STUDENTS FROM FORCES

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume 80, 1 December 1945, Page 6

STUDENTS FROM FORCES

ACADEMIC RECOGNITION FOR TERM OF SERVICE (From Our Parliamentary Reporter) Wellington, Nov., 30. The petitions of J. B. Oliphant, of Auckland and seven others and of R. E. Smith, accountant, of Christchurch, and three others, praying for academic recognition commensurate with their term of military service, were reported back to the House of Representatives by the Education Committee, with a recommendation that they be referred to the Government for favourable consideration. In submitting its report the committee said it was fully alive to the fact that the detailed requests of the petitioners, with one exception, were matters for the University of New Zealand rather than the Government. The committee realised that in its handling of the cases of the members of the forces the University had shown a fine appreciation of the just and reasonable claims of the men, a proper regard for their real interests, and a correct interpretation of its duty to safeguard the interests of the people and maintain the prestige of its own degrees. The committee felt that in the Circumstances the Government would be reluctant to do more than express the view that, within such limits as the University regarded as binding upon itself, it would do its utmost to see that the members of the forces were placed as far as possible in the position they might well have reached if they had not enlisted for active service. TWO EXAMINATIONS A YEAR The report stated further that the committee expressed most strongly the hope that the Government would urge the University to provide, if possible, two examinations a year for those students for the professions who by reason of their service overseas had lost time in the prosecution of their studies and who desired to qualify for admission to their professions as soon as was reasonably possible. The committee expressed the hope that the Government would extend financial assistance by way of rehabilitation to cover the whole year in the case of those students who sought to pass University examinations and were not earning a sufficient wage. Mr R. M. Algie (National, Remuera) and Mr J. T. Watts (National, Riccarton) who each presented a petition, thanked the committee for the symp'thetic hearing the petitions received and expressed the view that the matters could well be left in the hands of the University.