ECONOMICS.

Press, Volume LXIII, Issue 18926, 15 February 1927, Page 12

ECONOMICS.

PROFESSOR COPELAND INTERVIEWED. PRAISE FOR CANTERBURY COLLEGE. Jt is the opinion of I'rofcssor D. I!. C'opclaml, Dean of the Faculty of Commerce and .Science at the Melbourne University, that the undergraduate training given in economics at Canterbury College is equal to that given in any part of the world. Professor Copelaud has just completed a tour of America and I'uropc. lie was associated with Dr. llight at Canterbury College before he left for Australia in 11M7, and later made an extensive tour of the United States and Canada, also visiting the leading Universities of Great Britain, France, and Germany, and the organisation of the League of Nations at Geneva. Professor Copeland stated to a reporter yesterday that his purpose was to establish the idea that the academic study of business was of vital importance. This was particularly applicable to New Zealand, because improved eflieiency abroad must be met with improved eflieiency here, and because the New Zealand Government was more and more exercising control over purely business as well as industrial affairs. It was satisfactory to note the attention being given to scientific and agricultural research by the Committee of Research in New Zealand, and also by the Agricultural Council, but economic research should t>c an integral part of the activities of lioth bodies. Referring again to Canterbury College, Professor Copeland said that Hie work of the department of economics was appreciated by the economists of England, and its establishment was largely due to Dr. llight, who could bo regarded as tho pioneer of economic study jn Australia and New Zealand The traditions he had established had been well maintained by Professor Condliffc, whose departure was a great loss to economic circles in Now Zealand and Australia. The bulletins issued by the Chamber of Commerco in conjunction with the economics department of Canterbury College were regarded as authoritative statements of the situation in New Zealand, and he had seen them, on several occasions, referred to in tho " Economist." Absorbing Immigrants. Asked if, as an economist, he could suggest a way whereby New Zealand could continue to absorb immigrants without causing unemployment, Professor Copoland said that it was an economic fact that tho capacity of a country to absorb population was limited. "The annual absorptive powers in a given period aro limited," lie added. "In the past New Zealand has absorbed her natural growth and a certain number of immigrants each year. An investigation over a given period would show just how much additional population the Dominion is able to absorb, and tho immigration arrangements should be based 011 the difference between the natural increase and' the absorptive capacity.'' Speaking of the economic position in Great Britain, Professor Copeland said that the constant fears expressed in this part of tho world twelve months ago, and during the coal strike, were not justified. A special committee of the Board of Trade had produced a reassuring report to tho effect that when the total volume of world trade reached its pre-war level, the demand for British exports would bo so increased that Britain's export trade would ho comparable with her export trade before tho war. Certainly it would not bo less.