Mr Muldoon Replies: VICE-CHANCELLOR ACCUSED OF PERSONAL ATTACK

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 31923, 26 February 1969, Page 30

Mr Muldoon Replies: VICE-CHANCELLOR ACCUSED OF PERSONAL ATTACK

(From Our Own Reporter) ’ WELLINGTON, February 25. Continuing the controversy over future university spending, the Minister of Finance (Mr Muldoon) today accused Professor N. C. Phillips, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Canterbury, of pretending that no problem existed. Mr Muldoon said he was greatly disturbed by the attitude of the Vice-Chancellor.

“I forwarded to Professor Phillips and the vice-chancellors of the other universities the complete text of my recent address on the future of univessity spending, and he is well aware that I have merely asked the universities to have regard to a major problem which I believe will develop in this field.”

“He is also well aware, from reading my address, that my comments were made in an effort to obviate the necessity for action to be taken at short notice, and that the time period with which I was concerned was at least 10 years.

“He is also aware that at the conclusion of my address I made it clear that 1 considered the agenda for the forthcoming Vice-Chancellors’ meeting covered consideration of all of the points that I have raised." said the Min-: ister.

“In spite of this. Professor Phillips has taken the opportunity to make a personal attack on me. confined to a relatively unimportant aspect of my remarks

“In concerning himself with calculations of the cost of failure. Professor Phillips is setting up a smoke-screen to obscure the real problem. The round figure of SlOm per annum is obviously an approximation. and if it has an error of 20 per cent in either direction, the public who I must ask to find the funds for university education would > still be concerned at a wast-l age of sBm or Sl2m. Little Effect “In his comments on the: building programme at Ilam Professor Phillips also gives evidence of a lack of a sense of proportion which is disturbing in one who holds the office of Vice-Chancellor." said Mr Muldoon. “He must surely be aware that it is impossible to forecast within a matter of a month or two the completion of a building which is to take 45 months to build, and the loss of three months can have relatively little effect on the future of the university.” The Minister said: “It is; this type of extravagant com ment which arouses public antagonism towards the universities. and the Vice-Chan-cellor might be astonished if he could see the letters reaching me. many of them from university staff, who agree that what I have raised is a serious problem which must be faced by the university' authorities.

“No-one who visits the Ham site will fail to see how little substance there is in the Vice-Chancellor’s complaints, and what little regard he has for the taxpayer who is footing the bills. “There is no doubt that spending on universities will increase at a rate that is about the highest of any form of Government spending, but the taxpayer will expect to see a more responsible attitude shown if he is going to be asked to pay increased taxes to meet these costs. Attacking Problem ( “When university spending. I on a conservative estimate, is I predicted to rise at twice the rate of increase in the gross I national product, a Minister! of Finance must be concerned.

“1 would have hoped that, as the Vice-Chancellor of a major university, Professor Phillips would be concerned with attacking the problem, which is his responsibility, rather than pretending that the problem does not exist and attacking me.”