E —7.

Appeal to the People. An appeal is made to the people of Otago, and to those beyond the province who are interested in the welfare of the University of Otago, to raise funds to place the finances of the University on a proper footing. The public are now asked to subscribe to a Capital Fund—not to make up a deficiency. The fund will be invested in the redemption of the University's debentures, amounting to £16,000, and in other approved investments. The appeal is made because the absolute needs of the University demonstrate that its financial position is too weak, and must be strengthened by the patriotic efforts of the whole people. The institution is a national one, unhampered by restriction of class or creed, and its future depends to a large extent on the generosity of the public. The present position of the University finance is ascribable solely to losses of rental from runs, due chiefly to the decline in price of wool affecting the reletting of the endowments. The figures illustrating this may be thus briefly summarised : Barewood Bun—Former rent £1,750, present rent £900, loss £850 ; Benmore Bun—Former rent £3,600, present rent £3,000, loss £600; Museum Beserve —Former rent £916, present rent £550, loss £366 ; Mining Bents--Former Bent £460, present rent nil, loss £460 : totals—former rent £6,726, present rent £4,450, loss £2,276. That the loss of £2,276 a year is not overstated is proved by the fact that if we go back to the year 1880 the difference will be found to amount to £2,991. There is no prospect of anything like the former rental being restored. In 1894 the Council endeavoured to meet its losses by a reduction in its annual expenditure of £766, and again in the early part of this year by a further reduction of £150 per annum. This reduces the power of expansion and cripples the operations of the University. To carry on the work in which it is now engaged the University requires an additional income of £500. But more than this is needed. A Chair of Physiology is required for the equipment of the Medical School, and for that and expenditure connected with the necessary accommodation and equipments an annual sum of £1,000 is necessary. To place the University on a thoroughly sound footing, therefore, a sum capable of providing this additional £1,500 is required. These are the circumstances which compel an appeal to the people. It is not anticipated that so large a sum can be raised at once, but the people of the province, and many beyond its borders to whom an efficient Medical School appeals, are interested, and we have no doubt will give a prompt response to the intimation. The committees set up at the meeting have been working in the direction indicated, and at the 30th March the amount collected was £1,523 17s. 6d. In addition to this, the sum of £6,500 has been received by the University from the trustees of the Dunedin Savings-bank, who were enabled to allocate that portion of their accumulated profits by a special Act of Parliament. The money was invested in Government bonds, and in that form handed over to the University. A formal receipt for the amount was signed and sealed at a meeting of the Council in the following terms : "The University of Dunedin hereby acknowledges the receipt from the trustees of the Dunedin Savings-bank of the sum of six thousand five hundred pounds (£6,500), being a portion of the profits realised by the said savings-bank, and paid to the said University pursuant to a declaration in that behalf made by a majority of the said trustees, and taking effect in virtue of the approval of. the Governor in Council pursuant to the powers contained in ' The Savings-bank Profits Act, 1878,' and ' The Savings-bank Profits Act Amendment Act, 1902,' and received by the said University in terms of the said Act. —Dated this 9th day of February, 1903." Joshua S. Williams, Chancellor.

Bbpobt of the Director op the School of Mines. The Mining School for the session ending the 31st October, 1902, showed the satisfactory attendance of thirty-two registered students, and one casual student for one subject only—namely, practical assaying. The registered students attended with the intention of going through one or more of the courses prescribed in the calendar for the several divisions of the school. Of these, seven entered for their first year, leaving twenty-five in their second or third year. Of students who entered for their final year, four completed their studies with success, and, having presented satisfactory certificates of time spent in practical mining or metallurgical operations as required by Begulation 9, were awarded the diplomas and certificates to which they were entitled, as follows : John McKinley, Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer; George Edward D. Cotton and John Porteus, Diploma of Associate in Mining and Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer ; John Henderson, B.Sc, Diploma in Mining and Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer. Diplomas and certificates were issued during the year to eight students who had previously passed their class examinations, on the production of the necessary certificates relating to practical work, as follows : Norman B. Fisher, Diploma of Associate in Mining ; George H. Boyse, William Shand Watt, Adam Hay, William E. Barron, Basil B. Lusk, and Ormsby Gore Adams, Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy; George Scott Orbell, Diploma of Associate in Mining, Diploma of Associate in Metallurgy, Certificate of Metallurgical Chemist and Assayer, and Certificate of Land and Mine Surveyor. Annual Examinations. —The attendance in the different classes and the results of the annual examinations in the subjects of instruction in the Mining School prescribed by the regulations for the different courses are shown in the following tabulated statement: —

3