THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY AND ITS FINANCES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2524, 30 July 1902, Page 28

THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY AND ITS FINANCES.

OPINIONS ON THE SITUATION BY SOME OF OUR PUBLIC MEN.

"We have been courteously supplied by jcme of the parliamentary representatives of Otago constituencies, members of the University Council, and members of the University staff with their views on the present embarrassed position of the University and the best steps to take to put the finance of the institution and its future work on a sound and progressive basis. These we give «s follows: —

MR E B. CARGILL

"Mr E. B. CargHl, vice-chancellor of the University of Ot«go : The invitation of the •chancellor to address the meeting at the capping ceremony of the New Zealand University afforded me an opportunity of bringing before the public the financial position of our Otago University and the imperative need of substantial aid as a condition of carrying it on effectively. I am glad to notice that the subject has been warmly taken up by our parliamentary representatives, and that the united voice of our local press has been given in hearty support. The immediate 6teps taken for making good the deficiency of £1500— already assured of success, with the aid of the handsome promise by Government of £2 for £1 of local subscription — are very gratifying, and so far satisfactory. B\it the larger question still ■remains of providing such au increase cf permanent revenue as will suffice to meet necessary outgoings and, further, what is required for such extensions and improvements, particularly in our Medical School, (ts wo are well assured are needed to bring our University up to the point of efficiency on a par with other school* in the colony and in tho Old World. It is quite essential that it be so if it is to fulfil its purposes. The only cour=o open to us is t>> lay our case before Government and Parliament; and we may do to with perfect propriety, for the University is c rcated by iJoverument for the benefit of the people at large. It is no 6&n3e a class institution, but is perfectly democratic, and its benefits come home most directly to those classes who have not the> ability, as the wealthy have, to *end their sons to the colleges of the Koine Country. The records of degree^ gained by young women as well as young iiku prove that this is so, and has been valued and taken advantage of. The council by whom the University is managed are but thp servants of tho public for the purpose I hope a commission will be appointed to ir.nuire •into the whole case. There will be no difficulty in ascertaining exactly übac is required. If it should be held that wo have undertaken too many subjects and that some of them, as has been suggested, niay he transferred to some of the other affiliated colleges, we could not with any grace object. It being made a colonial question, the Government may.' "feel bound, lo U'ke that ■view, and we mAy »jell, acyuie»ce if w-e retain an improved- and thoroughly equipped Medical . School and arts faculties in all needful branches. The expenditure of such public money as may- be required for these purposes will bear favourable comparison with many ( items- on the Estimates. The endowment*' provided by the old Provincial Government were truly inumficei.l. It has proved unfortunate lhat they consisted mainly of pastoral lands, which it was believed would in time increase in value. It iias proved otherwise, and there is an awlcvard element of uncertainty a* to the-ir future value and whether prcoent \aluo will be maintained.

♦SIR ROBERT STOUT.

Sir Robert Stout, Chief Justice, Fellow of the University of New Zealand, formerly a meftiber of the Otago University Council, formerly law lecturer at the Otago University^ I have been deeply griewd to learn £hat; the Otago University is in fmamiul Btraifes. I had fondly hoped tl at with ; ts endowments and with" the High School reserves there -would scion have been reahteu free university aad secondary education in Otagp. The fall in land value", etc., hab prevented this. I understand that cviii with the fees charged the University caunot fulfil its mission In my opinion it i 6 the hounden duty of the cclgny . to. place cur higher educational institutions in an assured financial position. It is just as important to provide for the higher education as it is to maintain our primary schools. Unless we are to condemn the children of our less rich colonists to be hewers of wood an'i drawers of water the highest education must be provided in this colony, and if not free, at all events at a cheap rate. If this is not done* we must import from abroad our experts and our scientific men, aiH deny great careers to many competent New Zca'ander-. The effect of the higher education on cur primary schools is. I am afraid, often overlooked. If there is no higher education in a community the quality of the teachers in primary schools is affected, and nil education is lowered. The lowering of the bt.mdard of education belittles tb? colony and handicaps our people in the race of life. It is the best educated nation that succeeds industrially and commercially. Weakening, therefore, our education system is an injury to us all round. It means we « ill have less material resources, a less intelligent people, aud a poorer race. The highest education j;= the true democratiser. Without the highest education our freedom, our climate, our resources, our lawd will avail us nothing;. We •will be as a people condemned to inferiontv I hope thp well-wishers of our colony will insist on our university institutions being freed from financial troubles and their further development promoted.

