P.—No. 1.

English.—Syntax; Questions on Grammar and Analysis. French.—Translation ; Grammar and Parsing. Arithmetic. Elements of Algebra. Euclid, First and Second Books. History. Physical Geography. Perhaps a similar examination might not be too much to impose upon a candidate for one of the contemplated Scholarships. 7.] I think the Colony is not yet sufficiently advanced in population and wealth for the success of a University. Moreover, our population is, from the geographical character of the country, very much scattered. New Zealand can have no large centre of population like Melbourne. Perhaps that may not be deemed essential to the early success of a University; but there must, for a long period, be this difficulty : Let the University be placed where it may, say in the most central position, it would be almost inaccessible to the inhabitants of many parts of the Colony. Melbourne and suburbs contain 150,000 people. Victoria contains 050,000. Melbourne is only six hours journey from Echuca, on the Northern boundary of Victoria. Practically, Melbourne is not merely the Metropolis of Victoria, but of a large portion of New South Wales, and yet its University is only just succeeding, after an existence of ten years, and with a considerable endowment. I therefore venture to submit that the establishment of a University would be premature. I have no other remark or suggestion to offer to the Committee. Respectfully submitted, H. S. Chapman. P.S.—Upon further consideration of question 4, I would suggest that the amount of the Scholarship being determined, an option might be given to parents to name the University. Generally, lam inclined to think that cither Oxford or Cambridge would be chosen; but in some cases parents may have near relations residing in London or Edinburgh to whom they might desire to trust the successful scholar.

D. Brent, Esq.—l.] Ido not recommend the foundation of scholarships to any of the Universities in the British Islands for these reasons : Boys sent to Britain on leaving school here would suddenly become their own masters, without any control whatever, and having a scholarship to depend upon would have no incentive for further exertion, and in most cases would probably get into a " fast" set at the University, and become a disgrace instead of an honor to the Colony. Similar cases of boys holding large scholarships from English public schools, and at the University giving up all further idea of distinguishing themselves, are of constant occurrence at home. It should also be considered whether it would be advisable to separate a boy from his parents for probably four years at the least, a circumstance which would greatly tend to break home ties; whereas if scholarships were founded in connection with the Melbourne University, a boy might reside in New Zealand, and merely go over to Melbourne (if necessary) at stated times to be examined. One objection to the foundation of University Scholarships to Britain is, that being necessarily limited in number, because of large amount, it would tend to encourage masters to devote their time to their most promising pupils, to the neglect of those deficient in ability. 2.] Exhibitions I understand to mean money paid to boys so long as they remain at school, and scholarships after they have left. I am strongly in favour of the foundation of exhibitions in connection with some such plan as the following:—Let two examinations be held throughout the whole of New Zealand at convenient centres, commencing at the same time, one for boys under fifteen years of age, the other for boys under eighteen. Let all the boys in New Zealand be classed together—say three honour classes and a pass for each examination : the names in the honour classes to be in order of merit, and in the pass, alphabetical, stating in the list, opposite the name of each boy, the school at which he was educated. Let exhibitions be given to a certain number (or all, if possible) of the boys in the first class of the junior candidates, to enable them to continue their education at the higher schools of their respective Provinces, and scholarships to all boys in the first class of the senior candidates, to enable them to complete their education at an University. These examinations would be similar to those carried on in England by the Universities of Oxford and Cambridge for those students who are not members of the University. It would, I think, greatly increase the usefulness of these examinations if they could be conducted by the University of Melbourne, especially if they could be simultaneously held in Australia and New Zealand, and the boys in both countries classed in the same lists. The University also would then probably confer the title of A.A. (Associate of Arts) on all the successful senior candidates, giving the juniors an honorary certificate of merit. This would, I think, prove an excellent stimulus to the whole of the boys in all the schools, and also to the schoolmasters, in consequence of the name of the school being placed opposite the name of each boy. An additional stimulus might be afforded by throwing open to competition the appointments

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REPORT OE THE SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE