1907:] London Standards 



solution now would be to develop at Christchurch or 

 Dunedin a school of advanced study and research to 

 which the three other colleges could become feeders. 



In the matter of examinations the Dominion might 

 easily break with tradition. But very recently Sir 

 Robert has issued a report in which he defends the 

 present practice of maintaining in New Zealand stand- 

 ards identical with those already set in London. For 

 the University Colleges were founded with that 

 understanding, ajid in his judgment there seems no 

 reason to change to a system less definite and fixed. 



The fear lest something done in New Zealand along Undue 

 the line of education might awaken criticism at home ■^^"^'^^'"^^- 

 was illustrated in the case of Dr. James M. Bell, the "''' 

 efficient and scholarly Dominion geologist, now 

 resident in London. Bell is a Canadian, a graduate of 

 the excellent Queen's College at Kingston, and a 

 Doctor of Philosophy from Harvard, where he was 

 for a time instructor. In connection with his official 

 duties at Wellington, it was once arranged that he 

 should lecture on Geology at Victoria College without 

 pay. The invitation was nevertheless withdrawn by 

 the college authorities when they found that he had 

 done no teaching except in an American university; 

 the reputation of their little college demanded 

 British credentials! 



Yet New Zealand has produced, or secured, her 

 share of distinguished scholars — quite as many in 

 proportion as the University of London. In Welling- 

 ton I met a young Scot, Dr. Richard C. Maclaurin, a Madaurin 

 man of marked ability, then lately called from 

 Cambridge as professor of Law at Victoria College. 

 But finding that he had very few students — there 

 being barely a hundred of collegiate rank — he took 



c 235 : 