PROFESSOR SALE.

Professor Sale, M.A . Professor of Cla-,.-.ie= and member of the University Count i! : The immediate difficulty which the prese it subscription i? intended to iroet i- :• very small matter compared with the real' position. Our income haR dropped over £3000, aud there L-> a. debt on the University of £16,000, more or les*. and we shall never be in a se<-uie po»m )ii until that i« paid off. .Vot hundred; now. but thousands, are required to pin the Urn versity in a financially s-afp povtion It is hardly possible- to propound a scheme of <c lief rill wo know \\'>a' th<- Go\<Tiini«-iir «ili do. If it will give u« a of £2 tor £] it will be a great em-ouraecmeni for the citizens of Dur.eihu to nul>m rilio mor. ficolv What is wanted is the coming furv:»rcl of liberal men. as they have done m Vietoiia Mid New South Wales, and especially in Amaru**, with 4b» ftdditioji oL a kbeial juam

from the Government Treasury. The paring down policy in the University has bean carried beyond its proper limit, and the only additional way of retrenching left is the abolishment of chairs. Instances of the unfortunate lack of funds are esen in the University library and in the laboratories none of which can be thoroughly kept tip to date Of the value of the work done by the Otago University the good name and success of its mining and medical students are ample evidence. Tn fact, the value of the Mining and Medical Schools I hold as such that I would rather see the Arts faculty satri6ced than these. The knowledge imparted in the latter could be acquired by a man himself, but not so in the former cases where actual demonstration is required. It the Mining School had to be transferred from Otago, there would be little good in shifting it to Auckland, as suggerted. The School of Mines should be intimately connected with a good mechanical ergineering school, and it would be very difficult to found another mechanical engineering school away from Christchurch. A good mining engineer should also be a good mechanical engineer. An institution like Otago I nivevsiiy. again, is of great value to the community, especially ap it is of a most democratic character It does invaluable work in giving a chance to men who would otherwise never have the opportunity of ri-ing from obscurity. The University has proved its value, and that it is woTthy to be put on a better footing. Our public nwn could not expend their money better than by p\itting it on a solid basis. It is desirable that the Government f-hould set up a commission of inquiry. If the Government considers such institutions were for the welfare of the country, it should provide means for their carrying on when thete are insufficient. The prospects for income in the future are, as. things stand, the reverse of hopeful

DR SHAXD

Dr Shand, M.A., LL.D., Professor of Natural Philohophy Mid mcnihtr of the University Council : A larger scheme for the benefit of the University should enrcavour to wipe off the whole University cu-bt, amounting to £16,000. This was incurred in extending the Medical School 12 years ago, and payment of the interest on this naturally hampers the institution greatly. The present scheme of relief is, to n-,y mind, quite inadequate. Everything is i.ow being starved. The. library and laboratories are at a standstill as regards equipment. The commission that sat recently on tLe School of Mines pointed out quite a rum be r of things that urgently required doiug to bring the school up to reuuuemtnte. It would be unwise, I think, in the interests of the colony to shift the School of Mines. It has gained a reputation outside the colony, and any school starting anew would have to build that up afresh. Its transference to Auckland would be of no benefit to the colony. It would cost the Government much more than now. They have no spare funds for it in Auckland. The School of Mines at present gets a Government grant of £500, and £600 is contributed to it out of the University endowments. Last year an additional £250 was got from the "Government, which will probably be continued thio year, the ActingPremier having practically, promised it to the deputation that waited on liim. The establishment of a Mining School in Auckland would require thus this annual £1350, and the cost of new buildings. If provided by the Government wit!*, funds, Auckland College- could still branch out in the direction of commerce and navigation, an important f-tudv, in w-liieh the newest universities of England are providing themselves with departments. The abolition at present of the Otago Mining School would only save the £600 to the University, and that would not c. en allow justice to be done to the Medical School. I do not think, however, that the amount of relief at present contemplated will be enough to save the Mining School. We are sacrificing the Medical School, aud the council will no doubt ha\e to make a choice between them. Of course, if the founding of a Mining School were to be started now, Otago would give j^lace to Auckland, but at the time the school was founded there was no Auckland College, and the University's funds were ample for the purpose. The inquiry promised by the Government is a very desirable thing, and if a fair-minded ooninii.-'-ioii i<- appointed I do not see how it can otherwise conclude than that these H'lioolp must be kept up-to-date The chief matter now. however, to be dealt with i* tin-, debt of £16,000. I am eurpri^pcl that tho deputation did not mention it. It lias been a drag on us for the last 12 v earc If the Goxernment would extend its present offer of a subsidy of £2 to £1 I have little doubt that one-third of that sum, large af> it if, could be raised locally. The value of the Uimertitv endowments has fallen off to the extent of about £3000, as is known, mid there is no hone of its rising again. If the scheme suggested could be carried out it would improve our position by about £1000 a year, with the assistance already contemplated, and tbe continuance of the extra (>u\ernnient grant. Even an additional £2000 a year might he easily expended iv providing really well for all departments.

