HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

Hokitika Guardian, 9 January 1930, Page 5

HOSPITAL ENQUIRY.

DISMISSAL OF MATRON. J} Telegraph—Per Press Association.) TAUMARUNUI, Jan. 9. Doctor Shore (Director of Hospitals) held an inquiry at Taumarunui Hospital yesteiday into circumstances surrounding the dismissal by the Board of M iss M. K. Stevenson, .Matron of Avon lea Maternity Hospital. Dr Shore interviewed those concerned individually but the proceedings were not open to the press. Jn the afternoon Dr Shore talked the matter over informally with the Board memhers and will place his report before the next mooting of Mm Board.

MUSIC DEGREES.

CONS KRV ATORI U’M PL A N

PROFESSOR SHELLEY’S VIEWS.

(By Telegraph—Per Press Association.)

CHRISTCHURCH, Jan. 8

Sympathy with the desire of Mr Alfred Hill, the New Zealand composer, to see established in the. Dominion a Conservator ium of Music was expressed Im Professor J. Shelley in an interview yesterday. Professor Shelley said that effort, had been made locally to do something on these lines years ago, but the movement had failed to reach success.

Speaking in Wellington on Monday, Mr TTill said that “he had presented letters from prominent University men in Sydney commending the idea of in music in the Dominion to the secretary of the Now Zealand University, with the result that the proposal had been turned down, and that without any deep consideration of tlie importance of the idea.”

In regard to this. Professor Slicbey, who is a member of the Academic (Board of the University of New Zealand, said that no consideration had been iR’-mi by the board to any scheme, because there had never been anything before the board whilst lie had been a member. If anything had been put before the board recently, it would come up at the next meeting in February. Such a proposal) certainly would not be turned down without serious consideration.

In regard to the suggestion that the University should create degrees to be gained by competitive examination, Professor Shelley said that the University of New Zealand already had the degrees of BacneloT of Music and Doctor of Music. Already music was one of the subjects for the B.A. degree. Degrees in music were not awarded by competitive examination, ho added, and they could not be given unless there was an established institution as the authority to grant the degree. Dealing with examiners from overseas, in the light of Mr Hill’s remark that music examinations could quite well ho conducted by local examination, Professor Shelley said that the tendency in the University during the last few years has definitely been to encourage, the examining of all subjects in New Zealand as far as is'ipossible.

Professor Shelley added that some years ago a mooting was held in Christchurch, when the amount which is sent overseas for examiintions was ascertained. The difficulty in founding a conservator!um in New Zealand was. that of getting the teachers to work together and to acknowledge and be sympathetic to such an organisation.

He agreed with Air Hill that there were musicians in the Dominion who could examine as far as the needs ol New Zealand are concerned, but unless there was the assistance of some responsible institution, such as the University or a conservatorium esat>lished with the backing of the Government, the University or the public generally, examinations would be worthless for the lack of a standard. “There is certainly a very big need in New Zealand for such a conservatorium, and all musicians recognise that,” added Professor Shelley. “The onh- ’■■'■-■i+v is that of getting the public together. Actually, Auckland has a school of music and a professor of music, but how far tiiat meets the needs, apart from the theoretical side I don’t know.”

What Professor Shelley thought war wanted by Air Hill was an institution which would award diplomas for the actual tca'diing of the various instruments. That would come, he said, within the province of a conservatorium.