Comic Opera University.

University reform was the big issue of the hour. With fellow-Profs, Von campaigned against external exams (then mainly marked abroad), the weird syllabus then current for a bachelor s degree, and the miserable facilities as contrasted with other countries.

In Wellington Town Hall he denounced the "comic opera principles on which the N.Z. University was run." and added: "It is only my students that prevent me from being quite without hope." It was from his students that he drew most of his support.

He did not get by without enemies. The downtown chairman of the College Council opined that "Professors are employees of the Council, and have no right to question the views of their employer." Still, despite opposition, many of the reforms suggested were gradually adopted.

On August 1, 1914, Germany and Austria were at war with Russia. The issues were unclear. The Kaiser at least tolerated an Opposition—there was manhood suffrage and a strong Socialist Party—but the Tsar's regime was a black night of police terror and Siberian exile.

Von did spontaneously what obviously no spy would have done—wrote to the Gorman Consul offering to go to Germany for Red Cross work. When, three days later, Britain lined up with Russia, he frankly discussed what he had done with friends on the staff, and wrote to the College Council offering to resign.