AIR D. R. WHITE.

Mr 1) R. White. M.A , member of the Otago University Council : It is gratifying to find the citizens of Dunedin responding so liberally to the spirited appeal made by the press to rai>»e the £500. I have no doubt that the staff of t!>e University and the graduates will cheerfully contribute to the fund, and, with the generous assistance of orrr fellow citizens ai.d the Government grant of £1000, the Otago University will be out of debt. That is very satisfactory, and our University will now be able to make a fresh start. What about the financial pos-ition of the University in the future? I don't think my opinion on the finances of the college will carry much weight, but yoa may have it for what it is? worth With our income and expenditure as they itt&tid at present we have an annual dene, ency of some' £200, so that if the council goes on for the next five or sax years as it ha~ been doing in the past we shall then be where we are to-day — viz., £1500 in debt. The finance* of the Otago University must for the future be put on a more satisfactory bas.is. The want of sufficient funds has. operated to the detriment of our University in two ways: it has prevented any cxtciibion and development of University work : it has rpndcred the work at present carried on leM effective than jt thoul-d be '1 he stuff of tiie Medical School ouglii to be .-.trt-ngtliened : the professors are tired of a-tmg the council for additional funds to K«-t mod* in apt-aratu- for the practical (!a- c' Ti.c income mi^'it ll v c incrc-ased l»y Lining me fio- Ihe fcifc paid by the •*tudtiil-> diiouin to •.nine £2300 annually. It would La m-osi uuuofcSiafc £»tij I tduuk,

unwise, to increase the fees ; the trend of public opinion is quite in the opposite direction. Nearly the whole of the fees go to supplementing the fixed salaries of the professors and lecturers. The council might perhaps increase its income by appropriating the whole of the fees, but it eouTd not either legally or morally do anything of tho kind and keep faith with the members of the staff. The expenditure might be decreased by reducing the fixed salaries. Three of the professors are under a life engagement, others are paid by the Presbyterian Synod, all of the lectureships aie underpaid, and some of them are honorary. The Otago University must not pay its staff less than is paid to professors in the other local college*. What is to be done? Where is the increased income to come from? The council might receive private benefactions ; but even if it did, the bequests would probably go in the shape of scholarships for the benefit of the students, and not for the purpose of increasing the income of the University. No ; the fact is the Ota-go Council 'must have a more reliable and largely increased income if it is to carry on a University College, a Medical School, and a Mining School. The revenue from the landed estates cannot increase for years to come until the leases expire. Fortunately for the University they have some years to run ; if they were to fall due now it would be a serious matter. The revenue derived from the land fluctuates, and tliat in itself is a source- of weakness in administering the affairs of the University. The revenue must be largely increased m the future. The Otago University buildings are not paid for. Tho council pays nearly £1000 a year for rent and taxes out of its ordinary income. This is a very heavy item of expenditure. There is no hope of any reduction of interest on the loan which was raised to put up the University buildings. In the face of tbeso facts, it is quite clear that the Otago Council cannot carry on its three institutions successfully without a substantial increase in its income. I cannot believe that the people of Now Zealand will allow either the Medical or the Mining School to be closed. The Government must provide for their maiutenance, either in Otago or Christchurch or Wellington or Auckland. To relieve the funds of the Otago University College it has been proposed to remove the School of Mines to Auckland, to bo carried on by tl-e Auckland University Council. But as the Auckland University Council depend; chiefly upon Parliament for its funde, the Government would have to increase the statutory grant to enable Auckland to keep up the Mining School. What advantage would there be to Otago in transferring tho Mining School to Auckland? So long as Otago has two technical schools in addition to the University College, the aggregate sum spent en tht» three institutions will always make it appear that Otago receives a larger share of public money than the other local collegos, and this makes it all the more difficult to get assistance from the central Government. If the local college derives income from landed endowments. Parliament is always chary about giving further monetary assistance. The different sources from which the four university colleges dprive their income will always be a disturbing factor in adjusting the financ-ps \it university education in this colony. The Auckland College and the Wellington College depend chiefly upon parliamentary grants, Otago and Canterbury upon the revenue derived from their estates. Canterbury, I understand, has an ample revenue, Otago cannot make ends meet. These different and local financial arrangements must give place to a more equitable distribution of the function of the local colleges and of the funds for university education in the colony. The Government must recognise its duty to the whole colony in the matter of university education as it docs its primary ociuoation. It was found necessary, in making the primary schools a national system, to colonialise the primary school reserves, to have a- general fund. To place university education in the colony on a sound financial batis the Colonial Government must arrange for a better system of financing the four local university college?. I think a commission should be appointed to consider tho best meau« of bringing our primary, secondary, and university institutions into line and unifying our State system of education.

