N.Z. RHODES SCHOLARS

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 27, 26 October 1937, Page 7

N.Z. RHODES SCHOLARS

Important Posts Throughout the World SOME DIED IN THE WAR News that Mr. McG. Cooper, who lef i Kew Zealand as a Ehodes Scholar in 1934, has come back to the Dominion to be numbered among the few foi whom the New Zealand Government hai found places, leads to the queStion ai to where other Ehodes Spholars of for mer> years have wandered over the ear'tli and what places they are filling, says the Star. Cecil Ehodes' will came into official effect in 1903. Actually there wero two South African Ehodes Scholar3 by 1903, but that scarcely eoncerns the Dominion. The Ehodes Trust has issued a hook giving certain material details of scholars chosen between the years 1903 and "927, inclusive. The number given is 1462, of which 2S have been from this Dominion. Between 1928 and 1936 there have been 20 Ehodes .Scholars chosen from the Dominion, making a total of 48 from New Zealand sinCb 1903. Among the professions followed by Ekbdes Scholars after leaving Oxford — this summary includes all Ehodes Scholars, not only New Zealanders — have been education (452), law (334), business or industry (178), medicine ('09), Government service (88), ministry or social work (48), literature or journalism (38), farming (23), forestry (15), as well as a number of others. The First New Zealanaer. The New Zealanders have scattered all over the earth. Some are in England, othess in America, not a few are in Africa. One at least is in Australia. Some were killed in the war before they had had a chance. A few came back to New Zealand, where they have filled positions from farming to a university chair. One finds that the first New Zealand Ehodes Scholar was J. A. Thomson, of Otago. In 1914 he became Director of the Dominion Museum, Wellington, and he died in 1928. One opens the hook at random — 1906. This year the scholar was E. A. Farqukarson, also of Otago. In 1923 he became Director of Agriculture and the Government geologist ir British Somaliland. The next year the aamo reads 0. M. Gilray — again Otago — who was recently appointed to the headmastership of Scots College, Melbourne. The New Zealand Government could dnd no place for S. N. Ziman, Ehodes Scholar of the next year. From 1911 to 1925 he was in the Indian Civil Service. At present he is sheep farming near Cambridge. One of the most eminent of all was the choice in 1910, K. Sisam, of Auckland. Since 1926 Mr. Sisam has been assistant secretary to -the Clarendon Press, while he is an authority on Uiddle English prose and verse. Those Killed in the War. A. G. Marshall (1911) went to California to take a position with the Shell Oil Company. The 1912 man, A. Wallace, with those of 3909, 1915 and 1916, A. MacDougall, H. S. Eichards and A. Hudson respectively, were killed on active servicfc in the war. The present Professor of Chemistry at Victoria University, Professor P. W. Eobertson, was the Ehodes Scholar for 1905. Other scholars have come back to university life. Mr. F. F. Miles, scholar in 1913, in 1926 became lecturer in mathematics at Victoria University College. Mr, W. M. Jones (1914) has for several years been in the Department of Scientifie and Industrial Eesearch, and is now in the Dominion Ob* servatory, Wellington. One scholar for 1920, Mr. W. T. G. Airey, became lecturer in history at the Auckland University College in 1929 and is prominently interestod in League of Nations work. To detail appointments in other universities would make this story a mere ca'talogue. Suffice it to say that somo are in English universities and some in those of other lands. Mr. S. P. McCallum, a Ehodes Scholar for 1920, for example, is Fellow and lecturer of New College, Oxford. He has been a Junior Bursar since 1930. Some of the Athletes. One turns to medicine and finds tho name of A. E. Poipritt, scholar for 1923. Now his address is given as Harley Street. No more need be said — unless it be that ho has published a book called " Athletics. ' ' Mention of one athleto leads to anothor. J. E. Lovelock was Otago 's choice in 1931. Then one must mention W. G. Kalaugher, chosen in 1927. He represented New Zealand in the Olympic Games in 1928. Since 1931 he has been a master at Marlborough College. In the field of commerce there is a Ehodes Scholar in Canada. He is Mr. A. O. Ponder, who was chosen in 1917. Mr. Ponder is with tha Dominion Tar and Chemical Company .in Montreal. The ministry is represented. H. J. Hyburn, chosen in 1921, became ministet in chai'ge of St. Andrew's Church, Dunedin, in 1929. It would be possible to dilale at length on the scattering of the seed sown by Cecil Ehodes, but to trace the careers of all would be an impossibility. One turns to the later generation. Return Disappointed. Perhaps there has not yet been enough time for all th6se inen to have found their niche. Several have come to New Zealand only to return disappointed. Two example3 are E. E. Bailey (1929) and P. C. Minns (1930). Mr. Bailey followed law, but here there was aothing for him, so he went to London, vhere he is with a prominent tirm. Mr. klinns has an appointment in tho lolonial Service. He is in Africa. And now Mj;. Cooper is back. Perlaps the opportunity may be given for ithers, after him, to do the same.