XML EAD edition
Academic career relevant to Victoria University of Wellington: MA, MSc (NZ: Otago), KBE, HonLittD Mental & Moral Philosophy: Lecturer, 1904; Professor, 1907; Principal, 1948; Retired, 1951. Principal: Part-time, 1938; Full-time, 1948; Emeritus Principal, 1952.
For a full biographical description please consult the entry in the Dictionary of New Zealand Biography. which is online at
According to contemporary staff, the papers of Sir Thomas Hunter are almost certainly non-existent or very scanty. Professor Colin Bailey, for example, noted that "Hunter would never put anything on paper unless he absolutely had to; this caused Dr James Williams much trouble when he took over as Principal, later Vice-Chancellor, of Victoria, because so much of the record was in Sir Thomas's head and died with him."
Victoria University archives contain little apart from the official minutes of bodies such as the Professorial Board.
The University of New Zealand archives, which are held at Archives New Zealand, will have any records of Sir Thomas's activities in relation to the University of New Zealand.
The New Zealand Council for Educational Research may have some files relating to Sir Thomas's association with the Council (NB some loose papers relating to the University Reform Association in 1910, left at NZCER by Sir Thomas, were located and transferred here in 2009).
The records of the University Reform Association contain records of Hunter's activities as Honorary Secretary.
Published to Archives@Victoria, May 2009.
Titchener was Professor of Psychology at Cornell University from 1895. The correspondence dates from Hunter's appointment as Lecturer in 1904; he visited Cornell in 1906-7, and continued a friendly correspondence until 1925.
This correspondence is the subject of a Psychology Dept. publication, 'The letters between Sir Thomas Hunter and E. B. Titchener', by L. B. Brown and A. H. Fuchs (Wellington, Dept. of Psychology, Victoria University, 1969); 60 l. 27 cm.; call number BF1 VUW P 23.
This series consists of photocopies supplied by Cornell University archives in 2004.
Research and private study only. Not to be reproduced without prior written permission.
This box of records contains loose single documents, only some of which are by Hunter. An item list has been scanned, and will be expanded as resources permit.
The list below was scanned in 2004 from an original typed list which had been annotated with date and subject information.
1. The First University Grants Committee, 1951. 2. A Letter to The Hon. Walter Nash, 1940. 3. The University Conference its History, Achievements and Failures, 1948. 4. Relating to Report in Post-Graduate Needs, [by F.G. Soper, 1945]. 5. Report of Committee Appointed to Consider the Requirements of the [Auckland] University College, 1928. 6. The Australian National University Basic Problems of Academic Policy, by Douglas Copland, 1949. 7. Memo. from Committee of the Professorial Board to V.U.C. Council relating to application of the Macarthy Trust, 1913. 8. Statement presented by the Full-Time Assistants of V.U.C. 9. Letter to Registrar re Superannuation [Auckland University College]. 10. Letter to the Chairman of V.U.C. Council, 1936. 11. Statement for University Commission, [1925?]. 12. Letter to the Chairman and Member of Professorial Board, 1932. 13. Public Expenditure Commission, 1932. 14. Memo. on the Taranaki. Scholarships from the Senate of the U.N.Z., 1924 15. Report of Sub-Committee re Education Board’s Proposal Regarding Wellington Training College, 1932. 16. Qualifications of Secondary School Teachers, 1924. 17. Post-Graduate Scholarships, 1929. 18. Public Administration as a University, by F.B. Stephens, 1936. 19. Letter from University Teacher’s Assoc. to the University Senate concerning Academic Freedom, 1932. 20. Letter to Chairman of Education Committee of House of Representatives, 1932. 21. Proposal to Close Two Training Colleges, 1932. 22. Evidence tendered before the Parliamentary Recess Educ. Committee, [Inst. Educational Research, 1938]. 23. Victoria University College Graduation Ceremony, 1948. 24. Victoria University College Conversazione, 1928. 25. Presidential Address to Synod, (T.H. Sprott, 1916). 26. Victoria University College, The Library, 1941. 27. Manifesto. 28. Letter to Mr. Campbell, 1949. 29. Present Facilities for University Education, [Otago University]. 30. Education or Downfall [Hunter, 1917]. 31. Letter to Otago University on Charter [Sir Robert Stout, 1884?]. 32. Letter to Chairman of Education Committee, House of Representatives, 1911. 33. N.Z. Univs. Hotbed of Revolution, 1933. 34. Craccum, 1933. 35. Victoria University College Officer’s Training Corps (Treadwell, 1949). 36. Notes by Dr. James Hight on the Proposal to Establish a University of Canterbury. 37. Report of Committee to Consider the Question of Separate Universities. 38. Memo, from Committee of Professorial Board to V.U.C. Council relating to application of the Macarthy Trust, 1913 [second copy of no. 7]. 39. Smaller Classes, 1927. 40. Education, or Downfall? (Hunter, 1917, second copy of no. 30). 41. The Task of Education and of Statesmanship (MacKenzie, 1919?). 42. Minutes of Conference called by W.E.A. and held in Trades Hall, Christchurch, 1936. 43. Memo. on Offer of the Carnegie Corporation, 1931. 44. Minutes of Conference called by W.E.A and Held in Trades Hall Christchurch, 1936, second copy of no. 42). 45. Report on Adult Education, 1942.
Research and private study only. Not to be reproduced without prior written permission.
Research and private study only. Not to be reproduced without prior written permission.
These pages were found in 2009 among miscellaneous historical records at the New Zealand Council for Educational Research, and have been identified and described by the NZCER contract archivist, Rosemary Collier.
Five pages (cut from a note-book). Pasted onto the pages are signatures cut from letters. Pages have been re-ordered to original order, as evidenced by rust-marks left by paperclip. Heading of first page is “Signatures of those who replied to University Reformers’ questionnaire”. Heading is in Alistair Campbell’s (?) handwriting - resembles what is probably his writing on some photographs, and is in a more modern, light blue ink, which would not have been in use in 1910.
The signatures are those of eminent people in the university world; a few have the name of their university below the signature, and one a date in 1910. The New Zealand University Reform Association was formed in 1910, and Hunter worked in it with Thomas Laby, George von Zedlitz, Harry Kirk and David Picken, all professors at Victoria University College (see Beaglehole, J.C. 'The University of New Zealand, an historical study', NZCER, Wellington, 1937, pp. 179-182). In 1910 the University Reform Association sent out a questionnaire to academics in the English-speaking world concerning particularly the question of a University (in this case being the University of New Zealand) being solely an examination and degree-granting body, in which the teachers in the constituent colleges were not involved. Replies were received from 65 academics. The questionnaire and the replies are printed in full in
Hunter was founding chairman of NZCER in 1934, and served for 20 years, until his death in April 1953. Other papers which may have belonged to him are to be found in NZCER archives, since they were created or received as part of the work of the Council or of the New Education Fellowship Conference, 1937. It is assumed that these five sheets, which long precede the establishment of NZCER were in Hunter’s possession and at NZCER offices when he died. Since it is assumed that Hunter, for some reason, cut the signatures off the survey responses and pasted them onto these sheets, they have been described among his papers rather than those of the Association.