AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. Anniverssary Celebration.

Te Aroha News, Volume II, Issue 103, 23 May 1885, Page 6

AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. Anniverssary Celebration.

A public meeting was held on May 18 in the Choral Hall for the purpose of celebrating with becoming eclat the second anniversary of the above institution. The announce* ment of the affair, however, had not been given its due publicity by the promoters, and as a consequence the attendance was by hardly so large as might reasonably be expected, and as the importance of the occasion fully warranted. As it was, the body of the hall was rather more than three-fourths full. Upon the platform seats were occupied by the Mayor, Sir George Grey, M.H JR.. for City East, the Chairman and members of the College Council, the Professors of the College, and a number of University graduates. The proceedings were opened by Sir Geo. Maurice O'Rorke (Chairman of the University College Council), who briefly introduced His Worship the Mayor as the chair man of the evening. His Worship at once called upon Professor Tucker as Chairman of the Professorial Board to deliver the inaugural address. Professor Tucker, who was attired in academical gown, began his remarks by saying that he had been somewhat perplexed in the selection of a suitable euoject for the occasion. At first ho had thought of giving an historical account of education in general. Then afterwards he hud in mind to speak of the particular success of University education in New Zealand. Again he changed his purpose, and proposed to undertake the defence of those subjects with which he was individually concerned, viz., the Greek and Latin classics, in order to make it thoroughly understood what position those liberal studies ought to hold. But as it seemed to him that he was to be the representative of the College rather than of any special part of its teaching, and as the audience that he was likely to have would not be generally interested in this subject, he resolved at last to speak upon something of as widespread interest as possible. That he imagined was the relationship in which the University stood to tho other branches of education in the colony, and also its relationship to the commonwealth. It would be therefore necessary tor him to speak of one importance of education in general. His chiet pride in belonging to this colony was that its people had, done more than arjy other people to advance educatbn, free, secular, and compulsory. Primary education was absolutely necessary in any country, but some people in admitting this did not see any necessity for tho State making provision for secondary and higher education This arose from misconception of the objects which they were intended to subserve. He would try to assert their right to form a part of our national system of education Education was the best agency possible for preventing groundless agitations and seditions, and for promoting the arts and sciences, and consequently for enhancing the prosperity of the State. The speaker then went on to summarise and to answer the objections urged to the existence of University education. Those objections "were four in number, viz. : (1) That University Colleges were in favour of a c^ass, and that class the rich. (2) That the University Col eges were unprofitable parta of the education system (3) That the character oi education given by such Colleges was rather useless, perhaps mischievous and unpractical. (4) That the education of the University Colleges costs too much in proportion to the results, or that it was rather premature. With regard to the first, he had to point out that of all branches of education, the University Colleges were the most accessible to the people. The hours of study and for the delivery of lectures were as far as possible fixed to B'->it the convenience of those engaged in daily work, and the fees were less than those paid for attendance at secondary schools. If these Colleges were abolished, the poor would feel the deprivation more severely than the rich, for while the latter could go elsewhere to complete their education, the poor would be absolutely shut out from this advantage. In answer to the second objection, he had to point out that the University gave and assisted students in obtaining diplomas, and therefore, was a protection against quackery ; it assisted to provide the State with trained teachers for the primary schools ; it assimilated new ideas and diffused general culture, which could not be weighed or measured. As for the third objection, the University could neither be mischievous nor unpractical when it taught men how to get on in life, gave them a love for the refinements and amenities of life, and turned them out with broadened inds and enlightened understandings. As for the last objection, it could easily be demonstrated that the founding of the College had been by no means premature, for the number of students who had already placed themselves in communication with it supplied the evidence. The Professor concluded by forcibly pointing out the necessity for better accommodation for the College. The MayuK, in introducing Sir George Grey to the audience, explained that upon being asked to deliver an address on this occasion, he had readily acquiesced, and had remained in town especially for this purpose. Sir GEOhyE Gkey was received with general acclamation. After a brief and commendatory reference to Professor Tucker's address, he paeeed on to express the hope that the sheds which at present did service for the college would be speedily pulled down, and more suitable buildings put up in their stead, so that the present generation might not be disgraced. Having snown that Auckland was as fairly entitled to such a provision as were the better-endowed provinces of the South, Bir George went on to amplify the preceding speaker* remarks upon the value of Uivtionai education, tie pointed out that in time past the fallacy prevailed that it was unwise on the part of the State to educate the mass, as the certain result would be tumults and possible anarchy A fortunate fe -. of the people from time to time acquin-d the means of a liberal educ* tion, ana from rhoee »-vi trieat engiueerte and inventors had sprui g. .No nobleman had been a great inventor, and all our' ad vance in research and discovery, and the means of wealth, had come from the struggling poor. How immeasurably greater and grander, then, might we expect the results to be if the State undertook to educate the people. They would certainly be such as to abun 1 antly reward the State. Our object as the founders of a great nation should be to adapt the University to the people The professors had already done their best in this direction. Had not Professor Brown gone into the town and made the whole populace bis students by deliver ing a c»urne of lectures on chemi try to artisans, and thus disseminating among them knowledge which must be highly beneficial in their several pursuit*? Had not also Professor Aldis carried on for he people At large ft course of lectures

