P.—No. I.

I think there exists already too great a desire on the part of masters of primary schools to form a model class of this kind and to neglect the equally useful but less pleasant task of bringing on the younger or duller children. In order to make the exhibitions available for boys of every class in life, however, it will not be sufficient to place them within the reach of all. Their money-value must be fixed at such a rate as to enable the successful candidates, however poor their parents may be, to prosecute the higher studies without any further assistance. Board, lodging, tuition-fees, clothing, books, and all other expenses necessary for this purpose should be defrayed out of the proceeds. Consistently with this the period during which the exhibition is tenable should extend over the whole period required for the completion of the exhibitioner's education. I will sum up in a few words my views on this question :— Firstly : That only very young boys be allowed to compete. Secondly : That the value of the exhibitions should be fixed on a liberal scale. Thirdly : They be tenable for a considerable number of years. I think that if these points were attended to the exhibitions might be the means of bringing forward the most intelligent and talented boys in the whole community, quite independently of class or station, and of enabling them to cultivate and turn to account, for the good of the Colony, the natural advantages with which they may be endowed. 3.] At present there does not appear to exist any machinery for forming a regularly constituted Board of Examiners. Those persons who arc now engaged in the work of teaching are naturally excluded, because their impartiality would be open to suspicion, and they might very easily be thought to be unduly biassed in favour of candidates from their respective schools. For the present I suppose no course is open, but to depend upon the voluntary services of those competent to undertake the duty who could spare time from other occupations. The Government of the Colony, though not necessarily well-fitted to judge of the qualifications of those who might offer their services, would be, I presume, the only authority with which the appointment could properly rest. The establishment of a University would in the persons of its Professors supply the Colony with a body of learned men, officially recognized as such, whose competency and impartiality could not be questioned, and to whom therefore any such questions might be referred. 4.] I do not venture to express an opinion. 5.] I should suppose at least £300 per annum, probably more. 6.] Being opposed to the establishment of scholarships, as will be seen from my answer to Question (1), I have not given much consideration to these details. 7.] The establishment of a New Zealand University would, for several reasons be, in my opinion, of great advantage to the Colony; and with a view of making it as efficient as possible, I should wish to sec the whole of the funds available for the promotion of education in higher subjects exclusively devoted to its support, or to objects closely connected with it, and first of all an institution of this kind, besides the direct advantage which it would be of to the Colony as the highest educational establishment, would have this indirect advantage—that it would become the centre of a learned society, which would eventually exercise a most beneficial influence over the minds and tone of feeling of the people. In the next place the establishment of the necessary professorships with endowments of sufficient value to attract men eminent for learning and mental activity, trained in the system pursued at the Universities, would, it appears to me, be a means of bringing the Colony into connection with old established Universities, and of providing all the benefits to be derived from that connection at once more effectual and more certain than the foundation of scholarships to those Universities. .Scholarships to a New Zealand University might be established more cheaply than to Universities in other countries. I will illustrate my meaning by supposing the following case :—I will suppose that scholarships to a New Zealand University are each worth £200 per annum, of this a certain portion would be required for the personal wants of the scholar, such as board, lodging, books, clothes, and incidental expenses. Supposing these amounted to one-half or £100, then the other £100 would be available as tuition fees, and would go to the support of the institution, so that in reality the scholar instead of requiring £300, as would be the case if he was sent to an English University, would only require £100. Now supposing 120 scholarships were founded at this rate of £200 per annum, the cost to the Colony would of course be £24,000, but out of this I suppose at least one-half (as above explained) would be available for the support of the University. That is to say, there "would be £12,000 per annum for the payment of the Professors, say four at £3,000 each. On the other hand £24,000 expended in scholarships to Universities in England or elsewhere would only maintain eighty scholars, without affording anything for the support of a University or other institution in the Colony. At first I suppose the students at the University would consist almost exclusively of scholars, but in time, supposing the institution to be properly organized, others would be attracted to it and would contribute towards its support. The scholarships would generally be gained, I should suppose, by those who had distinguished themselves as children by gaining exhibitions. I think a scheme such as the one I have hinted at in these answers would by establishing a regular gradation of honours and emoluments, and by taking up the youngest and leading them on till they had fully completed their education, afford fair opportunities of distinction to boys of every class of society, while it would give to the Colony itself the full benefit of all the mental endowments possessed by the rising generation, which would otherwise remain dormant and undeveloped. Henry John Tancred. 8

29

ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.