UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

Otago Witness, Issue 4028, 26 May 1931, Page 10

UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO

MONTHLY MEETING The-monthly meeting of the council of the University of Otago was held on Tuesday afternoon; present—the chancellor (Sir Thomas Sidey, M.L.C.), Sir H. Lindo Ferguson, Sir James Allen, Dr W. Marshall Macdonald, Dr Inglis, Dr J. Fitzgerald, Messrs L. Deans Ritchie, J. C. Thomson, J. Wallace, J. Rennie, J. A. Moore, J. C. Stephens, and G. R. Ritchie. RESIGNATION OF MR DOUGLAS. Mr J. S. Douglas wrote notifying his resignation from the council. On the motion of the chancellor it was resolved: “The council accepts with much regret the resignation of Mr J. S. Douglas from his position on this council.” Mr Douglas, was appointed a member of the council in 1922, and during the period of his membership has taken a deep interest in University affairs, his advice having been particularly valuable in matters connected with the various construction works which have been undertaken of late years. Members unite in expressing their best wishes to Mr Douglas in his retirement.” It was decided to report the vacancy to the Dunedin City Council. DR BENHAM’S CLASS. Dr Benham wrote notifying the council I that he returned to Dunedin on April 25. He added that the number of students in the junior biology class was 104, which was larger than in any year except ii» 1921. when it was 105. He strongly commended the work of Miss Fyfe (assistant), and suggested that she be given a bonus on her salary for the work she had so ably done. The report was received, and the recommendation was referred to the Finance Committee to act. EXTENSION WORK. Sir James Allen wrote forwarding a copy of a letter sent to him by Dr Keppel, president of the Carnegie Corporation, New York, expressing appreciation of the extension work at Canterbury College and Otago University. The letter was in the following terms:— “your letter of February 20, enclosing reports of the University extension work at Canterbury College and Otago University has been received. I have withheld my acknowledgment until I have had an opportunity of reading them carefully. We are delighted with the progress that has been made in so short a : time with both projects. They gave every evidence of being well-planned and carefully executed. I am forwarding them to our American Association for Adult Education with the hope that descriptions of this new work will find their way into the journal. I will ask the association to send the reports on to the editor of the new international publication about to be launched by the World Association for Adult Education. The reports are most helpful as they stand, and the corporation is deeply indebted to you and your colleagues for the time and trouble you have taken. Please express our appreciation to all connected with the enterprise.” Members expressed their thanks to the writer of the. letter for his warm appreciation.

Sir James Allen said that a copy of the letter had been sent on to Canterbury College. GRADUATION CEREMONY.

The registrar, on behalf of the Professorial Board, wrote stating that the board had prepared a series of recommendations with regard to the.graduation ceremony. The chancellor suggested that a special committee be set up to consider the recommendations. the committee to consist the chancellor, the vice-chancellor, Dr Gilray, Dr Macdonald. Sir H. L. Ferguson. Dr Inglis, and Mr Ritchie. He favoured the recommendation for a limitation of speeches. It was well there should be a distinct" limitation of speeches on occasions of the kind.

The recommendations were referred to the committee, to report, after consulting with the president and vice-president of the Students’ Association. ASSOCIATES IN HOME SCIENCE. The Professorial Board recommended that the diploma of associate in home science be awarded to: Elsie T. Aitken, Patricia F. T. Campbell, Olive Al. Cook, Margaret E. Fogo, Isla I. Hunter, Winifred Al. Irving, Elizabeth S. Macomish, Evelyn Al. Montgomery, Honor C. G. Pledger, Constance L. Slyfield, Isabel AUG. Williams. The recommendations were agreed to. GENERAL. Miss R. Rosevear, secretary of the African Students’ Society, wrote thanking the council for accepting the African student without payment of fees for one year. The director of education wrote statlug that the Sir George Grey scholarship would be paid this year.—Received. Monsieur Grollet, secretary of the Congress of Pathology, again asked the University to appoint a committee.—The chancellor stated that Dr Drennan would act as the council’s official delegate to the congress in Paris. Professor Wall, of Canterbury College, wrote agreeing to deliver the address at the graduation ceremony.—Received. The Professorial Board reconfmended H Ij- Rout be a member of the Dental Faculty and that Miss Copping be a member of the Home Science r acuity.—Agreed to. The secretary of the Otago Hospital Board wrote asking the council to nominate one member as a co-opted member of the board’s Hospital Committee.—The chairman of the Medical Committee was nominated. Professor Strong asked for permission for the annual meeting of the Otago branch of the Women’s Division of the Farmers’ Union, to be held in the home science building during Show Week.— Granted. Dr Macdonald moved that Miss L. E. Roberts receive an appointment as lecturer in clinical massage without salary. —The appointment, the mover said was purely honorary. Miss Roberts was in the service of the Otago Hospital Board. —The motion was carried. The council was informed that a brass tablet to. the memory of the late Professor. Waters had been erected in the Mining School by Mr J. B. Waters.—lt

was decided to send a letter of thanks to Mr J. B. Waters.

