H.—3a.

1873. NEW ZEALAND.

THE NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY, (REPORT ON INSTITUTIONS AFFILIATED TO).

'Presented to both Souses of the General Assembly by command of His Excellency.

To the Chancellor of the University of New Zealand. Sir,— Wellington, August 7, 1873. In accordance with the instructions with which you were good enough to honour me, I have visited and inspected the several institutions affiliated to the University of New Zealand. These institutions are four, viz., at Auckland, Nelson, "Wellington, and Canterbury. I will report on them in order from North to South. The College and Grammar School, at Auckland, is a local institution, with very considerable endowments, the revenues from which are on the point of increasing rapidly. They are likely, lam informed, to bring in shortly £2000 or more per annum. The building in which the boys are taught is part of the old barracks, and sufficiently large and commodious for the purpose. The open space around is capable of being used as a playground. There has no long time ago been a change in the headmastership and general management of the school work. The late head master, Dr. Kidd, of Trinity College, Dublin, is a gentleman enjoying, and I believe deservedly, a high reputation as a scholar and a logician, but from some cause or other he does not appear to have given satisfaction to the governing body as a teacher and organiser. It is indeed frequently found that learned and deeply read men are little fitted to communicate knowledge to any except the most willing pupils, which as a rule boys are not. The present head master, Mr. McCrae, is, so far as I could judge, and the opportunities courteously afforded me for doing so were ample, admirably fitted for the post he occupies. The order, discipline, good humour and apparent eagerness of the boys to learn in every class are worthy of all praise. It is perhaps owing to the comparatively short time the school has been under the control of the present head master that the standard of the upper forms is not higher. Still everything that is taught appears to be taught thoroughly aud well; and it is to be expected that the best lads now in the school, if they are not removed into the active business of life, will in a year or two take that place in the annual competition for University Scholarships, to which the Province of Auckland, from its early settlement and large population, may reasonably hope to attain. Greek is poorly taught in the school, there being only two pupils, and those in a very early stage. The latin is not far advanced, still so far as it goes the knowledge of it is sound and well grounded. Algebra, as far as the solution of quadratic equations and progressions, six books of Euclid and some amount of plain trigonometer.y, appear to be thoroughly understood by and familiar to the best boys. Trench is taught by Mr. TheoreL Drawing is carefully attended to, and there are working botanical classes in which the pupils appear to take a most lively interest. It is one of the drawbacks of colonial life, which the prizes offered by the University have a tendency to remedy, that few parents find it convenient to retain their children long enough at school or in a state of pupilage, to enable them to obtain the full benefits of a liberal education. Still many of the boys of Auckland will carry away with them habits of accuracy of method and of observation which must be useful to them in life, and may under favourable circumstances lead to distinction in literature and science. There are no arrangements for boarders in connection with the school; the number of the boys is about 200. The list of those doing University work is— First Latin ... ... ... ... ... 9 Lately Georgics, now Sallust. Second Latin ... ... ... ... ...13 Cornelius, Nepos and Caesar (extracts.) First Mathematics ... ... ... ... 6 Algebra to Binomial Theorem. Second Mathematics ... ... ... ...21 Euclid, 6 books, Trigonometry. General History ... ... ... ...22 Student's Hume, Collier, &c. Physical Geography ... ... ... ...22 Hughes. Botany ... ... ... ... ...35 French 22 Ahn's French Course, Voltaire, Charles XII. Courses of lectures in connection with the University are given in the evening on the following subjects, and are attended by young persons from the city in about.the numbers stated: — Latin 15—3 being ladies. Mathematics (first division), 4—l being a lady. Mathematics (second division), 4. French, 12 —6 being ladies. Logic, 17. I was present at one of each of these lectures. The instruction given is not a mere rehearsal, which might be printed and read at leisure with greater advantage, but is conveyed principally by question and oral examination. The standard in general is not high, not so high in fact as that of the corresponding classes in the school, but so far as any subject is taught it appears to be taught thoroughly. It is to be regretted that more advanced pupils do not exist, I may say not only at