OUR UNIVERSITY COLLEGES AND RESEARCH.

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10707, 13 July 1900, Page 4

OUR UNIVERSITY COLLEGES AND RESEARCH.

Not the least noteworthy portion of Professor Easterfield's excellent lecture ut the Canterbury College Hall was the conclusion, in which he eloquently in a few pithy sentences put the case for the greater activity of Colonial universities in scientific research. The Chairman of the Board of Governors is fond of telling students who have taken their degrees that their education is only just beginning. But he no doubt is referring mainly to the general educational influences of life. Professor Easterfield emphasises the view that even in regard to the actual subject matter of education, a degree should be the first step, not the last, in the educational process. A degree testifies, or should testify, to a man's competence to do some thorough original work. It is a means; not an end in itself. And yet how few there are among those have taken a degree at Canterbury College, and the other University Colleges, who have proceeded to systematic research. How many liave been satisfied on taking their' degree to close their scientific books for ever, kicking over the steps by which they have reached! the culminating point of their ambition, the right to set the mystic letters M.A. as a flourish to their name. In many cases no blame can attach to graduates for so doing. Without means, it is essential to them that they should earn. •their living, immediately on taking their degree. If they adopt, as »o many of them do, the profession of teaching, that "noblest of professions, and worst of trades," it can hardly be wondered that that exacting calling should leave them little time to develops their scientific tastes. There are indeed! the holidays; and some hard-worked teachers do contrive to give up a portion of their needed rest to labours lin research. But the bulk feel, and perhaps ; rightly feel, that they will more wisely, ■ under existing conditions, spend their holi- | days in rest .and recreation. What is wanted I more than aught else in our University ColI leges is the endowment of research. If | among the wealthy settlers in New Zealand, ! half-a-dozen would come forward and endow i a like number of research fellowships tenable lat any of the Colleges, we should be sure that at least a handful of competent workers | were devoting their time to the fruit- ! ful paths of original scientific investigation. Nor is it only regarding physical science that these remarks hold good. Original work in any departmentshould be encouraged as the main object of university education. There is room, for example, in New Zealand for economic as well as biological research. Yet in spite of New Zealand's prominence in "advanced legislation," how many graduates have devoted themselves to the careful study of the results of such experiments? In our opinion Professor Eastea-field was amply justified in his remarks. We can expect little from our Colleges so longj as they merely aim at producing men and women with that marketable commodity, a degree. We believe that if the authorities adopted a more cordial attitude .towards research, the money would be forthcoming. Such money would be well spent; for wft should be unfortunate indeed did we not gain from the original work thus subsidised, results valuable to the colony, and even to humanity at large.