UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

Otago Witness, Issue 2425, 5 September 1900, Page 43

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL.

The ordinary meeting of the University Council, held on Monday, was attended by Mr E. B. Cargill (vice-chancellor, in the chair), Professor Salmond, Professor Sale, Dr Burns, Dr Hocken, the Rev. A. Cameron, and Messrs H. Clark, D. R. White, and T. K. Sidey. THE SCHOOL OF MINES. The Registrar staled that the report of the Mining Committee was practically comprised in tho circular inviting .applications for the following appointments in the School of Mines: — A director of the School of Mines, who will be Professor of Mining, and will also teach applied mechanics and mine surveying, salary £500 a year ; (2) also a Lecturer on Geology, Mineralogy, and Petrography, salary £350 a year; duties to commence on April, 1901, the term of the appointments in each case to be three years, terminable thereafter at six months' notice "on either In case of candidates in Great Britain being appointed an "allowance of 70g& will be paid for travelling expenses. Applications, - with 10 copies of testimonials and of age, qualifications, and experience, must reach Dunedin by January 12, 1901. The appointment will be made t>y the University Council. Apropos of the above, A. Montgomery, M.A., Coromandel, wrote asking the registrar if the conditions under which the Chair of Mining and Mineralogy was held completely debarred the occupant from addingto his income by professional praAioe during the recess. He submitted, as a possible candidate, that the only way a mining engineer could keep himself well in touch with the progress of mining science and could afford to travel about among mining districts co as to have the latest information as to their geological structure and metallurgical practice, was by making professional investigations of mining properties from a commercial as well as from a scientific point of view. The latitude allov.sd in this respect by many of the American schools of mines appeared to have a most beneficial effect in making the teaching take an extremely practical form. The Registrar remarked that the Mining Committee were equally divided on this point. Dr Burns said that Professor Ulrich's illhealth prevented him from taking outside work. The Registrar pointed out that Professor "Ulrich's services were to have been at the service of the Government. The Rev. Mr Cameron held strongly that they were acting in the interests of the university by allowing the Professor of Mining 1» take outside work. Professor Sale thought it -was really a question as to what restrictions should be placed on the Professor of Mining. He might have specimens forwarded him for analysis, regarding which it was extremely important that thay should bs attended to at once. He did not think it would be wise to restrict the outside work solely to the recess. The council could easily make provision that the routine work of the university should not be interfered with. Dr Burns suggested that the council should safeguard themselves by allowing private work as lons as it did not interfere with the work at the university. Professor Salmond was inclined to allow private work for four months in the summer only. The Registrar : The university, of course, •would not accept any responsibility for reports given^ by their lecturer. The Chairman : Of course, not ; no one would expect it. The Registrar : We had that trouble about a year or two ago when a professor lent liis name to a private company. This would imply to outsiders that he was backed up by the university. After some further discussion, it was •minuted that the Lecturer on Mining should be allowed to undertake private work during the recess. GENERAL. The following recommendation .was received from the Professorial Board for approval: — "That after the words 'New Zealand University' in rule 2 of the School of Mines the following be inserted : — ' Or matriculation examination of any chartei-ed university in the British dominions.' " — Approved. " The Finance Committee recommended the uayinent of accounts amounting to £587 10s sd, and reported that the debit balance at the bank on September 1 was £4-57 17s 9d. Mr Hay wrote proposing to lea«e a portion of the reserve at Pebbly Hill, and the matter •was referred to the registrar to report on his next visit to the run. — Adopted.