GRANTS TO STUDENTS

Press, Volume XCVIII, Issue 28793, 14 January 1959, Page 7

GRANTS TO STUDENTS

Lincoln College

Decision

To assist students working for masterates and working on approved theses, grants up to £2O each were approved by the board of governors of Canterbury Agricultural College yesterdhy. He had always had sympathy for masterate students, said the Director (Dr. M. M. Burns). In most cases, they had to go through a season with live stock or a growing season with plants. To carry out a- thesis in 12 months was unusual. The work usually took 15 to 18 months. The students required-financial assistance. In Western Australia, they received bursaries equal to salaries. Assistance was not given in New Zealand to anything like the extent elsewhere. A thesis involved expense apart from living at the college, said Dr. Burns. In many cases, there had to be a routine sampling. If a measure of assistance was given, the students could get others to do the routine work and concentrate on the jibesis. He would have liked* more money than was recommended. Mr C. Hilgendorf: Where will the money come from? Dr. Bums said it would come from the college’s research funds, or, as was more likely, from the difference between minimum and maximum salaries. Some students would not require assistance because of the nature of their work, but other work would require more assistance, said Dr. J. W. McLean. He suggested that the maximum grant should be raised to £5O. “It doesn’t meet the position—we know that—but at least it will give some help,” said the chairman (Mr W. H. Gillespie. M.P.). Dr. Buras: Rather than commit ourselves too deeply, I would like to see the grants operating. How many of the students were already being assisted? asked Mr W. C. Stafford. Dr. Burns: About half of them. Even students with the best assistance had to provide their own finance. It was a sacrifice for a student to do a masterate. “420 is a drop in the ocean for the person who really needs the assistance,” said Mr Stafford “Agreed; but it is a matter of sympathetic interest,” replied Dr. Burns.