RHODES SCHOLARS

Hokitika Guardian, 15 December 1932, Page 8

RHODES SCHOLARS

WHY none were selected

the official statement.

CHRISTCHURCH, December 13.

I lie following statement concerning the selection of 1! nodes scholars lias been forwarded by the Registrar of the New 7 Zealand University.

“The announcement of the decision of in© Election Committee to appoint no It nodes scholar for 1933 naurally cabs for some amount of explanation. 'Jo state as an obvious reason that the general all-round standard of attainment (as contemplated by the founder of the Trees) of the latest nominees was deemed inadequate niayy not appear sufficient justification ; but in the. ma.n tliat was the opinion of the committee, .and. it was forcibly urged by acme of its members. “It must be l orne in mind tliat the Rhodes Trust regards as of very considerable importance the upper ranee of U:e candidates in person before the committee, for its instructions contain tho following:

“ -‘Committees need summon to a personal interview, only such of the candidates as they choose; but, save in exceptional circumstances, no candidate may be appointed to a scholarship without such an interview.’ “Another important point is that this interview affords a( better opportunity than any other means for ascertaining from the candidates the ambitions and aims they have before them in view of their candidature and-.whe-ther these include a genuine desire to di work, now or hereafter, of definite • cl vantage to. their country or to the Empire. “Further, the trustees have expressed the hope that, in the absence of strong candidates, the committees will make ::o selection.

“In the 1932 memorandum received from the trustees appears the following: ‘D stinction cf intellect and personality is the primary qualification for a Rhodes scholar, and upon that enmj mittees should insist. A Rhodes w.holarship- is an exceptional opporI tunity for the man who is prepared ’o take advantage of it; but it is only for the exceptional man.’ “After the interview with the individual candidates, it was the considered opinion of the committee that there was no sufficiently strong candidate or one of such out-sanding intellect and personality as to warrant an appointment. It remained to consider whether it was possible to select any of the candidates wheste age would exceed > the, limit set some years ago hut whose application might be ctcended by those ‘exceptional circumstances’ mentioned in the proviso. It was only afier long deliberation that the committee resolved that it could not select any, candidate.”