CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume XLIII, Issue 4464, 4 June 1875, Page 3

CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

A deputation from’the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College wafyd by appointment on the Provincial Executive, In v the Superintendent’s room, yesterday, for the purpose of urging the desirability of placing grants for the Museum, Public Library, and College buddings on the Supplementary Estimates. The deputation comprised his Honor Judge Gresson, chairman of the Board,' the Most Rev the Primate of New Zealand', the Rev C. Fraser, Messrs W. P. Cowlishaw, T. H. Potts, and H* Rl'Webb. , The members of the Executive prelent were—Sir Cracroft Wilson, President; Mr Maskell, Provincial : Secretary; the.bon J. T. Peacock, Secretary for Public Works ; and the hon G. Buckley. His Honor Judge Gresson, having stated the object of the deputation, read over the following resolutions passed by the Baud of Governors, and a copy of which had previously been forwarded to the Government ; “ (I)-That as many persons/ contributed to the Public Library, by the cancelling of shares and otherwise on the faith of representation made to them. that a sum of public money would be available for the erection of ’ a suitable building, it is necessary to the credit of the Province, that such a sum should bd re-voted.—(2)' That the contract between* thef Government andMbe' Board of Governors, for the Museum Building, was made withintiie period required-by the Audit Act, 1868, and resulted from negotiations extending over a period of many months, the particular* of. which are as follows Sept, 11, 187^—Board wrote to the Government that plans were ready, amd asking if the vote was available. Sept. 22—The Government replied that the vote was available. Deo. 2—The Government wrote that the vote must inoludA fittjngs. The Board called for tenders whton exceeded .the vote. Amended-plane wen prepared and fresh tenders called for.. Meanwhile, certain additions to the Museum were effected at a cost. of £4OO, which was paid out of the Treasury,; and charged to the voto. Feb. 12,1876—The: Board wrote to the Government that the new tenders, with.commission and money already: expended, would exceed the vote, and asking i that the money mightbe transferred so that! accruing interest might make up the de-i fleienoy during the- progress of the; work. Feb. 16—The Government recom- ; mended the Board to call for fresh tenders to; be sent in by March 20. March 30—Tenders] were opened and submitted to the Govern-;' ment. March 31-b The Government, wrote! that they accepted the amended and; the builder* were the same day informed; that the tenders were accepted.—(3) That the Board of Governors, seeing that the Government had finally accepted the contract within the financial year, held, as it still holds, that the contract was binding as between the .Government and the Board, and therefore the Board formally signed the contract with the builders.—(4) That under these circumstances, though the Audit Apt requires that the sum should be re-voted, -since no-money was.actually expended-on account of the contract during the financial year, the good faith of the Province is,'ih, Che opinion of this Board,’pledged to the re-vote on account of the .contract- betweeq -the Government and the Board.—(s) That if .the contract made by the Board with (he builders be not carried out, the’claims for compensation and the law costa will probably amount to nearly £SOOO, which will be altogether thrown away.—(6) That the Board of Governors regrets .that the sum of £BOOO voted last session for College buildings has not been re-voted this session;— (7) That on ths reptaeentation of a certain position secured to thf College by votes of the Provincial Council, the College was able to use influence with the’ Otago University, and to promote the affiliation of the Otago University'to that of New Zeeland, and to use, along with' the Otago University, influence tdpromote a, reform of tke Mostitution and practice of the Hew Zealand University, and that .the province feuut,suffer in. the. exeaof-the adjoining province, and of the colony, by ady retrogade step. (8) That it ia unreasonable to expeet that men sufficiently qualified.to be professors of (he various branches ef lewing, yd tong continue-la Artr nffieei yfcile .nnoytainty exists as to the permanence- ot, the arrangements under which they were appointed. (9) That it is in the highest degree desirable that the iande with which the College is endowed should, as soon as possible, be Conveyed to the corporation. (10) That in the opinion of the Board, the Normal school is unsuitable to the purposes of the College. (11) That (he Public Library cannot be removed to the Normal school, inasmuch as the terms of the (rust under which the: present site and buddings of the library are held, distinctly provide that the Library shall not be removed to a greater distance than at present from the business centre of the locality.” Sir Cracroft Wilson, referring to those resolutions bearing upon (he Museum, said the Government declined to re-open the matter, but be would assure the-deputation (hat the Board of Governors would be protected in the matter of architect’s expenses and liability! to the contractors. .

Mr Webb said he might state that the opinion of the Solicitor-General had beep obtained by some of the Governors, and it if as decidedly to the effect that the Government were liable under the contract entered into for the Museum, , j Sir Oracroft Wilson next informed■' the deputation that the Government had placed the original amount for the Public Library on the Supplementary Estimates, as they had ascertained that the removal of the library would be contrary to the terms of agreement made with the original owners of the Literary Institute. His Honor, Judge Gresson, then stated that the'Opinion of the Board of Governors was pot at all favourable to the use of the fNormal Schools for College purposes, and urged .that the grant struck out of the Estimates was in-, dispensable to the carrying out of the for which reserves of land for higher education bad been made.

The Primate raid he understood that the Government had supported the College grant in the Provincial Council, and he took that as evidence that they were satisfied the money was needful, and that it could be found. - He hoped therefore that the Government would see their way. to placing the amount required on the Supplementary Estimates. The bon G. Buckley said the question of a site for the College had all along stood in the way of this vote, and pointed out that nothing had hitherto been said on that subject by the deputation. The Bev 0. Eraser said the Board of Governors understood that the question of the site had been referred back from the General Assembly, to the Provincial Council, and the Board did not therefore feel justified in anticipating their decision. But the Chairman of the Board had forwarded a. letter some'six weeks ago, which very distinctly expressed the preference of the Board..for a site in the Domain. At- the same time the Board were of course willing to bow to the decision of the Provincial Council, and bad pointed out that if the Worcester street .site was pitched upon, an additional outlay of £4IOO would be required to secure a sufficient extent of ground. Mr Webb said he hoped the Government would find some means of bringing forward a modified vote for the College buildings. He thought if they proposed a smaller sum than before, say £7OOO, it would be in. accordance with the rules of the Council. Mr Maskell said that he had not the letter referred to by Mr Fraser at hand, but he agreed as to its general import. Personally, he did not see what objection could be made, to the use, at least for a time, of the formal School for College purposes. He knew, from his own experience that the rooms of, the Lycie Buonaparte at Peris were not , larger than those in the Normal School. The Bev C. Fraser explained that; the height of the rooms in the Normal school was insufficient for College class-rooms, where it wee -necessary that she scats should be

mMt* bV Vx»ible to all 1 the students. He Thought' aUb tbe expense of flttingup these roomi in anything., like • suitable manner would-be considerable.

i The Hon J. T. Peacoox said it teemed to him thatthswhole question of the fitness.of (the Normal school for College purposes dwindled down to an objection to the height of the rooms. He thought therefore, that (hey might be suitable enough at least for a year or two. ( Sir Oracroft Wilson assured the deputation that while the Government could not move in (he matter of a grant for the College building |at present, the wishes of the present Governjment would always be favourable to provid-ing-ah ample and suitable site where* College imight be erected worthy of the name. : His Honor Judge Grepson having thanked the Government for the courteous manner in .which the deputation bad been received, the meinbers of it-retired. , / ' ' '\