TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXV, Issue 9104, 12 July 1888, Page 3

TECHNICAL EDUCATION AND UNIVERSITY COLLEGE.

- TO THE EDITOR.

. Sir, —In your columns of to-day (Wednesday) there appears "the principal portion " of the report intended to be presented by the Committee of the Chamber of Commerce, at the annual meeting to be held to-morrow, and that report contains the following " Your Council, in last year's report, called attention to the useless expenditure upon universities and the salaries of so many Professors. They are still of opinion that one University for the colony, and consequently one staff of Professors, would fully satisfy all the requirements of New Zealand students for the present." Permit me to submit to the members of the Chamber of Commerce, and to tho public at large, the following brief statement of some considerations that seem to have an essential bearing on this question ■ 1. If there were one central University College, in place of the three local colleges now existing, the population of Auckland would be deprived of the benefits of the higher education thus provided. The total numbes of students in the Auckland University College in 1887 was —graduates, 6g undergraduates, 44 ; not matriculated, 57 1 the number this year is nearly 200. Of these only a very few could afford to prosecute their studies elsewhere; and those whc could do so would find it cheaper and better to go to Europe than to Christchurch or Dunedin. The central institution would, therofore, be useless to Auckland.

2. These colleges serve the purpose of training institutions for teachers, in practical science especially. If the work were carried on only in one locality—say in Christchurch—either the inhabitants of the Canterbury district would obtain a virtual monopoly of educational appointments, or else the primary education in other districts would be carried on by teachers insufficiently trained. 3. The total amount paid by the Colonial Government for the expenses of university colleges is £4000, and this sum is expended exclusively in Auckland. The other two colleges (at Dunedin and Christchurch) are endowed institutions, in no way dependent on Parliamentary grants. 4. The education given in the Auckland University College is largely of a practical character. By establishing a School of Applied Science the College supplies that technical education which, it may be presumed, the Auckland Chamber of Commerce (in common with the leading statesmen and the educational authorities of Britain) regard as an urgent want. The Auckland University College is at present the only institution in the North Island where such instruction is provided.—l am, &c., Robert Kidd.