J.—3

1873. NEW ZEALAND.

PETITION OF THE BOARD OF GOVERNORS OF THE CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Presented sth August, 1873, and ordered to be printed Qth August.

To the Honourable the Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives of New Zealand, in Parliament assembled. The Petition of the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College, humbly showeth, — That an Ordinance entitled " Tho Canterbury College Ordinance," having for its object to make provision for enabling all classes and denominations of Her Majesty's subjects, resident in the Province of Canterbury, and elsewhere in the Colony of New Zealand, to pursue a regular and liberal course of education, and with that intent to establish and incorporate a College within the said Province, was passed during the last Session of the Provincial Council of Canterbury. That the Provincial Council voted the sum of one thousand seven hundred pounds sterling for the purchase of a site for said College, and a sum of five thousand pounds sterling for the erection of buildings, and also made the following endowments, namely, —a reserve of one hundred and one thousand six hundred and forty acres of land, for the promotion of superior education; aud one hundred thousand nine hundred and fifty acres, for tho purposes of a School of Agriculture. That an Ordinance entitled " The Canterbury Museum Ordinance Amendment Ordinance," was passed by the Provincial Council at its last Session, empowering the Trustees of the Canterbury Museum and Library to transfer all their properties and powers to the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College. That the Canterbury Museum and Library Trust property comprises : — A valuable Collection of Specimens of Natural History and Objects of Art, which have been accumulated during many years at considerable expense. Buildings on which nearly five thousand pounds sterling have been expended, and for the extension of which a sum of five thousand pounds sterling has been appropriated by the Provincial Council. A further sum of five thousand pounds sterling, appropriated by the Provincial Council for a Public Library. And a permanent endowment of one hundred and three thousand acres of land. That a body termed the Canterbury Collegiate Union, which is affiliated to the New Zealand University, and of which the Museum Trustees form a moiety, has under engagement eight Lecturers, giving instruction to eighty-seven students in Classics, Mathematics, Modern Languages, Geology and Mineralogy, Botany and Zoology, English Language and Literature, History and Jurisprudence. That the Canterbury College was incorporated with a view of carrying on tho work so well begun bv the Canterbury Collegiate Union, and that the Museum Trust will be transferred to the Canterbury College so soon as arrangements can be made for affiliating tho Canterbury College to. the New Zealand University. That the Board of Governors intend to commence the College buildings forthwith, and to take steps without delay for the permanent appointment of duly qualified Professors to give such instruction in the various branches of a liberal education as will enable the students to obtain Degrees from the New Zealand University. That in the opinion of your Petitioners it is of great importance, in order to secure respect for the Degrees that may be granted in New Zealand, that there should be but one University for the whole Colony capable of conferring Degrees. Your Petitioners are also of opinion that such University should afford equal advantages to all parts of the Colony by affiliating the various Colleges and other educational establishments capable of imparting a liberal education. May it therefore please your honourable House to take such steps as in your wisdom may be judged expedient to maintain the New Zealand University as at present constituted; and further, to recommend that a charter be granted by Her Majesty to the New Zealand University, giving to that body the sole right in New Zealand of conferring Degrees which shall be recognized throughout Her Majesty's Dominions. And your Petitioners will ever pray. [Here follow 18 signatures.] By Authority : Geokgs Didsbcey, Goyernment Printer, Wellington. Price 3d.]