THE COLLEGE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY.

Globe, Volume IV, Issue 305, 4 June 1875, Page 4

THE COLLEGE AND PUBLIC LIBRARY.

A deputation from the Board of Governors of the Canterbury College, composed of Mr H. B. Gresson (chairman), the Most Rev the Primate, Rev C. Fraser, and Messrs Potts, Webb, Cowlishaw, and de C. Malet (secretary), waited upon the Executive yesterday morning. The deputation was received in the Superintendent's office by the President of the Executive (Sir Cracroft Wilson), the Provincial Secretary, Secretary for Public Works, and the Hon G. Buckley. The President regretted the absence of his Honor the Superintendent, from whom he had received a note that morning saying that he was unwell. Mr Gresson said the gentlemen who had accompanied him had been deputed to wait upon the Government to discuss the resolutions arrived at by the Board of Governors at their last meeting, a copy of which had been forwarded to the Government as follows : ~ .-. " 1. That, as many persons contributed to the Public Library by the cancelling of shares and otherwise on the faith of representations made to them, that a sum of public money would be available for the erection of a suitable building, it is necessary to the credit of the province that such a sum should be re-voted.

" 2. That the contract between the Government and Board of Directors for the Museum building was made within the period required by the Audit Act, 1868, and resulted from negotiations extending over a period of many months, the particulars of which are as follows:—11th September, 1874 Board wrote to Government that plans were ready, and asking if vote were available, ,22nd September, 1874—The Government replied that vote was available: 2nd Deoember— Government wrote that vote must'include fittings. Board called for tenders, which exceeded vote. Amended plans were prepared and fresh tenders called for. Meanwhile certain, additions to Museum were effected at a cost of £4OO, which was paid oat of treasury and charged to vote. 12th February, 1875—Board wrote to Government that hew tenders, with commission and money already expended, would exceed vote, and asking that money might be transferred, so that accruing interest might make up deficiency during the progress of the work. 16th February—Government recommended Board to call for fresh tenders, to be sent in by March 20th. 30th March—Tenders opened and submitted to .Government. March 31st—Government wrote that they accepted amended tenders, and builders were game day informed that tenders were accepted. " 3. That the Board of Governors, seeing that the Government had finally accepted, the contract within the financial year, held, as it still holds, that the contract was binding as between the Government and the Board,- and, therefore, the Board formally Bigned contract with builders. " 4. That in these circumstances, though the Audit Act requires that the sum should be re-voted, since no money was actually expended on account of the contract during the: financial year, the good faith of the province is, in the opinion of this Board, pledged to the re-vote on account of the contract between the Government and the Board. ' , "5. That if the contract made by the Board with the builders be not carried out, the claims for compensation and the law costs will probably amount to. nearly £SOOO, which will be altogether thrown away. " 6. That the Board of Governors regrets that the sum of £BOOO voted last session for college buildings has not been re-voted this session. j " 7. That on the representation of a certain position secured to the College by votes of the Provincial Council, the college was able to use influence with the Otago University, and to promote the affiliation of the Otago University to that of New Zealand, and to use along with the Otago University influence to promote a reform of the constitution and practice of the New Zealand University, and that the province must suffer in the eyes of the adjoining province and of the colony by any retrograde step. " 8. That it is unreasonable to expect that men sufficiently qualified to be professors of the various branches of learning will long continue in their offices while uncertainty exists as to the permanence of the arrangements under which they were appointed. •'9. That it is in the highest degree desirable that the lands with which the College is endowed should as soon as possible be conveyed to the corporation. " 10. That in the opinion of the Board the Normal school is unsuitable to the purposes of the College. " 11. That the Public Library cannot be removed to the Normal school, inasmuch as the terms of the trust under which the present site and buildings of the Library are held distinctly provide that the library shall not be removed to a greater distance than at present from the business centre of the city.", The resolutions he (Mr Gresson) felt would ispeak for themselves. He had been given to Understand that morning that the Government had made up their minds not to go into the question of the Museum contract.

