T. 11. EABTBIiFIBLD.j

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1.—13 a.

6. Do I gather from you that from your experience of New Zealand students they come to you for passes in degree subjects and not for knowledge? M, < \perience is that many come in the first instance for that, but IJo not think they leave in that spirit. 1 may say that a more or less heavy weeding often takes place after about three weeks, and that the people who remain appreciate the fact that they are not being trained with any examination in view. Even the medical students, who as a class have no great ambition for scholarships, become deeply interested in the purely scientific side of their work, and this is essential if they are to become really scientific practitioners. 7. Then you have not had to give up the idea in teaching, that each of your pupils is potentially a research student?—l have not; and nothing has gratified me more than the students who have come, who are not working for any degree at all, and have stayed until they became research students. One student has oontinued to work with me during the whole of the thirteen years I have been out here —Mr. Aston, Chief Chemist of the Agricultural Department. He spends his evenings very largely on research in native plants up in my laboratory. Of course, his time is very much occupied by departmental work, but I have not the least doubt that the Department has benefited very largely from the spirit of inquiry fostered in my laboratory. 8. Would vim have any difficulty in finding ([ualiliru assessors in New Zealand outside the University who could act along with you in examining for the degrees in your subject?— There are a few, but our best men have very largely gone Home with J B5l Exhibitions and have received appointments outside. I know certainly two men in New Zealand at present who are not professors who could certainly be intrusted with the examinations in chemistry. 9. Mr. Luke.~\ Is there much dead work in connection with university work? Are there many students attending more on account of a desire to be associated with the University as against a desire to benefit themselves intellectually and educationally?—ln connection with my own students I might say there are very few who are not seeking benefit. In fact, I can only think at present of one student in ray class who really takes no interest in the work, and that one is more or less driven to it by outside circumstances. If he did not come I fancy his people would make a noise. 10. On the general principle you consider that the internal examinations held in this country, and the general knowledge that is obtained by the people examining here as to the fitness of the candidate, is preferable to any outside examination? —That is certainly my opinion. If I gave a man a testimonial on his going to Europe, that would be accepted at Home amongst chemists before the fact that he had got his first-class honours in the University examinations. A man was ploughed in the honours examination, and I gave him a testimonial. He went to work with the examiner who had ploughed him, and the examiner appointed him in three months as demonstrator in his own university. 11. Mr. Thomson asked you whether you were of opinion that there would be assessors in this Dominion to carry out the functions of examiners provided wo change the system. I would like to ask whether a man, after leaving what you might term the principal side of university work and entering into another sphere of activities, would still be a fit and proper person to be called in as an assessor or examiner ?—Not unless it was known that he had kept up his scientific work. 12. Who would be in a position to know that? We have men in this country very competent and very capable. They come out here and stretch out into other spheres of usefulness, and I want to know whether in going into those other spheres they still have the faculty to act as assessors — would the people of New Zealand assume such individuals to be efficient to carry out that work?—l do not know that I have had experience of that kind. I know one or two who would be. One man is Dr. Machaurin, Government Analyst. There are others who still give evidence that they are keeping up to date by publishing their work. 13. Suppose that Professor Easterfield left his present sphere and went into, say, a bank, and say the Dominion accepted the change asked for by the Reform Association, would he, if called in as an assessor, be as strong a factor for the position as Professor Easterfield is to-day? —No, for the simple reason that if I had forsaken my scientific work as my chief work I should not have kept up to date. 14. Shortly, it means tjiat, in answer to my friend Mr. Thomson, you say there would be some difficulty in obtaining assessors outside the University? —Yes. As I say, there are certainly two men in sight 15. Mr. Stall-worthy .\ Am I justified in concluding from your statements that there are many degree men who are not qualified to be called degree men?— Yes. 16. A"nd that a man who got his degree years ago is not qualified to act as a degree man today? —That is hardly fair. I suppose if I had to sit for my honours degree to-day I should have to read up for it. A man is apt to forget a great deal of book knowledge, but if he has acquired the spirit of scholarship that will not leave him. 16a. I have always thought that the majority of degree men were men after dollars and not after studies? —I would not put it in that way. We cannot ignore the fact that our students will eventually have to earn their own living; in the meantime we must do our utmost to raise their ideals and inculcate the spirit of scholarship and inquiry. 17. And avoid narrowness? —And avoid narrowness. I was told in England and when I landed here that it is only bread-and-butter that most New-Zealanders are after —that is, the majority. I have not found it so. But if it were true, the University should cater for students of a higher type, otherwise it would be merely helping men to become more or less charlatans. 18. Mr. Allen.] If you found it really a difficult job to get an assessor in New Zealand, would you favour the securing'of an assessor from Australia? —I should prefer that all the professors of the various colleges should be the examining Board. 19. Without an assessor? —Yes. 20. You know the report of the Irish Commission? —Yes. 21. Do you agree with that or not?—As I have not read the whole report I cannot make a definite reply.