G.—No. 8.

PAPERS RELATIVE TO THE ESTABLISHMENT

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No. 7. The Hon. W. Gisbobne to Mr. Justice Chapman. Sib, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, Bth June, 1871. I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 28th ultimo, and to convey to you the thanks of the Government for the trouble you have taken in connection with the meeting of the Council of the New Zealand University. I have, Ac, His Honor Mr. Justice Chapman, Dunedin. W. Gisboene.

No. 8. His Honor J. Macandbew to the Hon. W. Gisbobne. (Telegram.; Dunedin, Ist June, 1871. Opinion of Attorney-General is requested,—" Would it be possible for the two Councils to make such terms as would secure the endowment made by the Provincial Council of Otago being retained for the use of the University established in Dunedin, without being liable to be diverted to any other place ? By section 19 of the New Zealand University Act, it is provided that nothing herein or in such agreement shall prevent the General Assembly from applying any endowments herein made or which may have been or may hereafter be made for the support of a University by authority of the General Assembly, or any part of such endowment, to the establishment and maintenance of any other New Zealand University. Assuming that the endowments of the University of Otago (already made by the Provincial Council of Otago) will be transferred in accordance with the terms of section 12, will those endowments become applicable under the before recited provision to the establishment of any other New Zealand University ? For it may be argued that such endowments, being transferred under authority of the Act of the Assembly, have been made by Act of the Assembly." Hugh Cableton, Chairman. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington, J. Macandbew.

No. 9. The Hon. AV. Gisborne to Mr. Carleton. (Telegram.) Wellington, 2nd June, 1871. In reference to telegram of yesterday, Attorney-General says, " I think that, as the period of six months specified by the 19th section has already elapsed, and as the power of the Governor in Council to establish a University is now at some other place than Dunedin, and not at Dunedin, the University of Otago should not make any absolute agreement, or perhaps any agreement, but arrange terms upon which they will agree after the Act of 1870 is altered so as to enable the Governor to establish a University at Dunedin, and putting beyond doubt the question raised in the telegram. Ido not think the question free from doubt, though I am inclined to the opinion that the Otago University endowment was not intended to be affected."—J. Peendeegast, Ist June, 1871. Hugh Carleton, Esq., Dunedin. W. Gisbobne.

No. 10. The Hon. W. Gisbobne to Mr. Cableton. Sib, — Colonial Secretary's Office, AVellington, 3rd June, 1871. I have the honor to transmit herewith, for the information of the Council, a memorandum, with enclosures, from the Office of the Secretary for Crown Land, showing the present position of the reserves for the University endowment. Further information shall be sent from time to time, as it reaches the Government, in relation to this subject. The Chairman of the Council of the New I have, Ac, Zealand University, Dunedin. W. Gisborne.

Enclosure in No. 10. Memorandum. TnE accompanying Schedule shows the lands set apart as endowments for the New Zealand University, under " The University Endowment Act, 1868." That Act, however, only mentions 10,000 acres of confiscated land in the Province of Auckland, whereas, by the enclosed Schedule, it appears to have been the intention of the Government to reserve 50,354 acres in that Province. With the exception of six reserves of town lands in the County of Westland, of five acres each, none of the lands in the enclosed Schedule have been formally defined under " The University Endowment Act, 1868 ;" and it appears doubtful whether the whole amount of the reserves in the Province of Auckland can now be secured in the several localities in which it was intended to take them ; if not, the deficiency can be taken out of other confiscated lands in the Province. Tho 10,000 acres reserved in the late Province of Southland have been defined by Order in Council. I append a precis showing the state of the correspondence on this subject up to the present time. G. S. Coopee (in the absence of Mr. Domett).