MR JAMES ALLEN

Mr James Allen. B.A , M H.R.. member of the Otago University Council: I think it absolutely neces-ary that the finance of the University, also the teaching capacity — both the staff and the accommodation for the several faculties, — be placed on a better basis, not only to stop loss, but to allow for much-needed d-evelopment. The Medical School, for instance, as we reported last year, is being serioutly injured frum want of laboratory accommodation and a professor of plrysiology. It was with this object in view I asked the meeting of Otago and Southland members to add to the resolution submitted to the Acting-Premier a requegt for a commission to inquire into the position. The University Count il has inquired and reported its wants, but apparently it need-, an outside repot to bring the matter into sufficient prominence for decisive action. ft is uo u.-e carrying on Mich technical schools as medicine ami mining without making them the best we can. Development means life ; standing still death. Both these schools must advance to keen pace with modern ideas. As to temporary aid. I think it quite right to have secured sufficient to put the present finance straight, as I believe £1500 and the extra £250 for this year will do. But if the University is to be worthy of Otago or Otago of it, then more has to be done. The assistance secured provides no means for advancement I hope the commission will recommend =udi.

MR T. K. SIDEY

Mr T K. Sidey, B A., LL.B., M.H.R.. member of the Otago University Council: I entirely agree as to the great necessity tor coning with the whole -subject of the condition of the University in such a manner as, to place it on a permanently satisfactory and stable basis, and if the present agitation stops short of that it will fail in accomplishing much for the University. But I should be sorry if the advocacy of such a course wore to be regarded as inconsistent with or were in any way to discourage the present effort to relieve the existing embarrassment. That relief, though quite inadequate as a permanent remedy, will be of material serMcc and equal, in the saving of interest, to an annual contribution of from £60 to £90. The object of the proposed commission is to consider the larger question of placing the University on a satisfactory footing, and it is to be hoped the inquiiy may have a practical result. I trust that a way may be found to retain and perfect both the Mining and Medical Schools, but if one has to go I Iccl SUift Duxujjlui yll iiavav allow tke

Medical School to go. It may be time enough to say more after the commission has reported, but whatever recommendation may be made as the result of the proposed ii.quiry, further State assistance will be necessary.

MR A. R. BARCLAY.

Mr A. R. Barclay. B.A . LL.B., M.H R., late Law lecturer at the University of Otago: Re University assistance given; merely a stop gap. With a fall in revenue of over £3000 per annum, the. University must get into difficulties. I think it questionable if the constitution of the council makes it the be.*t body to deal with large landed estates. Possibly it would be better to relieve the council by placing the management of the reserves under the Land Board or the Minister of Lands. If therecculd be a certainty of an increase when required, I would favour an annual sum from the Consolidated Fund instead of the present quite inadequate endowment?. I am most strongly in favour of the appointment of a commission to inquire into the whole position.

DR COLQUHOUX.

