VICTORIA COLLEGE BILL

Press, Volume L, Issue 15017, 11 July 1914, Page 12

VICTORIA COLLEGE BILL

DISCUSSION. IN THE, HOUSE. 1 (.-ESS ASSCCIATIOX TELEGRAM.) 1 WELLINGTON. July 10. a In the House of. Representatives this • evening the-Hon. James' Allen (Minis- ! ter of Education) moved the second reading of.. the Victoria College Bill. He said the Bill had been introduced ' last session'iu much the same form, bift ii had.been dropped in the Council because the Board of Governors were not anxious, to have it passed. The principal alterations were in tho name, which it was proposed to change to Victoria • University College, and in the constitution of the Board, by eliminating representation by members of the House and granting representation to (the Professionalßoard. It Avas proposed to increase the. representatives of the Court of Convocation-from three to four and to haA-e.one representative, of ! 'the'"Wellington City Council, -avo representatives of secondary schools, and two of the public school teachers. Mr McCailiim susi_es+-_d -liar, the Bill bo sent to tho Statutes Revision Committee with the object of having a consolidating, measure brought down. While not objecting to Wellington city having a representative, thero Aras no reason why the smaller towns, suclr as Wanganui/ Palmerston, Napier, New Plymouth, or Greymouth should not have representation, seeing that the proposal to do away with the representatives elected by members of tho House left them without their present representatives. Air;Veitch said there was no reason why' the control of Wellington should be materially strengthened. The personnel of the Board Avas a good one and he objected to the members ot. Parliament having no control over the "iSr. Newman approved the proposal to put professors on the Board, WM he thought there ■" should bo representation ol the mercantile and agricul.ural tatereste. ' By doing this tjey wOuld extend the interest and symabSty of making the constitution <rf UniveW Boards unitorm in New lealand The professors should be, on the Boards He agreed with the proposa io? representation of the mercantile and agricultural interests, but opposed representation hi the undergraduates. Mr'Sidey said if the suggestions ot the Education. Committee of last *"-S* sion were adopted, it Avould lead to ci eater uniformity in University Boards. Auckland and Otago at present had constitutions similar. to the proposals of the BUI. He suggested .Sat tr.creas_d grants should be given to the colleges to increase their -efficiency. , Mr G W. Russell agreed that the University Colleges should have an assured finance. Some methods should be*'established to giA-e the children in such places as Napier, New Plymouth, and Blenheim the advantages of University education. This could only be done by giving an assured finance. He favoured representation of school committees, ;He supported the proposal that busings men should be placed upon the Boards. The Universities should give a wider education in those subjects which affected the national life , ot -the people. At present they were mostly confined to the learned professions. Ho f.pposed the suggestion that piofessors should sit upon Board." In his reply, Mr Allen saia he hoped ' to give Parliament an opportunity to [ consider the question of an assured . fir.ance. The seco'i'l reading of the Bill was carried on the A*oices, and the House \ rose at 11.5 p.m.