COST OF FORESTRY SCHOOL

Hawera Star, Volume LIV, 3 May 1934, Page 5

COST OF FORESTRY SCHOOL

CLOSING IN CANTER,BUEiY

COMMENT BY MINISTER

(By Telegraph—Press Association.) WELLINGTON, May 2. “If the school were continued -it would mean the cost per student to the taxpayer would be about £1.20 a year over and above the fees paid,” remarked the Minister of Education (the Hon. R. Masters), when invited this evening to comment on the [recent announcement regarding the closing of the school of forestry at Canterbury College. Sir Masters pointed out that it had been necessary for the Government to provide considerable additional financial assistance to Canterbury College to enable it to continue the ordinary functions of the college. “Canterbury College,” said Mr Masters, “has suffered a loss of nearly £6OOO a year from the fall in rents from endowments due to the depression, and as a result it has been necessary to increase the Government grant for' arts and general purposes. The Government grant of £IOOO a year to the school of forestry was -withdrawn from April 1, 1932. The loss to the college on the school in 1932 was £653 and the loss last year was £766. The estimated loss in 1934 is £959 ond by the end of this year- the estimated deficit in the school of forestry account will be over £3OOO. “In 1931 there were 26 forestry student In 1932 the number had fallen to 15 and in 1933 to nine, and for -the first term of this year only eight students are in attendance, two of whom are first year students. If the school wore continued it would mean that the oost per student to the taxpayer would, be about £129 a year over and above the fees paid by the studeiit. “It has to be remembered also that there is a surplus of trained foresters in New Zealoud and a number of exstudents of the school of forestry caniiot obtain professional work and are employed in a number of cases as forest labourers. There is therefore no justification for the continuance of the school at the present time.” .