UNIVERSITY COMMISSION

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LVI, 15 July 1925, Page 6

UNIVERSITY COMMISSION

M.\TIMCULATION STANDAHP

DECLARED TO UK I'oo I .OH

UUrit.ed Prosa Association ) CHRISTCHURCH. Ju!; 13, That the •standai I ft the m itrii '.ii.i tion examination is too low and allows students through who should ii" 1 I"' ad mitted .was the view put forward fry the C anterbury Chamber of Commerce _ today before tlm University Commission. The chamber urged that the standard should be stiffened. A statement furnished by the chamber suggested that the Commission should consider whether much i f the money spent on higher education in New Zealand was spent to the best advantage xvhether, in short, the same amount of money spent on fewer students, more carefully selected w. u!i| net, prednee more valuable re

soils. It is felt." continued the .statement. “that as the amount of money available for higher education is limited, the standard et qualification for such education is possibly ton lew. While it is essentia: that the maximum number of students capable of benefiting filUv by higher edtn:-»Mn should he enabled to receive it. it is, on the other hand, undesirable, that students not- fully callable nf benefiting should lie washing the limit. 1 1 vcsrurccs that are ;,vai : al>|e. !■> the latter ease the result- is to curtail tlb> opportunities of these students who could benefit slid further if more mnnrv were available without any compensating advantage.’’

Mr \\. Machin. president of the Chamber of Commerce, said tile entrance examination was low in standard and let- through people wlie would not benefit greatly by university eilinatien. Ihe Chairman of the Commission (Sir Harry Beielielj: “You know, jirobahlv. that- the pi'npori ion ~f students to the la pulai ion is unusually high in New Zealand, instead of that being a matter for congratulation you think it is one for regret ?’’ Mr .Machin: “Yes. Our self congra • filiation is- tempered by the fact that the product of the svsfem would have been better bad conditions been a little more rigid. The money releas’d by the training of fewer students could he ih> voted to the edlleatii n i f those In! ter class si mien Is.’

-Mr F. Tate: 'Ts the low standard the result, of evening study after the day's onlinarv work?’'

M r Machin : “I ha ve not seen an;. Ugns ol sl.riss or strain in |>eu|»l,. carry ing on studies ami work : rallu-r the re \erse. It- is ilillerent here from Eng land. In England the young pcopli W' rk lunger hours.’’ Sir llnrrx Reieliel : “Then yell think I lie cut ra nee examinalii'ii should l-i > I i lie r ?"

■Mr Machin: “Yes. It should for the sake "I the liny himself. Tint was the general agreement amnng those who sent- ns here."

Other representatives of the Chamber ot Commerce submitted suggt si ions as fo the methods bv xvhieli the universitv colleges may send out a fair proportion of men and women better equipped to take an important part in the ,-tevelopmenl of commerce and industries that contribute largely to the Dominion’s xvealth. Tn that respect witnesses stated that, sufficient advantage was not taken of consultation with representatives ot commerce and industry. Tt xvas easy to map out courses for stiulv that just missed heimr of practical use for wan? of a little practical knowledge. Ihe chamber felt Hint- speeialsed university courses of. ray. two years in certain subject**, taking students from, say 18 years to 20 wars, would he very valuable.

CHRISTCHURCH. Julv 14

Professor T. W. Rowe leilurcr in Jurisprudence and Law. told Ihc University Commission this morning that there was too much illiteracy in the legal profession, which was due to the easy standard of matriculation and lack ol reading. Every barrister should take «!?• LL.R. degree.'