More Maoris At University

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31123, 28 July 1966, Page 3

More Maoris At University

! (N.Z. Press Association) WELLINGTON, July 27. More Maori students are attending university this year than ever before, a Maori education officer said I ,in Wellington today. I The over-all picture had never been better, said the; ' officer, Mr N. Harre. However. I the situation was not good! | enough. More than 100 Maoris atten ded university in Auckland! land there had been a marked, ;increase in interest for Maori! i Education Foundation grants I ' he said. 22 Applications I An increase in the applica-! tions for Maori university i scholarships had also been noted. In 1965 there were 17 applications and 22 in 1966. In previous years the num- ■ her of applications had been • as low as five, Mr Harre said Victoria University has . fewer Maori students this year—only 10 compared with [ 13 in 1965. ; Mr Harre described the drop at Victoria as insignifi- ’ cant. The centre of Maori populations was closer to - Auckland, and Victoria had no ■ particular course to attract > Maori students. ) Dunedin was an exception, f as it offered dentistry and medical courses.

More Maoris were also en tering teachers’ training colleges, he said. He quoted statistics illustrating that the number of Maori entrants had doubled since 1962 to about 150 this year.

Maori students were staying - longer at secondary school ■ thanks to the work of the • Maori Education Foundation > and more Maoris were staying for a sixth-form year, he said.