G.—No. Ba.

8

PAPERS RELATIVE TO

No. 27. Mr. G. Turnbull to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sie,— Dunedin, N.Z., 22nd December, 1870. I have the honor to acknowledge receipt of your circular letter of the 16th ultimo, forwarding copy of " The New Zealand University Act, 1870," with a list of persons proposed to be appointed for the Council under the Act, and requesting to be informed whether I would be prepared to act in the capacity of a member. In reply, I have to thank the Government for the honor they have done me, but regret that it will not be convenient for me to act as a member of the University Council. I have telegraphed to you to this effect. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Geo. Turnbull.

No. 28. Sir D. Monro to the Hon. W. Gisborne. (Telegram.) Blenheim, 21st December, 1870 Sorry that I am unable to accept the office of Councillor in the New Zealand University. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. D. Monro.

No. 29. Circular. Sie, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 28th December, 1870. I have the honor to forward copy of " The New Zealand University Act, 1870," together with a list of persons proposed to be appointed to the Council under the Act; and I shall feel obliged if you will inform me whether you will be prepared to give the Colony the benefit of your services in the capacity of a member. I have, Ac, W. Gisboene. The above circular was sent to — Reverend Thomas Buddie, Wellington ; Reverend D. M. Stuart, D.D., Dunedin; The Right Reverend Dr. Croke, Roman Catholic Bishop of Auckland ; and The Right Reverend the Primate, Christchurch.

No. 30. Rev. Dr. Stuart to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sie, — Dunedin, 7th January, 1871. While deeply grateful to the Government for their efforts to advance the higher education of the Colony, and also for the offer of a seat on the Council of tho New Zealand University,—yet my sense of what is due to the services which the Chancellor, A'ice-Chancellors, E. B. Cargill, and others of my colleagues in the Council of the University of Otago have rendered to education, and also my conviction that the proposed* Council, from their distance from Dunedin, could not do justice to an institution which for some years will require much fostering, —constrain me to decline a position which I would otherwise covet. I have, Ac, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. D. M. Stuart.

No. 31. The Hon. W. Gisborne to Rev. Dr. Stuart. (Telegram.) Wellington, 27th January, 1871. Much regret to hear of death of Dr. Burns ; when I wrote to him, was not aware of his illness. Will you now waive objection, and consent to act on the New Zealand University ? Reply free. Rev. D. M. Stuart, D.D., Dunedin. W. Gisborne.

No. 32. Rev. Dr .Stuart to the Hon. W. Gisboene. (Telegram.) Dunedin, 30th January, 1871. Deeply grateful for being asked to reconsider my decision in regard to a seat in the Council of the University, but loyalty to friends who have long worked with me in the field of education, and who have been passed over, requires me to respectfully decline. This pains me the more, from my general agreement with the action of the Government. The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. D. M. Stuart.