Dr Colquhoun, Lecturer on the Practice of Medicine at Otago University : Everyone who knows anything about University matters has known that for years past it has been literally starving all its faculties, and despite this going to the I'ad financially. If the work cf the University is to be carried on we shail have to get funds to carry on with. The question arises, Is the present position the fault of the managers of the institution or net? The answer is that they cannot be blamed for a fall in the value of land. To get £ISOO to pay off the overdraft is simply putting the real difficulty a*,ide. It is noc touching the essential weakness of the institution, and if something more cannot be done, then the University mu->t be shorn of some of its work — must do k>ss than it has hitherto attempted. In my own opinion it would be nothing short of a. national evil if the University wore in any way crippled in its teaching work — it would be a national disgrace. To tho.se who think the UnivcrsiJy is ahead of our requirements as a youug nation I would point out that Scotland at the time of the union m 1706, with a population estimated at 800,000, hud, if 1 remember rightly, four universities (three of them dating from the fifteenth century), and that the wealth of Scotland and the means of communication were probably not onehundredth part of those of New Zealand at the present day. Probably the provinces of Otago and Southland possess more wealth two or three times over than the whole of Scotland at that time. I feel very strougly personally that no nation that is not prepared to give to its people the best and highest education of the time is fit to survive in the struggle for existence. As to getting the necesoaiy money to put the institution on a. secure footing, I would point out what the Rev. Mr Curzon-Siggers dirt in the small pariah of St. Matthew's, and on behalf of one religious denomination. He found a debt of between £3000 and £4000 on the church, and in three or four years he had wiped off thi> whole of it. What was possible in one small parish should be possible in the whole community. I think the University Council might well appeal to the general liberality of the public for an object that intimately concerns *h& whole colony with confidence that they would get the assistance required. The Government would, no doubt, also assist in a movement of this kind. I have suggested that the council might well call a meeting of representative citizens of the community, and lay the whole state of affairs before them. A committee might be then formed representative of the various interests of the community to take steps to raise a Sustentation Fund. The method adopted in the case of St. Matthew's Church might be well adopted — that is, the payineut of s\ibscriptions might be extended for three or even four years, if a man md not care to pay the whole sum at once. Suppose he subscribed £50, he might pay down £20, and £10 for the next three years. With regard to the proponed commission of inquiry by the • Government, I consider, while on this point, that the curee of this country is looking to the Government for everything, and that method of procedure has already succeeded in nearly strangling the University. In an independent, homogeneous population of this kind we should have public spirit enough, notwithstanding sneers at our Scottish thrift, to do the chief part of this work ourselves. Once the movement is started here I believe men will be found, as they have been elsewhere, to give the necessary money. But men must be prepared to put their hands into their pockets freely. If a man wishes to leave a monument for himself or any of his family more enduring than brass he will find it in founding scholarships or offering other methods of monetary relief to the University. With regard to subscriptions on a larger scale, I think the splendid generosity already shown in the present scheme for relief a good auguring for the success of any cnergetio movement to that end. I am against cutting off a single branch of the University work. I think that it would be cowardice- thus to lose confidence in the power of the University. Thin is a matter in which every graduate of the University should lend all the assibtanee n hin power.

MR J. F. ARNOLD

In conversation with Mr Arnold on the express (our reporter wires) re the position of the University finances, he stated he would oppoee any suggestion t-o tentre different Faculties m different districts. He would not agree to any proposal tha* would close the Mining School m Dunedin, and leave that Faculty exclusively to the Thames. While a great deal, he thought, might be done by local subscriptions, it was obvious this would not cope effectively with the present situation. The Government could not allow the utility of the University to be impaired for want of funds, but he was of opinion that the matter would not be permanently settled until the whole University was under the control of the Government, who would then be responsible for its entire financial requirements, and that then its doors should be open to students free of charge

MR THOMAS MACKENZIE

Mr Thomas Mackenzie. M.H.R., interviewed by a Times' representative, said it was quite true that Sir Joseph Ward's proposal was merely a temporary measure. It was then agreed to make fuller inquiry by a commission. The subject was much too large to dispose of in an offhand manner. Wo have now arrived, he said, at a period in our educational work when the whole question of the relationship of our teaching institutions, from our primary schools to our universities, must be placed on a more and jisusumsAi iovi'ma. fcium aoit

obtains, and their respective functions must bi more clearly defined. When the Royal Commission en education was set up recently he urged that the scope of the order of reference should be enlarged, go that, at anyrate, the primary and secondary schools might be dealt with and brought into harmony, but was not successful. It seemed to him that a capable commission should now bs appointed to deal with all educational work" and that one factor should be kept clearly in view in connection with our universities, and that was the specialisation, of work. .Even if we had the means, he doubted the utility of endeavouring to establish similar work in all the universities. Let each university have at least one leading subject — be it medicine, mining, agriculture. commerce, or any leading subject,— ana then there might be a prospect of this colony being able to afford sufficient means to amply provide for such special and other work at each centre. Dealing with the> question of ways and means, were such a. policy adopted as he had suggested, the Government might then consider whether it might not deal with the University endowments, as it had with the primary school endowments, which was to collect the revenues and place a fixed income for the institutions. He should be very glad to join with others in urging the Government to set up a Royal Commission to d-eal with the whole matter.

