior Soholp-sbips: —Charles Oh : ltin, Benianv'i Miohael Connal, and Margaret Lilian jflorenoe Edger, Canterbury College ; Alexander Montgomery, University of Otago; James Beeve Wilkinson, Canterbury Ool'ege. The following passed the first examination for the LL.B. degree :—/'fred Richa-d Barclay, 8.A., Otago ; James Ronaldson Thorn* ton, 8.A,, Oanterbv/' The following passed the second examination for the LL.B. degree:—James Hay, M.A., Oanterbv y. The following passed the examination for honors : —Helen Gornor, Canterbury College, first class in languages and l-terature ; William Henry Herbert, Canterbury College, first olass "I mathematics and mathematical physios, third class in chemistry and experimental physics ; James Ronaldson Thornton, Canterbury College, third clns in ohem'st;/ and experimental physics. The follow : ng gained the Bowen pvize : Robert Franois Ervine, Canterbu-y College. Professor Haslam then proceeded t • present the graduates of the yea- *n the Wowing terms:— Mr Chancellor, I have to present to you, for r imission to the degree of Master of Arts, Miss Helen Oonnon and Mr James Ronaldson Tho. a ton. M-is Helen Connon gained an Exhibition at Canterbury College in 1879, was admitted to the degree of B.A. in 1880, and gained a first class in Latin and English in the University Honors Examination for the present year. I may add that I believe Miss Connon «.'" be the first female student to reoeive the degree of M.A. from an English University. Mr James Ronaldson Thornton was admitted t) the degree of B.A. in 1C"?0, and gained a third class in chemistry and experimental physics in the University honors examination for the present year. I have further to present the name of Mr William Henry Herbert, who is now ?n England, for admission to the degree of M, A. in his absence. Mr Herbei., gained a Junior University Scholarship (-n clr-sics and mathematics) in 1875, an exhibition in mathematics, and also one in ohemistry and physioal science at Canterbury College in 1878 ; a Senior University Scholarship in mathematics in the same year, and another in chemistry and experimental physics in 1879 ; was admitted to the degree of B.A. in 1880, gowned a first class in mathematics and mathematical physics, and a third in chemistry and experimental physics in the University honors exanr'nation for If SI. Wr Herbert also obtained the Gilchrist Scholarship in If ?'}, and in the matricu'ation examination held in New Zealand in connection with the University of London, obtained marks whioh would have entitled him to the eighth place in the honors division, and to a prize if he had been examined in England. Mr Chancellor, —I have to present to you for admission to the degree of B.A. Mr Benjamin Michael Connal, Mr Charles Chilton, Miss Margaret Lilian Florence Edger, Mr William Fidler.Mr Thomas Scholfield Foster, Mr John Innrs, Mr Basil Keith Senior Lawrence, Mr Edwin Watkins, Mr James Reeve Wilkinson, and Mr O. F. Wykesmith, who have all passed the final University examination held in 1880 for the degree of B.A. Mr Connal in 1878 gained a Junior University Scholarship, and an exhibition at Canterbury College in Latin and mathematics ; 1879,5 an exhibibition in Latin at Canterbury College, and a Senior University Scolarehip in the same subject, If ZO, an exhibition in Greek and English at Canterbury College, and a Senior University Scholarship in Greek, English, history, and political economy ; Mr Charles Chilton, in 1878, gained a Junior University Scholarship; in 1879, an exhibition at Canterbury College and a Senior University Scholarship, both in mathematics ; in 1880, an exhibition at Canterbury College in natural science and a Senior University Scholarship in English, heat, electricity and zoology. Miss Margaret Lilian Florenoe Edger, in_ 1878, gained a Junior University Scholarship; in 1879, a Senior University Scholarship in mathematics ; in 1880, an exhibition at Canterbury College in mathematics and a Senior University Scholarship in English and French. Mr William Fidler, in 1879, gained a Senior University Scholarship in Latin, French and mental science. Mr Thomas Scholfield Foster, in 1879, gained an exhibition at Canterbury College in Latin, and a Senior University Scholarship, also in Latin ; in 1880, an exhibition at Canterbury College in Latin and rooommended for a Senior University Scholarship, also, in Greek, history and politioal economy. Mr John Innes, in 1876, gained a Junior University Scholarship ; in 1877, the Bowen prize for an English essay ; in 1878, an exhibition at Canterbury College in physical science; in 1879, a Senior University Scholarship in English, and the Bowen prize for a second time. Mr Basil Keith, Senior Lawrenoe, Mr Edwin Watkins; Mr James Beeve Wilkinson, in 1878, gained a Senior University Scholarship in Latin ; in 1880, an exhibition in chemistry, physics and geologyat Canterbury College, and a Senior University Scholarship in history, politioal science, ohemistry, heat, eleotrioity and geology.

