VICTORIA COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 126, 20 February 1908, Page 3

VICTORIA COLLEGE.

REVISION OF FEES. The Victoria College Council met last evening. Present Mr. T. R. Fleming (chairman), Sir Robert .Stout, Hon. Di\, Findlqy, Rev.. W. A. Evans, Messrs. J. Graham,-. M.P., D. 8e11.K.C., C: Wilson, A. R.Meck;.H. I-VVon Haast, W. 11. Quick, A. T. Maginnity, C. Watson, F. P. Wilson, and Dr. Knight. The statement of finance showed a credit .balance at. bank amounting to £1507.. ISiT Id., after allowing for payment of accounts totalling iCS-19 os. lid. National scholarships were approved according to the lists that have been published. The' Library Committee reported • that they, 'had considered lists of books oil agriculture submitted, to them from the Government Biologist,. the Director of Lincoln. College, ■ and the Director of Experimental Farms, and had ■ selected books to the value of «£25, an order for which had been sent'to London. They had also considered au offer of Lady Hector to hand over, certain publications of the Royal Society of England, for the sum of ~£sO. The books comprised' 05 volumes of the Transactions from IS6G to 1894, and the Proceedings of ,the.Royal Society from 18CG to 1001. Tlio Committee, after consulting two professors as to the probable utility of these Works to the College students, recommended that no action be taken in tho matter.

Mr. C. Wilson, ill moving the adoption of , the - -report, said • it . was. thought that tho library was not yet sufficiently complete as a whole to allow of so large an expenditure in one department... It was recognised that, the offer was a cheap'one. ' • ~ >• : • It Was decided to reply, thanking Lady Hector for the offer, and stating that tho library'.funds at present would not warrant its acceptance . . . ; DISCUSSIONON LAW .FEES. . A . discussion took pbtco on .the subject of College fees. A new scale of law fees, recommended by Professor Richmond, had been referred to a sub-committee, consisting of Mr. A. R. Meek and Dr. Knight, who considered that, Professor. Richmond's scale, whilo altering 'the'allocation, would leave the aggregate amount, of fees substantially the samo as it is at'present. Mr. Meek moved that Professor Richmond's scale should be adopted. Dr. Knight thought that the fees ..recommended by Professor ; Richmond should bo doubled. ; . •" ' Sir Robert Stout stated that the College fees in tho professional'subjects \were lower than those at any other of the New Zealand university: colleges. On the motion of the Rev. W. A. Evans, a committeo was appointed,, consisting of Messrs. Meek, - Bell,: Von Haast, Quick," and . Dr. Knight,'to consider the question of a.revision of law fees, a'nd report to . tho next meeting. Tho opinion was generally expressed that it would be a pity to raise fees so-high'as to discourage students. - i . ' CARTER-BEQUEST. ~ ' . A letter was rend which had been sent by a' sub-committee, consisting of Messrs. T. R. Fleming and H. .D. -Bell, to tho Governors of' tlio New Zealand Institute, '.oil the proposal' that the College Council should bo entrusted by the Institute with tho duty, of expending the Carter bequest strictly according to.tho tenor of Mr. Carter's will. The'letter-stated; inter alia:—" l We. are informed that tho fund amounted two years- ago to somewhat over .£2309,-. and that it: has been invested by tho. Public. Trustee. If the fund'is entrusted to them, tho. Council would' expend it strictly in the-provision of-a suitabls building and tho piirciias'e and erection, of a telescope therein, ■and sncli astronomical ' fittings as could bo provided." ' Tho sub-comniitteo held a conference' with tho Governors of ; 'tho Institute, but it. was reported that -no- further communication had been received by tho Council in reference .to the matter, though a motion had been passed by tho Institute.' ' '. It was decided, that the Registrar should communicate with the Institute in the matter.

- .The following , was tho .motion which- tlie Institiite. passed, but. has not vet booii officially: communicated to - the Council That the Instituto agree to ,tho expenditure of the , Carter bequest for the purpose of the purchase, and erection, etc., of a'tolescope, and accessories, as proposed b.v the'deputation, and. to allow the samo to be. under tho control ■of- the. governing body of the Colleee. Conditions wore imposed as follow :-(lj" That tho buildings be erected out of other funds; (2) that _ a professor 1 -'of,:' astronomy '- and ' staff bo appointed and ' iriaintajiied--'.bv ' the Victoria College out of - fuiids - othci- than the Carter .bequest; and (3) that the Board bo advised thai, the expenditure is lawful.