STUART PRIZE POEM.

The late Rev. Dr Stuart founded in 189t, by a bequest of £10Q, an annual prize to be given in rotation (1) to the beet student in the class of mental science, (2) to the best student in the class 6f natural philosophy, and (3) te the student in tbe class of English language aud literature tbab writes the best fioglish poem on a prescribed theme. The prize is thus connected with the three university chairs endowed by the Synod of Otago and Southland, in the fonndatioa of which Dr Stuart took a deep interest. The Stuart prize in mental science (1895) "wa* awarded to Mr G. 1 F X Adams; the Stuart prize in natural philoscptw "(1898) was awarded to Mr A. G. C. Miltar ; and the Stuart prfze for the besh 'English pcem .on " Queen/Vicfcoria, 1837 : 1897," competed for kr the session that has Just closed, has beeri awarded to Mr .David M*Kee Wright. Through the kindness of Professor Gilray, we have tha pleasure of publishing the prize poem :— '

Queen Victoria, 1837:1897. L-1837. ,

"In the soft month when summer roses blow, : And all the north with many. flowers is gay, ' In Royal Windsor, peacefully and alow, The life that ruled an empire passed away ; And in that summer morning, chill and greyyt' A maiden-woke from slumber to a throne — Tha mightiest place on all the earth her own. From London's thronging homes a people's shout Mixed with the bells that clashed from «very a pi re, From grange, and hall, and farm, and field with* out . ,** Swelled the glad murmur of the land's desire. Onward the message spread by town and shire, Till Britain's bounds and all the Island Green Sent back one loyal voice, "God save our Queen I? By broad Canadian streams and pine-clad Ulm The hunter and the woodsman hailed her name; From lands of spice, where tropic plenty smile*, A welcome to the maiden monaich came ;° And one rejoicing wave of sound and flame ' •• Swept round the mighty world from sea to tea To hail Victoria, Mistress of the Free ! ' - But eighteen circling summers had she f.een,. < And t roubles darkened round -about her landNo idle task was heis to reign as Queen , .- - And hold the sceptre in her maidon hand. Fenced with her people's love she dared t* stand, Andjtake unflinchingly the mighty helm Thafguided all tho land* of all her realm. With faith in God and in her people's love, ' And truth and duty clear before her eyes, . • Knowing that perfect Justice rules above, ' . And'that the good, and only they, are wise', She hearkened to the voice that cried,- ," Arise, ' Go forth unto the terror of.a throns ; ' • Such glory ebnll be thine as none have known, r Beyond the teas wer.e shadowine* of war, The poor in Britairf cried alo,ud for bread, . f ■Murmurs of savage peonies heard affar- . t ' WeigWtsd low the croWa "upon that queenly head ; ' - And France, with blool of revolutions red, Shook between hate and love across the sea ' To know the crown upheld, the people free. Yet with a modest grace she took her stand, The pure and brave drew round about her throne, And made her court the model for her land With homely majesty, till then unknowm; And backward, backward were the shadow! blown, Until above the rising clouds of war The people saw and followed Hope's clear star.

11.— 1897. Again the northern roses break in bloorti, Sixty long years of change have passed away, Of calm and itorm, of sunshine and of gloom, And throned in every British heart to-day There aits a widowed Queen, her life grown grey With many sorrows and the cares of time, Belov'U the wide world round in every clime. To-day* the world looks back with wondering

eyes On that June morn and all that since has been, With praise to her so good, so pure, bo wUe, The gentle mothev and the gracious Queen ; Though Europe darken yet the clouds between Her sunset eeods the light of peace afar, And ever overhead is Hope's clear star

Strong was the voice that hailed her .Queen ol old, But louder, clearer comei the shout to-day, And broader streams the British flag unrolled

O'er lands of summer light and winter grey. • Million" on millipns bend the knee and pray . With swelling hearts, and thanks for mercies shown • ! To her who gits on England's island throne. Where Himalaya's mountains pierce the sky, ; Where .sacred Ganges rolls her brimming tide, Where broad Australia's listless breezes die, ■ , Where Afric's plains are wild, and waste, antt Where dark-Rkinned races peacefully abide,' ; .The myiiad voices join to bless her name.. From whose dominion peace and-f reedom came' - And here within the islands of the main, Though Winter spread hersh'«dowi o'er the UncL The first-boil) nation of her glprious reign ' In no disloyal solitude may stand, • But PaKeha and Maori hand in hand, Rf-joici'ng for the blessings that have been, Lift high the swelling anthem of their Queen. Look back, look back ! Her sixty years have seen A kindlier law, a wider justice spreadNo more the want and suffering that have been No more a people crying out for bread, Dark races to a Gospel sunshine led, . God's law the law of nai ions more and more, Christ's dying love proclaimed on every shore. And at the forge and at the flying loom What wonders every pawing hour are born j What ma?ic tills the field*, or in the gloom. Of laboured mine puts Labour's self to scorn I Old mysteiies of half their glory shorn Become the playthings of a passing hour, And man is more in knowledge aod in power

One little island of the Northern Sea, One woman seated on an English throne. The centre of a mighty empire, free, And growing ever, as it still has grown, Till greater than aught else the world haf known, And one full voice of love from sea to sea The token of an empire's jubilee ! Davib M'Kee Wjmght. '

The Napier School Committee proposes t© give the children an extra week's leave at midW summer, and shorten the midwinter vacation^ • as it is found that they work, better in the cool^weatherthan during the hot month*. ';

On September 11 an official notice was^given in the Bombay Gazette that on and after that day sovereigns and half-sovereigns would be received by the Treasuries in exchange foe rupees at the rate of 15 rupees and 7 rupees and 8 annas respectively. This makes the rupee, formerly 2s, worth just Is 63.

The Diploine d' Honneur, which is one grada higher than the Gold-Medal, has been awarded to Vinolia Soap for Toilet purposes at the International Exhibition at Brussels. It> will ba recollected that it was to Vinoua Soap that th« Sanitary Institute awarded their -medal which improbably the highest award ia_the world ov«f eiveu to Soani „ ' • „> *£'.„' r -