BEHIND TIMES.

Auckland Star, Volume LVXIII, Issue 53, 4 March 1937, Page 8

BEHIND TIMES.

UNIVERSITY ACTIVITIES. NEW ZEALAND LAGGING. New Zealand is at least .'SO years behind Australia in university, work, according to Professor P. W. Burbidge, professor of physics at Auckland University College, who returned by the Wanganella yesterday after attending the conference of universities of Australia and New Zealand at Adelaide.

"Apart from the question of'buildings, they have in Australia a more extensive residential system, much more tutoring of stiidente and tririre extensive said the, professor. Some of the universities also bad student advisers, special officers of the university to advise sttuTents concerning their courses of training.

Administration was much more representative of the academic interests, particularly of the graduates, and the general conditions for teaching staffs, such as salaries and superannuation, were much superior to those in the Dominion.

A magnificent endowment in Perth had enabled them to put up very fine buildings, said Professor Burbidge. The Government in Queensland had now approved a bijr building echeme for the University of Queensland in Brisbane.

One remark that had struck him in particular was made by one of the most experienced professors in Sydney. He had said that his impressions in Xew Zealand had taken him back to the time when he first went to Sydney 35 years ago.

The work of the Radio Research Board was also studied by Professor Biirbidge. He said the work was most important and would. probably have a bearing on the future of both Australia and New Zealand.