CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

Globe, Volume III, Issue 276, 30 April 1875, Page 3

CANTERBURY COLLEGE.

A meeting of the Board of Governors of the College was held yesterday afternoon, at the Public Library, Present —Mr Gresson (in the chair), Right Rev the Primate, Revs Buller, Habens, Willock, Dr Turnbull, Messrs Cowlishaw, Montgomery, and Webb.

Some private business having been transacted, Dr Turnbull moved—“ That each committee shall elect annually from its number a chairman, who shall the chair at each meeting and carry out the instructions of the committee.” He thought all the matters of detail would be carried out far more efficiently by having chairmen of committees instead of the business being done by the chairman of the Board. Besides this, it would be much better if the committees had permanent chairmen, and he thought that was a most important item in the work of the College. At present the library committee had suffered very greatly from the want of a permanent head, to whose care the details of work might be confided. They saw votes of Council lapsing from sheer want of action being taken, and he thought that it was a very necessary step for the Board to take, because atpresent.no one was responsible for the carrying out of the instructions of the Board. Of course the official correspondencewith the outside public would be carried on by the chairman of the Board, The Right Rev the Primate inquired who was at present chairman of the committee. The Chairman replied that the chairman of the Board of Governors was the chairman of all committees.

The Rev T. Buller said he would second the motion pro forma for the purpose of eliciting discussion. The Rev W. W. Willock said that with great diffidence he deprecated most strongly the carrying out of the system advocated by Dr Turnbull. The creation of three responsible chairmen of committees would leave little or nothing for the chairman to do, and would tend to subvert the energetic and unanimous action, which was so necessary in an institution like this. He must say that he should like to know more about the working of the institution ; he, for instance, did not know what Professor Brown, Professor Cook, or Professor Bickerton were doing with their classes. The .other Governors, he might say, were in some such a position, and he should only be too ready to support anything which would give the Board of Governors more full and accurate information of what was gbing on. Mr Webb thought that Dr Turnbull’s motion was simply that the appointment of the chairmen of committees should relieve the chairman of the Board of a great deal of work. He felt sure that the whole of the work was far too much for one man to do. Rev W. J. Habens thought the fear of conflict which pervaded the governors on Dr Turnbull’s motion for the appointment of a vice-chairman was greatly intensified now that they proposed to establish three, which would inevitably lead to conflict. Bethought the best way would be for the chairman to appoint his own deputy-chairman, who might take the chair during the absence of the chairman. By the mode proposed by Dr Turnbull the chairman would simply possess an empty house. The chairman said that he might say that the appointment of a deputy-chairman such as that proposed by Mr Habens would be a relief to him, as there were many.little matters which might be done by a deputychairman as well as by himself, and would certainly relieve him of the duty of attending upon such occasions. Of course, if the interests of the college were at all likely to be prejudiced by such a course, he would only be too ready to attend on any occasion. Mr Montgomery thought that Dr Turnbull had borne rather hardly upon the committees, which had done good work in the past. If a chairman of committee were appointed, all he had to do was to collect the opinions of the committee and report upon it. There was no doubt that some little delay had occurred in the pushing forward of the erection of their buildings, and he hoped that now they would would push on with far greater vigor. He regretted that the vote of the Provincial Council had lapsed, and had to be re-voted, but he thought that the Board of Governors alone were to blame. He could not agree

with the motion, but he thought that the delay which occurred was due to the fact that the reporting of committees was only made once a quarter instead of once a month, as he thought they should do. As the subject was one of considerable importance he thought it would be better to adjourn the consideration of the question until next meeting, so that the governors might consider the question. Mr Cowlishaw moved—“ That the motion stand adjourned until next meeting of the governors, to be held on Thursday, 13th May, at 3p m. and also notice of motion—“ That at that meeting the Board go into committee to consider the question.” The Rev James Buller seconded the motion for adjournment, which was agreed to.

Rev Mr Habens asked in what position the College stood as regarded the College site, and also as regarded the votes that bad lapsed. The chairman said he intended to bring the matter forward as to whether it would not be as well to communicate with the present Government as to the College site.

The secretary read the correspondence passing between the Board of Governors and the Government relative to the placing of £IO3O on the estimates for the acquiring of the site of the old Female Refuge for the building of the College. , The Rev W. J. Habens pointed out that there was nothing before the Board as to where the College was to be built, and whether they would receive money for its cost. Rev W. W. Willock asked whether they had not got a site. Rev Mr Habens explained that they possessed four sections, but could not build on them until the Provincial Council had expressed its opinion upon the subject. Mr Montgomery thought that the best way to act would be for the Board of Governors to move the present Government to place a sum on the estimates for the purchase of the Refuge site. The chairman should, he thought, wait on the Government, and bring the matter strongly before them. Mr Cowlishaw thought that the whole matter should be brought generally before the Government, and not confined to one particular part of the question. They should be informed of the suspension of all action on the part of the College Governors, owing to the undecided state of the question as to the site. Rev W. J. Habens moved —“That the chairman be requested to confer with the Government as to the pending question of the site of the College, and as to the acquisition of the land lately occupied by the Refuge. The motion was agreed to. The Board then adjourned,