UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

Otago Witness, Issue 2857, 16 December 1908, Page 11

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

The regular meeting of the Univereit Council, held on. Monday afternoon, wa attended by -Mr J. Allen, M.P. (vice chancellor), Dr Hocken, Professor Shand Dr Church, and the Rev. W. Hewitson Apologies- for absence were received fror the Chancellor (his Honor Mr Justice Wil liaitis), the Rev. A. Cameron, and Mr Joh; Roberts, and leave of absence was grants them. The Finance Committee reported that tn bank book" showed a credit balance of £93 16s od. The committee recommended tha a, requisition for £32 for apparatus an material tor the department of physics b granted. The registrar had be&n instructs to renew" a debenture for £100, belongin to the Harris endowment. The comraitte had requested the vice-chancellor and M Sidey to write to the Prime Minister v questing him to make provision for th payment of 34 debentures of £100 eac which fell due on December 31, 1903, an which the committee was informed coul not be renewed. The committee had al« requested the chairman to w rito to th Trustees, Executors, and Agency Compan asking the terms on which the compan would renew, for a period of two years, th remaining 76 debentures of £100 eac which fell due on the same date.— A conr mnuication was read from the Tru>tee: Executors, and Agency Company to th effect that there had not been a meeting c directors owing to there being no quorun but that from what was said the conch sion might be drawn that the compan would renew the 76 debentures for tw years, but at not leas than 5 per oent. I reference to the 34 debenture* it ws probable thai the company might arrang to take up part of them. On the compan being communicated with by telephone, n formation was received that a meeting < directors had not yet be<*h held, but tha the directors would be recommended t

The regular meeting of the University Council, held on. Monday afternoon, was attended by -Mr J. Allen, M.P. (vicechancellor), Dr Hocken, Professor Shand, Dr Church, and the Rev. W. Hewitson. Apologies" for absence were received from the Chancellor (his Honor Mr Justice Williaitis), the Rev. A. Cameron, and Mr John Roberts, and leave of absence was granted them. The Finance Committee reported that the bank book" showed a credit balance of £933 16s 6d. The committee recommended that a. requisition for £32 for apparatus and material tor the department of physics be granted. The registrar had be&n instructed to renew" a debenture for £100, belonging to the Harris endowment. The committee had requested the vice-chancellor and Mr Sidey to write to the Prime Minister requesting him to make provision for the payment of 34 debentures of £100 each which fell due on December 31, 1903, and which the committee was informed could not be renewed. The committee had al«o requested the chairman to w rito to the Trustees, Executors, and Agency Company asking the terms on which the company would renew, for a period of two years, the remaining 76 debentures of £100 each which fell due on the same date.— A commnuication was read from the Tru>tees, Executors, and Agency Company to the effect that there had not been a meeting of directors owing to there being no quorum, but that from what was said the conclusion might be drawn that the company would renew the 76 debentures for two years, but at not leas than 5 per oent. In reference to the 34 debenture*, it wae probable thai the company might arrange to take up part of them. On the company being communicated with by telephone, information was received that a meeting of directors had not yet be<*h held, but that the directors would be recommended to

take up debentxtres at 5 per cent. — The Finance Committee's report wa s adopted, and it wae resolved that the registrar be authorised to apply to the Governor-in-Council for authority to issue debentures to take the place of those falling due, for the sum of £11,000— the whole or a portion of The Secretary for Education wrote intimating that a grant of £2100 had beenUnade to the University on account of worjes and apparatus set down in a letter from the council. The grant was in connction with the Dental School.— The opinion was expressed that the council should make application to get the money jas'soon as possible* and it wae resolved that the letter be referred to the Dental School Committee with power to act. ' The Secretary for Education also wroMr stating .that ' a. grant .of £300&_- -had -•beeA made for the "Veterinary School, and £1000 would be available within the current year. —The matter was referred to the Veterinary School Committee. . Dr Hocken introduced the question of Maori being *aken. as a. matriculation, subt ject and said -this would be an equitable concession to the Native himself. It would

stating ,that *

grant ,of £300&

.had -■•bee..and £1000 i

the veterinary

offer him an inducement to enter upon a • university course, the difficulties of which were already great from thfe unavoidable fact that the instruction and studies were c-ondnctcd in a language which was not his mother-tongue. A university course would enable him to do much for the advancement •of his own people. It would rescue MaoJ'i from the woeful condition into which it hsd long fallen. Yearly it was becoming more neglected, and assuming a degenerate wad mongrel cbjracter The study «f Maori as a dialect of Polynesian was of great importance from an ethnological and linguistic point of view. *vn*d would thus be encouraged. Much fmpo/tant.., literature was connected with it, ibut was^-n'ow almost forgotten. — It was resolved that the council *tronglv recommend the Senate that Maori be .an optional subject for matriculation.