UNIVERSITY SALARIES.

Evening Star, Issue 17925, 22 March 1922, Page 8

UNIVERSITY SALARIES.

'A QUESTION ABOUT TEE OUT.

OTAGO PAYS IN FULL

PENDING LEGAL INQUIRIES.

Tho Otago University Council had to think about an important subject yesterday this being raised by a letter from the Secretary of Education asking that the salaries bo reduced as prescribed by section 66 of tho Public Expenditures Adjustment Act, and stating that the grants ■will be reduced by approximately hi, WA) per annum. ~ Tr c ., Tho Vice-Chancellor, Mr T. K. Sidoy, said that the Act imposed an obligation on the council to make these reductions, bo that it had no alternative but to make thorn and to instruct tho registrar accordingly. He thought, however, that the question as to what further steps might be taken by the council might bo referred to the Finance Committee. The red tictions started under the Act from January 1, and it might bo rather a largo reduction now to make it in one quarter. The only exception made was in cases where the contract was entered into outside Now Zealand and during tho period of its currency. ~ , Mr J. 0. Stephens said there was another question, and that was whether the professors camo under section o or section fi of the Act. Section 5 dealt with tho ease of members of the public service and teachers in educational institutions whoso salaries had been raised in conso* quonce of the allocation of £300,000 from the Government to the Education Department. It might ho found that the additional £5,000 grant to tho university had been got from tho Government out of tho £300,000. If that was so, they came under section 5, and reductions under that section did not take effect until regulations had been passed. Regulations had not yet been passed. _ It seemed to him there were so many difficulties in the matter that they ought to act under the advice of their solicitors. Mr L. Deans Ritchie (chairman of the Finance Committee) said Be had asked the registrar to obtain a legal opinion. This was going to he a very difficult matter, and would lead to heartburnings. The council should certainly communicate with the Minister of Education and see whether something could not be done to lessen tho burden on the professors whoso salaries had not been raised on account of tho high cost of living and were less than those of their colleagues in northern centres. _ "The Vice-Chancellor said tho question raised by Mr Stephens was a very diffi - cult one. There was also the question whether a contract entered into in England but only signed out hero would exclude the professor from tho benefit of the section of the Act exempting contracts made outslde / New Zealand. There was a general clause with reference to undue hardship that might be availed of. It was unanimously decided that the matter bo referred to the Finance Committee and the council’s solicitors, and the registrar was instructed in tho meantime to pay tho salaries in full.