NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

Press, Volume XLVIII, Issue 7803, 5 March 1891, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

The Senate resumed at 10 sum. Present —The Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, Hons. W. Rollestoo and C. O. Bowen, Rev. Mr Paterson, Dr. McGregor, Professor Scott, j Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, Dr. Fitchett, j Right Rev. Dr. Cowie, Dr. Shand, Professor J. M. Brown, Mr Hay, Sir Robert Stout, Professor Cook, Mr Giles. The Hon. W. brought up the report of the examiners for the Bo we v Essay, which stated that seven essays had been received for 1890. The subject proposed was " Federation: Imperial, Australasian, Australian; the form it will take and its probable effects on the destinies of Great Britain and the colonies." The examiners recommended that the prize be awarded to the essay whose motto was " Ake Ake Ake." The examiners expressed their opinion of Che high valne of this prize as a means of eliciting original tnought on subjects affecting the history, institutions and destinies of the British colonies. The prize had been awarded annually since 1874, and the essays which had bee a received showed how well the prize had fulfilled the inteurion of its founder. In the present instance the essays were, it was believed, of unusual merit, and peculiar interest attached to them as dealing with a subject prominently occupying the attention of the several colouies of the British Empire. The examiners drew the attention of future competitors for this prize, to the value of original thought, clearness of expression aud conciseness. Several of the present essays would have occupied a higher posi-. tion if they had not been unduly lengthened by the introduction of only distantly relevant matter, which in some cases had not the merit of origiuality. It was requested that the essays in future should be written on foolscap paper of uniform size, with a margin l£in, with a view to their beiug bouud together. On the motiou of the Hon. W. RollesTON, it was resolved—"That the liowen prize of 1890 be awarded the writer of the essay bearing the motto, 'Ake, Ake, Ake. , "

On opening the sealed envelopes, it was learned that the essay had been written by Andrew Ross Kirk, an undergraduate of the Canterbury College. The Most Rev. Dr. Redwood was apS)iuted as Senate's Examiner for tne owen prize, 1891. On the motion of Mr Hay, it was resolved—"That candidates.for the degree of Bachelor of Music who shall have passed in (a) physics, or (b) Latin, Greek, Freuch, or German, in either the B.A. or B.Sc. Pass Examinations, be not required to pass again those subjects iv the intermediate examination for the degree of Bachelor of Music."

The resolution of Convocation relating to the dean it ion of geology for the B.A. and B.Sc. degree was referred to a Committee for consideration aud report.

The following report of the Committee j on the Exhibition, 1831, Science Scholarship was agreed to :—" The Committee recommend—(l) Ihat the offer of a Scholarship made by the Commissioners oi the 1851 Exhibitiou be accepted. (2) That the competition for nomination for the Scholarship be regulated as follows :— (a) Candidates must oe graduates of the University who have taken first or second class honors in chemistry, physical eciaoce, or mathematics, aad mathematical physic* since the Ist of October, 1867, or who are candidates for such honors at the examination at the end of 1801. (b) Candidates shall be required to send to the Registrar on or before the Ist of October, 1891, a paper embodying the results obtained in borne investigation or research iv physics or chemistry, (c) The papers of ail the candidates shall be referred io the Examiners ia Physics ana iv Caemistry (in England) who shall be requested to report to the Senate upon their relative merits and to recommend one of the candidates for nomination to the scholarship. The followiug Report of the Committee oa Reports of the Affiliated Colleges wan adopted :—The Committee have received the Calendars of the Affiliated Institutions of Auckland. Canterbury, and Otago, and, acceptiug them as reports, find tnat the conditions of affiliation have been fulfilled : - ; . The following Report of the" Comnilttee on a modification of the prescription in Modern Languages for B.A. aud was agreed to:—" The Committee redomtuend—That the clause 'Questions on a period of toe literature of the language' be amended, and read thus —'Questions testing the student's comprehension and liter&ty appreciation of selected works.' That the whole section should now read thus—(4) modern languages and literature (two-papers); French or German at the option of the caudidate; (a> passages for translation from and into English and the language chosen; (b) 1. Questions on grammar and composition; z. Questions testing the student's comprehension and literary appreciation of selected works; 3. Questions on the outlines of the history of a period of the literature of the iauguage." The report of the Committee on academic dress was agreed to: —"The Committee recommend the addition of the following clauses to the statute on academic dress iv calendar, to be numbered respectively xii., xiii. and. xiv.:—Xll.—The gown for tne Djctor of Medicine is the same as that <Si che Master of Arts; the hood is of the same size and shape as that of the Master of Arts, and is lined with mauve silk. Xllf.—The gown for the Bachelor of Music ia the same as that of the Bachelor of Arts; the hood is of the same size and shape as that of the Bachelor of Arts, and is lined with white silk and bordered with white fur. XIV.— The gown for the uoefcor of Music is the same as that of the Master of Arts; the hood is of the same size aud shape as that of the Master of Arts, and is lined with white ailfc."