upon astronomy and navigation ? To artisans, scientific teaching on such a subject ac navigation was the greatest boon that it was possible to have. From this city and neighbourhood must come the future navi gators of this part of the world, and the value ot this would be best understood when we had reference to the growing importance of this port. But our professors had done more. They had worked into a compact and harmonious whole the various parts of our educational system ; and they had exhibited such a practical interest in our primary system I of education that two of them had sought and obtained seats upon our Board of Education. That New Zealand was in possession of a highly-qualified body of teachers, equal in point of intellectual ability to the teachers of Great Britain, the late meetings of the New Zealand Educational Institute in this city abundantly showed. Looking to the fact that as time went on, and as colonisation advanced in the Pacific, there would be a growing demand for the supply from this colony of professional men, merchants, and merchants' clerke, he considered that it would boa vory desirable thing if the University could offer instruction in the South Pacific languages. At first sight this might appear a formidable task, but it was not so when we remembered that only two languages prevailed throughout the South Pacific, and that varieties of 1 the Maori tongue were the most prevalent Therefore, a knowledge of this language would be highly useful, and the distinctive variations obtaining in respective groups of islands could be easily learned in a few weeks, after landing in any of them. There were two great duties in which we were at present engaged, viz., founding a nation, or rather consolidating one, as it was partly founded, and again in contributing to the extension and growth of the Empire of which ths colony formed a part. With free institutions every opportunity was afforded for the rise into prominence ot deserving merit, but education was becoming more and moro a factor of power, and the leading men of the coming time would be those whose educational equipment must have been well looked after in their youth. Thespeaker concluded by impressing upon his audience the fact that learning was its own reward, and that those Avho had it should not seek to rob others of their rights who had it not, by excluding them from professions in which it was not absolurely indispensable. In one profession this had been attempted. >ir G. M O'Rorke (who was introduced us the champion of university education in this part of the colony) expressed the gratification which he felt at seeing such an assemblage at so short a notice, and without special invitation, to celebrate not merely the anniversary of the University College, but of e/ery link in the chain which bound our whole system of education together. He had also to express thanks to Professor Tucker for his able, lucid, and learned address, ■further than that, he was extremely gratified at th 6 presence there of the member tor the district, Sir Geo Grey, and he had been very highly pleased with his remarks upon the requirements University education in this city. In trenchant language the speaker went on to condemn the apathy of our legislators in delaying to provide better accommodation fcr our Professors than the shanty is which at present, to our degradation, we had to house them. In this connection he mentioned that ho and the Mayor had recently waited upon Mr Stout in reference to this matter, aud that he had promised to lay it before his colleagues on his return to Wellington. If tho Government would but submit a proposal for a vote, the Auckland members might be trusted to make a night of it in itssuuport For two years he had laboured vainly in this direction, but he did not despair of sucoess With the member for that district at the head of the Auckland members, he felt sure that a combined effort on their part would achieve tha desired result. He concluded by proposing a vote of thanks to Professor Tucker, Sir Geo. Grey, and Ilia Worship the Mayor for the part they had taken in the proceedings. The vote was passed by acclamation. In returning thanks the Mayok quoted a verse from one of Mr W. H. Wills'a poems. The assemblage then dispersed.