AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 14808, 11 October 1911, Page 8

AUCKLAND UNIVERSITY.

CONSTITUTION OF COUNCIL.

prop6sed LEGISLATION.

AN INCREASE IN MEMBERS.

[BY telegraph.—special correspondent.] Wellington, Tuesday. The constitution of the Auckland University College Council will be entirely reorganised if the amendment Bill circulated this morning is passed. The measure is virtually the same as the University of Otago Council Bill, which has also been introduced by the Minister for Education.

The Bill proposes to amend the Auckland University College Act, 1882, by constituting the council in the following manner:—Four members appointed by the Governor (at present three appointed by the Governor-in-Council), two members appointed by the professorial board (at present no professors of the college are eligible to hold office as members of the council), four members elected by the district Court of Convocation (at present three members are elected by the graduates of the college, the franchise for this group being extended), one member appointed by the Auckland Education Board (at present the representative of the Board is the chairman for the time being), one member appointed by the Auckland City Council (at present the Council is represented by the Mayor of the city), . one member elected by the governing bodies of the secondary echools in the Auckland University district (new), one member elected by the teachers in public schools in the district holding certificates, of competency (new), one member elected by teachers in secondary schools in the district who are graduates of any British chartered university or are holders of certificates of competency (new), and the members of the council in- office on the commencement of the Act elected by members of the General Assembly resident in the Auckland province (the last group comprises three members). It is proposed that the first appointments and elections shall be made within the first seven days of June, 1912, and that the new members shall come into office on July 1, 1912. The usual formalities are prescribed for the formation of the new council, and provision is made that the governing body of each secondary school shall be entitled to one vote for even- 100 or part of ,100 pupils, exclusive of "those in any lower department, in average attendance for the year ending December 31 preceding the election. The term of office of the representatives of the Governor, professorial board, and Court of Convocation will be four years, and all others, except those elected by members of the General Assembly, will hold office for two years. The clauses in the present Act regarding fees have been repealed, and the following substituted:"The council may from time to time prescribe reasonable fee's for the attendance of students at lectures and classes. Such fees shall be paid to the registrar.of the college. The council mav at its discretion pay to the professors or lecturers or any of them the aforesaid fees or any part or proportion thereof."

BttL BEFORE THE HOUSE.

AMENDMENTS FORECASTED.

[BST TELEGRAPH.—SPECIAL correspondent.]

Wellington, Tuesday. The second reading of the Bill was carried on the voices this evening, after a discussion relating principally to the payment of fees to the professors." Mr. James Allen (Bruce) said he thought ■ the proposed Council would be found unwieldy. There was no need to have four members appointed, by the Government, and the teaching profession was more heavily represented than it need be. • The House should carefully consider the clause which authorised the payment of fees to professors and lecturers. It would be much better to make full provision for them in the way of salaries, and the effect of the other system was that students.were directed to certain classes and lectures because professors and lecturers were - thus enabled to increase their own emoluments. 7

. Mr. G. W. Russell (Avon) supported this criticism. He considered that school committees were entitled to representation and the secondary schools seemed to be over represented. r Mr. H. Poland (Ohinemuri) failed to see why the Auckland City Council should be represented at ail, since other bodies were denied representation. The Hon. G. Fowlcis admitted that the Council might be too large, but contended that it was desirable to have good representation of various sections of the community. The power to pay fees to professors and lecturers was not a new one, and existing agreements with professors and lecturers would make it necessary to renew the power unless the House was prepared to compensate professors and lecturers for loss of their rights under these agreements. ; Mr. Allen: If the Council had the fees it .could pay larger salaries. Mr. Fowlds said that questions frequently arose between the Council and the local authority controlling the area in which the University was situated, and this made it desirable that . the City Council should be represented in the University Council. On the whole the constitution was an excellent one.

Mr. D. McLaren (Wellington East) considered that the general public should be given representation upon such bodies as the University councils and others controlling education. Sir Joseph Ward, in reply, explained that under the existing law the professors got the whole of the fees. He agreed that fees should, not be paid to the professors at all. In the Government insurance the payment of fees to officers had been gradually abolished in favour of giving better salaries. The Government would give a lead upon this matter when the Bill was in committee, he hoped that the result would be an adjustment satisfactory to the professors and to others concerned. He was inclined to think that the right of the Auckland school committees to representation should be considered.