The council was invited to appoint a representative to attend the jubilee celebrations of the British Museum of •Natural History.—lt was resolved to ask Dr Colquhoun to represent the council. UNEMPLOYED GIRLS. Professor Strong wrote requesting the use of the home science building for a cookery class to unemployed girls. During a discussion it was stated that a number of girls are already receiving training i n cooking at the North Dunedin Manual Training Centre, and it was decided to give the use of the home science building for sewing or other classes. FINANCE AND MEDICAL. The Finance and Medical Committees reported that they had considered the establishment of a Batchelor Memorial Prize in addition to the medal. It was resolved that as from the 1930 award a book prize of £3 be given.—Letters were received from Dr D’Ath and Mr R. Darroih stating that the Cancer Research Committee was willing to pay the salary of Mr Aitken to the extent of £175 per annum as soon as his engagement with the Health Department terminated. The letters were received and the writers thanked.—The committees perused draft agreement regarding the Obstetrical Society’s surplus funds, the agreement having been submitted through the University’s solicitors. It was resolved that the committee’s approval be given.—The secretary, Otago Hospital Board, forwarded for the information of the council minutes submitted to his Finance Committee with regard to dental treatment of children and with regard to dental treatment generally. The letters were received, and it was resolved to express thanks to the board for the arrangements made in regard to dental fees. The report was adopted. FINANCE AND LIBRARY. Die Finance and Library Committees reported that they had considered a request from Air Skinner to be relieved of the librarianship of the Museum Library Miss Gordon, University librarian, reported in this connexion and Mr Skinner forwarded a letter explaining - the connexion of the Museum Library’ with the Otago Institute. It was resolved that this matter be referred to the Library Committee alone to report to the combined committees. The report was adopted. FINANCE AND WORKS. The Finance and Works Committees reported that they’ had considered a report submitted by Dr Inglis and Mr Rennie as to accommodation for experimental psychology. It was resolved that this matter be referred back to the same committee to consult with the architects and to report further. The report was adopted.

FINANCE COMMITTEE. The Finance . : Committee reported that Sir Thomas Sidey had written on April 29 stating (a) that there is a prospect of the Sir George Grey Scholarship being paid to Birrell and Carrie, and that the 10 per cent, cut will be made on the statutory grant and also on the grant from the national endowment. It was open to the council to increase salaries m cases where such course was desirable — This comm unication was (b) The committee considered the allocation of the bequest from the late Mr W. Tait, of Invercargill.—lt was resolved that this bequest of £1039 9s should be allocated to the various endowment funds in the proportion of the number of students in attendance in 1930, the allocation to be:— Arts and general £614 Ils lOd, mining £ll 16s, dental £96 4s 7d, medical £220 12s, home science £96 4s 7d, Professor Bell, chairman of the Professorial Board, submitted a report on matters in which Dr Hight might be able to render assistance at the forthcoming congress of universities.. It was resolved that this memorandum be sent to Dr Hight for his information and that he be asked also to look into the matter of "fitting in the course at Oxford with the New Zealand course, especially in the case of Rhodes Scholars, also that he be asked to look into the general question of credit being given in the British universities for work done in the University of New Zealand, lhe secretary of the Otago University Students’ Association wrote on April 23 requesting that all steps possible be taken to expedite the signing of the Logan Park lease. It was resolved that the association be informed that certain difficulties had been experienced with regard to the plan, but that finality is expected in a very short time. Messrs L. D. Ritchie and J. C. Stephens reported regarding the proposed repeal of section 68, Reserves and Other Lands Disposal, etc., Act, 1921-22. They recommended that the council should object to the repeal of this legislation. It was resolved to adopt the report, the same committee to continue to *act. The committee considered a letter from the Students’ Association, dated October 22, 1930, submitting regulations for the control of Logan Park. It was resolved to approve of these regulations provided that a clause is inserted to the effect that any decision of the Board of Control is subject to an appeal to the University Council. The committee considered a request from the Otago Society of Mental Hygiene as to making the services of the lecturer in experimental psychology available to the public. . It was resolved finally to refer this matter to the vice-chancellor, Mr Moore and Air Gilray to report. The committee considered a letter from the Professorial Board. This letter recommended that when an exempted student of one college was examined by a professor of another college and the setting of a special paper was necessary, a minimum fee of £3 3s should be paid to the professor concerned by the college requesting the setting of the paper, the fee mentioned to include the correction of three scripts, but a further fee of £1 Is per script to be paid in respect of each student over It was resolved to approve of this recommendation, subject to the approval of the other colleges. The committee also considered the procedure to be adopted in the cases of the setting of examinations for entrance scholarships to the University of Otago. «It was finally resolved that the Arts and Science Faculty be requested to report through the Professorial Board in. regard to. this matter. A letter was received from Mr P. W. Howe and Air H. E. Hoyle, mining students, pointing

