CO885-(7-8) — Page 130

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PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE

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C.O.885

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BLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON

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If the scholar be not required to pass his time in a residential University, the amount of the scholarship might properly be reduced, but in no case do we consider that it should be less than £200 a year.

III. Of the sum granted, £50 should in the first year be paid in advance to cover preliminary expenses, and the remainder in quarterly instalments.

The existing practice is for the Crown Agents to pay over to the scholars quarterly substantial sums of money. The mode of keeping any money not immediately required and the regulation of his expenditure is left entirely to a scholar's discretion. The irregularity of the normal demands upon the scholar's funds. make it undesirable for the Crown Agents to alter their practice as regards the times of payment, but the money should as a rule be paid into a bank to the credit of the scholar, and it is suggested that the regulation of a scholar's expenditure would be facilitated if, when such a course is feasible, the banking account stood jointly in the name of the scholar and of his tutor or some other responsible person.

IV. At the present time there is no one in this country who is officially connected with the students, except the Crown Agents, who have a defined duty relating to the payment of the allowances granted to the scholars by the respective Governments of the colonies to which they belong. There is no one in a position to advise them or to whom they can apply for assistance or guidance. This is a blot in the existing system which we consider can be most advantageously removed by the appointment of a Director who should, so to speak, have the guardianship of the scholars, and we strongly recommend that some member of the Colonial Office should be appointed to that office.

It is important that he should not only have charge of the scholars on their arrival in this country, but that he should make arrangements some time before- hand for their reception at the institutions at which they propose to study. He should, therefore, receive full notice of their intentions as soon as possible after their election.

The payments by the Crown Agents should be made on the authority of the -Director, to whom should be sent the certificates required by the Regulations.

V. With regard to deductions from a scholarship on account of the misconduct of a scholar, the Committee think that the Director should have power to fine a scholar once only, and that in a sum not exceeding £10, for serious breach of discipline or persistent idleness, on the understanding that a repetition of the offence would entail the entire forfeiture of the scholarship.

VI. Cases having occurred which show the necessity of the scholars-at any rate those who are not the sons of English parents-being to a certain extent under medical charge, and, knowing their diffidence in applying for medical assistance until it cannot be avoided, we recommend that a doctor should be retained (when practicable) who should see the scholars periodically; and we are of opinion that the Director should have power, in cases of emergency, to authorise payments for medical attendance and nursing from the funds of the Colony over and above the value of the scholarship.

VII. The Committee do not feel themselves able to make any suggestions for the supervision of the Students during the vacations of the institutions to which they are attached, but they hope that the appointment of a Director will lead in the course of time to a satisfactory solution of this question and of others connected with the supervision of Colonial scholars.

DOWNING STREET,

15th December 1899.

CECIL C. SMITH (Chairman).

J. L. STRACHAN-DAVIDSON.

W. N. SHAW.

W. D. ELLIS.

APPENDIX.

LENGTH OF THE COURSES OF STUDY AT CERTAIN INSTITUTIONS.

(Non-resident).—Edinburgh University.

L. Arts-

Three Winter Sessions (20 wocks, from middle October), or two Winter, three Summer, Sessions (10 weeks, from beginning of May). Fees, £10 10s. for the Course.

2. Law (Degree in Arts a necessary preliminary)—–—–

(a) LL.B.—Three years, during one of which the Stulent must

reside at Edinburgh.

(4) L.B.—Two years, during one of which the Student must

reside at Edinburgh.

3. Medicine—

Five years.

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(Non-resident.)-Crystal Palace School of Engineering—

Two years (15 weeks each). Fees, £108 for the Course.

(Non-resident.)—Central Technical College, South Kensington-

Diploma Course, three years. Fees, £25, p.a.

(Resident.)—Royal Indian Eugineering College, Cooper's Hill—

Course in Engineering and Forestry, three years; Telegraphy Accounts

and Traffic, two years (38 weeks each). Charge, £183, p.a.

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