UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XIX, Issue 6330, 2 March 1882, Page 6

UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

The ailQUill session of the Senate was opened yesterday in the old District Court-house. The Chancellor, Mr. H. J. Tailored, in the chair. Present : The Vice-Chancellor (Dr. Hector), the Most Rev. Dr. Cowie, Bishop of Auckland, the Right Rer. Bi3liop Redwood (R.C.), Sir Maurice O'Rorke ; Professors : Von Haast, Shane, Sale, McGregor. Salmond, Brown, Captain Heale, Rev 3. D. Bruce and Habens.

The Registrar (Mr. Maskell) read the Chancellor's report;, of which the following are the principal features : —

I have the honour to lay before the Senate a report of the proceedings of the university for the past year. Regulations.—The regulations made at the last session have received the approval of the Governor, and have been sealed with the university seal.

Tub Senate. —Since the last session two vacancies have occurred in the Senate. One of these was, I regret to s &v, caused by the death of the Rev. \V. Johnstone. lam sure thai the Senate will agree with me in deploring the loss of a colleague whose constant attendance at, and unremitting attention to, the business of the session, evinced his very great desire to promote the welfare of the university. The other vacancy was caused by the resignation of the Rev. Dr. Stuart. Two new Fellows have been appointed by the Governor, viz., Professor McGregor and the Rev. J. W. Salmond.

Convocation.—The Senate will recollect that, during the last session, I was instructed to obtain the opiniou of the Attornev-General upon the following point:—Whether, as" the number of university rr&duates after examination was in March lastjthirtyiix, a meeting of convocation, held between November, ISS2, and February, 1533, would have the right to exercise the power of election granted by the 15th section of the University Act, with respect to vacancies o:curing after the Senate session of 1532, and before such meeting of convocatioa. Having submitted this question to tha Government, I was informed in reply that it could not be tiansmitted to the Attorney-General for his opinion, the university being a statutory body acting independently of the Government. In view of the fact that convocation

could undoubtedly be constituted and convened on March 3rd, 1533, and that the senate will have probably no opportunity before that date, except at the present session, of making the necessary arrangements, I would suggest that the steps required for the purpose under the 10th, 17th, ISth, and 19th clauses of the University Act should be taken during this session.

Degrees Conferred. —The degrees of B.A. and M.A. were publicly conferred in August last upon those students who sained them at the examinations of ISSO.

Ad Eundem Degrees.—Applications for these will be laid before the Senate.

Preliminary Examination for Medical Degrees.—A letter has been received from the Medical Council of Great Britain, intimating that, in case a student should not have passed at the entrance examination, iu the subject, " Elementary Mechanics of Solids and Fluids." a knowledge of that subject should be required from liim at a subsequent examination. A note in the calendar makes this subject compulsory for medical students, at the entrance examination; but, from the letter referred to, I presume that a student who might not have originally proposed, when matriculating, to follow a medical course, may afterwards comply with the requirements of the Medical Council by passing an examination in mechanics.

Gilchrist Scholarships.—Correspondence on this subject will be laid before the Senate* and it be seen therein that the university will have nothing to do with the examinations for the scholarships, as there is a strict rule in force forbidding the examinations to be conducted, or at ail interfered with, by any but the Governor of the colony or his nominee. Miutakv Cadetslhi's. — 1 forwarded to the Government the resolutions passed by the Senate on this subject on February 22nd, ISSI, and have received in reply letters and printed notices, which I lay before the Senate. Conferring of Degrees in Senate.—As directed by the Senate last year. I communicated with the other Australasian Universities on the subject of an extension of the charters for the purpose of enabling degrees in science to be couferred here as in Europe. From the Vniversity of Adelaide I received a letter enclosing its charter, showing that the power desired had already been granted after, as it appears, some controversy with the Imperial Government. The University of Sydney agreed to take tlie.subject into consideration in September last, but I luve not yet heard the result. The University of Melbourne declined to concur with this university on the matter on the ground that, being established by Act of the Victorian Parliament, and not by the Royal Charter, no advantage, it wa3 thought, would result therefrom. It appears, therefore, that the question affects only this university and the University of Sydney, and I suggest for the consideration of the Senate the drafting of a memorial for the purpose of forwarding it to Her Majesty, after obtaining the concurrence thereto Of the Sydney authorities. In connection with this matter, 1 would refer to the calendar of the University of London (ISSl), pp. 94, 154), wherein it is provided that graduates in arts, who have taken degrees in the Universities cf Sydney, Melbourne, Madras, or Calcutta, may proceed to degrees in science or medicine at the University of London without pissing there the matriculation examination. It might be advisable (and application has been made to me by a graduate with this view) to obtain the extension of the above provision to this university.

Admission of Undergraduates in tke University* of Melbourne. 1 received in July last a letter containing the following resolution of the Council of the University of Melbourne '"That, in the case of students matriculated in the University of Sydney, New Zealand, or Adelaide, desiring to proceed "with their studies in Melbourne, the Council should accept the matriculation examination of any or all of these universities, if they, on their part, will accept that of the University of Melbourne in similar cases." I replied that the Senate had already made provision in this provision, and that students had been sj admitted in this university. I presume, therefore, that the resolution quoted is now in force.

