Announcement Received With Elation

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30543, 11 September 1964, Page 1

Announcement Received With Elation

“The University of Canterbury gladly accepts the responsibilities entailed by the Government’s decision to re-establish a school of forestry here after a lapse of about 30 years,” said the acting Vice-Chancellor (Professor N. C. Phillips) last evening.

“The project is full of exciting possibilities. It involves study of the production and use of timber at all stages—from a seed in the soil until its timber becomes the weatherboarding of a house, a piece of furniture, or a roll of newsprint.

“To New Zealanders as a whole it promises a really significant contribution to the national economy and to the academic staff concerned it presents a stimulating challenge to co-operation. “The staff of the school will be assisted by specialists drawn from perhaps 15 different departments in the University of Canterbury and Lincoln College. It is obvious that soil science, botany, and zoology have a direct bearing on forestry studies. • “It may be less obvious that the school will also draw upon other staff—for example agricultural economists, lawyers (for forest law), civil engineers (for building technology), chemical engineers (for the use of synthetics and paper and pulp technology), geographers (for the study of relations of soil, climate, and vegetation), the School of Fine Arts for furniture design. and so on. “Such an extensive enterprise utilising such a wide variety of academic and technical skills can be expected to enrich New Zealand’s forest resources and to make

their products more interesting to buyers at home and abroad,” said Professor Phillips. “The details of the courses at the new school must await the appointment of the staff. But broadly speaking we envisage a bachelor of forestry course of four years, the first two devoted to basic science. A later year of post-graduate forestry studies would lead to the bachelor of forestry (honours) degree. A student might then proceed to a master’s degree in forestry or to a Ph.D. “It is our intention to make the training at least equal in quality and scope to any available in this hemisphere. In addition it is planned to offer a two-year course for ranger trainees. “The establishment of the forestry research institute with or near the school of forestry on the Ham site is no less welcome. The school and the institute would be complementary, working closely together in tuition as well as research and their connexion would provide a valuable link between the university and the New Zealand Forest Service. Such an arrangement will complete a powerful concentration' of forestry skills,” said Professor Phillips. Other comments were:— Mr L. A. Brownlee, president, Canterbury Timber Merchants’ Association: “This is the most exciting news re-

ceived by the industry for years. There is a bright future for our forest products and this magnificent concept of training and research to back it assures success.” Mr IL C. Halliday, president, Canterbury Sawmillers’ Association: “The South Island’s forestry potential is enormous and study from soil to finished product will ensure better techniques and better service. In Canterbury we are specially interested in the exotic forests.” Mr P. M. Mac Shane, secretary, West Coast Sawmillers’ Association: “The West Coast is right behind this project. The chief interest is indigenous forests and the industry on the Coast stands to benefit greatly.” Mr W. H. Smith, president, Canterbury Master Builders’ Association: “The improvement of training in forestry must benefit the whole of the industry and this move will be welcomed by all our members. We are also interested in the creation of a chair of building science.” Mr K. D. Marshall, vicepresident Canterbury branch of the Institute of Architects: “The New Zealand Institute of Architects, at its last conference, voted in. favour of a second school of architecture being located in Canterbury This would integrate excellently with .the existing Schools of Engineering and Fine Arts and the School of Forestry, welcome in itself, strengthens this claim.