MR. HOGBEN REPORTS

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1577, 22 October 1912, Page 5

MR. HOGBEN REPORTS

' ' UNIVERSITY COLLEGES, LARGER OUTLAY SUGGESTED. ' A lengthy report by the InspectorGeneral of Schools on. tho university colleges of New Zealand as recommended by Iho Eduontbn Committee i.n their report lo tho House of Ikpresnntatives on October' 23, 1911, was presented lo Parliament last eveuiiij,'. Professors 1 Salaries. On tin's point Mr. Hoglwn says Hint taking tho KilmieS of professors at tho very modurato average of ,£"00, thoso of lecturers at JrHOO, ami of assistant'lectur(iih uud demonstrators at-JCISO, ho arrived at a total for tho suggested lypo or general scheme of statfs in tho departments of arts, science, commerce, and law of J812,100. Tho adjusted schemes for the 6amo departments of the general colleges suggested above us tho minimum necessary for efficiency, would give as the total salaries of the staffs for arts, science, commerce, and law:—Aucklin 1, ,£10,400; Victoria College, .£11,200; Canterbury, jClo,fiso; Otugo, ■£10,G50; total, .£42,900. 'J'lio total salaries noir paid to tho touching staffs in arts, pcionce, commerce, and Jaw ore as folloiv.—Auckland, .£5730; Victoria, ,£B700;i Canterbury, JCSIOO; Otago, •£7080; total, ,£30,300. If tho siira of .£1550 (the total salaries allotted to the Auckland School of Mines) were given to the four departments just named, the amount available- for these departments in Auckland would bo 47280, nnd the total for tlie four colleges would be .£31,280, or nearly 4)32,000, or an average of .£BOOO. In other words, tho col- ' leges require about ,£3OOO more each to give them til? staffs indicated ne the desirable minimum for their present numbers or, say, .£4IOO each to give them the ideal staffing. The minimum staff for efficient teaching of tho several subjects would be practically sufficient for a much larger number of students. Additional .emoluments that would be likely to increase with the progress of the Dominion would allow of tho gradual improvement of the staffing, and when the standard of XII.OOO per college was reached n properly adjusted scale of fees would give for increased numbers tho necessary increase of revenue, Estimated Cost of Staffing. The following estimate is given of tho cost of the total minimum staffing consistent with a reasonable degreo of efficiency :— CanAnck- Vic- terlnnd. toria. bury. Otago. Total. £.££ ■ £ £ Art, science, commerce, and law 11,000 11,000 11,000 11,000 «,000 Home science — — 1,000 I,ooo' Engineer- '. ilig - - 3,000 - 3,000 Milling — — - 1,000 1,000 Medicine - - - 4,900 4,900 Dontistry - - - 1,100 1,100 11,000 11,000 14,000 19,000 55,100 University Libraries, Laboratories, Etc. The question of libraries is dealt witll at considerable length. Both tho capital and the annual amounts should be contributed by the University of Now Zealand.- Por laboratories the amounts required for the general colleges would be: Auckland, .£550; Victoria, ,£550; Canterbury, ,£1000; Otago, ,£1400; total, £3500. The amounts required for administrativepurposes are: Auckland, ,£2000; Wellington, .£2000; Canterbury, .£2200; Otago, X 2300 Expenditure and Income, Tho total recurring expenditure of tho four colleges for 1912 is put down as follows:— <■ JU Salaries and staffs 42,50t> Administration 7,000 Libraries and laboratories 2,500 Interest, etc 1,000 Total 53,000 The proposed total annual expenditure is given as follows.—Auckland, .£13,800; Victoria, .£13,800; Canterbury, .£17,450; Otago, .£22,950: total, iIGS.OOO. The assured present income is set. down as-fol-lows:—Auckland, .£10,200; Victoria, .£9700; Canterbury, JUSOO; Olago, JH7.BOO:' total, ,£52,700. To meet the deficiency a raising of certain fees is suggested, and tliern are certain suggestions regarding the statutory grants and additional endowments. , Other Recommendations, The Inspector-General emplinsises the urgent need for new buildings for the. Auckland College, stating that ho cannot recommend any grants for patching Up or adding to the new buildings. He proposes the erection of a new structure to cost £75,000, of which .£50,000 would be expended during five years, and tho balance during the following fivo years. A considerable capital expenditure is also proposed in connection with Canterbury College. Overlapping is very marked in Christehnrch as regards institutions other than thoso of university roiik. He considers the existence of a school of art and a technical colle#o ns distinct institutions as wasteful of both effort and moiiev, and he recommends an amalgamation of tho two. _ There is an urgent call Joy increased accommodation at Otago University. Taking into consideration tlijj requirements of all four colleges- calling for expenditure of capital, Mr. Hogbm states that tho total amount that should Iμ provided can hardly be set down as less than .£70,000, or .£14,000 a year for the next five years. All tho needs for capital expenditure, except the cast of the new buildings for Auckland, could be met out of the balance available from tho slinro of the national endowment revenue proposed to be allowed to higher education, thus leaving, ray, .£IO,OOO a j-cnr for five years to be provided by the Government. Victoria College. At Victoria College lie/says: "The number of students and tho number of subjects taught at tho college have both increased during the last few years, and there is urgent need for additional lecture rooms, for a biological museum, for the fitting up of a biological laboratory, and for increased accommodation both for students nnd books in the library, lhe first of these needs could be met, but only partially, by fitting up for hhj the top floor of the present building, which is estimated to cost £500, but the other requirements and others almost ns urgent, such as additional rooms for professors and for students' studies, etc., would be moSt satisfactorily met by the completion of the north end of the present Arts buildings, which would probably cost £0000 or £7000; perhaps £7000 for buildings, etc., would be enough to provido for nil present wants for some time to come If the von!thy citizens of ton do not imitate thoso of Birmingham, Montreal, Toronto. Sydney, and other British communitie,", and recognise by their gifts tho valno of a university college in their midst, the Government is tho only sourco from which tho money could come, and Government, perforce, on account of other calls upon it, must give tho absolute, minimum necessary for ofllcioncy, the private citizen's generosity is not so limited."

It is understood that this year's candidates from Iho Auckland University College for the Rhodes scholarship, which ie tenable, at Oxford University, will bo Mr. V. A. Taylor, H.A., mid Mr. A. 13. Jameson, B.Sc. Both passed thejr sixth form at the Auckland Grammar School, nnd both took their decrees Inst year. Tho selection of one as tho Auckland candidate for the llhodcs scholarship, which is couferred each year upon a New Zcalandcr, will l>o mado by the Professorial Board on the Olst insl. Particulars of a T.evi* stock sale, to be held by Messrs. Abrnliiim and Witlinnis, on October 25, nro advertised on nmither page of I his issue. The sale begins nt i p.m. For a small deposit HOOfl acres of one of the lipst sheep farms in iho Wniranipn district may bo secured from Messrs William H. Turnbull and Co., Welliiißlon. .I'arliciiliirs clsowliere. Sibils: "Blinks is a lucky dog, his wife fairly worships him!" Stacks: "Yes,'but ehe carries it too far sometimes. 1 was out there to dianor unexpectedly the other dny, and ehe served up a burnt Offering."