New Zealand “Lagging” In University Facilities

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28742, 13 November 1958, Page 18

New Zealand “Lagging” In University Facilities

(From Our Own Reporter)

AUCKLAND, Nov. 12.

The Chancellor of the University of Canterbury (Mr D. W. Bain) warned on his return from overseas today that New Zealand was lagging behind the rest of the English-speaking world in its provision of university facilities. He said on his arrival in Auckland in the Orcades that overseas universities of a comparable size to the University of Canterbury were spending, per student, three or more times the amount that was being provided in New Zealand.

“Our capital expenditure, salaries and administrative allowances are all at a much lower level.’’ he said. “They have, in fact, got to the level where New Zealand must find it increasingly difficult to recruit the best possible staff and maintain a satisfactory output of graduates. “Every country abroad, even those behind the Iron Curtain, recognise that to progress economically, scientifically and socially they must maintain and improve the quality of their university output. They realise that that involves increasing university expenditure. “If we do not get first-class teachers for our universities on today's competitive market, we cannot hope to improve our standards —to say nothing of maintaining them at their present level,” he warned. “We must increase our rate of spending if we arc to produce anything better than mediocre university graduates.” Student Ratios Canterbury University operated on a staff to student ratio of 1 to 14, Mr Bain said. In the better overseas universities he had visited, the ratio was in the order of 1 to 6. Another urgent problem in New Zealand was the insufficient expenditure on university buildings and equipment to cater for the increasing number of students. “These facts are contrary to all our past traditions.” he said. “New Zealand has produced in the past many outstanding graduates who can hold their own anywhere in the world

'lt will show appalling lack of

interest in the future of our country if we do not step up our university expenditure in some measure.”

Mr. Bain said that during his six months in Britain, the United States and Canada, he visited as many universities as possible in order to compare conditions in New Zealand. He also represented the University of Canterbury at the meeting of the Association of the Universities of the Commonwealth in Montreal in September. He said there was a very knowledgeable and sentimental interest overseas in the University of Canterbury. “People who know the conditions at the university are appalled at the slow progress being made in the provision of new buildings and better facilities,” he added. “We must continue to fight every inch of the way to impress on the Government the need for faster and fuller development of our university.”