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It is worthy of remark that the greater portion of these examinations for scholarships and degrees was conducted by examiners in England. This fact places the results as a test of the University work done in New Zealand beyond question. The Senate of the University has decided to continue this course for this year, and to have examiners appointed in England for all the degree and senior-scholar-ship examinations. The benefits of such a step to the higher education in New Zealand are selfevident, even though they are not unattended with certain inconveniences to the students of this College. The length of time which must necessarily elapse between the examination and the announcement of the results may somewhat interfere with the College terms, but the Board has now under its consideration means of obviating this inconvenience. The College exhibitions given for excellence in the honors work at the College annual examination were awarded, at the end of session 1879, to Miss Helen Connon, English and French ; B. M. Connal and T. S. Foster, Latin; C. Chilton, Mathematics; H. ~W. Williams, Natural and Physical Science. The College has reason to deplore the untimely death of one of its most able and zealous lecturers, Dr. Powell. He is regretted by all, esteemed as he was for his attainments, ability, and uniform courtesy. Last year I mentioned in my annual statement that the Commissioners appointed by the Board to select a Professor of Classics in England had selected Mr. Frank William Haslam, M.A., late scholar of St. John's College, Cambridge. Professor Haslam arrived here in December last, and has entered on his professorial duties. In consequence of the death of Dr. Powell, it became necessary to make provision for teaching the subjects on which he had been engaged, and the Board, considering the time had arrived for the appointment of a Professor of Biology to lecture to students attending the College, and also to the students of the School of Agriculture, determined to make such an appointment. In consequence of this decision, Professor Hutton, F.C.S., C.M.Z.S., formerly Professor of Natural Science in the Otago University, and Curator of the Museum, was duly appointed to this chair on 22nd October last, the conditions being that he would conduct the Biological classes in this College, and give lectures on the same subjects on two days in each week to the students of the School of Agriculture. The Board, seeing the necessity of forming a library of technical books for the use of students, has fitted up a room in the College for the purpose, and has already placed on the shelves upwards of 630 volumes, while 500 additional volumes have been ordered from England. In reply to the petition forwarded in May, 1879, from this Board to the Queen, showing that it would be injurious to the cause of higher education to create two Universities in New Zealand having equal privileges, and praying that no institution other than the University of New Zealand should have a Eoyal Charter, the Secretary of State for the Colonies intimated to His Excellency the Governor that he had not thought it his duty to advise Her Majesty to authorize any steps towards granting Letters Patent to the University of Otago. School of Technical Science. For this school seven cases of mechanical models have been purchased, through the agency of Sir Julius Vogel, from the Freres Chretiens, of Paris, and are now at; the Museum. Messrs. Munn and Co., of New York, have been written to ; and in reply have promised to use their utmost endeavours to procure models of modern machinery and implements from various manufacturers, and forward them for the use of the school. Messrs. Hubbell and Cheesbro, of Syracuse, New York, are also sending specimens. The Museum Committee is now making out a list of articles to be procured from England for the Technical School of Science and School of Design, in accordance with the vote of the Board, by which £750 was appropriated for these purposes. The Board will probably be asked, on an early date, to consider the expediency of providing additional space in the Museum for the mechanical mode s which have already been received, and others which should arrive daring the present year. Canterbury Museum. During this year numerous and valuable additions in natural history, ethnology, and technology, both by way of exchange and donations, have been added to the Museum. Exchanges were received from seven foreign museums, while collections of New Zealand specimens were sent to eight institutions. One hundred and forty-six contributors have made presentations, of which many are of considerable value and interest, the most important being those from the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury ; Mr. E. W. Fereday and Professor Hutton ; Mr. S. W. Silver, in London; Dr. G. Bennett, in Sydney; Mr. E. L. Holmes, in Fiji; and the Marchese Ginori, in Florence. The number of visitors on week-days, public holidays, and Sunday afternoons, has been larger than in any preceding year. A number of show-cases have been ordered, and are now being delivered at the Museum; by means of them further alterations in the arrangement of the specimens can be obviated, and as soon as they are filled and ticketed, a guide-book to the public collections will be issued. Collections of buiiding-stones, timbers, moa-skeletons, and a series of specimens illustrating the ethnology of New Zealand and foreign countries, were sent to the Sydney International Exhibition, where they were distinguished by several first-class awards. At the wish of the Melbourne Exhibition Commissioners, these specimens have been forwarded from Sydney to Victoria, to be exhibited at the forthcoming Melbourne International Exhibition. School of Ageicultuee. The school-buildings, having accommodation for twenty resident students and apartments for the Director, have been completed, and are now ready for the reception of students. The school will open on 19th July. In addition to the instruction to be given by the Director, Professor Hutton will give lectures to the students on biology. Mr. N. Carrington has been appointed as laboratory assistant. Applications have been invited by advertisement for a mathematical master, and othei teachers will be engaged, as it is the intention of the Board that the instruction to be given to the