"A WET BLANKET"

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 151, 30 June 1925, Page 9

"A WET BLANKET"

NEW ZEALAND AND AUCKLAND

ASPIRATIONS

HON. GEORGE FOWLDS: BEFORE

UNIVERSITY COMMISSION.

(BI TELEQRAPn.—PRESS ASSOCIATION.) , AUCKLAND, 29th June!

..-"The- New Zealand University is purely Van abstraction," declared the Hon. G. Fowlds," ; when giving evidence ibefofe the ..■University ' Commission to-day. .'."lt was neither body nor soul.; There is nothing tangible about it. The New Zealand University, is re- . presented" by. a central office in: Welling-'. ton and/peripatetic Senate which- graces each of the four large cities in turn once in' i our years '.-,■>.-. The: result is . that it belongs to no one." .; ■[■■'-.•-.' *. .Public-spirited : men, .he 'continued, were being led to the conclusion that their energies in the' cause of education must be barren of any visible result, il devbte'd to what at present was an institution; bound down by what-in the public mind; was merely a colourless abstraction wielding a-deadening influence ,:on: high education. ;In the .north' the present system of control of university education merely acted aa ,a. wet blanket' towards -local - enthusiasm. Mr. Fowlds said that the ;of 'a, f separate university;'for. Auckland Hvould obviate all this policy of masterly inactivity in regard;to thelocal'offers, of assistance in its attempt to-meet .local needs. ." : - "Auckland does not grudge to Otago arid Canterbury the fine educational institutions .the South Island possesses, but it musti be ■admitted:that it is now Auckland's- turn . to- expand its university. _ Until; the present university system in New_ Zealand is done away, with, Ihis ; expansion '■ cannot take ' place. It is. the earnest desire of the v Auckland province that, even if the: other three colleges are not given, autonomy, the Auckland : University:- College should be allowed' to .expand -into an 'autonomous university:";:: ■'■.-'' --7- '.:'-" ; ;;;';■-,-..W,,;:;. -■..'

:.:: Mr. Fowlds emphasised "the alleged: inefficiency of the central office and ;an all-powerful central executive . ;functioriing, at intervals of three' and nine months; lHe also described the Senate's treatment of Auckland's youth in the matter of special schools -as an attitude of "gross ; unfairness:" : 'The present position was that the South Island Jtiad a majority of. - votes on;.the 1 Senate, although, their -university.-.■ district contained only one-third pf, the population ofvthe Dominion.r;^..';;^ : .'.. .

: Professor A. P. W. Thomas said that the lack! of corporate spirit was .due to the absence ■of i . association among students.;. The Vnight 'lecture./ system was a drawback and a reason .for the lack .of/corporate " spirit. v iThe federal syetem. was not:, satisfactory. ..The .Government would .prevent the growth of unlimited /schools. .There, were \:still' hopes for New, Zealand in v. the matter of-post-graduate research/"; i':.. >„;. ■■"'■:■ "•■-'