THE WELLINGTON COLLEGE.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXI, Issue 4874, 4 November 1876, Page 3

THE WELLINGTON COLLEGE.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE NEW ZEALAND TIMES. Sib, —As your leading article in this day’s issue is entirely at variance with fact, and is besides calculated to do serious harm to the Wellington College, if not contradicted, X ask leave to state that the annual University grant of £3OO will be discontinued, not as regards the Wellington College only, but also as regards the other affiliated institutions of _ Auckland and Kelson, and not because of their inability to supply certain instruction, but simply in terms of the 27th clause of the University Act of 1874, which provides that the annual grant,as above, is not to be continued longer than for three years from the passing of the said Act, of which- term there is still about ten months to run. The Senate of,the University, have never yet expressed the slightest dissatisfaction with the mode in which the requirements of the regulations are complied with by the Wellington College, the standard of work done by the higher classes of the College, as in the case of all Grammar Schools of any efficiency, being quite equal to the requirements of a pass examination for a degree, either at the University of 'New Zealand or at any of the English Universities. I may also state that there are now three University' students attending the College who will go up for their ■ first I>. A. examination in 1877, and it is surely premature to infer that they must necessarily fail to pass ; besides whom there are three others undergoing the University course, who will go up for the same examination in 1878. With reference to the charge “ that the provincial vote of £SOO has been frittered away in augmentation of existing salaries, instead of being expended in procuring additional lecturers,” I have only, to say that the vote in question was passed expressly in aid of the salaries of existing masters, and was and is distributed by the provincial authorities themselves, the governors of the College having nothing whatever to do with it. I have, written the above in anticipation of -the usual monthly meeting of the governors on Monday next, thinking it advisable that as little time as possible should be lost in setting the public right in a matter of so vital importance to the > welfare of■ the institution.—l am, &c., Charles C. Graham, Secretary. Wellington College, November 3. ' [We gave the matter referred to by our correspondent as a rumor; but when Mr. Graham says that the article is entirely at variance with fact,” he immediately contradicts himself, for we learn that the grant will be dis : continued. Our objection to affiliated grammar schools applies equally to them all. As for the satisfaction or dissatisfaction of the Senate, we have already made it clear that we have no belief in the wisdom thereof; and when Mr. Graham states that the . work done by the higher classes of the College is quite equal to the requirements of a pass examination for a degree “at any of the English Universities,” we have, with regard to London, to give him a flat contradiction, and with regard to ‘ Oxford and Cambridge, though the standard is low, we have to say we do not believe his assertion. Again, it is easy to devote the time of the masters to young persons reading for the University examinations, but this course will certainly be mischievous to the school as such. Mr. Graham again contradicts himself when he admits that the vote of £SOO was actually spent in supplementing the salaries of the masters; the proceeding was equally discreditable by whomsoever done, and we shall take care, if possible, that no such misapplication of public money shall again take place. It will be recollected that on the occasion referred to of the 'distribution of the £SOO amongst the masters three of the governors resigned.—Ed. N.Z. Times.]