MR JUSTICE WILLIAMS.

I had a brief interview with Mr Justice Williams on the subject of the University. His Honor was not prepared to express an opinion on the present financial position of the University, not having gone into the matter, but he recognises that the payment of the overdraft will not get over the difficulty, ?nd he favours the appointment of a commission to go into the whole question.

Subsequently I saw Sir James Hector. Sir Jamesi said he was not aware of the financial circumstances of the College, and in his pnsition as chancellor of the New Zealand University he did not think it was for him. to express any opinion at present. I gathered, however, that he saw no objection to the appointment of a commission.

THE REV

A. CAMERON

The Rev. A. Cameron, 8.A., member of the University Council, said that in the main he could only endorse what had been, already expressed by other members of th» council. The raising of this £1500 to extinguish the overdraft would undoubtedly do a great deal of good, btit it was not sufficient, aud nothing would be sufficient that did nob removo tho present debt on the University buildings, and even then the University would need more. Every department in the University was starved, as could be seen only by the library and the laboratories, andi especially in the Medical School, and another professor for which was an absolute necessity. A thing that had not been pointed out was that the Law School had had to be abolished. This should be restored as soon as possible. In a country like New Zealand the specialising of the faculties in certain centres, as suggested, was utterly impossible. How could all law students, for instance, be sent to Wellington? It would deter students, wQjild affect the other classes, and make it impossible for students to study while employed in offices. If the scheme for the liquidation of* the whole debt were taken up heartily by a strong committee he thought they should be able to raise a Targe sum towards that end, and, with the ar^istance of the Government, the debt migfit be wiped out altogether. He was strongly opposed to any curtailment of the present work done by the University. In Aberdeen something like £200.000 had been raised, mainly by public subscription, for the extension of the work oi tho University there. Such amounts made a debt of £16,000 sink into insiijnificacee aud £-howed the value placed on Univettity work by the people of the old country. A \iew, however, he was inclined to hold with regard to University classes was that these should be free. No fees should be necessary. A grant from the Government would b© the only means of attaining that «nd. But if the Government were to grant annually, say, £10.000, that would be sufficient to g'v« frpp University education in the four centres and increase aKo the efficiency of the Uachin<? staff. The fees paid at Otago University in this connection amounted to over onethird of tho total throughout the colony. Tho immediate necessity, however, was the wiping off of this debt and the placinsj of. the Medical School on a better footing. The succeP3 of an appeal to the public would probably depend largely on what the Government might undertake to do. The extinction of the overdraft, with an increase of local rent that might be looked for, might; better their present position by about £100, hut that amount wotild not compensate for the annual deficit or prevent the accumulation of another overdraft. The time, ho thought, had come when the wealthy citizens of Otago should consider the claim* of their University in respect to its buildings too. The class rooms were too few in number, and in some cases overcrowded, and w Univerpity hall was sadly needed. The students were at present largely deprived of the use of the library owing to the absence of P hull where examinations and other UimeiNity functions could be held. So there was plenty of room for the further 1 generosity of citizenseven after this £16,000 had been paid off. More scholarships were also desirable. He was very empha+ic on the unwiseness of parting with any of the work now donp by the University. It would be suicidal to do so, and their policy should be rathpr to enlarge their work -within their own borders. To remove this work elsewhere would cost the people of the colony more, and be less satisfactory. Students might as well be sent to Melbourne, and their cost saved altogether. A strong committee of citizens should be secured to cooperate with the University Council in raising this necessary fund. In the future development of the life of the University there should be more self-reliance shown on the part of the community. Too much dependence had been placed on the Government, and the citizens had displayed little interest in the University. Unless one of them had a son there he hardly knew of its existence. The citizens had not been brought into immediate enough contact with the University, and the sooner they were the better.

There seems to be a pretty general consensus of opinion (telegraphs our Wellington correspondent) that the paying off <sf the overdraft of the Otago University will only give temporary relief, and that a ■commission of inquiry should at once be appointed with a view to suggesting some means of putting the College on a more stable basis. Some think one commissioner would be sufficient, and it has been suggested that the Hon. C. C. Btwen would make an ideal cotamisfeiouer. la tiow oi there being

more than one on the commission, the name of the Hon. Mr Lee Smith has also been suggested.