NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 3256, 13 July 1872, Page 3

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

TO TlfK KJOITOK.

$m~The position of arw.rked inferiority in which Otago in placed by the result ol the competitive examinations for the New Zealand University .Scholarßhips is a subject of general remark, disappointment, aetonißhmeufc, and humiliation, .People can't make it out, for they have «o long prided themselves upon being jtlic niOHt advanced Province in educational matters in-New'Zdnhjnd, and'thciredneatHmaireportoand ittfcpcet'ioiis were accepted as such ttnerring inciieatioiiH of success, that the explosion of a Hliell in their midst could not have bewildered tham more than thia result haa. They feel that matters cannot reuiatn as they are; and that the only safe way to apply a remedy iajtrf find out the character of.the disease. With-this view it -vvonld be ex{»edient that our members should call for a select committee to examine into and report ojft.the working of the New Zealand University. The committee might call for the examination papers— ascertain whether and to what extent they are related to any te«t, and other bdbke, connected witli. the , colleges and schools from which the' candidates came ; whether suflieitsnt notice *was given; of the" tiat^re of the questions; and might direct that, in future, due publicity shall be given, so that all provincea and candidates may start etpial. If after such enquiry it shall l>e found that, the questions were more familiar to one: ijcjjqol than to anothei", naturally arising front the* 'IJxamiher's aea<lemical trainipg, and the teaching at cectajn colleges, thcnjwe may, in some measure, account for. bur want of snece^s, and start^neict iyeAr^on a ' fairer level'; >'M ;thoy weroi wh.at.allssßobld be equally familiar-with, then we have only to be awakened from our false security, and arouse ourselves earnestly to contest the palm with those of whrtbi' we have hitherto spoken somewhat lightly.

.. ....« £..<•,» uwauu so &;. practioai education; snch <as mathematics and physical science, and Canterbury and Nelson to classic^; and'if ihe former'are vajtaed in the numl>er of inarkjß at only two-tliirds of that awarded to the latter, tlien Otago is placed in a decidedly-disadvantageous position ; and if to this it Hhould happen that the mathematical and physical sconce <\ae&* tiona are easy and the classical are hard, then Otago is doubly weighted in the academical nice. An enquiry will let us know all about this, nud will cnaMc us to tackle our opponents hi fiiture'with a better prosjtect of gaccesi'.—,l am, &c,, I' '• - •■ EKQWITtKIt.