G.—No. 13.

A resolution passed by the House of Representatives, recommending the Government to withhold the payment secured by law to the University, appears to have led the Government to think that some such change was not improbable, and therefore to consider it undesirable to take any steps which might prejudice the state of the question. These appeared to the Council to be the considerations which influenced the Government in assenting provisionally to the regulations, but declining to make them permanent until, as the Council inferred from the correspondence, the Government had had another opportunity of more fully testing the feeling of the General Assembly as a whole, and not of only one branch of the Legislature. Tims it was presumed to be the intention of the Government, in fixing the limit of the 12th of October to the operation of the regulations, to leave the whole question as much as possible an open one for the present, the final decision being reserved for further consideration. The Council was guided in the action taken by it in reference to these regulations by this assumption as to the views and intentions of the Government; but it never occurred to the Council that the limit imposed on the operations of these regulations expressed the final determination as to the action of the Government in the future. On the contrary, had the Council supposed that it was to be rendered powerless at the end of the term fixed upon, and so to become altogether and finally incapable of carrying out the work which it has begun, and which the provisional assent given to the regulations seemed to invite it to begin, it is not probable that it would have considered it worth while to hold its last meeting at Wellington, for the purpose of holding out hopes to individuals and institutions which were not to be realized. The Council considering that those feelings of opposition to this University, which had hitherto embarrassed the Government, were only of a temporary nature, and that any changes such as those suggested by you were not to be expected, felt itself bound to act on the assumption that after the 12th of October the obstacles which have for so long impeded its proceedings would be finally disposed of, and that the regulations under which alone it can take any action Avould be agreed to. The object then for which the regulations now in question were framed and submitted for the approval of His Excellency, was to revive those which are made to expire on the 12th October. They are substantially to the same effect as those already in operation to which the Government has given its assent. Had the Council omitted to perform its part, by thus reviving the regulations, it would, notwithstanding a favourable decision on the part of the Legislature, have become unable on the 12th October to carry on its functions, and it would moreover have failed in its engagements to those who relied on the continuance of the powers of the University. The new regulations, which are so framed as only to come into fprce on the 13th of October, that is to say, on the day after the expiry of the original regulations, will, if assented to at any time before that date, enable the Council to continue the work which it has commenced. I have been careful to explain the exact state of the case to the authorities of those institutions which have become affiliated to the University, and they are therefore quite aware of the possibility of the grant which they are now receiving from the University being withdrawn. The candidates for scholarships have also been informed to the same effect; but I have ventured to express it as my opinion, which is shared bjr the other members of the Council assembled lately at Wellington, that it is not probable that the Government will eventually take steps to deprive them of the benefit which they now enjoy. You will, however, perceive that the Council would itself have deprived them of this benefit had they allowed the power which it now possesses to lapse, by failing to perform its part in reviving the regulations. I have, &c., Henry John Tanckeb, The Hon. the Colonial Secretary, Wellington. Chancellor.

No. 33. Mr. H. J. Tancred to the Hon. W. Gisborne. Sir, — University of New Zealand, Christchurch, 9th May, 1872. I have the honor to acknowledge your letter of the 29th ultimo, No. 297, in reference to regulations noted in the margin. I have the honor, in reply to the questions asked by you, to state as follows : — With regard to the third regulation, which, as the Government is advised, is framed in the language of a resolution, not as a regulation, it occurs to me that some mistake must have been made by the Clerk of the Council, either in copying it, or in the made of transmitting it. In order to clear the matter up, I enclose a copy of the regulation, as adopted, which appears to me not open to the objection. With regard to the second regulation, which, you remark, is not clear because it does not state whether or not Otago students (that is, as I understand, students of the University of Otago) are to pass the prescribed examination, I have to state that it is not meant that these students should be required to observe this condition. The reason for this exemption is that it is assumed that the University of Otago will test the proficiency and progress of its own students with

Scholarships not tenable after 21 years of age. Nino Terms must be kept before Degree of B.A. Matriculated Students must present themselves annually for Examination.

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THE NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.