N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVII, 2 October 1928, Page 10

N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

FINANCIAL matters.

MINISTER’S REPLY TO PROTEST

(By Te'egraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, Oct. 1

“The professorial board of the Auckland University (College, according to a report 'in the Press, expresses its* disagreement with certain proposals in the University Amendment Bill, savs the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, in a statement 'issued to-day, “because such proposals are said to be opposed 'to certain vital questions of educational principle. “The board asserts the' developments of policy should be in the hands of the University authority unfettered by political control, i. 0., free from Parli'amentary control. “•Proposals in the Bill to which exception is taken are: (I) That no new chair shall be established by the University 'College without the consent of the Minister, and (2) that tno grant to the New Zealand University, instead of 'being a fixed amount of £3S4d as at present, shall be such sum as is appropriated by Parliament. “With icgard to the first objecsavs the .Minister, “it must be pointed out that the Government has to provide most of the funds for the maintenance of university colleges and for buildings, equipment and apparatus. Payments to Auckland last year from Government grants and national endowment income amounted to o\ei £10,000.. to which ■ must be added students’ fees paid bv the Government, amounting to abotit £O2OO, income from endowments granted by the Government amounting to nearly £2OOO, and other payments. “The ' income from (Government amounting to nearly £2OOO, and other payments. ‘‘The income from Govern men sources is therefore about £20,000 out of a total income of about. £35,000. and this does not include very large payments amounting during recent years to nearly £130,000 for buildings, equipment and subsidies. HEAVY RESPONSIBILITY. “It* will thus be seen that the Government shoulders a very 'heavy financial responsibility respecting university eduaction, yet, according to the professorial 'board the Government must have no voice in deciding what chairs shall be established or what schools shall be represented 'in the institutions and' the University 'College must b e allowed to undertake instruction in every branch of learning if it is so decides notwithstanding that there may be adequate provision in order institutions for the needs Of the country for years 'to come. “Freedom in self-developing could be granted if there were a guarantee that the cost of that, development would not ultimately come upon the Government, but what is the present pgsi'tion? “The Government has before it at the present time insistent, demands for more money, and -still more money, for adding to ’ staffs, for maintaining special schools and for new buildings and equipment. “One college demands an extra £4OOO to £13,000 a year to develop one special school. Another college points cut, and with some reason, that its professors are very m'uch overworked and that the staff of assistants should be doubled. A.t the same time, the Government some check on the establishment of special schools and special chairs, it would have been able] to avoid unnecessary duplications amlj the financial, difficulties would not | have been so.acute.

“Tlie professorial board makes much of the principle of freedom of selfdevelopment, but surely another principle is involved, that if Parliament is expected to provide money for Univcrsit education, Parliament must have some voice as to how the money shall be expended. “With regard to the second objection to the proposal, referring to' the grant to the New Zealand University by Parliament and the determination of Thai grant from year to year according t.o requirements,” continues the Minister, “the following is the position. When the university was established in 1870 it received an annual grant of £3OOO for the purpose of maintaining the university, of establishing lectureships in affiliated colleges, and clef raving the expenses of scholarships and the necessary expenses of management.

“For a few years grants were made to affiliated institutions, but these ceased about 187 S and since that date grants have been used largely to build up a capital fund for scholarships 'and other purposes. LARGE ACCUMULATED FUNDS. “This capital fund has been added to from year 'to year till it is now over £71,000, the interest from which is over £4OOO per annum. In 1010 the t.ota! accumulated funds were £30,135, so in 17 years the University has added to reserves the sum of £41,240. “'Last year the general income of the University, apart from subsidies and contributions, was: Interest of investments, £4004; examination fee_s, etc., £27,225; statutory grant, £3845; total, £35,144. The expenditure was: Administration, , £7925; examination expenses, £17,552; scholarships, £53-75; surplus income, £4:292; 'total, £35,144. “From this it will be seen that, the University is 'in a strong financial position, and could probably carry on without the statutory grant, which could be devoted to some other university purpose of pressing nature. “The 'Government therefore is quite justified in considering whether, as a matter of policy, it should 'continue to gi V(» the university au annual grant in order that it may' be able to build up a large reserve fund, when additional funds are so urgently needed for other university purposes. “Regarding the protest against the non-receipt of a copy of the ©ill,” the Minister concludes, “it lias to be pointed out that Government Bills are confidential until they are introduced, and i that as soon as copies were available j a full supply was sent by the depart-1 meat to the Auckland University: College. The statement made that copies of tlie Bill were withheld is 1 therefore incorrect.” ,