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REPORT. The Victoria College Council to the Minister of Education. Victoria College, 4th July, 1917. In pursuance of section 44 of the Victoria College Act, 1905, the Council presents the following report for the year 1916-17 :— Number of Students. —The number of students attending lectures during the year was 323, made up as follows: Matriculated students—Male, 148; female, 123: total, 271. Non-matri-culated students—Male, 14; female, 38: total, 52. In addition to these there were 39 exempted students (male, 19; female, 20), making a total of 362 students attached to the College. More than 400 past and present students of the College have enlisted for active service, and as our students come to military age they continue to enlist. Fifty-two of the number have been killed in action or died of wounds. The numbers attending classes have again suffered considerably from this cause, and the total shows a drop of 57 as compared with last year's numbers. The proportion of female to male students has again increased since last year. Examination Results. —Eight students of the College gained the degree of Master of Arts, 6 with honours (first class 2, second class 4); 4 students gained the degree of Master of Laws, 3 with honours (second class 2, third class 1); 15 students gained the degree of Bachelor of Arts; 22 passed the first section of that degree; 1 student gained the degree of Bachelor of Science, and 1 passed the first section of that degree; 5 students gained the degree of Bachelor of Laws, and 11 passed sections of that degree; 2 students gained Senior University Scholarships (in Latin and in English). Other scholarships have been awarded as follows: Sir George Grey Scholarship to Miss E. W. J. Fenton; Jacob Joseph Scholarships to L. J. Pilkington, M.A., and Miss C. C. Braddock, M.A. Workers Educational Tutorial Classes.- —From the report for the Senate on these classes the following summary is taken: "The working of these classes is controlled by a Tutorial Committee of eight members, four appointed by the College Council, four by the Workers Educational Association. A three-years course of a University standard is laid down for each class. So far this College has started five classes—one in English, one in economics, one in electricity, all in Wellington; one in economics in Petone; one in economics in Palmerston North. In 1916 the expenditure for the year was £360, which was rendered possible by a subsidy from Petone and by drawing on the previous year's balance. On the present income for the work the College will have difficulty in maintaining the classes established. Already inquiries have come from Westport about establishing a class there. With present means it will be difficult to do so. One of the chief difficulties of the work is the finding of suitable tutors. So far the Committee has been able to get men of University standing. On the other hand, three of the classes have suffered from change of tutors. From the reports of the tutors the work of the students is satisfactory. Many of them are very keen. The Workers' Educational Association is especially anxious to keep these classes in existence. In all classes the work and attendance have been adversely affected by the war. Men have gone on service; others have been called upon for much overtime work. It is hard to say under the circumstances what the attendance and work would be in normal times." School of Economics.— Nothing has been done this year towards the establishment of a School of Economics, as the Council is still of opinion that it would be useless to take definite steps until the termination of the war. Cliair of Modem Languages. —The temporary arrangements made last year for carrying on the work of modern languages at the College are still in force, the work being under the joint control of Mrs. Macphail and Miss M. Baker, M.A. Physics Department. —Mr. P. W. Burbidge, who had taken charge of the Physics Department when Professor E. Marsden went to the front, resigned his position in order to enlist for active service. The Council secured the services of Dr. H. Clark, A.M. (N.Y.), M.S., Ph.D. (Havard), and he takes up the work in July, 1917. Clement Watson, Chairman, Victoria University College Council. Excerpts from the Report of the Professorial Board for 1916. College Terms. —First-year terms were kept by 76 students, second-year terms by 43 students, third-year terms by 20 students, and fourth-year terms by one student. The Rhodes Scholarship was won by Mr. Athol Hudson (since killed in action). Mr. A. F. Meldr-unvwas awarded the reversion of Mr. Hudson's scholarship. The Work of the College. —This has gone on as usual, notwithstanding the great number of students who have enlisted from time to time. During the year the Board revised the Terms Regulations, which, as amended, should to some extent tend to lighten the ever-increasing burden of examination. This year certificates for the terms examinations will for ..the first time be issued to the successful students in the various classes. On the recommendation of the Board the College Council has approved the opening of class lectures to the public free of charge, under the restriction that not more than six lectures are to be free in any one subject. A special committee has been set up to make suitable regulations in this connection. Wat Work. —At the beginning of the war the Professors of Biology, Chemistry, and Physics offered their professional services gratuitously to the Defence Department. The Professor of Biology has made a very special study of the subject of fly-control in military camps, and the results of his investigations have recently been epitomized in a pamphlet issued by the Department. On the nomination of the Munitions Conference in 191.4 the Professor of Chemistry was appointed a member of the Munitions Board. In the Chemical Laboratory a quantity of morphia has been prepared for the use of the" military hospitals and hospital ships, and in conjunction with the Wellington Gas Company arc carbons have been manufactured for use in the searchlights at the forts. Tirthe Phvsioal Laboratory instruction has been given to X-ray operators, and in the Physical Workshop a'godti deal of attention has tfeen given to signalling and tWmb-thrbVing apparatus*