B.—B

Sess. 11.—1891. NEW ZEALAND.

EDUCATION: THE AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE. [In Continuation of E.-8, 1890.]

Presented in pursuance of Section 25 of "The Auckland University College Act, 1882."

Sir,— University College, Auckland, 31st March, 1891. In pursuance of section 25 of " The Auckland University College Act, 1882," the Council of the College has the honour to make the following report for the year 1890 : — 1. His Excellency the Governor in Council having being pleased, in exercise of power given by "The Special Powers and .Contracts Act, 1885," to authorise the transfer to the Council of this College of the allotment of land between the Supreme Courthouse, in Auckland, and the Beach Eoad as a site for University College buildings, the necessary alterations, repairs, and fittings in the buildings situate upon this ground (which were previously, for the most part, occupied by the Survey and Crown Lands Departments) have been made by the College Council at a cost of about £1,500. In the upper building, which is the largest, are located the College library, the lecturerooms of three Professors—viz., the Professor of Classics and English, the Professor of Mathematics, and the Professor of Biology and Geology-—and the laboratory of the last-mentioned department. The lowest building is occupied by the Professor of Chemistry and Experimental Physics. This building contains a large lecture-hall, which is occasionally utilised for the purpose of lectures given by other professors. These buildings being thus fully occupied, the lectures on music continue to be delivered chiefly in the Choral Hall, in Symonds Street; and the instruction in mechanical drawing is given, as before, to the University College classes in the school-building of the Auckland College and Grammar School, in Symonds Street. 2. The Council of the University College consists of eleven members, of whom two are ex officio —•viz., the Mayor of the City of Auckland and the Chairman of the Auckland Board of Education. Mr. J. H. Upton has been re-elected to be Mayor, and Mr. Eichard Udy is now the Chairman of that Board. Three are elected by the members of the General Assembly resident in the Provincial District of Auckland : these continue to be the Right Rev. "W. G. Cowie, D.D., Anglican Bishop of Auckland; Mr. Edwin Hesketh; and the Hon. Sir Frederick Whitaker, K.C.M.G., M.L.C. The three appointed by His Excellency the Governor in Council continue to be Mr. James Dilworth, the Hon. Colonel T. M. Haultain, and the Eev. Alexander Eeid. Pending the time when there should be thirty graduates of the University of New Zealand having their names on the books of the College, the three remaining members of the College Council were appointed by the Governor in Council. During the first half of the last year the number of such graduates amounted to thirty, and the first election by graduates was held, on which occasion two were elected—viz., Sir George Maurice O'Eorke, 8.A., to supply the ordinary vacancy caused by the lapse of time since his last appointment to the Council, and Mr. Joseph Giles, Resident Magistrate in Auckland, to supply a casual vacancy occasioned by his having become disqualified because 'of absence from meetings of the Council. The Hon. Daniel Pollen, M.L.C, continues to be a member. Sir Maurice O'Eorke has been, for the seventh time, re-elected Chairman of the Council, and Colonel Haultain, Vicechairman. 3. Dr. H. M. Posnett, the Professor of Classics and English, having, in October last, resigned that office from1 the end of the month of March ensuing, at which time his five years' engagement was to terminate, the Council., as on former occasions, solicited from the Government the favour of a request being conveyed to the Agent-General that he would* take steps for the selection of a successor in that professorship; and the Agent-General, Sir Francis Dillon Bell, has kindly consented, as before* :.to afford his ( highly-valued aid , for .that purpose. The other Professors and Lecturers are the same as stated in the last report.