E.—B

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It is with regret that the death of Mr. Chrystall, a member of the Board, has to be reported, and also that of the Hon. H. B. Gresson, a former Chairman. At the ordinary election of the Board in June last, Mr. R. Westenra, after a service of fifteen and a-half years, declined to seek re-election ; as also did Mr. C. S. Howard, who was elected in July, 1897. Professor T. G. B. Blunt, M.A., &c, entered upon the duties of the chair of modern languages on the 24th August last. The work had, since the commencement of the session, been performed by Mr. C. V. 0. The thanks of the Board were given to the Agent-General for the valuable assistance rendered by him in London in connection with the appointment of the new professor. Mr. Dendy, the professor of biology, obtained leave of absence for the year 1902 to proceed to England. In his absence the classes will be conducted by Dr. Chilton, who resigned his seat on the Board with a view to take up the work. The professorial staff has been deprived, by death, of the services of Mr. G. F. Tendall, Mus. Bac. Oxon., who, since the year 1891, held the position of lecturer in music. Music.—The usual lectures in music were delivered during the session, until the death, on the 25th October, of the late lecturer, Mr. G. P. Tendall; subsequently the annual examination was conducted by Mr. H. Wells. There was a large increase of candidates for the examination in music of the Associated Board of the Eoyal Academy of Music and the Eoyal College of Music. Ninety-five candidates sat for the various theoretical examinations in June, of whom eighty-four passed. The practical examinations were conducted in October by Mr. H. W. Eichards, Mus. Bac, 144 candidates presented themselves, and of these 117 succeeded in passing. The following are the totals as compared with last year : 1900—Examined, 92; passed, 65. 1901—Examined, 239 ; passed, 201. The gold medal given to the highest honours candidate in the local centre examinations in Canterbury was gained by Miss Lillian A. Pattrick; and the silver medal, to the next highest honours candidate, was won by Miss Iris C. Edgar. Mr. Eichards reported on the practical examinations as follows : " The candidates have acquitted themselves quite as well as at any centre in which I have examined in Australasia. The standard of the Associated Board is a high one, and is exactly the same as that adopted in England. Bearing this in mind the results have been most satisfactory. I hope it is not necessary to impress on the candidates at Christchureh (as it has been elsewhere) that gaining the senior certificates does not mean that their musical education has finished. It ought rather to be regarded as the starting-point from which to begin the study of the works of the great masters." Exempted Students.—ln addition to the usual examination of students exempted from attendance at lectures held at Christchureh, similar examinations were also held at Timaru and Wangamii. The number of those examined at a distance from Christchureh continues to exhibit a falling-off, as shown in the figures attached : 1897, 51; 1898, 56; 1899, 23 ; 1900, 6 ; 1901, 5. The following table shows the number of matriculated and non-matriculated students who have attended lectures since the year 1890, to date :— Matriou- Non-Matriou- Matriou- Non-Matriou-lated. lated. Total. lated. lated. Total. 1890 ... 151 116 267 1896 ... 150 66 216 1891 ... 172 177 349 1897 ... 144 73 217 1892 ... 186 159 345 1898 ... 131 56 187 1893 ... 182 158 340 1899 ... 117 65 182 1894 ... 185 141 326 1900 ... 125 93 218 1895 ... 177 130 307 1901 ... 148 72 220 Qniveesity Extension Lectubes.—The Committee received applications from thirteen persons who were desirous to assist in this work by lecturing. Of these no less than seven were or had been either engaged on the teaching staff of colleges in New Zealand, or had already done work as extension lecturers at Home. Four had taken honours or an equivalent certificate at the New Zealand University or at Home, and two were students of promise in their subjects. The subjects offered comprised literature and language of England, France, and Germany, ancient and modern history, applied chemistry, general botany, agricultural botany, biology, and a class in elementary physiology for women only. The fees were fixed at £21 for a course of six lectures, and £40 for a course of twelve. As the lectures were distinctly understood not to be popular lectures, but to involve real hard work on the part of both lecturer and class, and as each lecture was to consist of two hours, one devoted to lecturing and the other to discussion and answering of questions, &c, it was felt tha.t really capable lecturers could not be offered less than the above fees to leave their regular work and give up valuable time for this purpose. It is to be regretted that at present no applications have been made for the services of the lecturers. The committee are still making inquiries, and hope to establish lectures. It must be, however, distinctly understood that university extension lectures, wherever given, either at Home or in the colonies, have been subject to two conditions: (1) They should not be "popular" lectures; (2) They should be self-supporting. College Lectuees.-—The number of students attending each lecture during the term of 1901 was as follows :— Classics. —Pass Latin: Translation, 30; Composition, 25; teachers' class, 11. Honours Latin, 4. Greek: Translation, 1; composition, 1. English Literature and Language. —Pass Lectures : History and structure of the English language, 24; Anglo-Saxon and Middle English, 21; literature and set books, 37; essay class, 29. Honours Lectures: Anglo-Saxon and Middle English, 7; philology, 4; literature and set books, 6. English History. —Pass history of England, 19 ; honours, European history, 0.