Page:Convocation Addresses of the Universities of Bombay and Madras.djvu/268

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intention of the Government to identify itself very closely with our interests. The Indian Universities are not indeed departments of Government. The Act never intended that they should be so. In the discharge of their special functions under bye-laws sanctioned by the Government they are practically independent. They have, however, depended largely in the past on substantial aid from Government in the form of annual subsidies. Without such aid it would have been impossible for us to undertake the duties contemplated in the Act. And it was necessary also at the outset, that the members of the Senate should be nominees of the Government. The Vice-Chancellor is also appointed by the Government; but what is more, the highest office in the University, that of Chancellor, must by law be held by the head of the local Government. And so it is that whenever the Governor's tenure of office expires^ we have the misfortune also to lose our Chancellor at the same time. It was thus that during the past year Lord Reay ceased to be our Chancellor. In him we lost a Chancellor who had already, before he came to India, acquired a wide reputation as an educationist. You will all remember the eloquent tribute paid a year ago by our Vice-Chancellor, Dr. Mackichan, in this place, to his zealous efforts in the cause of education in this Presidency during his five years' tenure of office. Lord Reay has been succeeded by Lord Harris. And I know that you all share in my regret at His Excellency's absence from our midst this evening. With the recollection fresh in our minds of the appreciative and sympathetic address delivered by Lord Harris to the Senate a few weeks ago, it is impossible for us not to be sensible of our loss. But we may be sure of this, — that it is not from any lack of interest in the University or the important functions it discharges that Lord Harris is not present this evening. He values every opportunity which presents itself of meeting the Senate. His absence is due only, if I may be allowed to explain it, to a kind and generous desire that the privilege of presiding on this occasion should be enjoyed by the newly appointed Vice-Chancellor. Again, under the operation of the provision of law which makes the office of Vice-Chancellor a biennial one, we were deprived during the past year of the services of Dr. Mackichan, who brought to the discharge of his duties a thorough knowledge of the practical working of our educational system, great capacity for business and burning zeal for the honour of the University. It must be the earnest desire of us all that his retirement from office may be for a time only. He was succeeded by the eminent Principal of Elphinstone College, in whose honour we were so lately assembled within these walls