THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY.

Southland Times, Issue 1170, 24 November 1869, Page 3

THE OTAGO UNIVERSITY.

(Abridged from the Daily Times)

At a meeting of the Council of the University of Otago, held on the 10th inst., the Eev. Dr Burns was elected Chancellor, and the hon. Major Richardson, Vice Chancellor, Mr Strode being appointed hon. Treasurer, and Mr Hislop hon. Seci'etary. A letter was read from liis Honor the Superintendent, from which we make the following extracts : — " Enclosed herewith is forwarded for your iuformation, copy of a letter addressed to me on behalf of the Presbyterian Synod of Otago and Southland, to the effect that the Synod is prepared to endow one chair in the University. I have reason to hope that, at no distant date, the Trust Estate out of which this endowment will be provided, may suffice to support an additional chair. " I also enclose copies of grant of 100,000 acres of land, which have been vested in me by the Crown, in trust for the purposes of the University. At the present time this estate is held under lease by pastoral tenants of the Crown. The amount of assessment on stock being depastured on the estate during the current year is £L 331 13, which sum will be at the disposal of the University when required. " I may observe that of the abovenamed sum £824 14s 4d was paid by Messrs Low and M'Gregor, and that these gentlemen offered to pay a fixed rental of £1400 a year instead, provided their period of tenure is extended. "An ordinance will be submitted to the Provincial Council at its next session to enable the estate, as also the New Post Office Building, to be vested in the University Council." A sub-committee having been appointed to arrange a plan of proceedings, the following resolutions were adopted : — 1. The chairs, as agreed to by the Council, were : — Mental and Moral Philosophy, to include Political Economy, in accordance with the endowments of the Synod of Otago and Southland, Classics, including Greek, Latin, and English language and literature ; Mathematics and Natural Philosophy. 2. The salaries for the two last mentioned chairs to be £600 per annum, with fees, to accrue from date of embarkation.

3. The sum of £150, for passagemoney and outfit, to be allowed to each of the two professors appointed by the University. 4. That candidates be graduates of some established and recognised University. . 5. That advertisements be inserted in the Home and Colonial newspapers, and that applications, with testimonials and certificates, be addressed to the agents of the Province of Otago in Britain, or to the Secretary of the Council in Dunedin. 6. That the selection of professors be made by the Council itself. 7. That the fees shall be three guineas per term to each professor. 8. That the terras to be kept be for six months each year, commencing in the beginning of May. 9. That the professors be each empowered to select books to the value of £50, to be obtained through the Government agent, such books to form the nucleus of the University Library. 10. That the mathematical professor be empowered to expend £200 in the purchase of scientific apparatus necessary for the natural philosophy class. 11. That the thanks of the Council be forwarded to His Honor the Superintendent for his communication and kind offer of services. m # 12. That a sub- committee, consisting of Messrs Reynolds, Graham, and Cargill, be appointed to take into consideration the extension of the lease to Messrs Low aad M'Grregor, and the subject of revenue generally. 13. That a sub-committee be appointed to superintend the correspondence with the home agents as to advertisements for candidates* and informing them of the views of the Council. Also, to take steps for obtaining a seal for the University ; to reply on behalf of the Council to the Factor of the Church Trustees of the Otago and Southland Synod, and to carry out the foregoing resolutions generally. 14. That a communication be addressed to the Government recommending an alteration in the University Ordinance, section 5, so that the quorum for the future might be reduced to six. 15. That the Bank of New Zealand be the Bank of the Council.