MEETING OF OTAGO GRADUATES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2895, 8 September 1909, Page 36

MEETING OF OTAGO GRADUATES.

AN ASSOCIATION JfORMED. DOMESTIC ECONOMICS REFERRED TO. A meeting of some 20 graduates of the New Zealand University, who had kept terms at the Otago University, was held on the 3rd Hist, for the purpose of hearing the report of the committee set up to consider the advisability of forming a Graduates' Association, and considering other questions relating to the method cf electing representatives to positions on the University Council. Professor White wae votod to the chair, and he briefly explained the purpose of the gathering. Mr E. K. Lo nas read a report of the proceedings of the committee, and the proposed constitution. The .Chairman,' continuing, said such an association, if formed, would be able to consider the proposals of the Senato of "the UnhersJty when" such were brought forward from time to time, He thought the association might obmmumcate with 300 Ofcago graduates now in New Zealand, and with a small contribution from each they .night easily get £100 or £200, and if that were regarded' as a precedent, and graduates made Ihe association a small donation when leaving the University, they might easily get an accumulation of funds that, would give them something to work on, and at the same time allow the association to make tho graduates ac they obtained their degrees a gift of a medal or book, or something of the kind The association would have an important social duty to perform in bringing graduates together in after life, and in ether directions meeting a social need. Mr A. R. Barclay formally moved—" That a Graduates' Association be formed." He strongly advocated the desire for 6uch an organisation, if only for. the purpose of binding together the graduates in after life, and keeping up their connection with their Alma Mater. An important part of tho of such an association would be to kVen an eye on the council Dr Watt seconded the motion. He said he wished to aek : "What was going to bo done about this Chair of Domestic Economics?" lie thought the members of the council should resign and stand again for office on the Question of a Chair of Domestic Sconomics That was all he had to say. — (Laughter.) There was no discussion, and the motion, being put, was unanimously carried. Every graduate present then, at the invitation of tho Chairman, stated his or her .desire to become a member of the association. THE CONSTITUTION. The constitution diawn up by the committee was formally approved 0.. The meotinsr then went into committee to consider the various clauses proposed, and the constitution, as follows, was finally a^ont?d :—: — 4l _, The name of the association shall be lao Ota^o University Graduates' Association. Any graduates of the N.Z. University who has kept terms at the Otago University and any associate of the Otago School of Mines shall be eligible for membership on payment of the sum of 2s 6d. Th° executive bedv of the association shall b3 known as the Execufve of tr« Association and shall include the follcwing officers and members:— Pre^odsnt two vice-p.esic.eius, secretary, treasurer, and five member 3. live aha 1 ! be a quorum. The annual meeting of the association snail be held during graduation week. Special meetings of the association may bs held <■•«. resolufon < f Ihe executive, or on tha requisition of 10 members of the association. The executive sha.ll prepare a report lor presentation at tlfe annual meeting, embodying the proceedings of the yeax and a copy of°the balance sh©e>t. The election of officers shall take place ot the anual nieetkn? ; nominations received at the meeting; election by ballot. The president, «*; secretary, or three members cf~ the executive shall be empowered to call a meeting of the executive. The question of notices of moton was held over for the consideration of tho executive. The following office-bearers were elected : President, Professor White; vice-presi-dents, Mr A. R. Barclay and Dr Marshall M'Donald; secretary. Mr E. K. Lomas ; treasurer, Mr J. M. E. Garrow ; executive—Mr W. Downie Stewart (Law), Mr G Thomson (Arts), Dr Marshall (Mining), Dr Siedeberg (Medical), Miss Allen (lady leachoa-e). It was agreed that the matter of altering the method of electing members of the University Council be left m the hands of the executive. The Chairman said that the proposal was that the Otago graduates approve of the method of election in vogue in connection with Canterbury College, and that a scheme be prepared and submited to the University Council, with a recommendation that Mr Allen or Mr Sidey bring a bill into Parliament which would make the necessary provision for this system of election being brought into operation in Otago. , , Dr Ohurch urged that an associate of tn? Otago Sohool of Mines ehould ha\e enual privileges with the graduates of the University in regard to voting for a member of the University Council; and the executive was recommended to take this suggestion into its favourable consideration when dirawing up rules and regulations. Mr A. R. Barclay said he had one matt<v he wished to bring up, and he wouf<! eubmit it to the meetine in the of a motion. He moved— "That this meeting entirely disapprove of the proposed establishment of ' o Chair of Domestic Economics in this University." He had a number of reasons to submit to tb.^m to show why this proposal was objected to. The thing was being embarked upon far too hurriedly — was ruehed on, — and ro programme or curriculum could be satisfactory unless it had been thoroughly thought out beforehand. It was idle to deny that the Otaeo University had been living outside its means for some time, and was going bogging constantly, hat in hand, and asking the Government for assistance. The . schema* of establishing a domestic science chair was financially unsound. Th-?re «a^ a fcum of money guaranteed for only tkicc year?, a-nd there was not sufficient guaranteed. The council was ombarkin.fr on Ihe t<h<-rr.o with the idea that pi-o-entlv, when it got itself into a. me.v, it would co to the Gov«rrm*nt for assistance, and, to some ext^nt, force the hands of tho Government. If it could not get help from the Gov^mjnwn.t it would simply have to

starve some of the other faculties, which would suffer accordingly The scope and object of this proposed chair did not seem to him to go beyond the purposes for which the Technical School was established He considered that a Technical College such as they had in Dunedin should fill all the requirements for which it was alleged that a Chair of Domestic Economics was necessary. What was the chair for? It surely could not bo to teach domestic servants their work, for domestic servants were debarred by -reason of their financial resources and the money which they would afterwards earn as servants, from taking advantage of the tuition offered. If it was intended for the mistresses of future homes, it seemed to him that ladies would have very little opportunity of taking advantage of the course suggested. Besides, all such instruction as this that was required by the mistresses of homes might very fittingly be obtained from the technical schools in their midst. The Chairman said that if it was desirable to send" forward a motion of this kind, it was desirable that the reasons for passing such a motion should be made clear. On a seconder for the motion being called for. there was no response. Dr Siedeberg said she was not prepared to second the motion under the circumstances. She thought that Mr Barclay should give notice of the motion, and allow it to be discussed at a larger meeting of graduates. After some discussion, Mr Barclay moved that it be a recommendation to the executive of the association — "That if take the matter of the establishment of a Chair of Domestic Economics into consideration, and. if it thinks fit. call a meeting of graduates to discuss it." This motion was not seconded, and lapsed. Dr Marshall M'Donald said he was of opinion that a petition, signed by the delegates, should be presented to the University Council in connection with this question. He moved thai- the matter -be referred to the executive for its consideration Mr Barclay seconded the motion. Mr Downie Stewart urged that there should be a jreneral meeting of graduates to consider this matter, but tha* it should he a meetine entirely independent of thf> Graduates' Association, otherwise it would nppear as if the association had bfen formed with the special object of dpalincr with the proposed establishment of a Chair of Domestic Science. The motion was csn-ied. and the meeti'ie- ended with a vote of thanks to the chair.