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187 7. NEW ZEALAND.

LETTERS PATENT TO THE NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

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

No. 1. The Hon. C. C. Bowen to Mr. Tanceed. Sic, — Colonial Secretary's Office, Wellington, 4th January, 1877. I have the honor to transmit to you herewith the Charter passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom granting and declaring that degrees conferred by the University of New Zealand shall be recognized as academic distinctions and rewards of merit, and entitled to rank, precedence, and consideration in the United Kingdom and in the British Colonies and Possessions. I also enclose a copy of the despatch from the Eight Hon. the Secretary of State for the Colonies to his Excellency the Governor, covering the Charter. The despatch will be published in the New Zealand Gazette of next Thursday. I have, &c, Chaeles C. Bowen, The Chancellor, New Zealand University. (In the absence of the Colonial Secretary).

Enclosure in No. 1. Despatch from the Seceetaey of State to the Goveenoe of New Zealand. My Loed, — Downing Street, 7th September, 1876. With reference to my Despatch No. 13, of the 3rd March last, I have the honor to transmit to you a charter passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, granting and declaring that degrees conferred by the University of New Zealand shall be recognized as academic distinctions and rewards of merit, and entitled to rank, precedence, and consideration in the United Kingdom, and in the British Colonies and Possessions. The Agent-General for the Colony has been requested to repay to this department the sum of £54 135., being the expenses incurred in passing these Letters Patent. I have, _.c, Governor the Most Honorable the Marquis of Normanby, K.C.M.G. Caenaevon.

Charter for recognizing Degrees conferred by the University of New Zealand. Victoeia, by the Grace of God, of the United Kingdom of Great Britain aud Ireland, Queen, Defender of the Faith, Empress of India. To all to whom these presents shall come, greeting: "Wheeeas, under and by virtue of the provisions of two Acts, the short titles whereof are, respectively, "The New Zealand University Act, 1874," and " The New Zealand University Act 1874 Amendment Act, 1875," the body corporate established by " The New Zealand University Act, 1870," has been reconstituted, and declared to be a University, consisting of a Chancellor, a Vice-Chancellor, Fellows, and Graduates, and as such has been incorporated and made a body politic, with perpetual succession, under the name of " The University of New Zealand," with power to grant the several degrees of Bachelor and Master in Arts, and Bachelor and Doctor in Law, Medicine, and Music: And whereas our right trusty and entirely-beloved cousin aud Councillor, George Augustus Constantine, Marquis of Normanby, Knight Commander of Our Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George, now Our Governor and Commander-in-Chief in and over our said colony, hath moved Us to grant Letters Patent requiring all Our subjects to recognize the degrees given under the said recited Acts, in the same manner as if the said degrees had been granted by an University of the United Kingdom : Now know ye, that "We, taking the premises into consideration, and deeming it to be the duty of Our Eoyal Office, for the promotion of sound learning, to hold forth to all classes and denominations of Our faithful subjects, without any distinction whatsoever through Our dominions, encouragements for pursuing a regular ancl liberal course of education, and considering that many