The graduates came up as follows : Degree of B.A.—Ohas. Chilton, B. M. Connal, Margaret Lilian Florence Edger, T. S. Foster, John Innes, B. K. 8. Law-eaoe, E. Watk'ns, J. B. Wilkinson. Degree of M.A.—Helen Cannon. [On this ledy going up for her degree she received quite an ovation, the students ; ~i the gallery giving three oheersand a tiger.] J. B. Thornton, Messrs Fidler pnd 1 Wykesmith (8.A.) and Hebert (M.A.) were absent. The Chancellor said he desired to congratulate those who had had the degrees oonrerred upon them for hav'ng been successful so far in the career they had marked out for themselves. It was also satisfactory to know tha*. the University wrs making for itsel' a place in the country. So soon as there were thn -y students who had taken a degree, the University would then become a self-governing body. Tb ; s was a consummation which they all looked forward to wi*H joy mixed with anx : ety for fear they should fp'l sho. , of the standard thev had set up for themselves. Personr'ly he jad no fear, benuse he felt that those who were engaged in the work of the Ur 'versity would do their best to disoharge their functions so as to bring up the standard to a high degree. They had now before them the fruit of their work, as those who had stood the test of examination had passed through a test that very few Universities imposed. The exarr'ners were in England ana the highest in rank with respect to the special subjects on wbioh they had examined. It wr i also noticeable that, as a rrle, examinations were in subjects on which no knowledge of the books used wr i possessed by them. The result was therefore real sound knowledge, and not the mere cramming of books. [Cheers.] The examiners had always spoken in terms of high commendation of the proficiency disclosed by the examination, and therefore they had reason to be proud of the way in whioh their students had passed the order 1 . [Cheers.] There was one thing whioh proved th's accidentally, as the Gilchrist Scholarship had been gained by a graduate of Cant irbv j College, Mr Herbert. He had cal'ed.it accidental proof, because the notice of the examition was so short that Mr Herbei.. went into the examination without any special preparation, only relying on the knowledge gained here in his studies. The result was that he wfi placed very high in the honors, and the examiners reported that he had come out of the'examination with great credit. [Cheers.] The result, to his mind, not|only showed that the training had been sound and good, not showy, and reflected great credit not only upon Mr Herbert, but those under whom he had been trained. [Cheers.] There was great cause for congratulation ?n respect to the year's work, but sti 11 the opporturity of obtaining University education was confined too much. This oould only be obtained in Ohristohurch and Dunedin, there being nothing noith of Canterbury. He attributed this result to the wisdom of the Legislature in jealously guarding the revenues of the districts, the setting aside of liberal endowments for higher education, and the provision made for the culture of the people. He was glad to learn that steps were being taken to establish a College in Auokland, bat beyond this the other parts of the colony north of this provincial district were without means of affording University education. As regarded the representation of the University in Parliament, the Senate had made representations to the Government praying taat this might be done. [Cheers.] So fr- as he could see, however, the privilege would not be of much use to the University. It was time that the representative of a body composed of those who had rendered themselves famous in au or Vterature would add considerably to the good of the country as a whole. Whether it would tend to raise the standard of cv'tr-e in the country was another matter. He desired once more to congratulate thoso who had that day received the honors which the University was enabled to bestow. [Cheers.] Three cheers were given for the Chancellor and the Professors, and the proceedings terminated.