NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY. (PAPERS RELATIVE TO GRANTING LETTERS PATENT TO THE).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1875 Session I, H-04a

H.—4a,

1875. NEW ZEALAND.

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY. (PAPERS RELATIVE TO GRANTING LETTERS PATENT TO THE).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

No. 1. Memorandum for His Excellenct the Governor. Wellington, 4th September, 1874. With reference to former correspondence upon the subject of the application to the Imperial Government to move Her Majesty to grant Letters Patent with a view to the recognition of degrees conferred by the New Zealand University and by the University of Otago respectively, and referring particularly to Lord Kimberley's Despatch No. 8, of the 31st January, 1873, Ministers have the honor to inform His Excellency that the General Assembly, in the session recently concluded, passed an Act intituled "An Act to Repeal ' The New Zealand University Act, 1870/ and to reconstitute the University created thereunder," by which the University of New Zealand is recognized as the colonial institution by which degrees are to be conferred. This Act was brought in and passed with the full concurrence of the Otago University, which has become affiliated to the University of New Zealand. His Excellency is therefore respectfully requested to address the Secretary of State for the Colonies, for the purpose of renewing the application that Her Majesty may be moved to grant Letters Patent to the University of New Zealand, by the operation of which degrees conferred by that institution may be recognized in the same manner as if it had been established by Royal Charter or under Imperial enactment. Julius Vogel.

No. 2. Copy of a Despatch from Governor the Right. Hon. Sir J. Fergusson, Bart., to the Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon. (No. 64.) Government House, Wellington, New Zealand, Mt Lord, — 10th September, 1874. With reference to the former correspondence between' the Secretary of State and my predecessor in this Government upon the subject of the petitions to the Queen from the Chancellor and Members of Council of the Universities of New Zealand and of Otago respectively, praying Her Majesty to grant Letters Patent with a view to the recognition of degrees conferred by the New Zealand University and by the University of Otago respectively, and particularly to the Earl of Kimberley's Despatch No. 8, of the 31st January, 1873, it has been represented to me by my advisers, that the General Assembly, in the session recently concluded, passed an Act intituled "An Act to Repeal ' The New Zealand University Act, 1870/ and to reconstitute the University created thereunder/'' by which the University of New Zealand is recognized as the colonial institution by which degrees are to be conferred. This Act was brought in and passed with the full concurrence of the Otago University, which has become affiliated to the University of New Zealand. In making known this arrange^ ment to your Lordship, I cannot omit to bring to your notice the good feeling and spirit of compromise through which it has been brought about. I have now, therefore, the honor to request that Her Majesty may be advised to grant Letters Patent to the University of New Zealand, by the operation of which degrees conferred by that institution may be recognized in the same manner as if it had been established by Royal Charter or under Imperial enactment. I have, &c, James Fergusson, The Right Hon. the Earl of Carnarvon, &c, &c. Governor. I.—II. .4 A.

2

H.—4a.

No. 3. Copy of a Despatch from the Right Hon. the Earl of Caenarvon to the Most Hon. the Marquis of Nobmanbt. (No. 5.) Mt Lord, — Downing Street, 22nd January, 1875. I have received Sir J. Fergusson's Despatch No. 64, of the 10th of September, requesting that Her Majesty may be advised to grant letters patent to the University of New Zealand, recognizing degrees conferred by that institution in the same manner as if they had been granted by any of the Universities of this country. 2. I have considered this application in connection with the Act No. 53, of 1874, passed in the last session of the New Zealand Legislature, entitled " An Act to Repeal • The New Zealand University Act, 1870/ and to Reconstitute tbe University created thereunder," which was transmitted in Sir J. Fergusson's Despatch No. 78, of the 26th of October. 3. Her Majesty's Government fully recognize the claim of New Zealand to possess a University endowed with similar privileges to those which have been accorded to the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne, and it will be a matter of satisfaction to them to advise the Queen to issue Letters Patent recognizing the degrees of Bachelor and Master in Arts, and Bachelor and Doctor in Law, Medicine, and Music, conferred by the University of New Zealand, as has been done in the case of the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne. They are, however, of opinion that it would not be either convenient or right that Letters Patent should be issued recognizing other degrees than those to which recognition has been conceded in the cases of the Universities of Sydney and Melbourne, and the great English Universities on which these new institutions are modelled; and more particularly, that the proposal to recognize an unlimited variety of undefined degrees, as contemplated by the 23rd section of " The New Zealand University Act, 1874," cannot be entertained. 4. I am aware that it may be argued that, as the Statutes framed by the Senate require the confirmation of the Governor in Council before they have effect, there is some control over the subjects in connection with which it may hereafter be proposed that degrees should be conferred; but as the Governor will act in such cases under the advice of his Ministers, there does not appear to be any guarantee for the maintenance of such a degree of uniformity in procedure as should exist among Universities having the sanction of the Queen's Letters Patent. 5. It would give rise to false impressions if Letters Patent were granted to a University claiming to possess such peculiar powers as section 23 of the Act purports to give ; and I request you to inform your Ministers that, upon the amendment of that section by limiting the degrees which may be granted to those mentioned in the earlier part of this despatch, I shall have much pleasure in advising Her Majesty to grant the usual Letters Patent to the University of New Zealand. I have, &c., Governor the Most Hon. the Marquis of Normanby, Caenarvon. &c, &c, &c. No. 4.

The Hon. the Colonial Seceetart to Mr. Tanceed. Sie, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 19th April, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of the letter from the Secretary to the New Zealand University of the 12th instant, forwarding copy of a resolution passed by the Senate of the University on the llth ultimo, urging the necessity of communicating witb the Hon. J. Vogel, C.M.G., by telegraph, with reference to the application made by Sir James Fergusson for a charter for the New Zealand University. I forward herewith a copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies received by the last English mail, by which you will observe that Her Majesty will be advised to grant Letters Patent to the University on section 23 of the Act being amended as indicated. I have, &c, The Chancellor of the New Zealand University, Daniel Pollen. Christehurch.

No. 5. The Hon. the Colonial Secbetaet to Mr. Tanceed. Sir, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Ist June, 1875. I have the honor to draw your attention to my letter of the 19th April last, No. 218, and to state that as the Government contemplate amending the New Zealand University Act of

3

H.—4a

1874, in the direction pointed out by the Right Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies, I should be obliged by your favouring me with any suggestions or remarks you may desire to make on the proposed amendments. I have, &c, The Chancellor of the New Zealand University, Daniel Pollen. Christchurch.

No. 6. Mr. Tancred to the Hon. the Colonial Secretary. Sir, — University of New Zealand, Christehurch, 10th June, 1875. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter No. 291, dated Ist instant, and have also to thank you for the copy of a despatch from the Secretary of State for the Colonies, touching the proposed charter to this University, which you enclosed in your letter 218, dated 19th April, and to which you now draw my attention. I was not aware that any suggestions were desired from me on the subject. Now, however, I have the honor to state that, speaking for myself, I would readily assent to the alteration of clause 23 in the University Act, as indicated by the Secretary of State for the Colonies; and I have no doubt that the Senate would likewise agree to it with a view to obtaining a charter. The clause would then, it appears to me, read as follows:— " The said Senate shall have power, after examination, to confer the several degrees of Bachelor and Master of Arts, Bachelor and Doctor of Law, Medicine, and Music ; and such reasonable fees shall be charged for the degrees so conferred as the Senate shall from time to time direct." I have, &c, Henry John Tanceed, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Chancellor. By Authority: Geoege Didsbvby, Government Printer, Wellington.—lB7s. Price 3d.]