TALKS WITH UNIVERSITY ON VETERINARY SCHOOL

Press, Volume XCIX, Issue 29250, 7 July 1960, Page 14

TALKS WITH UNIVERSITY ON VETERINARY SCHOOL

IFrom Our Parliamentary Reporter J

WELLINGTON, July 6. An assurance that the Minister of Education (Mr Skoglund) and i he had already begun discussions with the University of New Zea- ’ land on the early establishment of a veterinary school was given ■ this afternoon by the Minister , .of Agriculture (Mr Skinner). He ■ added that all aspects of the matter, including that of suggested sites, would'receive close study. Mr Skinner was replying to a written question by Mr A. M. ’ Connelly (Government, Riccarton), who had asked whether, in view of the economies which would arise as a result of the : suggested integration at academic [ level of the University of Can- , terbury and Canterbury Agricul- ' tural College, he would support the establishment of a veterinary ' college at Lincoln. Speaking during the discussion on Ministerial answers to questions Mr Connelly said in the j House this afternoon that there 1 were strong reasons tor the establishment of a veterinary ' school at Lincoln and of a second ■ South Island diagnostic station. These could function at full effici- ; ency because of access to and co-operatian with the agricultural college at Lincoln and Canterbury University. Mr Connelly said that building costs in the Christchurch area were the lowest of any New Zealand main centre. He suggested that Canterbury also had a wide variety of stock animals, includ- , ing 17.5 per cent of New Zea- ' land's sheep population, 3.4 per i cent of dairy herds and 5.4 per . cent of meat herds and others. , Many other facilities included the presence of four freezing companies and the municipal abat-

toirs and proximity to the Christchurch airport “There seems to be much disagreement between Massey College and Otago, who are contending as sites,” said Mr Connelly. “It seems that an ideal compromise would be to site the veterinary college at Lincoln." Otago View Mrs E. E. McMillan (Government North Dunedin) said that the publicity given to the finding of the committee of the Senate of the University of New Zealand, which declared in favour of Massey College as a site for the veterinary school, might be'detrimental to the fixing of a site. “The committee might well have been influenced against the South Island,” said Mrs McMillan “It did not have one South Island member and it made a very cursory examination of South Island sites.” An Opposition voice: That is not correct , Mrs McMillan said that she agreed with' Mr Connelly about the need to establish the veterinary college in the South Island. She disagreed with him. however, as to the site. Mr Connelly had mentioned that building costs in Christchurch were low. “As it happens, building costs would be negligible if it was decided to locate the veterinary college on the Taieri site.” Mrs McMillan said. "The buildings recently vacated by the Air Force are worth £500.000, and h* duplicated today for £750.000” Mrs McMillan also mentioned the presence of this site of the new diagnostic station, and the proximity of Otago University and other institutions.