University Growth Impresses

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31121, 26 July 1966, Page 18

University Growth Impresses

The expansion of universities in New Zealand has impressed a party of six student leaders from the United States which arrived in Christchurch yesterday.

“New Zealand seems to be just taking off on university education and really starting to put some money into it,” said Mr H. W. Wales, who heads the group. He remarked on the building programme at the University of Auckland where they arrived a week ago, and said they had been particularly struck by the development of Massey. University and the University of Waikato.

The layout and design of the new buildings were most impressive, Mr Wales said. “Many , of the universities in the United States which have grown up over a number of years with the addition of a little here and a little there

lack the planning and efficiency of these very new universities. “It was very interesting talking to the vice-chancellors and the students there about their ideas on this expansion.” The five men and one woman in the party are all

members of the students’ association executives of their respective universities, are experienced in state and national student affairs, and have travelled overseas previously. The group comprises Miss E. Holtz, aged 19, of the In-

temational Christian University, Tokyo; Messrs C. Deveaux, aged 20, State University of New York; A. Malano, aged 22, Brookland College, New York; S. Oxman, aged 21, Princeton University, New Jersey; L. Rose, aged 21, of the University of Minnesota.

Mr Wales is a 22-year-old graduate in English from the University of North Carolina. He is chairman of the national advisory board of the United States National Students’ Association and edits a student newspaper.

During their two-week tour

of New Zealand, they were making every effort to get the widest possible sample of what this country’s students were like, Mr Wales said, and to get a broad range of student opinion. This involved meeting a considerable variety of student groups. “We’ve even been to a 6 o’clock swill; we went to one of those studentpopulated pubs in Wellington. “It was straight after a Rugby match, and the place was absolutely jam-packed with enthusiastic students. They’d just won. It was great fun. As the evening passed they became more and more eager to buy us beers...

This morning the party will meet the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury (Professor N. C. Phillips), and will then be taken on an informal tour of the town site. A similar tour of the Ilam site is planned for the afternoon, and in the evening they will attend the annual blues banquet. Before leaving for the University of Otago the next day, they will visit Lincoln College. The programme for Friday evening, when the party returns, includes a political lecture, one of a series organised by the Student Christian Movement, and on Saturday there will be either sport or sightseeing around the city. The party will leave for Sydney in the evening.