NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS.

Press, Volume LXVI, Issue 20021, 1 September 1930, Page 8

NATIONAL UNION OF STUDENTS.

NEW ZEALAND EXECUTIVE. STUDENT AFFAIRS DISCUSSED. After 18 months' existence the New Zealand National Union of Students, a union of the four Colleges of the New ; Zealand University, founded in Easter, 1929, for the purpose of consolidating ; student life in the Dominion, has ' achieved, as the meeting of its . Executive held at Canterbury College on Saturday showed, a distinct measure of success in tho furtherance of its objects. The president, Mr W. J. Mountjoy, of Victoria University College, was in tho chair. Hawaiian Debaters. A letter was received from the secretary of the Hawaiian University Union suggesting that a debating team, from their University should visit New Zealand in June or July of next year. They had already sent teams to America in the past, and suggested that a similar tour be made round the New Zealand colleges, debating possibly twice with each college, and holding at least one test debate against a New Zealand University team. It was proposed that the team should comprise one Chinese, one Japanese, and one Anglo-Saxon student. It was decided that the Debating Committee *of the New Zealand Union be ' authorised. to make arrangements for the proposed tour. The sum of £lO was transferred into a Loan and Scholarship Fund, which it was hoped would be available within a few years to assist necessitous students to complete their courses in New Zealand, or to continue, their studies in overseas universities. The Fund account was vested in the control of the Internal Affairs Committee at Otago University. Choosing of Courses. A report from tho Internal Affairs Committee stated that it intended compiling a booklet giving detailed information of university courses, lectures, and general activities, for use by first year university students, and by senior pupils in secondary schools. The book aimed at supplementing the New Zealand University Calendar, but it was hoped to make it more interesting and elucidating for those embarking on a university course. The committee proposed communicating with headmasters of secondary Schools, with a view to finding out the difficulties confronting pupils prior to their entering a university, and thus include a detailed guide for their assistance. The book would be available for distribution before the end of 1931. The report was adopted, and the proposed publication of tho information booklet approved. To facilitate tho taking of desirable courses by students who at present through the arrangement of - lecturehours were, to a certain extent, confined within limits in the choice of a ; course, it was decided that, subject to the agreement of thtf students' 'associations of the four colleges, a move be made towards the' instituting of a system whereby lectures'in different subjects should be given ,in the day time for one year, and in thos evening for the next year.' Thus a greater freedom of choice would be allowed, the student who was unable to. take a full-time course. . . ' It was decided that a letter be sent to the Editor of the , "New Zealand News," published in England, with a view to a column being allotted the Union for the publication of news of interest to. New Zealand students or ex-students'in England. .... The question of affiliation . with the. Union of Massey and Lincoln Agricultural Colleges ■was discussed, and it was decided that the Colleges be written to giving details of the Union's activities, and inviting them to become affiliated. , Student Tours. The committee for travel, at Cantorbury College, reported that endeavours were being made to .obtain^concessions, in travel and accommodation' within New Zealand. Two Christchurch hotels had offered. concessions, and it was re- J commended that these hotels be given official recognition by the Union. An excursion for a party of 20 or ; more •tudents to Mt'. Cook was being arranged for the first week in December. Identity cards, which were available for N.U.S. members, could be obtained from the Union's secretary, and these would entitle the bearer to any concessions obtained in New Zealand. Similar cards for use in outside.countries, where very considerable concessions were given University students, were being sent out from the International Confederation of Students in Paris. . The report was adopted, and it was decided that the committee be asked to organise a summer vacation tour to Milford Sound, to be open for present and past students, and to be held in the latter part of January. The committee for foreign affairs reported that the sum of £lO had been collected towards the assistance of Bulgarian Students in distress. In co-oper-ation with other student organisations, the committee was endeavouring to arTange for a negro student from South Africa to study medicine at Otago University. It was - , stated., that _ Natives were.unable to. enter South African Uni- « versitieg, and that one who obtained a doctor's degree could do a'great amount of good among his own people. The committee had also assisted in the arrangements which "wore; being made for a Japanese student to take an agricultural course at Lincoln College. The report was adopted.