INTERCOLONIAL.

Globe, Volume II, Issue 175, 30 December 1874, Page 4

INTERCOLONIAL.

VICTORIA. The following is the letter of Mr S. Wilson, stating his desire to give £30,000 as an endowment to the Melbourne University : " Ercildoun, near Ballarat, " December, 1874. " Sir,--It is my desire to apply a sum of money to a purpose of a public nature which will testify in a permanent manner the interest which I feel in the welfare of Victoria. " It is now about twenty-three years since I first placed my foot on Australian soil, and during that time my exertions have been successful far beyond my expectations. Under these circumstances, I feel that to Australia, the land of my adoption, and the birthplace of my wife and children, I owe a debt of gratitude which I now desire in some small degree to repay. "In fully considering the subject of what would be the most suitable way of giving expression to the feeling to which I have referred, many ideas suggested themselves, which were, one after another, for various reasons abandoned. Our benevolent and charitable institutions are already cared for by the state and by the exercise of individual charity, the cultivation of which feeling it would be unwise to discourage. Our several churches are prosperous, and on the whole well supported. My inclinations were at one time in favor of establishing a permanent fund for the purpose of adding to the art treasures of our national collection (already very creditable to this community) the works of some of our rising artists, both Australian and European. But as the true greatness of every country consists chiefly in the right use of the cultivated intellects of its most gifted sons, it is to the highest seat of learning that we must look for the great men of our future history; annd I finally decided tbat the head of the system of secular education in Victoria, the University of Melbourne, is the institution most worthy of my aid. By the high educational standards which it maintains, it onables men of talent and industry, without distinction of station in life or of religious belief, to fit themselves for any position to which they may attain, whether as merchants, professional men, resident landowners, or statesmen, whose duty it will be to guide the destinies of this young but growing country, the future greatness of which no one can doubt. " Having come to this conclusion, I made inquiries as to the best mouc in which a benefit could be conferred upon the University. In the first instance. I felt inclined towards the endowment of a professorship, or of fellowships, or of scholarships, but it appeared that the colonial Parliament has made provision for the educational r< quirements of the institution, and that the most urgent want at present is a hall in which to hold the matriculation examinations, which have now, in the absence of sufficient accommodation at the university, to be held in the town-hall, and also the periodical assemblies for the granting of degrees, and other academical ceremonies. I therefore, through you, as chancellor, place a sum of thirty thousand pounds (£30,000) at the disposal of the authorities of the University for the erection of a hall in keeping with the design of the present buildings, this donation to be free from any conditions whatever. My hope is that this sum, judiciously expended, will build a hall sufficient for the requirements of the University, which will at the same time be an ornament to the city of Melbourne, " I have the honor to be, sir, your obedient servant, " PAML WiLSON. "To the Hon Sir Redmond Barry, Chancellor of the University of Melbourne, &c." The entries for the V.U.C. New Year's Day Meeting, made at Mr Bagot's office compare very favorably (says the Argus) in point of numbers with the entries made for this meeting last year. For the Hurdle race thirteen horses are entered, being the same number as last year. For the Three-year-old Handicap a dozen of our best colts and fillies have been nominated. Ihe Midsummer Handicap has twenty entries against thirteen for. last year. Only seven horses have been entered for the Steeplechase. The Canterbury Stakes has six entries ; and the Plate of £IOO has fifteen nominal ions, being one more than entered for this race last year. The same journal of the loth states, that the entries for the Australian Cup and Newmarket Handicap were made at Mr R. C. Bagot's office yesterday. Thirty horses were nominated for the Australian Cup and thirty-one for the Newmarket Handicap. The list contains the names of nearly all the horses that were expected to be entered, but a few miy be looked for from Sydney. The handicaps will be declared on the 10th February. There is scarcely any betting on either the Hawkesbury or Geelong meetings. Already eome members of the ring have taken their departure, and more will soon follow. At a meeting of the Victorian Coursing Club, a letter was read from Mr F. Gardiner, au English coursing judge, offering to perform the duties of coursing judge for the next season for the sum of £3OO and his passage to Melbourne. It was decided after some discussion that Mr Gardiner's terms be accepted, and that the secretary telegraph the information to that gentleman in England. We learn (says the Argus) that tin commissioners appointed to make suggestions as to the best mode of representing Victoria at the forthcoming exhibition to be held at Philadelphia, have sent in their report to the Government. They propose that an exhibition be held at Melbourne in August next, and steps bj.v> been ahei.dy taken to make this as complete a success as possible. _ Correspondence has been entered into with all the Australian colonies and New Zealand, with the settlements in the Indian and Pacific Oceans, and with all the territories from which it is at all probable that exhibits might be forwarded. In their report the commissioners suggest that the Government should grant a sum of £5000; of this amount £3OOO to be spent for the purposes of the exhibition, and £2OOO for buildings. In addition to the building to be erected with the £20;)0, the trustees of the Public Library will grant the use of all the buildings that have been previously occupied for the purposes of an exhibition. The managers of the moonlight concert, given in aid of the orphanages, report that the gross receipts, including several sums to come in for tickets, amount to about £370, and that the net sum to be divided between the asylums will exceed £250. Notwithstanding that some 3( 00 persors were present, the gardens were entirely cleared by ] 1 o'clock; and it is satisfactory to be able to sfa; e that the director, Mr Guilfoyle, yesterday reported that no damage whatever had bein done to cither flower beds or lawns,