I\—No. 1.

4.] Cambridge, Oxford, London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Universities. 5.] I am unable to form an estimate. The allowance should, I think, cover actual necessary expenses. 6.] The examination should be such as would give a fair prospect that the successful candidate would pass through the University with credit. 7.] I do not see the advantage of localizing a University. The chief object in view, I consider, is to enable the student to achieve, if he can, the highest education in the world, and not in the Colony. The true method of improving Colonial education, and securing intellectual and social progress in a Colony, is to enable a constant current to flow into it from the best and purest sources of knowledge. There is also a great collateral advantage,—inestimable, I think, in a Colony possessing democratic institutions, —in enabling Colonists who are likely to exercise a great influence in the administration of its affairs to mix with the best educated men in Europe. The schools in each Province, promoted as they would be by the exhibitions, would, I believe, give, very soon, as good education as could be obtained in public schools in England. W. GISBOKNE.

W. Rolleston, Esq., B. A. —I.] I believe that the foundation of University Scholarships, to be held at one of the Universities or principal Schools of Law or Medicine in the mother country, would have a most beneficial effect upon our existing educational institutions, and would be the only way for many years to come, of obtaining for young men of the Colony what is ordinarily understood by the term " liberal education," and of qualifying them for the " learned professions." This question may, I think, be considered in connection with question 7. I presume that the benefit of a prolonged mental training, combined with refining associations and the knowledge of the world which is obtained by intercourse with men of the best promise and best education that can be brought together in one place, is admitted. The point to be decided is, whether these advantages can be obtained in a new Colony like New Zealand, or in the elder Colonies in Australia. lam of opinion that the population of this country, and consequently the number of boys in our High Schools who would avail themselves of the opportunity of a longer period of study, are entirely insufficient to render such an institution practicable in New Zealand. As has been found, even in the case of the Sydney University, only a small number of men would be brought together without any higher standard to emulate than that which they themselves have attained, and the principal features of a University life, and the advantages to be derived from it would be wanting. All that could be desired in the way of securing men of the highest qualifications as its first founders and tutors was obtained at Sydney; but so far as I can learn it has failed of fulfilling the objects of a University. I cannot see that better prospects would attend a similar attempt in this country. 2.] The highest standard which was attained in one of our best High Schools (Christ's College, Canterbury), when I was acquainted with it two years ago, was not higher than that of an average fourth form in one of the public schools in England. The school was set on foot with a body of fellows, a warden and sub-warden, and the elements of a collegiate establishment. There were scholars, a few years after its foundation, receiving emoluments to the amount of £50 a-year each, whose attainments at the ages of fifteen and sixteen were below the average of those of boys three and four years their juniors at home. From the want of emulation and other causes, they had no incentive to further improvement, and measuring themselves only by themselves, they had no notion of their own deficiencies. They were reading some of the classical authors read in the sixth forms of English Grammar Schools, without the knowledge of grammar and the careful grounding wiiich renders the study of a dead language valuable as a means of promoting accurate modes of thought and expression. Exhibitions as prizes for excellence in ordinary school studies, provided there were numbers enough competing to cause a healthy emulation, and provided they were given for positive merit, would, I believe, be valuable in helping to improve our present schools; but the retaining a few boys at school of ages in advance of their schoolfellows, without the further object before them of an University career, would generally fail of producing much good. AVhat we require is to raise our Grammar Schools to the standard of English Grammar Schools, and I think this result which, under any circumstances must be the work of years, will only be put off by any attempt to introduce higher subjects of study. A good sixth-form boy from an English School is able to obtain a scholarship at Oxford or Cambridge. I see no reason why, with patience, the same standard may not be attained in our Grammar Schools. The establishment of a class of studies different in kind from those of a Grammar School would interfere with the healthy working of existing schools, without producing men of higher mental attainment. I deprecate the introduction or encouragement of such a course of study in our existing schools. 3.] I cannot make any definite suggestions; but I would observe that one of the principal advantages of the foundation of scholarships by means of Colonial funds, would be the necessity which it would, I presume, involve of active Government inspection of our existing schools. Nothing would more promote their efficiency. At present the public is very much in the dark as to their relative merits, and as to the actual results attained in them. I presume that only such pupils as were certified by the Government Inspector to have attained a certain proficiency would be allowed to compete for Government Scholarships.

59

ESTABLISHMENT OF UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.