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The Foundation Stone

O Victoria, sempiterna Sit tibi felicitas Alma Mater, peramata, Per aetates manes

The Foundation Stone of Victoria College was laid on Saturday, 27th August, 1904, by His Excellency the Governor who was accompanied by Lady Plunket. A number of prominent citizens were present and a strong contingent of graduates and undergraduates.

Dr. Knight, Chairman of the Victoria College Council, spoke of the progress of the College despite the difficulties and inconveniences it had endured. He traversed some highly debatable ground when he spoke of the "Battle of the Sites," and attributed everything, except the difficulties and inconveniencies, to the Government. The Premier had, he said, preserved us from Mount Cook and given us an unrivalled situation. Dr. Knight was quite felicitous in his references to the "enthusiastic" and "much-tried" students, and we hope his final appeal to the Government for funds to carry on the work of the College will meet with success. At the conclusion of his speech Dr. Knight presented Lord Plunket with a silver trowel.

His Excellency, having declared the stone well and truly laid, said that he regarded the ceremony as the most important function which had fallen to his lot since his arrival in New Zealand and that he would always remember with interest and pride that, as the representative of His Majesty the king, he page 18 had laid the foundation stone of Victoria College. Lord Plunket spoke of the high place the University must take as the training ground for the men who would mould the destinies of the Colony in the future. His Excellency concluded by appealing to the public of the Middle District for private munificence in so worthy a cause.

The Attorney-General, Colonel Pitt, apologised for the absence of the Minister of Education. He followed up the remarks of Dr. Knight concerning the Battle of the Sites," and said he was glad the Government had done what it could in granting £25,000 for the building. With regard to the position of the Government, Colonel Pitt called attention to the limits placed upon its generosity towards the University by the great needs of the Education system as a whole. The Government had many calls and its resources were not unlimited.

The Mayor of Wellington, referring to the interest he had taken in what Dr. Knight had said concerning the munificence of the Government, said that the Government had done well with regard to the Building and he believed in giving the devil his due. It was, however, to the City Council and not to the Government that the College owed its site. Mr Aitken hoped that the University would follow Education along modern lines, for on this depended the future of our commerce and manufacture, and on these the nation would rise or fall.

Professor Easterfield, Chairman of the Professorial Board, called to mind the struggles of the last six years. The inconvenience and labour, however, had united the students and the teaching staff with a bond of sympathy almost unparalleled—so sweet the uses of adversity. Congratulating the City Council on its action with regard to the site and the Government on the advantages the site really does possess—what a great diplomat is he! — Professor Easterfield reassured the Mayor on the question of modern methods in the science wing of the building, just stopping short on the brink of "specialization."

Sir Robert Stout delivered what was in some respects the speech of the afternoon—a live speech. He endorsed the words of the Mayor with regard to modernizing University training and spoke of the sacrifices made for higher education in America. Those countries, he contended, where higher education was encouraged were the countries which excelled in civic life and industrial pursuits. International competition demanded the very best equipment for every child in the State, and this could not he obtained by the present starvation methods. The Education Act had been generously conceived and its free, compulsory and secular principles had stood the test of time. It only demanded now a generous administration. Sir Robert page 19 traced the history of the movement for the establishment of this University College and concluded by a stirring appeal to the patriotism of the people of the Middle District.

Cheers for the Governor closed the proceedings.