The Capping Ceremony of 1909 was held in the Concert Chamber of the Town Hall, on Thursday, 24th June. The hall was filled, students in the gallery and the friends of the College on the floor of the Hall.

On the whole the proceedings were far from orderly, some of the students behaving in such a way as to completely alienate public sympathy. No one, we think, can object to witty interjections during speeches or even to undergraduate expressions of hilarity when they do not in any way interfere with the proceedings. But noisy, pointless interjections, which prevent any of the speeches being heard, exhibit, to say the least of it, extremely bad taste.

The Hon. C. C. Bowen was the first to attempt to speak. It was at least expected that he would receive a patient hearing; but even less respect was shown for him than was shown by his interrupters for themselves. Even though he were not given credit for what he has done to further the interest of University education in New Zealand, it would have at least been good manners to have shown him the respect due to a gentleman of his years. To Professor Picken too, as representative of the professorial Board, there was due some respect. And his speech so well worth the hearing, was wasted, not only on the students, but unfortunately upon the public as well. The treatment of these speakers was not consistent with that meted out to the students' representative, J. F. Thompson, who received and attentive hearing. His plea for greater public interest in Victoria College seemed in no way justified by the afternoon's proceedings.

But a feature of the proceedings even more regrettable was the fact that the Graduates of the year were hardly even recognised. The ceremony is essentially in their honour, but this year we failed signally to give them the reception to which their years of successful work had so fully entitled them. They had earned honour, not only for themselves, but for Victoria College.

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The whole ceremony is the one occasion when the University in its official capacity, comes into contact with the public. It is unfortunate that the teachings to the University should on this occasion be prejudiced in the eyes of the public by the action of a small band of irresponsible students.

During the proceedings the students' representative, on behalf of the students, presented Mr Allan McDougall, Rhodes Scholar for 1909, with a purse of sovereigns. The recipient who was given a rousing reception when coming forward to respond, spoke feelingly of his happy years spent at Victoria College.