SOUTH AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY

Press, Volume XCVI, Issue 28368, 29 August 1957, Page 7

SOUTH AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY

Deputation Heard By Senate

Contending that half New Zealand’s population (1,100,000 people) lived north of a line passing through Wanganui and were served by Auckland University College alone, wheras south of that line there were three other universities and two agricultural colleges, the University of South Auckland Society yesterday afternoon sent a deputation to the Senate of the University of New Zealand, meeting in Christchurch, to ask for a new university.

Alloted half an hour in a crowded agenda, the deputation read their case rapidly, and the Senate then deferred consideration of the matter until this topic is reached on the order paper. The president of the University of South Auckland Society (Mr Douglas Seymour) said the deputation agreed with the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie) that the South Auckland proposal was quite separate from the question of expanding Auckland University College. Mr Seymour described the tremendous growth of South Aqckland, its densest animal population of any place on the globe, the development of a huge public works programme, and als mentioned the potential impact of the Mormon College outside Hamilton which would cater largely for Maoris, of whom a significant portion would go to university. South Auckland, with one seventh of the population, must contribute not less than £200,000 a year toward university finance, he said.

Possible Sites South Auckland had an embarrassing selection of university sites, said Mr Seymour. ‘‘So has Auckland” interjected the Director of Education (Mr C. E. Beeby) amid laughter. Mr Seymour said 300 to 350 acres could be obtained in many places at a maximum cost of £250 an acre. His society asked the Senate to recommend the Government to prepare immediate plans for a complete university and teachers’ college in South Auckland.

Dr. A. T. Rogers said South Auckland contained 304,000 people at last census—so,ooo more than the combined population of Otago and Southland and only 4000 behind Canterbury. The rate of growth was double that of the rest of New Zealand. It was a well-defined and compact district with good internal communications. The potential number of students in five years would be 2100 and in 10 years at least 3100. This was a desirable roll number.

The only Senate speaker was Mr W. H. Cocker, president of the Auckland University College Council, who gave an assurance that his members had no antagonism to this proposal and would welcome discussions.