Proctors have new weapon in stock

Sharon Chambers, daughter of former University of Otago proctor the late Ron Chambers, tries the...
Sharon Chambers, daughter of former University of Otago proctor the late Ron Chambers, tries the newly replaced proctorial stocks at the university yesterday. Watching is former campus constable Kevin Mechen. Photo by Gerard O'Brien.
Justice will prevail if you decide to mess with the University of Otago proctorial team.

Former proctor the late Ron Chambers would be ''very happy'' to see the reinstatement of the ''proctorial justice'' head stocks outside the proctor's office at the University of Otago, according to the university's deputy proctor, Andrew Ferguson.

He had noticed the stocks were missing when the proctor team moved buildings in 2001. Fourteen years later, he has used his DIY skills to whip up new ones.

The medieval-style stocks are not actually used on university students - they are a tongue-in-cheek deterrent of bad behaviour.

Mr Ferguson said Mr Chambers had the original idea of installing the stocks in 1999.

Mr Chambers was highly regarded during his time at the university as a ''character who everyone liked'' but also a man who would not take any nonsense from students.

Some of Mr Chambers' family attended the unveiling yesterday along with Kevin Mechen, who was campus constable at the university when the original stocks were unveiled.

Mr Chambers' daughter, Sharon Chambers, was studying at the university when her father was a proctor, making for some difficult family dynamics when she got into trouble.

''He would send me to the other proctor,'' she said.

The idea of reinstating the lost stocks occurred to the family at a memorial service for her father, she confided.

''He would be so happy to see them back up.''

elliot.parker@odt.co.nz

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