CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXI, Issue 7227, 29 April 1884, Page 6

CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

♦ 'I An ordinary meeting of tlie Board of Governors of Canterbury College was held at 3 p.m. yesterday; present—Mr "W. Montgomery (Chairman), Messrs H. P. Lance, J. N. Tosswill, W. Eeeves, T. K. Potts, E. W. Fereday, E. Wakefield, C. C. Bowen, J. C. Veel, T. W. Maude, P. de C. Malet, the Hon E. C. J. Stevens, and the Most Itev the Primate. THE LATE MB. TANCBED. The Chairman said that he regretted vei*y much to have to announce that a vacancy had occurred on the Board because of the death of their lamented friend, Mr Henry John Tancred. He was sure that the members of the Board would feel that they had lost a very valuable member, and a gentleman who had been most useful in the cause of education, in which he had taken a prominent part for many years. Perhaps some member would move a resolution giving expression to the feelings of the Board. The Most Eov the Primate would move a resolution expressing the regret of the Board at Mr Tancred's death, and their aenso of the services he had rendered. That gentleman, he believed, had been a member of the Board from the very first. He had taken a very important part in its work, had served on several Committees, and at the time of his death was a member of the College and School of Agriculture Committees. In every way, Mr Tancred had tried to forward the interests of the College. He (the Primate) felt that he need not say anything more, and that the Board would join with him in passing a resolution expressing their high estimate of their late friend, of the services he had rendered, and of his character generally. He trusted that this resolution would be forwarded to Mr Tancred's widow, with an expression of the Board's sympathy with her in the heavy loss she had sustained. He moved—" That the Board of Governors of Canterbury College desire to put on record their high estimate of the services of Henry John Tancred, and of his unfailing interest in promoting the welfare of the College since the foundation of the College in 1873, and request the Chairman to forward the resolution to his widow, with the expression of their sympathy with her in the loss sustained by his death."

Mr C. C. Bowen seconded the motion. He felt that in almost every "sphere of life Mr Tancred would be missed by his fellowColonists, and that hia loss, like that sustained by the Board not long ago by the death of Mr Hamilton, was one which could hardly be repaired. The Chairman said that, as Chairman of the Board, he was quite sure that all would agree with tho feeling of the members of the Board, that there never had been, and never would be, one who had done more for the advancement of education than Mr Ta.ncrsd. .'" The motion was then carried unanimously. VACANCIES ON THE BOABD. The Chairman said that it would be remembered that when the vacancy caused_ by the death of Mr Hamilton was reported,' it was thought that the graduates of the University would fill it up, but according to the last clause of the College Ordinance there seemed to be some doubt as to whether that could be'done. This clause laid down that whenever there should be not less than 30 graduates on tie books,

vacancies thereafter occurring in the Board should bo filled up by tho graduates at a meeting' convened for the purpose. Tho difficulty was this: The examinations had been hold, but the decisions of the examiners had not been givon in time. The vacancy occurred before word came from England that the last graduates had passed. There were at that time eight pursons required to make tip the necessary quorum of 30. Therefore, this vacancy must bo filled up by tho Hoard, Ho had obtained a legal opinion on the subject. That caused by the death of Mr Tancrcd would, however, be filled up by the graduates, and he (the Chairman) would ask the Board to appoint a day for a meeting of tho graduates for that purpose. Tho Board could nominate some gentleman to fill the first vacancy at the present meeting if they chose, and tho election would have to take place at, the next mooting. He would suggest that a meeting of graduates should be called for noon on Saturday, May 17, at the Collego Hall, for the purpose of filling up the last vacancy. This would give plenty of time for those graduates who were not resident in Christchurch to make arrangements to be present. In answer to Mr Maude, the Chairman said that the Senate had sat and had decided that the graduates who passed at the last examinations had obtained their degrees; but the diplomas had not yet been given to them in open Court by the Chancellor. . Mr Veel asked if they could be considered as graduates until they had received their diplomas. The Chairman said that that was the question at the bottom of the whole difficulty. Mr Maude considered that thddcigrees were not actually given until they had been conferred in public by tho body entitled to do so.

The Hon E. C. J. Stevens thought that it was very important that the question should be settled. The Chairman agreed with Mr Stevens. He would get a legal opinion on the subject, and if it were found that the Board must fill the vacancy, any member could nominate some person. LEAVE OF ABSENCE. A letter was read from Mr J. D. Enys, who is at present absent from the Colony, stating that he would probably return about October next, and asking for an extension of his leave of absence. On the motion of Mr Malet, Mr Enys' leave of absence was extended to Dec. 31 next. BEPOETS. The Board went into Committee to consider the reports of the College, School of Agriculture, and Estates Committees. After the Board had resumed, the Chairman said that some member of the Board must be nominated to act on the College Committee in place of the late Mr H. J. Tancred. Mr Malet proposed, and Mr Tosswill seconded, Mr C. C. Bowen, who was elected. The Board then adjourned.