The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo. WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1901. JUNIOR UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 49, 27 February 1901, Page 4

The Evening Star: WITH WHICH ARE INCORPORATED The Evening News, Morning News, and Echo.

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27, 1901. JUNIOR UNIVERSITY SCHOLARSHIPS.

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We regard the decision upon this ■matter in the University Senate as most unfortunate in the interests of higher education. Abuses can surely be remedied without class interests being fostered in our colony. That 'the mass of the children of our labourers, artisans, farmers, shopkeepers, and others, -struggling upward toward a university education by aid of scholarships, should be disheartened—by the casting vote of the Chancellor, upholding the severe and exclusive ideas of some university professors—is simply intolerable. We have already pointed out the need of fresh blOOd frctm commercial, primary and secondary school circles to counterbalance conservative tendencies that creep in from various sides into our university system. The high Tory influences brought over from ancient English! institutions by our university professors, encouraged by .some sections of the colonial, press, must be kept in check. These sometimes, as in the present case, assert themselves and gain a passing victory, in face of the most convincing and commonsense arguments. The argument of this order In the Senate was manifestly on the side of the Rev. J. Paterson, Dr. Fitchett, Mr Hay, Sir G. M. O'Rorke,' Dr. Salmond, Sir James Prendergast, and the Hon. W. Rolleston; but the Chancellor's casting vote upheld the severe measure of Professor Cook and Professdr Sale, with the support,of Professor Shand, Professor Brown, Professor Thomas, Mr Cohen, and Dr. Scott. The professorial influence is 100 marked here in carrying a motion detrimental to colonial progress, and that must be rescinded by the voice of the community and House of Representatives, if not by the University Senate, and that without

I delay. To remedy any number of j abuses connected with our junior ! scholarships, hy deslroving (heir great usefulness as an aid to higher education, is as ridiculous as it. would be to destroy nil good and helpful things on the fare of the. earth, be- ! cause of hurtful evils of a parasitical order clinging to them. Wise reformers preserve the good in overcoming the evil. Quite a number of young people may have been more eager to increase their small income of £30 a year, than to become distinguished university scholars. But that ia no reason for the professors carrying in the Senate "That all Junior scholars will be expected to devote their whole time to university work, and tiny junior scholar accepting a salaried appointment shall thereby vacate his or her junior scholarship." In this matter, which has a very important bearing on the intellectual standard of the University, the Senate j departed from its usual course of care-1 ful enquiry by means of a committee, i deferring a resolution till in possession | .of a report. The real point at issue was whether a person might hold at the same time a position in the Civil Service and a scholarship. The result, i of an inquiry would probably have been the discovery of some compromise between the Government and the University, under which the cadet holding a. scholarship might give half his day to the office and spend the remainder -at' the University. Such an arrangement, by which the University might be used for raising the status of the Civil Service, has an excellent precedent in the Indian Civil Service, in which cadets spend a year or two at Oxford or Cambridge, before entering on their official duties. The scholarships are worth £30 per annum, subject to a deduction of £20 for fees and books. A subvention of £10 between the ages of 19 and 23 will not be found .sufficient to induce poor students to decline the much more liberal offer of the Civil Service. The result will be a general abandonment of scholarships on the part of the youth of the North Island; in the South the rich educational endowment- of Canterbury and Otago admit of further assistance being given in the shape of college exhibitions. We believe, with Sir James Prendorgast and others, that it will be impossible to carry out ihe Senate's resolution, interfering with the private liberty, personal and family needs, of so many of our young people. In spite ! of protestations to the contrary, the ! measure adopted by the University I Senate, in regard to this most import- ! ant aid to national education, is a sample of needless professorial discipline; it is also, in results, a fostering of the class interests of some families possessed of a few more dollars than the large majority of our colonial households. The measure must be repealed.