UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

Auckland Star, Volume LVIII, Issue 43, 21 February 1927, Page 9

UNIVERSITY COUNCIL

» ELECTION OF MEMBERS. A FURTHER TRIAL. FOR PROPORTIONAL REPRESENTATION". The New Zealand University Council continued its session at the Auckland . University College to-day. Professor •J. Macmillan Brown (chancellor', prei sided. ■> In regard to the method of electing 1 members, the elections committee recommended that the system of proportional representation he given a further trial and that the method of counting • votes be that in the third schedule of - the Legislative Council Act. 1914. but ' that \oters should be requested to arrange in order of preference the whole . of the candidates. Sending in only t the names of some of the candidates. : it was reported, did not give those candidates any advantages. The committee further recommended that the same system be adopted for (ai the election of members of the Academic Board by the Professoriate;/ (b) The election of members of the University Entrance Board by principals of the schools. Professor H. W. Seagar, convener of the conference, in presenting the report, explained the difficulties involved in an elaborate system of preferential voting. At the recent election of five members to represent the General Court of Convocation on the council, a form of the preferential system was adopted under a regulation that was made by order-in-council. There were 3400 members of convocation and the result provided an opportunity of judging the operation of the system on a Dominion-wide scale. The council adopted the committee"s recommendations. The committee to consider the results of the November examinations and to ' make awards or scholarships and free passages was appointed as follows: — The chancellor. Professor H. W. Seagar. Mr. T. U. Wells, Professor T. A. Hunter. Mr. F. H. Bakewell. Mr. H. D. Acland. Mr. A. E. Flower. Professor J. K. H. Inglis. Mr. W. J. Morrell. Professor Hunter reported that step* were being taken to secure the publication of the examination results before Christmas, as it was desired that an improvement should be made in this mauer. As the bursary system had certain weaknesses it was proposed to give not more than five bursaries in any one year .at each university college to students who manifested ability at the clolege. The couuci". approved of the proposal and decided to ask the Education Department to agree to modify the bursary regulations in this direction.