The President said the Government had taken this course, acting under legal advice. Mr Gress'-n said that the Board had learnt with regret that the £BOOO voted last session for the building of tha College had not been re-voted this session. He would desire to again refer to the Museum, to point out that heavy expense had been incurred in connection with that contract, and the present stoppage might result in heavy damages. "Would the Government be prepared to meet these expenses ? The President said that a letter had been written to the Board of Governors the previous day, but he found that morning that it had not been forwarded. Had the letter arrived to hand, the deputation would have seen that it was not the intention of the Government to enter into the Museum question at all. Mr Gresson said that in the sixth resolution it would be seen the Board regretted, a? he had mentioned, that the sum of £BOOO had not been re voted this session. The college here had used its influence with the Otago University, and through their combined action several modifications had been made in the constitution of the New Zealand University, and if this retrograde step were taken the province must suffer. Besides, it would be an act of injustice to the professors, some of whom would not have come out bad they not believed they would have had a fixed position and status from the position the College bad assumed here, and those gentlemen could not but feel how this retro? gradp movement would aiiect tbemi Ike

Board desired that the lands which had been granted to the College should be conveyed to it, and he did not think there could be any objection to this being done. With respect to a portion of the Normal School being converted into a College, the Board did not think the building suitable, nor did they think that it would be desirable that the College and a school should be under the same roof. The rooms were ako considered not to be suitable, and the Board felt that if the proposed intention were carried out it would tend to lessen the efficiency of the College. So far as the removal of the Public Library to the Normal School was concerned, the terms of the Trust would be affected if this were done, as it was distinctly provided that the library should not be removed to any greater distance from the centre of the city than at present. Under all the circumstances, the Board of Governors felt that they might ask the Government to favorably consider whether they might not place on the supplementary estimates the £BOOO for the erection of a College ; and also the sum for the erection of the Public Library. The Provincial Secretary said that a misapprehension existed relative to the removal of the Public Library. It was not the intention of the Government, now, to have the library at the Normal School. They intended to place a sum on the supplementary estimates for the erection of a building on the present site of the Public Library, as the Government had found that an agreement was in existence of which they had not been previously aware: The President of the Executive, remarking upon the word " retrograde " which had been more than once used by the chairman of the Board of Governors, said that retrogression, like a step backwards in the army, was sometimes the best movement. He might tell the deputation thatover £IOO,OOO of claims and promises had been concealed in the estimates brought down. The Government had found it necessary to do this, and if the Board knew all the circumstances they would feel that the Executive had acted for the best. The Government had done their best to have the vote for the Clolege passed through the Council. [Hear, hear.J All the members of the Government were interested heaTt and soul in the cause of education, and without using harsh terms, he might say that the Executive were simply suffering for the sins of those who had come before them. In deference to his conscience he could not go on deceiving the public, and he must tell the deputation plainly that the Government had not really the means to place the sums asked for on the supplementary estimates. Mr Gresson would again refer to the impression under which the professors had come out, and as long as it was possible that that state of things could be obtained, the Board felt that an effort should be made to have this done, as the claims of the professors really amounted to a contract; and the College was also entitled to consideration from its action, assisted by the Otago University, in obtaining the modifications in the constitution of the New Zealand University he had already referred to. The President —The salaries of all the professors are on the estimates, and have been passed. The Primate, both as a member of the Board of Governors and of the University Council, could endorse, in the strongest terms, what had fallen from Mr Gresson as to the modifications obtained in the constitution of the University, and of the difficulty experienced at first in obtaining the cooperation of the Otago University. The latter at first thought that the Canterbury College was merely a grammar school, but they had been able to show the Otago authorities that such was not the case, that they had resources, and were going to obtain professors from home, and the result was that Otago and Canterbury joined, and succeeded in obtaining from the New Zealand University the modifications spoken of. Were the College brought to a standstill the Otago University might say that they had been mis-led, and a very serious blow would be struck at the credit of the province. The professors had come out believing they would occupy a certain fixed status, and it would not be carrying out that understanding with them if the money were not revoted for the building of the College. He hoped the Government would see their way to place the .£BOOO for that purpose on the supplementary estimates. The President said that a measure thrown out one session could not be brought on again the same session. Mr Cowlishaw asked if it could not be brought up again by a message from the Superintendent. The President would be no party to bringing his Honor into such a fix. The Government had lost this item by only two votes, and he felt that it would only annoy the majority of the members of the Provincial Council if it were brought on again. Mr Webb bore testimony to the endeavor of the Government to carry through the vote for £BOOO. All those he had spoken to outside on this subject regretted that the vote had not passed. With reference to the Museum, an opinion had been received from the Solicitor-General by some members of the Board, in which he stated that the Board of Governors'were liable to the contractors ; and what with architects' fees. &c, the amount would be greater than many were aware of. He was thankful to hear that the Government were going to re-vote on the supplementary estimates the amount for building the Public Library, and he sincerely trusted the Government would see their way to place the £BOOO for the erection of the College also on the estimates. The Bev Mr Eraser said that if the College had to continue another year without new class rooms the ill effect must be felt, as there was only one room in the Public Library where classes could meet. The Hon Mr Buckley said the whole matter seemed now to have resolved itself into the question of the College, but the very important point of the site for the College had not been touched upon by the deputation, and it was this point that had no doubt been the cause of the delay in the erection of the College.

