THE UNIVERSITIES.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 22, 24 June 1871, Page 3

THE UNIVERSITIES.

The following resolutions have been adopted by the Council of the Otago University:— As the time in which an amalgamation of the Universities under the Act of 1870 could have taken place has expired, and as it is desirable that steps should be taken towards effecting a union having an especial regard to the efficient local administration of the University at Dunedin, and the security of the endowments of the University of Otago, it is resolved—

1. That an act of the General Assembly should be obtained enabling the New Zealand University and the Otago University to unite. 2. That the University of Otago shall have power to nominate as members of the Council of the New Zealand University one-third of the members constituting the same, whatever the number of such Council may be, which shall not be-less than 39.

3. That these members, together with any other members residing or present in Otago, shall be entrusted, under the direction of the Council, with the local administration of the University at Dunedin. 4. That should another or other Universities be established elsewhere in New Zealand, the University shall retain its present buildings and the landed endowments which has been provided by the province, and shall participate in any endowments already made, or which may hereafter be made, from out of the Consolidated Revenue of the colony, in such proportion as the population of Otago shall bear to the European population of New Zealand.

5. That all the engagements and contracts entered into the Council shall be binding on the new University.

6. That the members referred to in resolution 3 shall be constituted a corporation, with power to act in reference to the covenants.

7. That the province of Otago having endowed the Dunedin University with an estate, containing 100,000 acres, it should be exempted from any further alienation of land under the “ New Zealand University Act, 1808.”

8. That the transfer of this estate and of the university building shall be contingent on, and be made simultaneously w T ith, the issue of Ciwn Grants to the New Zealand University for those lands which it is authorised to take under the Endowment Act; and that such transfer and issue shall be within six months from the date of the prorogation of the next session of the General Assembly. The following resolutions, moved by the Bishop of Christchurch, have been carried in the sub committee of the New Zealand University Council:—

That whereas the Council has affirmed that arrangements should be made by which one university alone should exist in New Zealand, with affiliated colleges ; this Council earnestly recommends that the University of Otago should be affiliated to or brought into union with the University of New Zealand, with full control over its endowments, and over those which may hereafter be conferred on it from out of the consolidated revenue of the colony. That the University of Otago thus affiliated should have, under the direction of its own Council, the local administration of the Otago University, and that the members of the said Council be constituted a corporation. That the power of conferring degrees rest with the University of New Zealand alone, and that arrangements be made with the affiliated College or University of Otago, under which its professors and tutors may form a part of the board of examiners.