OTAGO UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 1462, 22 November 1879, Page 8

OTAGO UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the Council of the Otago University was to have been held on tha 13th but as there was not a quorum of members present, only formal business was transacted. There were present : The Chancellor the Rev. Dr Stuart), the Hon. H. S. Chap. man, Dr Burns, and E. B. Cargill, Esq.

THE VACANT PROFESSORIAL CHAIR.

The Chancellor said that the following letter, in reply to one asking for the opinion of the Professorial Board in reference to the new Chair, had been received :— University of Otacro, November sth, 1879. Sir,— la reply to your letter of ths 3rd inst., asking for tho opinion of tho Professorial Board a* to tha most apprnpiate designation of the vacant Chair, a^l the subject which its occupants should know in order to be of uso to tho Medical School, I have the honour to inform you that, at a meeting of the Pnfossorial Board held this day it was agreed that, in their opinion, the Chair should be " Professor of Bielogy and Curator of the Otago Museum." \t waa alao agreed that the chief object of the Chair at present will be the teaching of zoology, but that a candidate who is aho competent to give instruction in botany if required should be preferred, both those subject* being supposed to include pate ontology. I was further initructed to say that, if the Council have not yet decided upon the commission to select the best candidate for the Chair, the Board would respectfully Buggßßt that Professors Ruxley and Wy ville Thomson would be suitable persons to associate with the AgontGeneral in this matter.— £ have, &c, P. W". Button, Chairman of the Board.

It was agreed that the Professors named in the letter should be associated with the Edinburgh agents of the University, Messrs Andrew and Auld, that the Professors should be thanked for their letter, and that with the exception of the reference to the Agent-Gene-ral, its recommendations should bo adopted. The Chancellor asked whether the Council would proceed with this business, but as it was considered that a quorum was neceßsary, the meeting waa adjourned until Tuesday.