REVENUES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE.

New Zealand Tablet, Volume II, Issue 89, 9 January 1875, Page 12

REVENUES OF OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE.

At Glasgow the Social Science Congress has devoted one of its departments to Higher Education. In the course of an interesting speech, the ex-M.P. for Perthshire, Mr Stuart Parker, supplies the following account of the revenues of Oxford and Cambridge : These revenues were reported by the Royal Commission appointed on the advice of Mr Gladstone to be for the University colleges, and halls of Oxford, £414,000, or, including prospective increase in the next fifteen years, £538,000 ; and for the University and col-leges-of Cambridge, £340,000, or, including prospective increase, £380,000. Making certain deductions from these totals, Mr Parker said the net income was for Oxford £350,000. and for Cambridge £300,000 ; or, deducting again what was levied by taxation from their own members, the net endowments for Oxford and Cambridge Universities respectively were £300,000 and £250,000. The largest item of expenditure was to Fellows of Colleges— Oxford, £102 000 • Cam bridge, £103,000. The smallest item was for scientific institutions being under £2,000 for each University. This was hardly what might hrve been expected by the general public. A satirical person might even suggest as an improvement the reversal of the order. (Hear hear.) Seriously, the distribution came to this. Taking the residents m the University at about 400 graduates and 1,400 graduates, almost all the former and about half the latter received substantial aid from endowments. Mr Parker examined various schemes which had been put forward, and expressed an opinion that, provided the central life were maintained with vigour, it was much to be desired that the Universities should occupy themselves with extending then* connections throughout the country. Looking to their examinations in every quarter, £44,009 at Oxford or £33,000 at Cambridge was by no means excessive fur Scholarships and Exhibitions. Some Exhibitions should be separately competed for by the unattached students who were now pursuing their studies at the Universities with so much success and at so little expense — in many cases under £50 a year. To carry out needed reforms some central guidance would be necessary, either from a body appointed by the Universities themselves, or, more probably, from a Parliamentary Executive Commission. But, if such a Commission be appointed, it was desirable the public should understand that it had not to deal with a retrograde, obstinate, or lethargic corporation, but to co-operate with the Universities and Colleges. Oxford and Cambridge, in respect of learning, had not held their own against tho great German Universities, but a change had begun, and they wore yearly commanding more respect throughout Europe.— 'Weekly Register.' . - * '•