UNIVERSITY SENATE.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 13951, 26 January 1911, Page 8

UNIVERSITY SENATE.

YESTERDAY'S BUSINESS

The New Zealand University Senate resumed its sitting yesterday, the Chancellor, Sir Robert Stout, presiding. STUDY OF HEBREW. Tho Rev. A. Cameron moved: — '■That candidates for the B.A. Degree be allowed to take Hebrew as a repeat subject, and provision for this b© made in the statutes." The motion was seconded by Sir Maurice O'Rorke. The Chancellor said it seemed inadvisable to deal with the matter at that, stage, for tho whole matter of repeat subjects had been referred to tho Professorial Boards in connection with the report on the B.A. and B.Sc. degrees. Tho Hon. J. A. Tole moved an amendment that tho question should be referred to the Professorial Board The amendment, however, was lost, and tiie motion, with the addition of tlio words, "provided that the definition of the work for the pass repeated and honours examinations be revised so as to make it orjuivalont in each case to that in Latin or Greek," proposeel by Dr. Chilton, was carried. INVESTMENT COMMITTEE. Mr J. Allen moved:—"That the treasurer be the Rev. W. A. Evans, and that the members of the Investment Committee be Mr J. Allen, Dr. Fitchett, Air yon Haast, Mr Hogben, the Hon. Dr. Collins, and Professor Easterfield." The motion was adopteel. COMMITTEE APPOINTMENTS. Professor Easterfield moved: —"That Dr. McDowell's name be added to the Ad Eundem Committee, and that Mr Hogben's and Mr Tibbs's names be added to the Science Committee." The motion was agreed to. MATRICULATION CANDIDATES. Rev. A. Cameron moved:—"That candidates for matriculation twenty-one years of age and over, be allowed to pass the matriculation examination in two parts, under regulations to bo drawn up by the Senate." Mr Cameron explained that candidates who come direct from high schools should be expected to pass the examination in one section, but there wore others who started study later in life, and who found the matriculation examination almost more than they could accomplish at one time. He, therefore, thought that they should be given an opportunity of passing the examination in two sections, say, three subjects for tho first part and two subjects for the second. Other universities allowed matriculation examinations to be taken in two parts without any restriction as to .?ge, and he did not think for a moment that the effect of the proposed change would bo to lower the standard of the examinations. The Rev. W. A. Evans seconded the motion. Professor J. M. Brown said that the Syehiey split examinations referred to really constituted two separate examinations —one a junior examination and the other a senior or a scholarship examination. The motion was now somewhat belated, for the necessity of such n concession now that there were so many teaching facilities which did not exist before had na_sed, and there was really no excuse why the great majority of candidates should not be quite competent to take the matriculation examination in ono part. Mr yon Haast said the adoption of the motion would mean the granting of preferential treatment to certain candidates. He did not think that any person of ability had been shut out on account of the operation of the present regulr.tions. .The motion was lost. The Rev. W. A. Evans moved: — "That application be made to the London University for recognition of the matriculation examination of this university." .The motion was seconded by tho Rev. A. Cameron and carried. ENGLISH HISTORY. Mr Tibbs moved: —"That th© English history to be required of all candidates for matriculation under the new scheme for examination in English be referred to the Authors and Periods Committee for definition." The motion was agreed to. Mr yon Haast 'moved:—"That a Recess Committee, consisting of the Chancellor, Professor J. M. Brown, Mr Tibbs, and the mover (convener) be appointed to consider tho best means of encouraging* the study of history, with power to confer'with the teachers of tho subject in the university colleges and tho secondary schools." Mr yon Haast said that for somo reason or other students did not take un the study of history to the extent that might be expected. Mr Hogben, who seconded the motion, said that the subject of history was a most important one, and its study should be encouraged. Tiie motion was agreed to. 1851 EXHIBITION SCHOLARSHIPS. Mr J. Allen moved:—"That his Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1851 be invited to offer the scholarship annually." Mr Allen said ho understood the fund was fairly substantial, and a scholarship could well be offered annually. The Chancellor said that an Exhibition scholarship was awarded to Sydney University annually. The motion was agreed to. The Senate will resume at 10 a.m. to-day.