LOSS TO N.Z. OF SCHOLARS

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25084, 16 January 1947, Page 4

LOSS TO N.Z. OF SCHOLARS

VIEWS OF SIR WILLIAM SHAW

LACK OF OPPORTUNITY IN OWN COUNTRY

“ The Press ” Special Service AUCKLAND, January 14. The reasons for the loss to New Zealand of eminent scholars, particularly in the science of obstetrics and gynaecology, were discussed by the noted British gynaecologist, Sir William Fletcher Shaw, in an address last evening. He said New Zealand did not show that she wanted these welltrained men back. No posts were provided in which they could practise what they had learned and they remained abroad, casting ever-longing eyes at a homeland which seemed indifferent to them. a Sir William Shaw said New Zealand probably sent a larger proportion of its young people overseas, generally to Great Britain, for post-graduate study than any other country. «It was unfortunate from the Dominion’s point of view that many of these young people did not return. One reason was that as a comparatively new country with a small population, New Zealand coulft not yet supply the opportunities for research work found in the older and more populous homeland and adjacent Continent. This group accounted for only a small proportion of the large number sent to Britain. “In 1939, I was asked as president of ... the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists to inquire why the s New Zealand scholars in this subject did not return to the Dominion. Sir William Shaw said. “I invited all who were then in England to meet me in London and some six or eight did so. All of these young men were anxious to return and it was soon clear why they did not do so. New Zealand did not provide hospital posts Jbey could put into practice wbat they had been trained to do in Great Britain, and I am sorry to say that my visit to New Zealand seven years later shows that the position remains much as it was in 1939.” on* Some New Zealand scholars and others trained abroad in obstetrics and gynaecology had now returned, but not one, so far as he knew, had been put in charge x>f a department where he could make full usebij post-graduate experience, Sir William Shaw said. Two, to his knowledge, had been forced into general practice, and two others had had to accept postt as general surgeons in the hope ot finding some gynaecological casafl among these general ones. New Zealand had many wellequipped hospitals large enough, to support a department of obstetrics and gynaecology. Each of these could employ at least one well-trained man, and so give the women of that centre the benefit of a well-trained service. New Zealand hospitals could and should employ at least 20 or 30 of these trained men, whereas at present, as far as Sir William Shaw knew, only three hospitals (of which Christchurch was one) allowed them to practise gynaecology. Given the posts good men would come forwardSir William Shaw added that he understood that much the same could be said of other departments of learning New Zealand would attract home her brilliant, well-trained sons only when she showed sufficient interest in them to establish posts in which they could continue in reasonable security the work to which they had been trained.