The Times of last Saturday published a Report on the
recently proposed reforms at Cambridge. One of the most important changes suggested by the Reform Committee is a scheme for preventing the overwhelming of expert opinion on the spot by the introduction of outside voters. It is proposed to call the " Electoral Roll " by the new name of " Congrega- tion," and to style its resolutions " graces." The " graces " of the Senate will become " decrees." It is not possible to analyse the scheme here, but the general effect of it is, as the Times says, to provide "that effect shall be more surely given to the will of ' Congregation without abrogating the final powers of the Senate." The Report also discusses the expenses of life at Cambridge. The expenses of a careful student in College, it is said, need not exceed £120 for the academic year, and those of a " Non-Coll." need not be more than £80 or £90. Of course, these figures include only the expenses of the three terms. Residence in the Long Vacation, the expenses of the vacations, and private coaching would be extra. But the Committee are quite right to discourage the common exaggeration of the necessary expenses at Cambridge. We. know from experience that the figures they give are not of that useless kind which postulates an inhuman asceticism.
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