In the afternoon .the Senate proceeded with the consideration of the report of the Committee on ISxainination Papers, and uniformity in marking Junior Scuolarship papers. The Committee reported as follows:— "(1) In the French papers for Honors aud Senior Scholarships, 'the period 61 literature prescribed has been ignored, as well as so much of paper (a) as is denned in the Calendar as ' tne periods of literature, and the principal authors of each period.' (2) In the Bullish papers for Honors and Senior Scholarships, the didtiuction between the treat tneuc of the period of literature in the Paas, and its treatment in Honors and Senior . Scholarships as denned in the Calendar, has been ignored. (3) Your Committee recommend that the attention of the examiners in French and Euglish be drawn, to these points and they ,be /equeated to note that in honors .and. £ei>ior scholarships, (he prescription in the Calendar is intended to so test (he candidate's knowledge as to show that the principal works of the main authors of the period have been actually read. (4) With the view of removing an ambiguity in the Calendar, wnietr has probably misled the examiaerg, your Committee further recommend that"in printing the Calendar, the notes to Euglish aud modern languages be so arranged that the ' period' may ioilow the 'authors,' and in a line by Itself." The Committee farther recommended :— " 1. That the names of the examiners for degrees, honors, and senior scholarships s-inee the commencement of the system of aopointiug English examiners, be printed in the Calendar, together with the subjects in which they examine. 2. That a copy of the Calendar and of the minutes be forwarded to each examiner. 3. That the pass paper in mechanics is considered too difficult when compared with che papers of former years, ana that the Chancellor be requested to transmit to the examiner a copy of one of his former paper.-* and to state that the standard adopted by him therein is more suitable for the circumstances of this University than the standard of the la at paper. 4. With the view of securing greater uniformity in marking the junior scholarship your Committee recommend that Che following instructions be sent to examiners :—U) Set papers of such length that candidates way be reasonably expected to attempt every question. (2J Before proceeding to examine a paper, allot amongst its questions, according to their value, the maximum of marks prescribed for the paper, so that each Question may have its own maximum, (a> In marking each question give 30 per cent, of its maximum to such prottciepcy as would in a non-competitive examination entitle the candidate to * bare pasS-in that question." *• On the motion of Dr. Fitchett, the rethe Committee on examination papeeeaw and uniformity of marking were adoptedr«xcepting No. 2, " That a copy of tne Calendar and of the minutes be forwarded to each examiner," and, "that the pass paper in mechanics is considered too difficult when compared with the papers of former years." An amendment to the above {notion of Dr. Fitchett was moved by the' Hon. W. RGiXEsroN—" That the Senate, proceed to the next meeting." •

This was lose by 7 votes to 6. Ayes— Professor Cook, Rev. W. Paterson. Hon.

C. C. Bovren, Vice-Chancellor, the Chan" cellor. Hon. W. Rolleston. Noes—Mr Hay, Professor J. M. Brown, Dr. Shand, Dr. Fitchett, Most Rev. Dr. Redwood, Professor Scott and Dr. McGregor. The following further report of the Business Committee was presented by the Vice-Chancellor and agreed to:— " The Committee recommend that the Committee on the Dennition of Geology for the B.A. and B.Sc Examination be Dr. Shand, Prof. J. M. Brown, Mr Hay and Prof. Cook (chairman)." The Rev. W. Paterson brought up the report of the Committee on application for ad eundem degrees on the letter from Prof.Aldis and on the letter from the University of Melbourne. The consideration of the report was made an order of the day for Thursday, March sth. Dr. Shand produced proxies from Prof. P. D. Brown and Sir R. Stout.

The Senate adjourned to 10 a. m. to-day.