The Rev Mr Fraser said that the Government held a letter from the Board of Governors, stating in distinct terms that the Board preferred the Domain site, but in the event of that being refused, and the Worcester street site being decided upon, they asked for a sum of £4IOO to procure a sufficient enlargement of it. He did not think more could be asked of the Board lhan the opinion thus given. One great argument for the favorable consideration of the Government towards this vote was, that the erection of the College had been delayed to allow o! the Government and Provincial

Council expressing their opinion as to which would be the most suitable site for it.

Mr Potts said that the position of the professors was by no means a pleasant one, as they felt their position depended upon an annual vote of the Council. If the grant of lands made to the College was conveyed over, this uncertainty would be disposed of. With regard to the additions to the Museum, the Board would be made liable for heavy expenses and damages. He trusted the vote for the College would be brought up again either by message from the Superintendent, or by slightly altering its name.

The Provincial Secretary, after referring to the uncertainty that seemed to prevail about the site for the College, said that the Government had looked at the Normal School, and failed to see that the rooms there would be unsuitable for lecture rooms for some of the professors. So far as Professor Bickerton was concerned, a sum of £2BOO had been voted for the erection of a theatre and rooms for him. The rooms in the Normal School were quite as large as some lecture rooms he had attended in Paris, and he thought would answer for all the professors but the Professor of Chemistry. Of course the Government regretted that the £BOOO had not been passed by the Provincial Council. The Bev Mr Praser observed that the rooms at the Norntal School were long enough, but not high enough. In reply to the Hon Mr Buckley a member of the deputation remarked that the Normal School would be unsuitable even for temporary use as a College. Mr Buckley continued to say that if the question of site were not first determined, it might involve a much greater expense than the £BOOO, as possibly an amount would have to be also voted for the purchase of land. It would first have to be settled where the College was to be built before they could go down to the Counoil and ask them to vote a sum for its erection. Mr Cowlishaw said the Government seemed hardly to undei stand this matter. There was enough land on the site referred to in the Board's letter for the College, but they were anxious to get more.

The President of the Executive said that with regard to the grant of lands which had been referred to, these lands could not be reserved from sale; but after sales were made, the proceeds had to be applied to the purpose for which the lands had been reserved. This seemed now to resolve itself into a legal question, and the Government were not prepared at the present time to give an opinion upon it. Of himself, he thought the College would be entitled to the money if the lands were sold, but not to have the lands reserved from sale. He was not in a position just then to state the terms on which the reserves were made.

Mr Cowlishaw said that legally speaking the lands were reserved from sale at the present time, but if applications were made for them permission to sell would have to be obtained from the Provincial Council:

The],Secretary for Public Works said that from all he had heard from the deputation he did not see any freßh matter that could be brought down to the Provincial Council as an argument to pass the £BOOO for the erection of a College. From what had been said about the rooms at the Normal school he thought they would suit as lecture rooms for all the professors but one, and a sum of money had been voted for the erection of suitable rooms for that gentleman. The President (Sir O. Wilson) said that before the deputation retired he would like to say that he would be very sorry to see a building put up on any piece of ground which would not be suitable for a permanent College. What action the Government had taken with respect to this question he could hardly tell them, as it might go forth to the public. As a man whose college associations at Oxford had extended over three years, and from his actions here in this direction, they might believe he took a very great interest in the cause of educationdn all its branches, and the deputation might depend that the Government would leave no stone unturned to further the establishment of a College appropriate to the province of Canterbury. The deputation then retired.