Notes from Other Colleges.

Auckland College.

We are glad again to write to Otago about our University, because we still write out of the midst of the glowing enthusiasm for all College life and institutions that we mentioned in our last letter. This has been largely stimulated by the Capping Ceremony, which we managed to celebrate in some fashion, despite the afternoon function of the Senate, which was, of course, the essence of dignity, tho' the Chancellor at its conclusion did invite us to sing "Gaudeamus." But on a previous evening we held, under the patronage of the Council, a very successful gathering of friends of the University in the College buildings, where after a classical concert, speeches, side shows, a programme of students' songs was gone through. The buildings were crowded with visitors, and the celebration did a little more to remove the prevailing page 98 but now fast vanishing impression that the College is moribund. [unclear: This] is a subject that a penny-a-liner, that goes by the name of "Mahara," is never tired of writing about to our leading paper. For the last [unclear: year] he has been doing what he can to harm the University, by taking [unclear: the] barest figures of exam, results, and building conclusions on them; [unclear: but] tho' we hate the paltry criticisms of the man, we thrive in spite [unclear: of] it.

Perhaps the most important suggestion that has come before [unclear: un] lately is a proposal that was mooted at a College Council meeting [unclear: of] the establishment of a boarding house near the 'Varsity buildings, [unclear: in] which students could live under one roof, and so obtain some of [unclear: th] benefits of a Residential College. Of course the house would be [unclear: merely] a private one to which the Council would extend its patronage, [unclear: bu] there is no doubt that its institution would be a great boon. [unclear: Th] founding of a 'Varsity Club is also freely discussed among the [unclear: student] and we shall doubtless hear more of this matter.

The Debating Society and the Girls' Korero Club are wending [unclear: thei] quiet way through satisfactory sessions, and our Football Club [unclear: ha] proved itself very much alive. The team regularly meets for [unclear: practic] on a ground near the College, and we have had matches nearly [unclear: every] Saturday. Some weeks ago we journeyed to Thames for our [unclear: annu] match with the School of Mines. Their team included three if [unclear: no] five interprovincial players, but we got off with only a potted goal [unclear: t] our debit. In most of our other matches we have been successful, [unclear: an] the interest that the club has inspired in the whole body of [unclear: students] shown by the fact that several of them always journey with the [unclear: tea] for its support, and that on two occasions our drag has been accompanied by another full of 'Varsity girls.

The 'Varsity ball was a great success, all the dancers and all [unclear: th] papers speaking in most enthusiastic tones of its management. [unclear: There] was a slight deficit when the balance-sheet was made out, but owing [unclear: to] the promptitude of the guarantors, that did not last for long. [unclear: On] good feature of the ball was that the Professors and their wives [unclear: act] on the Committee, and contributed in very large measure to the [unclear: succe] of the function.

We are now looking forward to another Association [unclear: meetin] where an attempt will be made to secure the admittance of [unclear: no] matriculated students to the privileges of membership, and where [unclear: the] will be suggested some plan to amalgamate all College institutions [unclear: wi] the Association, and to make membership of all dependent on [unclear: o] subscription.