UNIVERSITY BILL

Evening Post, Volume CVI, Issue 69, 1 October 1928, Page 4

UNIVERSITY BILL

protest .by; pbofjessors (By Teleflrajih.) (Special to. "The Evening Post.") DUNEPIN, This Day.' i TJio provisions of tho Now Zealand .University Bill now before Parliament were .considered by the Professorial Board of tho Otago University, and the following resolution was carried:— ! "This Bill embodies some difficult and, debatable matter, and the board deprecates its being hurried through before there has been time or opportunity for adequate consideration by the interests concerned. The clauses which are considered debatable are clauses three, four, and eleven, and the board regrets the non-appea*ance of machinery provisions by which graduation ceremonies may be held by the constituent colleges." eiauso'3 gives power to the Minister to veto tho establishment of a new chair in any.college. In the opinion of the board the consent, of tho Minister should be required only if it. is pro« bable that financial assistance would be required from the Government for tho support of tho chair. Clause 4 repeals the provision whereby a grant of £4000 is annually made to' the University" Council and substitutes for tho grant a Parliamentary appropriation. Clauso 11 gives power to the council to confer certain honorary degrees in respect to graduation ceremonies. It may be explained that under the existing Act tho council is not permitted to delegate its powers or conferring degrees. Degrees can bo .conferred! only at a Now Zealand University Couucil meeting. It was hoped that provision would be niado whereby the council might give power to fee of its members to confer the degrees and thus enable graduation ceremonies to be held a| yiss tha eaee in. fonnor years.