DENTAL SCHOOL.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 17984, 30 January 1924, Page 10

DENTAL SCHOOL.

TRANSFER OPPOSED. . (FRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGKAUC.) DUNEDIN, January 30. A special meeting of the University Council was held this afternoon, for the purpose of considering the Departmental report on the accommodation provided at the Otago Dental School. The meeting was attended by the ViceChancellor (Mr T. K. Sidey, M.P.), Sir Henry Ferguson,' Messrs W. Endey, J. C. Stephens, W. J. Morrell, J. Wallace, J. J. Scurr, J. Rennie, J. S. Douglas, and Drs Fitzgerald and Marshall MacDonald.

The business was introduced by the Registrar (Mr Chapman) reading the following letter from the Hon. C. J. Parr (Minister of Education): "I enclose for ' your information a copy of the on the dental accommodation submitted- bv the committee set up as a result of your deputation on October 23rd last. The report calls attention to serious deficiencies in 'the standard of training given by your Dental School, and particularly to the students' lack of practical experience, owing to insufficiency of clinical material. From their nature these objections will apparently not be met by the mere granting of so large a sum as £38,000 asked for by your Council and the erection of a new school a£ Dunedin. This defect would . seem, to he_ somewhat serious, and unless the objections mentioned are overcome, I feel- I shall be obliged to place before the Cabinet proposals for a more satisfactory solution of the whole problem of dental training. I shall be glad to receive such comments and suggestions as vour Council may deem fit to make." The proceedings were taken in committee.

As a result of tho deliberations ■it was decided to send a telegram to the Minister of Education, asking for a copy of the evidence on which the Departmental Committee's report -vyas based, and, further, that the whole question be remitted to the Finance and Medical Committees of the Council.

It was' also decided that the Council offers a strong protest against the extension' of the original order of reference of the Departmental Committee to j a §. eneral enquiry into the status and efficiency of the Otago Dental School, a purpose for which the Committee was presumably _ not origjnaTTy selected, and also against the. course taken by the Committee in coming to a _ on an extended reference without giving the Otago University Council an opportunity of being represented before it. (PRESS ASSOCIATION TELEGRAM.) DUNEDIN, January 29. A meeting of representatives of the Chamber of Commerce, City Council, Expansion League and Otago Dental Association, together with the Hon. C. E. Statham and other members of Parliament, was held to consider the suggested removal of the Dental School to Auckland. The conference was held in camera, but it was announced that it had been decided to make representations to the Government on the subject.