REFUGEE STUDENTS

Evening Star, Issue 23500, 14 February 1940, Page 6

REFUGEE STUDENTS

! ADMITTANCE TO MEDICAL SCHOOL DEBATED BY UNIVERSITY COUNCIL MOTION TO EXCLUDE REJECTED The question whether refugee medical students should be admitted to the Medical School again came up for lengthy discussion by the Council of the University of Otago at its monthly meeting yesterday afternoon, when two further motions touching upon the subject were dealt with. One, moved by Dr J. Fitzgerald, sought the complete exclusion of: refugee students after 1940, and the other, proposed by Mr J. Robertson, asked for the rescinding of all resolutions prior to July, 1939, which in effect opened up the whole question for review. Dr Fitzgerald’s motion, which was as follows, was lost“ That after 1940 no more refugees be admitted to the Medical School for the duration of the war.” Mr Robertson’s motion was ultimately carried, and applications now before the council are to be reported upon by a special committee.

Proposing his motion, Dr Fitzgerald said the question of these aliens had had the attention of the council for a very long time. There had been a Jot of vacillation. Motions had been passed and rescinded, and there had been interference from outside. He wanted to bring the notice of the council to the quota to the Medical School. Figures produced by Dr Newlands, chairman of the New Zealand Medical Council, went to show that this country had already exceeded ita quota. In proportion to’ its population, there had been more foreign doctors brought into New Zealand than into Britain or Australia. New Zealand had brought in six times more than Britain. There were a number of our own people in Great Britain at this time, Dr Fitzgerald continued, who, in the ordinary -course of events, would be back in ,New Zealand if there was no war, and; their positions had to be safeguarded. There were also our own students coming on, and they had to have room. _ They were sons of men who fought in the last war, and they might be excluded.

The motion was seconded by Mr G. R. Ritchie. _ Miss May: It seems to me the council should take a wider view. It is not our particular problem. It is a world problem. These refugees are a legacy from Versailles. Had it not been for the harsh terms of that treaty refugees would not now be tonring ail over the world. Voices: Question 1 Questionl

HUMANITARtANISM! “ 1 don’t think we should let the motion go out as it is,” stated Mr W. R. Brugh. He admitted that the admittance of 13 in a batch was wrong, but to close the door hard and fast was hardly right. They might bo shutting out some very good men. “ It is not befitting this council that it should put humanitarianism so far from it that it is going to shut the door on these people, he concluded. Dr Hercus considered! the motion too sweeping. He produced figures, recently secured in Wellington, dealing with the arrival of refugee doctors in the Dominion. The Customs Department had received applications from 67 people. Of these 50 were given permission to enter the country. Of these 39 took advantage of the permission. Seventeen Vad! already entered the Medical School. Eight were in practice, nine were asking permission to enter the Medical School, and the others had entered other professions. During his visit to America and Canada last year, continued Dr Hercus, he had discussed the problem with the deans of various faculties, and he ascertained they were overwhelmed witli applications. “It seems to me that the motion is too'absolute,” he added. “If we find we have more New Zealand students who have first consideration, than we can accommodate after 1940, then we should follow the American system. The motion is far too sweeping ” One of the present applicants for entry to the school was a Pole. Mr J. Robertson stated. The British Government still recognised the Poles, ‘who were Allies of Groat Britain and France. Some of the applicants were Austrians Some were Jews; and Germany had declared war on them. As such they were not enemy aliens. Therefore the motion before the council was one to cut out Jewish refugees. On humanitarian grounds alone the council had to consider that. In his opinion the motion was too sweeping. “ These men might perhaps "0 back to their own countries after the war. If we turn them down we are making enemies, but if wo treat them well they will go back as friends and missionaries,” he stated. The Chancellor (Mr W. J. Morrell) remarked that he found himself in agreement witli the Dean of the Faculty. Their own men came first, but the motion was too absolute. It did shut out some who were worthy of consideration if there was room to take them into the Medical School. Mr F. W, Mitchell: If we do not accept the motion what will be the position? We will go back to where we were before.

The Chancellor: I don’t say there is room, but there might be; but the motion would shut the door entirely. The motion was lost by 8 votes to 7. Mr J. Robertson then moved—“ In view of fresh knowledge as to information officially supplied to foreign applicants for admission to the Medical School, the council-rescinds all resolutions subsequent to the general resolution of July 18, 1939. refusing entrance to the Medical School to individual applicants, with the view of reconsidcr-

ing the whole situation as regards the session of 1940.”

These people had been admitted by the Customs as approved immigrants, he said. He was npt moving that they be admitted to the Medical School, but he was prepared to move later that their claims for admission be placed before the medical faculty for consideration. If three were admitted it would bo three years before they could practice. The letters and documents before them related to five applicants, and as a matter of justice they should look very carefully into the ’claims of each one. The motion was seconded by Mr H. P. Kidson. Mr Ritchie: How many, if any, can we admit? The Chancellor; The council is free to admit any whom they think under the special circumstances they should admit. The motion was carried by 8 votes to 5. A lengthy discussion then followed as to the most suitable method to be adopted to consider the various applications, a motion finally being carried that the matter be referred to a special committee, to report at the next meeting of the council. The information officially supplied to foreign applicants referred to by the mover of the second motion contained the following:—“ln view of the constant inquiries received by the B.M.A. from foreign practitioners asking in what parts of the British Empire they are permitted to practise, or whore they would be allowed to register if they obtained a British qualification, a letter was sent last November to 44 registration authorities in various parts of the Empire, asking whether any restrictions similar to those in force in Isouth Africa had been imposed or were contemplated. The 37 replies received are summarised below;—

“ New Zealand.—Qualifications registrable in Great Britain, South Africa, and Australia are registrable in New Zealand. Foreign doctors wishing to practise in New Zealand, but who do not possess a British qualification, must apply to the New Zealand Medical Council for registration, and if they are approved by the council they will be allowed to take a special course of three years’ study with examinations at the New Zealand Medical School, on completion of which they will be eligible for registration.” This information, it was stated by council members, bad been issued To refugees by the B.M.A. in England.