THE OPAKU RESERVE.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume XXXXII, Issue 193, 1 September 1900, Page 2

THE OPAKU RESERVE.

TO THE EDITOR. Sib,—lf Mr. Mackay has misunderstood you, I think you havo in your turn misunderstood Mr. Mackay. The position he took up, I take it, if, not that he objects to the money arising from the Opakii Reserve beiog devoted to university purposes, but that he thicks the money should be applied, as was intended by the Act, to the furtherance of higher education among the people of Taranaki. If the money is to be expended in founding scholarships which will give Taranaki youths a chance of attending Victoria College, how will the latter sufler? Mr, Mackay evidently fears that, if Wellington gets hold of the money it will be expended, not in scholarships, but in tho erection of a costly building, which' is not needed. If that is his idea, I think he is quite right. You refer to the fact that Mr. Mackay is an M.A. He graduated, I believe, at Aberdeen University. Now, it is a well-known fact that a large number of the students at that as at all Scotch Universities, are poor lads from the country, who make almost incredible sacrifices to obtain a university training. Mr. Mackay is no doubt bearing that in mind, and is doing all he can to help, as far as possible, the children of the struggling settlers of Taranaki in their efforts tu obtain tho advantages of higher education.—l am, etc., Bakblox. [We have not misunderstood Mr. Mackay, and contend that the proper equipment and efficiency of Victoria College is as much the concern of Taranaki as of Wellington. The suggestion which Mr. Mackay takes so much exception to is, in our opinion, calculated to promote this.—Ed.]