ANNUAL MEETING. 
459 
serted in that Charter which specially deprived the teachers 
of the power of in anyway acting or interfering as examiners 
of the pupils. Now, that was surreptitiously introduced. It 
Avas introduced Avithout the knoAvledge of his colleagues at 
that time, or of the governors of their institution, and he 
had, therefore, invariably complained of the Avant of confi¬ 
dence betAveen the members of this College and the governing 
bodies of the schools. The late Professor Dick had much to 
complain of Avith regard to the conduct of this Council to- 
Avards him. Had it not been for that conduct none of those 
disturbances Avhich subsequently folloAved in connection Avith 
that individual, Avhose name he spoke of Avith the highest 
degree of respect and reverence, Avould have arisen. Well, 
the clause having been put in the Charter, they must make 
the best of it. The Council had of late years done so; that 
Avas to say, they had rendered the teachers of the respective 
schools members of the Court of Examiners, so that they 
could sit and listen to the questions submitted to their pupils, 
and, in the event of a misunderstanding arising betAveen the 
examiners and the examined, Avere permitted to put them 
right. For instance, every examiner might have his OAvn 
special ideas upon certain subjects, and if those views Avere 
opposed to the teaching of the colleges then it Avas right on 
the part of the teacher to say, “ That young man has ansAvered 
your question in accordance Avith his teaching.” (Hear, hear.) 
He always received the greatest amount of courtesy from 
the gentlemen at Avhose table he sat. He thoroughly agreed 
Avith Professor Williams in the observations Avhich he had 
advanced. He Avas frequently in the country and met with 
veterinary practitioners, but he did not often meet with men 
Avho kept up their reading, and Avho Avere on a level with 
the science of the day, but he met Avith men Avho Avere im¬ 
bued Avith the greatest amount of practical experience and 
common-sense. They Avere not men Avho Avould be competent 
to sit at the Court of Examiners to examine a pupil as to 
efficiency in matters of science, and therefore it Avas, there 
being so few men Avho had filled the position of a teacher in 
the profession, that in the introduction of the clause into the 
Charter of Incorporation the members of the Council might 
be considered to have tied their OAvn hands, and deprived 
themselves of that useful assistance Avhich they might other- 
Avise have availed themselves of. 
Mr. Helmore said it appeared to he the almost unanimous 
desire that there should be a preliminary examination, and 
he thought the thanks of the body corporate Avere due to the 
teachers of the colleges for instituting one. He observed in 