Estaulishment of Colleges in tiie Nortu Island. —I have to state that, in the last session of the General Assembly, a Bill which was introduced for tiie purpose of providing, in accordance with the views of the Senate, proper means of university education in the North Island, was withdawn. The extension of the university work, as evidenced by the increased number of students, and of candidates for examination, induces me to express the hope that due provision for the urgent wants of students in the No th will not be long delayed.. In fact, the condition of affairs iu that part of the colony is now worse than before, for, since the last session of the Senate, the Wellington College authorities applied to me for the disaililiation of that college, and the only affiliated institutions now remaining in the North Island are those in Auckland. I" consequence of this action on the part of the "Wellington College, a number of undergraduates were deprived of the means of completing their university terms of the year. In order that they should not suffer thereby, I made arrangements whereby they could undergo their annual examination on papers set at the Canterbury College, the university paying tho necessary expenses; but as their work had necessarily been much interrupted, only two availed themselves of the opportunity. One of the Wellington undergraduates is a junior scholar of the university. The regulation (calendar, p. 62) makes it obligatory on junior scholars to pass each year the annual examination of their college, and also to pass, at the end of their second year, one section of their B.A. examination. The studeut in que>tion has been unabte to do either of these things, and 1 have informed him that, in consequence, his scholarship is legally vacated. But, under the circumstances, I promised to leave to the decision of the Senate the question whether his scholarship shall be continued to him or not. i should be glad to have also from the Senate a direction as to the entering in the calendar of the names of those undergraduates, seeing that tho college to which they belonged is no longer affiliated. Consolidation of Regulations.—At its last session the Senate appointed a committee to report on the consolidation and re-arrangement of the regulations, recommendations, and announcements. This committee met in Wellington, and agreed upon a certain scheme for tho Senate's approval. A pamphlet embodying this scheme has been printed and distributed to Fellows, and is now laid before the Sonata for its consideration. The committee, whose report is also included, have not thought it within their province to suggest the repeal of any regulation, confining themselves merely to re-arranging what is at present the law.

[The interpretations of the regulations are given at length, relating chiefly to qualification for matriculation pass honours and degrees, which tho following are the principal suggestions for new regulation?.] 1. Martriculation.—lt has been suggested that the university should accept, as an equivalent to the marticulation examination, the preliminary or

' general knowledge" examination of law students, at least pro tan'o ; and also the senior civil service examination.

•2. Senior Scholarships.—At the last session of tho senate, several resolutions, aiming at a revised scheme for these scholarships, were proposed. Same of these were withdrawn at the time, but it was, I think, understood that the question would be again discussed this veai. I have received also a paper, agreed to by the Professorial Boards of the Canterbury College, and tho University of Otago, embodying a scheme for senior scholarships. 3. The compulsory subjects for the B.A. Degree.— A clause appears to be wanting iu the regulations, pp. 55-57 of tho calendar, to provide for tho case of undergraduates admitted tid eiidem statum of the third year, who might have parsed at another university in tho subjects Latin and mathematics an examination equivalent to that of this university. 4. Admission ad cundem.—The Seuate might include in the regulations on this point the Royal Irish University, the Victoria University, and tho University of Adelaide. There seems to be a difficulty in defining, for the instruction of the examiner, how the paper in Natural Science for Honours " Zoology and Botany, paper 2," p. 02 of the calendar, is to be made up. As each candidate is at liberty to choose his own special branch iu both zoology and botany, supposing two, three, or moro candidates take up this subject, it is not clear how one paper can include all; yet, it is scarcely intended that a separate paper is to be set for every candidate. It has been found impossible to make arrangements for the ''practical" examination in biology or candidates for Junior Scholarships

(calendar, p 73, last three lines). The main difficulty here has been the procuring of supervisors for the purpose. Perhaps the Senate may see fit to give directions as to this. In the subject chemistry., whether for the B.A„ Senior Scholarship, or Honours Examinations, the examiner in England has suggested a somewhat closer definition of the frubject than that given at pp. 79. 85, 91, of the calendar. Fending the decision of the Se*ate, I have instructed the examiner to delay the preparation of the papers for next Isovember. I have also delayed the preparation of the papers for the LL.B. and LL.D. examinations, as the Senate may again take up this question* which has engaged it 3 attention during the last two sessions, partly on the recommendation of the examiner In England, party in consequence of correspondence on the subject with the Bench of Judges. On this last point I have to report that I brought tinder the notice of the Judges the resolutions passed by the Senate last year, and was informed that the matter would be considered by the Bench in November last I have received no intimation of the result.

The number of undergraduates on the books of the University on December 31st, IS3I, was 233,

inclusive of 83 who have not presented themselves for college examination during the last two years. To this number will have to be added those who passed at the late entrance examination. There are now 36 graduates admitted after examination, to whom are to be added who have passed at the November examination.

Accounts.—The accounts for tho year ending December 31st, 1881, will be laid before the Senate, duly audited according to law. The following is an abstract of the income and expenditure for the twelve monthslncome : Government grant, £3000; fees, £214 93; sale of calendars, £7 17s 6d; miscellaneous, £105 9s 6d ; interest, £272 lis ; balance, £1225 5s 6d : total, £4525 12s 6dl Expenditure :— Senate, £403 17s sd; office, £587 7s lOd; general purposes, £272 10s 7d; examinations, £200S Is Sd; scholarships, £1543 153 : total, £4325 12s Cd.

Sittings.—lt -was resolved that the sittings of the Senate should commence every morning at 10 o'clock, that the Chancellor should vacate the chair at 1 o'clock p.m., and resume at 2.30 p.m. each sitting-day. The Senate adjourned to 10 o'clock on Thursday (this) morning.— On the motion of the Vice-Chancellor, it was agreed that the Chancellor's report should be considered at the next sitting. Ad Eundem Statum.—On the motion of the Vice-Chancellor, it was agreed that the regulations under which admission (ad cundem statum) is granted be considered next sitting of the Senate.