ROYAL COLLEGE OF VETERINARY SURGEONS. 137 
were of value in other respects. It might so happen that 
only one night would be required for the examinations* 
and in one sense that would be an advantage to the College* 
but on the other hand it would give the examiners a great 
deal of trouble to come up to the examination at an inclement 
season of the year. He did not see that there was any very 
powerful argument in favour of dispensing with the Christmas 
examinations. With regard to the increase of the fees, he 
Avas of opinion that if the time were propitious it would 
be a very judicious step to take* but he had reason to feel 
that the present would be a very improper time to make 
such an alteration. In many respects they were* both in 
England and Scotland, in a state of transition* which* perhaps* 
in a short time might come to an end* and then the time 
would arrive when a fair discussion might take place and an 
alteration be made, with the consent of all the schools* for in 
this matter it was necessary to have that consent. 
Professor Brown said he regarded the question of the 
expense of the Christmas examinations as very insignificant* 
and probably the loss would be altogether got rid of if the 
balance for the entire year were taken* but one important 
point connected with the subject was this. When a candi¬ 
date was rejected it was assumed that there was always a 
very good reason for the rejection* and it was exceedingly 
desirable that a candidate once rejected should not again 
present himself until he had had an opportunity of passing 
through another complete course of study. On this ground* 
and on the assumption that there was only one sessional 
course of study at the College* he was altogether in favour 
of holding the examinations only once a year. With reference 
to raising the fees* he should certainly have been prepared to 
support a motion in its favour* had it not been for what 
Mr. Wilkinson had just stated. If* from his special sources 
of information* Mr. Wilkinson was aware that the proceeding 
would be objectionable to the schools at present* and would 
probably interfere with the amicable feeling existing between 
the two sections of the Board, that would probably be quite 
sufficient to induce Mr. Broad at present to refrain in that 
particular. At the next quarterly meeting it would be his 
duty to ask the Council to allot certain moneys in order that 
he might have an opportunity of testing the candidates in 
practical pharmacy and dispensing. As the matter now stood* 
he had only about five minutes’ conversation with each 
pupil* during which time he was supposed to be able to 
ascertain whether or not he was competent, and he should 
therefore ask for a small grant of money to enable him to 
