UNIVERSITY SENATE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4288, 22 February 1901, Page 2

UNIVERSITY SENATE

CHANCELLOR’S REPORT. PRESS ASSOCIATION. AUCKLAND, February 20. The session of the New Zealand University Senate was opened to-day at Government House. Sir James Hector (chancellor) read the report of the proceedings of the Senate during the past year. The report referred to the deaths of Queen Victoria, and Professor Ulrich, of Otago University, and Professor J. M. Clarke, of Canterbury Coiiege. The report went on;—“The statute® made at the February meeting of the Senate have received the approval of the Governor, and have been sealed with the University seal. I have received with regret the resignation, through illness, of his seat on the Senate from Dr W. D. Milne, LL.D. According to the usual rotation, it falls to the turn of the Senate to fill the vacancy. ' I submit correspondence with the agent in England, the chief points of which are ; (1) Exhibition scholarship assigned to 1900 held over to 1801; (2) general comments on the examination results, with comments on the individual candidates; (3) a suggestion that paper A, Modern Languages, be identical with honours and senior scholarship (adopted), and th t the examiner must be satisfied in this paper; (4) suggestions on the subject of periods in French literature and honours and natural science. The postponement of the award of the exhibition scholarship alluded to above was due to the accidental omission on the part of an examiner to send a specific recommendation for the scholarship in time to have the award made for 1900. It rests with the Senate now to complete the nomination of Mr J. M. MacLaron, who has been recommended by the examiner for the scholarship. The question of awarding the scholarship for 1901, and thus resuming the regular alternation, is under consideration. The term of Professor Hales, examiner in English, has expired, and a fresh appointment will have to bo made. Of group selected by the Senate last year, Dr J. Routh accepted appointment as examiner in mathematics. Dr S. It. Gardiner was induced last’year to withdraw his resignation as examiner in history. In consequence of the death of Professor W. Michell Clarke, examiner lu French and German for matriculation and junior schorlarships. I handed tho French papers over to Mrs Evans, M.A., and tho German papers to Mr T. Walter, Both these examiners discharged their task with care and thoroughness. The agent has announced that a meeting of examiners would bo held on February 16th- A large number of petitions and protests have been received dealing with the action of the Senate in abolishing all but tho four*' large centres for the November examinations- Petitions were also presented to Parliament on tho subject. Tho Registrar was summoned to attend a meeting of the Parliamentary Petitions Committee, and on being asked to stato the Senate’s reasons, for its action requested an adjournment, with a view to obtaining authority to reply. I summoned a meeting of such members of the Senate as were accessible, at which it was decided that it was not competent to any body except the Senate in full session to state such reasons. The Petitions Committee reported to the House of Representatives a recommendation that the live centres proposed to be abolished should be retained. A letter has also been received in the same direction from the Premier. It is for the Senate to consider what action, if any, should be taken in consequence of these representations. An amendment made by the Senate last year in the statute of senior scholarships has been found, on trial, not sufficient to carry into effect the'principle which it recognises. I suggest for consideration of the Senate that the_ logical mode of ; dealing with the position is to restrict , candidature for senior scholarships to j students who are completing their im- j dergraduate course in minimum time. The same restriction would naturally ap- ] ply to the Tinline Scholarship. I sue- j "gesfc also/thatlit he extended so as to ap- : ply to tho candidature for honours. If the proposed change is adopted notice of a year or two should be given. With reference to the pass in Latin required for the solicitors’ general knowledge, I submit the question whether it should not be an actual pass, and not made up by excellence in other subjects. Barristers and solicitors who have been admitted elsewhere seeking admission in New Zealand have at present four examinations in the year provided for them. This seems an unnecessarily liberal arrangement, while our own law students are restricted to one- Moreover, those examinations entail very considerable ; expense, owing to tho small number of candidates presenting themselves at different periods of ike year, and requiring a separate set of papers. I think two examinations a year would afford ample facilities to such candidates. I suggest the recognition of the Law Recess Committee on the same lines as that which considers the December results. There is abundant evidence that our ex- , animations are not always entirely satisfactory, and as a university is an examining body every effort should be made to render this part of its work as perfect as possible. For some examina- ■ tions, especially matriculation, it will be necessary to amplify the instructions sent to examiners with a view to securing a greater uniformity of standard and a class of questions more suitable to the educational position of the candidates. Examiners might he invited to confer as to the standard, etc. I have received a memorandum of considerable length from the Wellington Law Students’ Association, as well as others from the law lecturer at Victoria College, Wellington, and the Otago University, embodying important proposals for the reconstruction of the regulations dealing wj£h the university LL.D. and law professional. examinations.”

Dr Fitchett gave notice to move that the matriculation age be reduced from sixteen years to fifteen and a-half. The Senate adjourned till to-morrow. AUCKLAND, February 21. At the sitting of the Senate to-day. a motion was carried, on the motion of Sir Robert Stout—That it be referred to a committee to ascertain and report what alterations may be made in the subjects for Arts degrees that will allow the subject of education in its theoretical and practical aspect to be made a pass subject for such degrees. It was also resolved, on the motion of Mr L. Coheu, that the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Laws bo referred to a committee.

The Recess Committee’s report enthe December examinations was adopted. The total number of candidates was 778. Of these 597 were for matriculation, of whom 397 passed. Sir Maurice O’Rorke expressed regret that so many matriculation' Candidates should have been rejected. Sir Robert Stout said it appeared to him that the matriculation examination was not used as an entrance examination to the University, but simply for purposes of school work and for the credit of various schools. Professor Brown said many were allowed to pass who should not. The examination should be made more stringent. The Senate, in Committee of the whole, considered the Chancellor’s address. The action of-the Chancellor in regard toi the appointment of an ex-| aminer in Hebrew, and in regard to a missing paper in honours, was approved of. Committees were set up to consider various matters referred to in the address, including medical examinations, law, finance, ad. eundem, degrees and 'UngHgb examiner. j

Tho question of centres for the November examinations was hold over to be dealt with by special resolution. The report en tho November law examinations will he considered to-morrow.