NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

Southland Times, Issue 1026, 23 September 1868, Page 2

NEW ZEALAND UNIVERSITY.

(TO THB EDITOR OF THE SOUTHLAND TDOS). Sib,— One of the most importanfcquestions that have received attention during the present session of the General Assembly, is the desirability pf establishing a New Zealand University, or providing for a number of Scholarships in one' of the English Universities. There cannot be two opinions that this ia a subject of great, moment. The education of the rising generation should ever be one of the first considerations with an enlightened people. The settlers in this colony have from its first foundation given evidence of a desireto train young New Zealand . as highly as possible— -to educate the youthful with care and liberality. : The question that has long been debated, and is still undecided, is, can students in New Zealand acquire the ' same amount of information in the colony, as they would if. ■ sent home to finish their studies ? I believe that Scholastic Institutions do exist little inferior to the best training schools in England. The Nelson, and the Christcturch Colleges, and the High School of Dunedin are educational establishments of which any country : might be proud. Still there v something wanting. .-.. These institutions are Provincial, with no power to confer degrees, and no recognised position. What is wanted is a Colonial College or TJmvefsity. " -~ r . ./' r The colony is not prepared io adequately endow a University, and obtain for it an Imperial charter. But it may be able to establish a Colonial College, cosmopolitan in its constitution, ana perfect in its working. This is what is most required.. The system of sending 'the young men of the colony sixteen thousand miles away from all the ties and restraints of parental authority, is bad in principle, and has 'proved vicious in practice. .'■''. It ~> tlirows them at the most, critical ; period of their life among strangers, with no watchful eye upon^ them ; and with no one near to take c/ognisance of their conduct, r they migfit^in into follies, which, Jrom a feeling v of affection, would bet avoided if in the society of family and friends. It is almost Utopian to suppose that more than one in ten would pursue 1 a course of study with the steadiness he would if within a reasonable distance of his relatives and friends., Again, it should be the aim of parents, while desiring to keep green in. the hearts of their children a veneration for the Home country, to foster a feeling of nationality, a love and respect for the land of their birth. For these reasons I think that the proposal for the. Government to either found a University/ or purchase English scholarships is open to grave objection. The object sought to be obtained, can, I- believe, be obtained without sending, the most promising of our native youth for years to a distant land, subjecting them to , temptation the most pernicious, and weaning their ' 'affections from home and country ? The establishment of a colonial college-is much to be desired. A university is more a Board of Examiners' than a school for instruction ; it certainly possesses the powers of conferring degrees, but such degrees can be obtained without the student being trained within the bounds of such institutions.- = •■"■" S^;O:\ i? • ■ ■ . ?- The ' Press,' in -an article upon this i subject says :r— " The :■: - University of London has for Borne time acquired recognition in the halls of Oxford and - Cambridge as no unworthy, rival of their ancient honors, And for some few years past that University has sent out its examination -papers under proper safe guard to more than one The Governor of New Zealaid would in no wise delegate from his 'high ; oific}» in applying to the present CbanceUorJpi' the university to have the papers transmitted to this colony. The conditions necessary to prevent undue facilities could be arranged here with the same ease as elsewhere. Our students would give their answers in presence of responsible officers, and on the return of the papers to England they would be referred to the same examiners who report on the papers of

the English students, and if satisfactory would obtain the same degrees. On the whole, then, we think the sufficienb course for the present, and the best for some time to come, would be to found a New Zealand College. "We might ensure good inch for our professors by sending over the iiecessary powers of appointment to tfie authorities of some recognised institution in England. The prefessors at Melhourne, if we mistake not, were in the first instance appointed by the Senate of University College, London, comprising such names as De Morgan, Sharpey, and Key, and we believe the authorities have never had any reason to regret the course they pursued." — I am, &c, ■' . • > :i ... -- . Obsebyer. invercargill; 22nd September.