ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVI, Issue 11056, 6 May 1899, Page 3

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGE.

TO TUB EDITOR. Sir,—ln a leader headed " St. John's College" in this morning's paper, you say; — "The appointment of this commission is consequent upon action taken by the Rev. Dr. Kinder as the representative of the lato Archdeacon Brown, who was the donor of certain endowments to the institution, whioh it is alleged liavo not boon properly administered." This is hardly a correct representa* tion of the matter; and as yon, alluding to previous correspondence, remark that " much public interest was taken in the matter," I wish to correct any false impression which your words already quoted may convoy. Tito appointment of this commission can hardly bo said to bo consequent upon any action of mino, or anything to do with it. It ft certainly incompetent to deal with the question in which I (as representative of Archdeacon Brown) am interested. So long ago as 1895 (long before I took any action in the matter) the question of the appointment of a commission to inquire into the whole of tho affairs relating to St. John's College was debated in the General Synod, but it was distasteful to the governing body, and they wcro able to defeat it. In 1898 I presented a petition to the General Synod, requesting them to inquire into tho administration of the Marsh scholarship trust founded by Archdeacon Brown. Tho committee appointed to consider this petition reported"Your committee find that the recommendation . . . adopted by the Synod, viz., that application be made to a judge of the Supreme Court to decide certain questions, has not been carried out. It seems to your committee that tho reasons assigned in justification of this are insufficient, and that owing to the neglect of the directions of the General Synod given from time to lime, and to the frequent changes of plan, the institution has beon brought into difficulties from which there is no escape, except by referenco to tho Supreme Court or other competent tribunal. In tho opinion of your committco the questions at issuo between Dr. Kinder and the trustees are such as can only be satisfactorily determined by a Court of law, but suggest that if it ha possible the proceedings now pending should bo converted into a friendly suit for this purpose." This report, so condemnatory of the Board of Governors, had to bo got rid of. The appointment of a commission to inquire into all the affairs of tho college, which had been.so resented and resisted in 1895, was now (1898) hailed as a welcome way out of the difficulty. The commission was appointed (Dr. Giles being named as commissioner) and the report shelved. Such is the history of the commission. So far as I am concerned it is of no use whatever. It has clearly no power to deal with the questions at issue between me and tho governing body regarding the administration of the trust of the Marsh scholarship, which is purely a legal question, and can only bo decided by a Court of Law. I will mention in conclusion that tho suggestion of tho Sessional Committee abovo quoted has been so far followed that the proceedings ponding between me and the governing body will, I understand, be converted into a friendly suit, and the question decided independently of the commission by the Supreme Court at an early date.—l am, etc., J. Kinder. Woodcraft, Rcmuera, May 4, 1899.