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Notes from Other Colleges.

"The Canterbury College Act 1896 Amendment Act 1908" a Bill introduced before Parliament this season provides, inter alia, for a Rector of the College to undertake the duties of the American University President. He will administer to the "social, moral and physical welfare" of the students and will guide them in their "choice of a business or profession and subjects to be taken up." The wisdom of such an appointment seems undoubted, and the creation of a similar Rectorship at Victoria College should at once make for the amelioration of certain existing conditions.

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Notwithstanding the close proximity of the examination season, the Canterbury College students have been leavening their labours with occasional intervals of relaxation. On 30th August the annual "olla Podrida" of the Debating Society was held. The competition for the best original composition was won by Miss G. Wilson, with a clever miscellany of prose and verse, whilst the best impromptu speech was made by a male student who cleverly discussed "That there is a woman's hair in every pie" at five minutes' notice. A College sports meeting on a recent Wednesday afternoon, at which wrestling and an interfaculty tug-of-war were innovations, attracted a large attendance. On 5th September the Glee Club with an active membership of some forty vocalists and assisted by the Operatic Society Orchestra, made a successful initial appearance. The Tennis Club has already commenced active operations and the page 82 Men's Singles Championship is to be decided at once. Some anxiety is felt by the Club regarding the future of its courts, as the new Chemical Laboratory is to be reared on their present time-honoured site.

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Auckland U.C. seem to have the best record this year as far as football in the 'Varsity is concerned. It was their first season in Senior ranks and they finished in third position, their record being:—

Matches played 7, won 2, drawn 2, lost 3, points for 24 against 66. Wilson has represented Auckland in all A Representative matches while Gray brothers, Bamford and Wilkes found places in the B team.

C.C.F.C. 1st XV.'s record this season is not brilliant. Matches played 10, won2, lost 8, points for 53 against 210.

Otago University's record is equally hopeless. Matches played 12, won 4, lost 8, points 79 against 104.

Canterbury College's record does not include their win against the holders of the wooden spoon in N.Z. Senior Football, to wit, Victoria College.

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A.U.C. Hockey Club's First XI. finished second in the Senior competition at Auckland. Three of the team played for the Auckland representatives. O.U. First XI. have had a successful season; eight of them were included in the Otago representatives while the club was successful in winning the five-a-side championship of Dunedin.

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At attempt was made at A.U.C. to form a Volunteer Corps, but as very few of the Auckland students are lacking in foresight or common sense, the support given was found insufficient to warrant definite steps and the matter is in abeyance. No Volunteer Corps or Rifle Club has been formed at Canterbury College, but we understand that the Premier has been interviewed and that a petition has been sent to the Government respecting concessions obtainable.

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The A.U.C. Cricket Club has between forty and fifty members including nine men who are Senior cricketers in Aucklan. The Club has been admitted to the District scheme in vogue in Auckland and a team has been entered in each of the first three grades.

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Three former V.C. students appear to be taking their share in College life at Otago University. Miss Dulcie Williams is secretary of the Ladies' Hockey Club, George Gower is a member of the students' Executive and secretary of the Tennis Club, and J. A. Ryburn (of "the class by himself") is club and field captain of the Hockey Eleven, and also captain of the Otago Representatives.

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The Canterbury College cross-country championship was run on the 12th September. The course is about six miles—four miles flat and two hilly—there is one river to cross, and eight creeks and numerous fences have also to be negotiated. There were nineteen starters all of whom finished, G. S. Mackenzie, who had six minutes' handicap, arriving home first. The fastest time was put up by L. A. Dougall, who covered the distance in 35 minutes 5 seconds, beating his own record for the distance, made last year, by 1 minute 51 seconds.

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The Sydney University Football team secured second place in this year's Championship Competition in Sydney. The final for the championship, when 'Varsity were beaten by 17 points to nil, was played on a ground which was slush where it was not wholly under water, in a driving wind and pouring rain. 'Varsity's record for the season in the Championship Competition is:—Matches played 13, won 11, lost 2, points for 242 against 110. Six 'Varsity men were chosen as members of the Australian team which is to tour England, but only two were able to get away.

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Speaking at the Capping Ceremony at Dunedin, T. W. J. Johnston, Vice-president of the local Students' Association, appealed to the public to provide a building for the students. The accommodation required came under five heads:—1. Rooms for Ladies and men: 2. A room for Debating Society Meetings; 3. A room for Committee meetings; 4. A room for Students' Association Meetings, and 5. A room for social functions. Victoria College, he said, was O.U.'s greatest rival and Victoria College had first-class facilities in these respects. The Spike trusts that for the sake of Mr. Johnston's reputation for veracity, there was nobody in the audience who knew more about our "first-class facilities" than Mr. Johnston evidently did. We should very much like Mr. Johnston to see our "Committee Room."

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S. N. Ziman, this year's Rhodes Scholar, has been accepted by Balliol College and is to go into residence there in october.

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The Otago University Debating Society has followed in the footsteps of its younger sister in Wellington and initiated an oratorical competition on the lines of that at Victoria College. The first contest took place on the 21st of August, 1908. the Rev. J. W. Shaw, M.A., and the Rev. Wm. Hay judged the competition and placed five speakers:—1st. O. Mazengarb (whose hero was Daniel O'Connell); 2nd, W.H. Pettit (David Livingstone); 3rd. F. B. Adams (Sir Robert Peel) and W. Alexander (General Gordon), and 5th W. Urquhart (Florence Nightingale.) It will be noted that the winner took the same hero as that taken by the winner of the first Plunket Medal competition. The absence of Irish competitors is also a notable fact. Mazengarb's effort was characterised by the Rev. J. W. Shaw as easily the best of the many speeches that he had heard at Otago University.