N.Z. UNIVERSITY FINANCES

Press, Volume LXXXV, Issue 25739, 26 February 1949, Page 8

N.Z. UNIVERSITY FINANCES

EFFECT ON STAFFING AND PAY ’ COMMENT BY DR. H. R. HULME Because of the financial position of New Zealand university colleges, they could neither secure enough staff, nor pay them adequately, said the Rector of Canterbury University College (Dr. H. R. Hulme) in a statement to “The Press” yesterday. Dr. Hulme was commenting specifically on a leading article in “The Press,” under the heading “Care for the Best.” “The article,” said Dr. Hulme, “pointed out that New Zealand did not make provision for giving a really first rate education for the large number of undoubtedly brilliant men which she produces. The average education is high, but the best people have to go elsewhere for their training, and frequently do not return to this country. “In the matter of the universities, you were primarily interested in the inadequate facilities for research which has been noticed and commented on by many of the scientists visiting Christchurch for the Pacific Congress. I am a little worried, however, at your statement that the staffing has become more liberal, and that the salaries as well as the capital and maintenance grants have increased. Whilst this is true, two things must be borne in mind —first, that in comparison with pre-war conditions the cost of living, and. therefore, the cost of providing the universities with adequate staff and facilities, has risen considerably, and, second, we now have very many more students thgn before the war. If the experience of the 1914-1918 war is anything to go by, it is unlikely that the number of students will drop appreciably from the present numbers. “The situation is best seen by looking at a few figures. During the last 10 years the number of students has more than doubled, and our income has increased to about three times what it was 10 years ago. The income per student therefore shows an increase of nearly 50 per cent. This, however, is more than offset by the increased costs of maintenance and salaries. Some idea of how costs have increased can be got when we realise that the national income has more than doubled in the last 10 yOars. All things considered, we are still a good deal worse off than before the war, particularly as regards accommodation. “Poor State” “The poor state of the New Zealand university colleges is even more apparent when we compare their financial support with that given to the universities in the Old Country, where the Government grant per student is about three times the corresponding grant here. “The net effect of all this is that we cannot get enough staff, nor can we pay them adequately, with the result that for some of the posts recently advertised we have not had a single applicant, and for many others no suitable people have offered themselves. “I need hardly point out that this is a serious situation for the higher education in this country. It is doublv serious because the results are not immediately apnarent, and therefore there is the added temptation to delay putting it right.”