SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.

Press, Volume LIX, Issue 17855, 30 August 1923, Page 8

SCHOOL OF JOURNALISM.

' ♦ STATEMENT BY THlfc MINISTER. (par.js iwinmut) WELLINGTON, August 23. Mr Bobert Bell, proprietor of th* "Ashburton Guardian/' gave a dona tioa of £3OOO as an endowment fa scholarships in practical journalism* t< be tenable at Canterbury Universit; College. The chairman of the Boart of Governors of the College made i complaint at a recent meeting of'ttu Board as to the Government's actioi in regard to this beneiaction. In ttt legislative Council turner adveisi comment was made by lion, gentlemei m the matter. The Hon*. C. J. Parr (Minister a litiucation) eays: 1 am sorry to set that this mutter has been entirely misrepresented, it is incorrect io eaj that a Government suosidy has na given. The facts are that Mj Bell's donation of £3uoo was receive* by Canterbury College in 19W), am immediately the lUiucation .Depart ment obtained the necessary inlorma tion regarding its allocation. A sub sidy of a like amount was provided nn< authorised by the Government. ii accordance, however, with the usua practioe, the College authorities wert advised by the Department that tlx subsidy would be paid when it wai actually required, to give effect to tin donpr's .intention. Ihe Canterbnrj Board was definitely informed at th* time that thfe subsidy had been grant ed subject to the condition that i would be withheld until the Boart showed to my satisfaction that pay ment was actually necessary for tin purpose of scholarships. I, however pointed out to the Board tha l t th< Government, in providing generoui subsidies from the public funds, hat never contemplated, that moneys shal be, handed over by the Governmem merely to accumulate for use at sohh indefinite future date. On the facti before the "Department, the revenwi receivable by the Board from Mi Bell's donation alone was sufficient foi scholarship purposes. This was repr® sen-ted to. the Board. Further, th< Board of Governors was at the 6am< time informed that if it found thai the Government subsidy would _ actu ally be required and would furnish ui with a statement of the finances oi the scholarship fund showing the ae tual receipts and expenditure to dat< and the estimates for the current year there would be no difficulty as to pay ing over the subsidy. 1 trust thai this vrtll satisfy the public that tto Government has been perfectly tan throughout the transaction. Jsaturaiij it is my duty to see that these subsi dies are put into actual and immediate use when they are paid, and not belc up as an investment for some possiDK future occasion, THE DEPARTMENT'S ATTITUDE. Mr W. E. Spencer, of the Education Dopartraent, has sent us the following statement concerning the nonpayment by the Government o! the subsidy of £ for £ on £3OOO given bj Mr Robert Bell for Scholarships in Journalism." "Apparently the remarks were made under a niisconoeption ot the P® 31 " tion, as the Board of Governors was informed by a letter dated August 13t , 192' i, there was no desire on the part of the Department to withhold payment of subsidy if tais "were required to give full effect to the purposes ot the donor. The necesoTTy for a subsidy must, however, in every case be considered, and the Board of Governors hau not shown that Government assistance was required. The Board desired to obtain a subsidy to build up a fund which might be used only at some indefinite future date. At th® present time the Board was receiving abous £l6O per annum in interest on Bell's donation, and the only commitments against this at the present time were £SO per annum. The Government was certainly not warrante<*» sheiefore, in giving the Board <* Governors £3OOO when it had made no proposal showing how it was going to expend over £3OO a year. In similar circumstances in connexion with other University Colleges, the same •arnuweme fc made, and subsidy his ueeu paid or increased when the necessity therefor has been established.