VICTORIA COLLEGE.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 203, 21 May 1908, Page 9

VICTORIA COLLEGE.

MEETING OF COUNCIL. . AN INADEQUATE REVENUE. At the : meeting of tho Victoria College Council last evening there were present Mi. T. R. Fleming (chairman), Sir Robert Stout, tho Rev! W. A- Evans, Dr. Knight, Messrs. j, Graham, 'M.P;, H. D. Bell, K.C.* W. H. Quick, il. F. Von Haast, A. R. Sleek, C. Watson, and F. P. Wilson. On "the motion of Mi-. Evans, seconded by Mr. Meek, Mr. Fleming was unanimously reelected as chairman.; . "t Mr.' Fleming, • in returning: thanks, said that though there wero differences of opinion among tho' members of the Council, they wdro'all at one in their zeal for tho advancement of tho College, and tins mado it a pleasure "to work with'them. . .. Mr. Voii Hoast fa? re-elected as treas? urer. , . NO FUNDS TO SPARE. The .chairman said that tho balance-sheet for the .year' showed a balance on deposit amounting to £3880, and a balance in • tho bank amounting to over .£IOOO, all of which was, however, allocated to different .funds. Tho revenue showed that the Council was net. able to make much of a forward .movement. Last year there had been a great increase in tho number .of students,-and' this year tho increase-was still greater. Tliero were now 415 students. A nadditional room had been pl-ovided which would' hold .a larger class than anv of tho other rooms, but the number, of, classes had also increased, and thp congestion,'of the college, was greater, if possible, than it was last year. Fp l ' tho last two .years the record of the 1 ' college in examinations had been' very good, and the Council shoutyt. bo pleased with.,the, way in which the professors were doing their work, and also ' . excellent, .spirit of - tho students'.. Ho had mixed with tho latter during- the year,, and was much' impressed, by, the type of student.'which'the, college was attracting, and -by the; way in, which they liacj supplemented .-''private gifts , that had . been made for their'benefit. Ho thought that tho Council > should do utmost 'to assist tho social'life, of tho sthcle'nts. ": ' - ; NEW TENNIS COURT ABANDONED. In answer to an' application for permission :to ■ spend -.portion ,of a Government' grant for the ground improvementson : tho , construction of-a new tcnn.is .court, a< somewhat indefinite, letter .avps received, f.rdm~jthp Education Department.' ■ . Sir Robert Stout and Mr ; Grahani - were. convinced that the reply was intended to prohibit'such expenditure, and, somewhat -reluctantly," .other members admitted that their interpretation ; was - probably correct- . ;Dr. .Knight^suggested , a sjibtle course, of reasoning by;, which ground' improvement could bo claimed as a main object in making tho now court... . .... • Mr./ Grahani.^thought.'that ; the. Council should be careful -.what of example' it set to_students, and it was decided to forego the tennis court. . ' • ~' ~ On tho recommendation 'of thp . Professorial B.ijanJ, -Mi;.. B. . L... Cook .was appointed -as ..assistant i librarian in .succession 'to.--Mr.,i'<H. ,1).;-Skinner', who recently, resigned tho position. .

. -JACOfe JOSEPH .i In regard'.to : the Jacob ■" Joseph; Scholarship, ; a.', recompiefidatiou -'was.. received from tlw-.Professprial ,B6fird! that, clauses 3 and 4 of the present conditions of tenure be cancelled, and' that clause 4 ! ' of: tho provious regulations be substituted, to the effect that ' the" instalments, of tho scholarship money be liot' iiaid until the' Council was assured by the Board' that the scholarship winner had continiicd ,to do substantial ' work in the subject fin'which he gained honours.' . ,' It was explained that tho present .conditions wero thought, to-bo too arduous., for a scholarship of £60. '■ - ••-.•■• '•

■■.Dr.' Knight-moved that the subsequent research work ofi the scholarship winner ho not .confined tp-Victoria College. • After somediscussion, this .motion was nogativpd,>-and it was decided to leave the .regulations'- 'as they': arq. The Council ■ agreed with Mi-. Evans, that tlio .Rrofessorial Board was probably 'interpreting the words -thosis and dissertation, , in the. scholarship conditions,'in'too severe; a sense.

! ; . fees. ; ■ The question of-the advisability.of raising student's' .fees. waa brought up... Among other reasons, .the Council is anxious to' attain more, revenue in" order that it'may bo in a position to .increase the salaries of certain of the professors. .TJlio professors' interests being thus connected with tho subject of finance, ;it .was decided, after some discussion, that, the .Council 1 should discuss, tho subject as a wholo'with members of the Professorial Board. . , , As a result -of-tho dis'cusion, which took place in - committee,' it-.was decided that a deputation 'from ! .tho. Council should wait upon' the Government', and point out that it is faccd with- tho alternatives of inoreasing students' fees,':or'receiving from tho Government a largor annual grant than that received at present'. ■