UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.

Otago Witness, Issue 3885, 28 August 1928, Page 17

UNIVERSITY AFFAIRS.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. , t The monthly meeting of the University , Council was held on Tuesday afternoon, , and was attended by Mr W. J. Morrell , (vice-chancellor), Dr J. Fitzgerald, Dr , W. Marshall Macdonald, Professor Inglis, Messrs J. S. Douglas, J. W. Dove. L. D. , Ritchie, J. C. Stephens, J. Rennie, and C. M. Gilray. ' . CORRESPONDENCE. The Director of Forestry wrote stating that the council’s proposal relative to Forest Hill reserve would be considered. Mr Sidey wrote regarding the same matter. —Noted. Dr Colquhoun wrote forwarding a report of the Harvey tercentenary celebrations and stating that he would forward a facsimile of the first 1628 edition for the University library. He would also forward a description of a film showing the steps of Harvey’s experiments. —Dr Colquhoun to be thanked for his report. The secretary of the Workers’- Educational Association -wrote recommending' the. appointment of Ven. Archdeacon. Whitehead for 12 lectures, Mr J. T. V. Steel for six lectures, and Miss M. Fyfe for six lectures, all air £2 10s per lecture. • —Approved. Mr J. B. Callan wrote recommending the appointment of Mr E. J. Anderson as acting lecturer in torts in 1929, and of Mr W. G. Hay as acting dean in 1929; Mi’ Anderson to receive the full salary of the lectureship.—Recommendations agreed to; Mr Ray to have a seat on the Professorial Board while he is acting as dean. The sub-dean of the medical faculty wrote recommending the following appointments of student demonstrators for the winter term: —Medicine, Messrs Ashcroft and Hodge; pathology, Messrs Jolly and Hooper; pharmacy, Mr Brett; bacteriology, Messrs Stevenson and Maxwell. —Approved. The registrar of the University of New Zealand wrote stating that the opinion of the Solicitor-general. had been taken regarding the right of diploma students to hold, university bursaries. His opinion agreed with that of Mr J. C. Stephens that bursaries might be awarded to such students. The Academic Board and the New Zealand University Council were now to consider whether diploma courses in the constituent colleges were not university courses. Mr Sidey wrote with regard to the same matter. —It was decided to ask the Home Science Committee to draw up a statement for submission to the council. The registrar, on behalf of the Professorial Board, informed the council of the resolutions passed by the board at its last meeting. The board recommended the council to approve of the new’ library regulations; that separate catalogues of the different sections in the main library should be prepared; that the exemption fee in future by one guinea and a-half for one subject and three guineas for two or more subjects; and that the Invercargill Savings Bank scholarship held by R. B. M'Kay be regarded as lapsed owing to non-fulfilment of the conditions, and that the saving effected be utilised to pay .full .value to the other holder if his work continues satisfactory. The first two clauses were referred to the Library Committee. With reference to clause 3, it was decided to write to the other, university councils, stating that this council ■was in favour of the proposal, and asking if they were in favour of it. The last clause was agreed to.

WORKS COMMITTEE. . The Works Committee’s report stated that Mr Wallace had been appointed chairman for the ensuing year. Messrs Anscombe and Associates had forwarded plans and specifications of the Museum building, and requested that the City Corporation be asked to grant permission to build 18 feet over the boundary, and also permission to erect a temporary structure w’ithin the brick area.— This was agreed to. The report was adopted. FINANCE AND WORKS COMMITTEES. The Finance and Works Committees reported that they had considered a letter from Professor Benham, honorary secretary of the Museum Extension Committee, recommending that tenders be called for the erection of the new wing. Professor Benham informed the committee that the funds in hand and promised amounted to over £22,000. —It was resolved that the question of calling for tenders be referred ■ to a sub-committee to consider, the whole question, including the provision of fittings and the provision for running expenses;' this sub-committee to report to the Finance and Works Committees and a special meeting of these committees to be called if necessary; the.-sub-committee to • consist of the chairman of the Works ..Committee, the chairman of the Finance ’ Committee, Professor Benham, Mr ’ Stephens, and Mr Morrell. The report was adopted. FINANCE AND MEDICAL . . COMMITTEES. The Finance and Medical Committees . reported having considered a letter from Dr Drennan stating he had received a cable from Belfast to the effect that he had been appointed to the chair of patho- ■ •logy in the Queen’s University. Sir Lindo Ferguson wrote suggesting that a communication -should be immediately sent to the High Commissioner. It was . resolved that the matter be referred to a sub-committee. consisting of Drs Fitzgerald and Macdonald, Mr, L. D. Ritchie, Mr Stephens, Mr Gilray,' and the vicechancellor to prepare the -whole of the documents relating to a new appointment for submission to the council. The registrar was directed to communicate with the Health Department and ascertain if it would pay £lOO per annum to the new appointee as it had done to Dr Drennan. The committees, considered the proposed scheme for the teaching of pharmacology. Since it ■ was reported that this scheme could not be brought , into operation until 1929, it was resolved that the matter stand over until the September meeting. The report was adopted. FINANCE COMMITTEE. The report of the Finance Committee stated that Mr L. D. Ritchie had been re-

