E.—2

1881. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND (PAPERS RELATING TO). [In continuation of H.-1b, 1880.]

Presented to loth Souses of the General Assembly by Command of Sis Excellency.

No. 1. The Registrar to the Hon. the Minister of Education. Sir, — University of New Zealand, Christchurch, 21st March, 1881. I have the honour, by direction of the Chancellor, to forward to you herewith the annual report of the proceedings of the University during the past year, as drawn up by the Senate in accordance with the provisions of clause 28 of " The New Zealand University Act, 1874." I have the honour to request that, as it is of great importance that the regulations made this year should be made public as soon as possible, His Excellency the Governor may be moved to give speedy assent to them. I have also to request that the sealed copies of these regulations sent herewith may be returned, when assented to, to the Chancellor at Christchurch. I have, &c, The Hon. the Minister for Education, W. M. Maskell, Wellington. Registrar.

Enclosure in No. 1. Annual Retort of the Senate of the University of New Zealand. In compliance with the 28th clause of the University Act of 1874, the Senate makes the following report to His Excellency the Governor of the proceedings of the University since the date of the last report. The Senate met at Wellington on the 16th February, which time and place were fixed at the last annual meeting of the Senate, as prescribed by the New Zealand University Act. The Senate has made certain amendments in the statutes and regulations at present in force. The regulations passed with a view to giving effect to these amendments are herewith submitted for the approval of the Governor. The Bowen Prize for the year 1880 has been awarded to Robert Francis Irvine, of the Canterbury College. The Senate has during the past year admitted to degrees after examination as follows: To the degree of Bachelor of Arts, sixteen undergraduates; to the degree of Master of Arts, three Bachelors of Arts. The Senate has also awarded eight senior scholarships of the value of £60 each, and eight junior scholarships of the value of £45 each. The Senate has to report that the Gilchrist Scholarship has been awarded to William Henry Herbert, a Bachelor of Arts of this University, who has since been admitted to the degree of Master of Arts. It is to be observed in this case that peculiar credit is due to the successful candidate, inasmuch as he was placed high in the Honours Division, although labouring under the disadvantage that he had not been previously made aware of the scope of the examination. The Senate has had under consideration the necessity of making better provision for university education in the North Island of New Zealand. There is no doubt that the facilities for obtaining an academic education are much greater in the Middle Island than in the North Island. The Senate is of opinion that centres of population like Auckland and Wellington are ripe for the foundation of colleges in those cities, capable of affording a university education of the same standard as that supplied in the South by the Otago University and Canterbury College. The Senate came to the opinion that the scheme of university education recommended by the Royal Commission on Higher Education in