N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

Lyttelton Times, Volume LXXIII, Issue 9003, 16 January 1890, Page 3

N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

MEETING OP CONVOCATION. The annual meeting of the Convocation of the University of New Zealand was held yesterday in the Canterbury College hall. There were present Mr White (Chairman), Misses Preeman and Edgor, Messrs Andrews, Cohen, Poster, limes, Lawrence, Park, Rowe and Barclay (Clerk). Proxies were handed in by Mr White from Messrs Chilton, Jeffcoat, Milne and Stout, by Mr Poster from Messrs Watkins and Scott, and by Mr Rowe from Mrs Rowe.

Mr Innes moved, and Mr Rowe seconded —“ That candidate who have paid fees for University degree examinations, but are debarred from sitting through failure at the annual College examinations, should not be required to pay a second fee on again entering for the same section.”

The motion was carried. Mr Innes moved and Mr Cohen seconded —“That greater freedom of choice should bo allowed to students in the distribution of subjects between the second and third examinations for the LL.B. degree.” Mr Cohen explained that the subjects for the LL.B. degree were of two kinds—theoretical and practical. The latter group formed the subjects of the second and third examinations, and were also practically the subjects for the barristers’ and solicitors’ examinations. The object of the motion was to enable students to pass these subjects earlier in their course, so that they might not have to wait to be admitted to the Bar until they had completed their LL.B. course. Tho motion was carried.

Mr Barclay moved—“ That the Senate should furnish to the local governing bodies of tho Colleges full details of tho results of tho annual degree and scholarship examinations.” He urged that it was advisable that the local governing bodies should have some means of ascertaining how the Professors in their Colleges were succeeding with their work. Mr Cohen seconded the motion, and it was carried.

On considering the resolutions of which notice had been given by Sir R. Stout in the Senate, Mr Rowe moved and Mr Innes seconded—" That Convocation considers it inadvisaole to subdivide the ordinary arts course into three separate courses as suggested by motions (a), (6) and (c) of No. 1 of Sir K. Stout’s resolutions.” The motion was carried.

Mr Barclay moved —“That tho distribution of the subjects for senior scholarships be altered toy the substitution of ‘ Latin and Greek or English ’ for ‘ Latin and Greek,’ and ‘ English and French or German’ for ‘Latin aud English or French or German.’ ” He pointed out that in none of the senior scholarships was English a compulsory subject, while in two of them Latin was. He thought our own language should be compulsory for at least one scholarship, while it was unnecessary to give so great an advantage to Latin as it now had.

Mr Rowe strongly opposed tho motion. It would have the effect of destroying the study of Greek. Thera was no necessity to offer any premium for the study of English. The majority of candidates took Latin and English; besides, the Tinline Scholarship was given for English alone. The effect of tha motion would be to make English a subject for three scholarships. The motion was lost by a, majority of one.

On the motion of Mr Lawrence, seconded by Mr Park, it was resolved—“ That Convocation recommends that work should be prescribed for sub-sections A. B, C, and D of section 8, Junior Scholarship regulations, in the same manner as in physical science, for the degree.” The opinion was generally expressed that it would be inadvisable to prescribe text books in the various subjects, the object of teaching being to instil a knowledge of the subject taught, not to cram up some particular book. The work required in science, however, should be dedned.

Convocation unanimously resolved that Mr John Junes should be elected Chairman for the ensuing three years.

The Chairman moved desirable to revive, in a modified form, the obsolete regulation under which teachers of a certain standing were allowed to proceed'to graduation.” He said the matter had lately been brought before the Senate by Mr Habens, but, unfortunately, the resolution had been lost. The Educational Institute, too, in Dunedin had considered the subject and strongly recommended the proposed arrangement. The change would bo in the. interest of those teachers in the country who could not possibly attend she Colleges. Ha thought a great injustice was being done to these, seeing that a degree was essential for admission to the higher classes of teachers. Teachers about town could easily secure a degree, and why should equally capable teachers whose posts were in the country be disabled from obtaining a like distinction ? Mr Cohen pointed out that the clause providing for students residing more than ten miles from a college seemed to meet the difficulty. The motion was carried.

On the motion of Mr Innes, seconded by Mr Poster, it was unanimously resolved—- “ That Convocation desires to place on record its recognition of the deep interest taken by the late Eev Dr West in University matters, and its regret at his death.”

Mr Innes said that the graduates in Wellington had been accustomed to look upon Dr West as their oracle on University matters. He had done a great deal to further the interest of the University in that city, and his loss would be deeply felt as well by the University as by the Wellington students and graduates. Mr Barclay moved—“ That a Committee be appointed to consider, during the recess, whether the constitution of Convocation could be amended;” and “ that a Committee be appointed to consider the question of what part (if any) the University can take in technical education,” but both motions lapsed, there being no seconder. Votes of thanks were passed to Mr White, the retiring Chairman, for his services during the past three years, and to the Board of Governors of Canterbury College for the use of the College hall during the meeting. Dunedin was fixed as the next place of meeting, the date to be arranged by the Chairman. The meeting then concluded.