Minister Not Satisfied

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 3

Minister Not Satisfied

(From Our Parliamentary Reporter)

WELLINGTON, June 3.

The shortage of veterinarians in New Zealand would be alleviated by the extension of facilities at Massey University’, the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Taiboys) said in Parliament today. But the minister would not say he was satisfied with the position.

Mr M. A. Connelly (Opp., Riccarton) had asked if the Minister had seen the statement by the chairman of the Veterinary Services Council (Mr A. C. Friis) that the acute shortage of veterinarians in New Zealand was creating problems in the veterinary club system. Mr Taiboys said he had seen the statement. It would be some time before the increased number of veterinary graduates available in New Zealand would overcome the shortage, he said. “New Zealanders continue to graduate from the Australian veterinary schools,” Mr Taiboys said. “One of the major problems to overcome is a world shortage of veterinarians combined with highly attractive conditions and salaries available in other countries.”

Mr Taiboys said the original intake at Massey was 32. Next vear there would be accommodation for 48 veterinary students.

Mr Connelly: Is the Minister satisfied that this intake

would be adequate to meet the need?

Mr Taiboys: I don’t think I am ever satisfied. We shall continue to recruit veterinarians overseas. Mr 11. J. Walker (Govt., St. Albans): Is the shortage attributable to the fact that the Labour Government could not make a decision as to where to put the college? Mr Taiboys: It is obvious that if the college had been established earlier, we would have been established earlier. We would have been able to train veterinarians earlier. Mrs E. McMillan (Opp., Dunedin North): Why cannot 48 students be trained at Massey now? Mr Taiboys: At present there is no accommodation for 48. Mrs McMillan: Is it a fact that by no means all the required facilities were available when the college was set up? Mr Taiboys: A number of factors are involved. When he called for applications, some outstanding people applied. There are several aspects involved in extending the capacity to 48.