MUNICIPAL GIFT TO DUNDEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12445, 30 August 1902, Page 3

MUNICIPAL GIFT TO DUNDEE UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

The following, taken from the Scotsman of July 10, will bo read with interest in Dunedin at the present time, and should he encouraging to those of oiu' citizens who are devoting their energies to the good work of placing the University of Otago on a better financial basis than it is at present and thus enabling it to extend 'its usefulness and do a.' measure of justice to its professors, lecturers, and graduates that is impossible under present condition's. It may ba noted that University College, Dundee, is an institution in which Professor Gilray hold the Chair of English for some years:—

Since the appeal was made in. the latter end of last year for the sum of £63,000 to clear .off tho debt 011 University College, Dundee, and to make the equipment of the various departments thoroughly efficient/ the response by the citizens has been somewhat remarkable. At the end of June the total sum subscribed amounted to £26,656 15s, and the latest donation is the handsome one of £13,000 by Mr J. E. Caird, manufacturer, for the purpose of establishing a physics laboratory. At a meeting of the Council of the College yesterday afternoon, over •which Dr G. W. Baxter presided, the following letter from Mr Caird to Principal Mackay was read:—"Roseangle, Dundee, Tuesday, June 24, 1902. Dear -Principal Mackay,—With a view to helping to commemorate the Coronation of the King, will ypu allow me to add to the college build-, ings a physics laboratory for the study of the _ properties of matter, of the law 9 of motion, of heat, sound, light,' electricity, and other kindred subjects, the laboratory to be built similar to the Medical School and in a line with it, having its gable 35ft fi;om the Technical Institute, and extending in length 100 ft towards tho Nethergate by SOft wide. This would give accommodation for two leoturo theatres and about 22 other appropriate rooms, including those under the ground level, at a cost not exceeding £15,000, while it does not necessitate the removal of tho house presently used by the Professor of Physics. The college authorities would undertake to convey water, gas, steam, and electricity to tho laboratory, and make the Accessary drain connections. The enclosed outline will show the position of the proppsed building." This announcement was received with much gratification by tlio eoun- ■ cil. In their last annual report the council, commenting on the laboratory at present in use, stated that it was "utterly unworthy of the college, boing confined to a small building, originally a dwelling house, altered and adapted for teaching purposes in the early days of tho work, but hardly sufficient now to contain the instruments of the department." On the motion of the Chairman, seconded by Lord Provost Hunter, it was unanimously resolved to accept Mr Caird's most generous offer, contained in the foregoing letter, to provide a laboratory for the department of natural philosophy, and at tho same timo to tender to liim an expression of the deep gratitude of the council and their especial appreciation of his interest in tho welfare of the college manifested in the selection of his object. It was also intimated that further donations to tho extent of £336 5s towards the College Kxtention l'und had been received. A few months ago Mr Caird provided a handsome for the erection by the directors of Dundee Royal Infirmary of a hospital for the treatment of cancer, along with £1000 a year for five years, to be used for the purpose of investigating into the cause and cure of cancer. Other notable examples of Mr Caird s generosity to Dundee are the Maternity Hospital and the Caird Home for Nurses.