3

£.—7

of £2,000. Otago University has attached to it Medical and Dental Schools and a School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering; Canterbury College has a School of Engineering (mechanical, electrical, and civil); Auckland University College has a School of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering and a School of Commerce; while the grant, to Victoria College is intended to enable it to specialize in law and science YVhile the University Colleges thus perform the actual teaching work, the University exercises most important functions in regulating the scope of the degree examinations, in appointing examiners, in awarding scholarships, in conferring degrees, and in many other directions. At the outset it was the policy of the University Senate to appoint outside examiners for most of its degree examinations; generally speaking, this is still its policy, with the result that the University Colleges, having their programme of work-strictly defined by the statutes of the University, and having the work of their students examined in England and elsewhere, possess very little freedom in extending or modifying their curriculum. The standard of matriculation is to be raised in the December, 191.1, examinations, and is now defined as that which may reasonably be expected from students who have completed a four-years course at a secondary school. The result will undoubtedly be that, while the number of matriculated students may decrease, the standard of work taught at the University will be considerably raised. There can be little doubt that, in the past, the University College was forced to cover much of the ground which was rightly the province of the secondary school. During the year the Senate had under consideration proposals for the modification of the courses for the Arts and Science degrees. The question was referred to the Recess Committee, with power to consult Professorial Boards. At its annual meeting in January, 1911, the Senate considered the report of the Recess Committee and decided to postpone further consideration for a year, and to forward copies of the scheme in the meantime to the various Professorial Boards and Courts of Convocation for their advice thereon. It has been found necessary in two of the University Colleges to arrange that most of the lectures should be given in the evening. It is thus possible for a student engaged in office-work during the day to obtain a degree in Law or Arts, even to become a Master of Laws or a Master of Arts. Practical work . in Science diploma is generally done during the day, so it is a matter of difficulty for a student thus engaged to obtain a degree in Science. There can be no doubt that the standard of work in such cases must suffer; and the Senate has now decreed that a student working during the day cannot hold a University Scholarship. In addition to the four University Colleges there are several other institutions in the Dominion which are more or less of a professional character. The Canterbury Agricultural College is recognized as a School of Agriculture, and arrangements have been made with the New Zealand University whereby matriculated students attending that College for two years, and taking besides a year at one of the University Colleges, may, on passing the prescribed examination, be granted the degree of Bachelor of Agriculture. The four training colleges also may be regarded as professional schools. They are not affiliated with the New Zealand University, but they are in several ways directly connected with the University Colleges : a condition of entrance is the passing of the Matriculation Examination, attendance at some at least of the courses at the University College is compulsory, the Principal is, ex officio, the professor or lecturer in Education at the University College, and a member of the Professorial Board of each University College is a member of the Board of Advice of the Training College. Reference to Table M will show that there were 1,719 students actually in attendance at the four University Colleges, an increase of 28 over the number for the previous year. Of these, 81 were graduates, 1,275 w r ere undergraduates, and 363, or 21 per cent., were unmatriculated students. In addition to the matriculated students mentioned above, there were 143 students attached to the various University Colleges, but exempt from lectures—that is, they were prevented by distance or by the necessity of earning their living from attending lectures at the college, but were allowed to keep terms, except in certain science and professional subjects, by passing the annual college examination. Tt is