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38

provinces in which such reserves are situate, in such manner as the General Assembly may from time to time determine." The reserves in Auckland had been proclaimed in the Gazette of the 9th January, 1873; but in 1874 the AttorneyGeneral gave it as his opinion that the Proclamation was informal, and in 1875 the University Reserves Act was passed, by which it was enacted that the reserves were to bo deemed as having been made on the 9th January, 1873, As to the application of these reserves, the words of the Act of 1875 are as follows : " Shall be dealt with in the manner prescribed in the last paragraph of the 30th section of ' The New Zealand University Act, 1874,' for promoting higher education in the province in which such reserves arc situate, in such manner as the General Assembly may from time to time determine." The Solicitor-General has lately given an opinion to the effect that these words render it necessary for the General Assembly to give direction as to the manner in which the reserves are to be dealt with, as well as the manner in which the proceeds shall be applied. In any case, therefore, the reserves will lie useless, and may be a hindrance to the development of the resources of the country, until the passing of a new Act; and we are of opinion that the proposals we have made in the draft Bill arc in full accord with the spirit of all previous legislation on this subject. The endowment of the University of Otago consists of the Southland Reserve, ' already referred to, and 200,000 acres of pastoral land in Otago, let at an annual ' rental of £2,755 14s. Id., with a "probable income from renewed tenancy " of £5,000. There is also the college site of about eight acres, part of which may be let for building frontages; and there is an endowment for the Museum, producing an annual income of £91(5 13s. 4d., of which one-tenth is to be paid to the Athenaeum. There is no question as to the legal status of these endowments, nor as to the legitimacy of their administration. The cost of the University buildings (about £34,000) was partly defrayed from the proceeds (£27,000) of the sale of a site and building presented by the Provincial Government of Otago. The remainder of the cost constitutes a debt, which is the cause of some temporary embarrassment, and hinders the development of the University as a school of science and learning. The Public Museum, which has been placed under the management of the University, was erected by the provincial authorities at a cost of £13,000. Two chairs in the University are maintained out of certain educational funds administered by the Otago Presbyterian Church Property Board. The Board of Governors of Canterbury College is entrusted with the care of several important institutions, and holds valuable endowments particularly devoted to their maintenance. The College proper is endowed with 11 acres of town land and 8,953 acres of rural land, originally reserved for a classical school, the rental being £1,769 Is. Gd., to increase under present lease to £2,496 13s. 6d.; and with 100,603 acres of pastoral land, let for £1,006 os. 7d. per annum, and increasing to £1,880 14s. lid. per annum. T.he original reserve was larger by 1,037 acres, which have been sold for £2,074. • The College buildings, including laboratory and apparatus, were provided by the Provincial Government at a cost of above £12,000. A wing has since been added to the College, at a cost of between £4,000 and £5,000, drawn from the proceeds of sale of reserves, in accordance with " The Canterbury Educational Reserves Sale and Leasing Act, 1876." There is a reserve of 92,938 acres, let for £929 7s. 7d., increasing to £1,516 os. Bd., for a school of technical science; and, in addition to this, 12,269 acres formerly included in the reserve have been sold for £24,538. The proceeds of this reserve are partially applicable to the maintenance of the Museum, and the Public Library has also a claim upon them. The Museum was built at the expense of the province, and cost over £21,000. The Public Library was built in the same way, at a cost of £4,000. There is another reserve, of 61,692 acres, let for £566 18s. 5d., increasing to £1,225 17s. 3d., for the Agricultural School; and the sum of £78,516 has been received as the proceeds of the sale of 39,258 acres, formerly included in this reserve. We have not included in this statement properties unlet, which are expected to produce £92 a year for the College and £25 a year for the Agricultural School. The College reserves are all open to purchase precisely as if they were still Avaste lands of the Crown, Referring to the sale of parts of these

Ofcago University. Appx. to Journals H.of E.,5e53.11., 1879, C.-3, p. 13. Int. llep., Appx., pp. 24, 25.

Canterbury Appsfto Journals H.of 8./Sesß.ll., pp'^'jo^ 3 ' int. Bep— 3493 Appi., p. 9.