out that their mining scholarships had been discontinued under the Government economy measures. They asked that they might still be accepted without fee, as would have been the case had their scholarships been continued. It was resolved to agree to this request, subject to a favourable report from the dean of the mining faculty. The following mat- , tens were also dealt with:—(a) It was resolved that Air A. R. Scott be allowed to discontinue attendance at classes in Greek, and be allowed to attend the full course next year on payment- of a fee of £1 ss. (b) The committee resolved to make a refund of 10s 6d to Mr A. Al. Montgomery and a refund of £1 Is to Air E. Sheed. Both are exempted students. (c) A request from Air G. H. Aitken for a grant from the Maeandrew Scholarship Fund was referred to the Profes- • serial Board for report. (<1) A requisition from ‘Air Ferguson for books in philosophy was referred to the committee already set up to consider Air Ferguson’s work being made available to the public. The rer>or.t was adopted. WORKS COAIMITTEE.

The Works Committee reported regarding works in progress:—-(a) They estimated the value of the lift removed from the Chemistry Department at £9 4s; (b) they had experimented with the lighting of the clock tower and found that the best results were obtained by turning the lamps side on to the dials. The reports were received. The committee considered a request from Aliss Gordon for further heating in the library annex, and resolved that the question be again considered in August. The committee considered the installation of some form of heating in the Hocken Library. It was finally resolved that the vice-chan-cellor, the chairman of the Works Committee. and the hon. treasurer report to the next meeting on the general question, but that power to act be given them as regards the supply of an electric heater for the librarian. A letter was received from the Director of Education, April 24, 1931, asking that any report regarding brick buildings be not published. The letter was received. The committee considered the condition of the fence round the tennis courts and the registrar was authorised to have the wire-netting repaired. He was also instructed to write to the Students’ Association pointing out that the council has twice done this work, and that the damage to the wire-netting appears to have been wilfully done, the students to be asked for their co-opera-tion.- The registrar was instructed to write to the Board of Control and inquire why the regulations passed last year prohibiting students from leaving the hall during the progress of a dance have not been made to apply to other than faculty dances. The report was adopted. SUMMER VACATION.

The following is the report of a special committee on the proposal of Sir Thomas Sidey that the long summer vacation commence in February: The committee considered the report of the Professorial Board on this matter. The board reported that in its opinion it would not be possible to arrange the University entrance examination to fit in with the proposed change without completely upsetting the University year’s work. It was resolved, in view of this communication, to recommend the council to reply to the Director of Education to the effect that the council is not in favour of the proposed change. The report was adopted. HOCKEN LIBRARY COAIAIITTEE. The Hocken Library Committee reported:—Books, plans, manuscripts, ami photographs which had been purchased or presented were inspected. It was decided to recommend the University Council to thank D t - F. A. Betts, of Nelson, and Air A. W. Traill, of Half Moon Bay, for the gift of the Rev. J. F. 11. Wohler’s manuscripts. Research for other than academic purposes: It was decided that no material from manuscript source should be published without the consent of the committee. Drs Benham and Elder ami Alp Skinner were appointed to act as a sub-committee to grant of permission. Air E. C. Barnwell, Oxford University Press, wrote respecting Alarsden’s Journals. The librarian was instructed (a) to obtain estimates of cost of typing of Marsden manuscripts for submission to the committee; (b) to write to Alitchell Library, as to position; (c) to write to Oxford Press (Mr E. C. Parnwell) as to position, inquiring particulars as to proposed publication of the Marsden manuscripts, and expressing the desire of the committee that the History Department of the University of Otago shall be actively associated with the work of editing the journals. The committee decided to recommend the University Council to thank Sir F. R. Chapman for his valuable gift of books, pamphlets, and poster deposited by him in Hocken Library in February, 1930. The report was adopted.