MEMORIAL TO HER LATE MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA (CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN LONDON AS A).

Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, A-05

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1901. NEW ZEALAND.

MEMORIAL TO HER LATE MAJESTY QUEEN VICTORIA (CORRESPONDENCE WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE FOR THE COLONIES RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A NATIONAL TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY IN LONDON AS A).

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

No. 1. The Right Hon. the Premier to His Excellency the Governor. Premier's Office, Wellington, 18th May, 1901. Memorandum for His Excellency the Governor. The Premier presents his compliments, and desires His- Excellency to forward the enclosed communication to the Secretary of State for the Colonies. The communication in question deals with a matter of vital importance to the people of Great Britain and its dependencies. One and all must admit, in respect to the technical education of our young people and the training of the artisans and skilled classes, we are much behind other nations, and in a great measure the improved position of the industries of these nations arises from this cause. It is the Premier's anxiety, with a view of retaining British trade and maintaining our industrial superiority, that he ventures to call attention to a long-felt want. R. J. Seddon.

Enclosure in No. 1. The Right Hon. the Premier to the Right Hon. the Secretary of State. Sir, — Premier's Office, Wellington, 17th May, 1901. I have the honour to ask your kind attention and consideration for the following subject : — No memorial that could be raised in honour of our late gracious Sovereign Queen Victoria would show, such true understanding and sympathy vvith the intention and genius of her rule as a living institution designed to add to the prosperity of the British Empire and amplify its expansion. I propose that a national technical university be erected in London, to which the youth of Great Britain and the colonies would concentrate, there to be trained in all that science, art, and industry can do to make commercial enterprise successful. At present there is a great lack of organized effort in this direction among English-speaking peoples, and we shall certainly fall behind the better-trained nations of the Continent unless we are prepared to fit our children with the best industrial armour and weapons. Every year more and more young men go to the seats of learning in Great Britain to finish their education, and there could be no more graceful tribute to the memory of our late Sovereign than for the colonies to participate in laying the foundation of an institution around which the brightest intellects of the Empire will concentrate in the coming centuries. I trust that the other colonies and dependencies of the Empire will perceive the value and sympathize with the aims of the institution now proposed, and that united action may result in an Imperial technical university being founded in the capital of the Empire. , I have, &c, The Right Hon. Mr. Chamberlain, R. J. Seddon. Secretary of State for the Colonies.

No. 2. The Right Hon. the Secretary of State to the Right Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly. My Lord, — Downing Street, 23rd August, 1901. I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatch (No. 53) of the 27th June, forwarding a letter from your Premier, in which he suggests that the memorial to Her late Majesty Queen Victoria should take the form of a national technical university in London;

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2. I have been very glad to receive Mr. Seddon's letter, and I fully appreciate the merits of his suggestion, which has received the most careful consideration. It was, however, the unanimous opinion of the representative Committee which was appointed by His Majesty the King to deal with the subject that the memorial should be personal in form, and not -concerned with any secondary object, however important. Further, the question of technical university education is attracting great attention in this country, and much progress is being made in many parts of the United Kingdom in the establishment of colleges and universities for that purpose ; and it is found by experience that to gain the full advantage of such institutions it is necessary that they should be scattered throughout the Empire, and not confined to a single centre. Canada has made great advances in this direction, and doubtless Australia and New Zealand will follow her example. 3. For these reasons, and also because it would be impossible to secure the permanent prosperity and maintenance of any institution requiring annual support, the Committee decided on the architectural and monumental form of commemoration indicated in their report. 4. I have to request that you will communicate this despatch to Mr. Seddon. I have, &c, Governor the Bight Hon. the Earl of Ranfurly, G.C.M.G., &c. J. Chamberlain. Approximate Cost of Paper. —Preparation, not given; printing (1,200 copies), £1 Is.

By Authority : John Mackay, Government Printer, Wellington.—l9ol. Price 3d.]