appointed chairman for the ensuing year. A letter was received form the solicitors regarding the disposal of rents from the Lamb Hill Reserve. They were defintely of opinion that one-tenth of the revenue was still payable to the Athenaeum, but that 21 per cent, should be deducted from this proportion. It was resolved that the attention of the Land Board be drawn to this opinion. Dr Dodds forwarded a newspaper cutting showing that considerable increase had been made to the university fees in Melbourne. It was resolved that Dr Dodds be thanked for this information. The committee had considered the question of preparing a budget of proposed annual expenditure, and it was resolved that the chairman be asked to arrange for a visit by himself and the registrar to Christchurch with a view to discussing the system adopted at Canterbury College. The report was adopted. LIBRARY COMMITTEE.

The Library Committee reported that it had considered the question of the appointment of a temporary librarian, and had before it 36 applications. It was finally resolved that Miss N. I. Gordon be appointed to the post as from August 1, 1928, to December 31, 1928. The question of the appointment of a permanent librarian was held over. In this connection a letter was received from Dr Malcolm asking that nothing should be done to place Dr Hogg in a worse position than at present. This letter was noted. Professor Hunter, Victoria College, had written stating that the object of approaching the Carnegie Trustees was to obtain a grant to bring the libraries up to date and not to obtain a grant which would be invested. It- was resolved to reply that the proposal to invest the money was adopted on the strong recommendation of the Professorial Board, and that there seemed to be no reason why each college should not use its own judgment, especially as a greater subsidy would be obtained if the money were invested than otherwise would be the case. The committee was further of opinion that the proposal to capitalise the gift would appeal at least equally to the Carnegie Trustees with the proposal for the expenditure of the main sum. A letter was received from the director of the Royal Museum of Natural History, Brussels, asking for all publications of the University of Otago, and especially for volumes of the Australian Antarctic Experition. It was resolved to send such publications as possible, including transactions of the New Zealand Institute, and to explain the position concerning Polychaeta, one of the volumes of the Antarctic Expedition report. The report was adopted. EDUCATION IN RURAL DISTRICTS. The Special Committee set up to consider the question of education in rural districts reported that a meeting was called to consider the submission to the University of New Zealand of a scheme for the provision of extension work in rural districts, the proposed expenditure to be £lOOO per annum in each university district, a grant to be asked for from the Carnegie Trustees to meet this expense. It was resolved as follows:—(1) Thqt a scheme on the basis of an expnditure of £lOOO per annum for the Otago University district be prepared by Professors Strong and Fisher and be forwarded to Wellington after approval by this committee in accordance with the resolutions of the conference held in Wellington May 30, and adopted by this council; (2) since the two professors strongly recommended that a larger sum be asked for, a proposal to increase the amount to £2OOO per district be put forward by our representative at the forthcoming conference; (3) with regard to the scheme on the basis of £2oo<> in co-operation with Canterbury, that the registrar write to the Canterbury Council to ascertain its views, and that the same be submitted to the Otago Council. The report was adopted. GENERAL.

It. was decided to refer the question of the acceptance of a tender for the extension to the Museum to a special meeting of the Finance and Works Committees with power to act, and that Mr W. Fels be asked to attend the-meeting.