HIGHER EDUCATION.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20622, 22 July 1930, Page 11

HIGHER EDUCATION.

WORK OF THE UNIVERSITY.

INCREASE IN THE ROLLS.

NEW CHAIRS AND LECTURESHIPS.

In his review made yesterday of the development of the Auckland University ( olU'go dining lln past. It) years Sir George Fowlds gave a considerable amount of statistical 'information that had been prepared bv the registrar, Mr. 15. O'Shca, t ~ whom lie paid a warm tribute. As shown by the following table the number of students increased by bO per cent. in the decade:— Attending: lectures # Matriculated students: Grnduntcn— HM'.I. D'J'.l. Men ...J ... ,s ;>ii Women ~i i..: .. 1 - 111 Totals ..■ v.. R.-.i "JO 87 Umlercrn dnatcs Men .. .. .. . ru:. 711 Women v.) v. r.. 1-7 'J:i7 Totals ... ... .... <J,)I Xon matriculated students : Men 1 r. I S!) Women .. .. ... ISI S'J Totals .. ... 302 111 Exempt students not attending lecturesMc o;, ins Women .. .. •.! ;>) exempt students -7 1 t'J All students - Men .. ... ..... fi?!) fH!7 Women ..... r ,. 'J!IJ ;IM 'totals -..- .... SJI l:i'.M Sir George remarked on :lie fad, that they now had four times the previous number of graduates. This meant that a greater proportion of students were going on to the master's degree, than formerly. Some time ago ho had made the suggestion that every inducement, should bo given to graduates to retain their connection with the college and to carry on their education by means of post-graduate discussion groups. A beginning had been mado in this direction by some of t lie departments and tho results had been nlost gratifying to both teacher ami graduate. I'ass grade classes had largely increased in size, and here the. system of tutoring by advanced students had mado a beginning—small, but very satisfactory indeed. I?y such means as these, they would progress, even if very slowly, toward that, true university education which could come only in the future with trebled stalls and which combined teaching and research in much more even proportions than was possible to-day. New Chairs Established. The following new chairs had been established in the period:—Chair of philosophy, leaving a joint chair of history and economics (1921) ; chair of education (1924) ; lectureship in journalism (1924) ; chair of architecture (1925) ; chair of agriculture (1925), since transferred to Massev Agricultural College; chair of forestry (1925); division ot chair of history and economics into two chairs of history and of economics (1927) ; chair of engineering in place of lectureship (1927), following on the three-year recognition of the school; chair of geology in place of lectureship (1927). Teaching staff additions were:—Classics, two part-timo lecturers; modern languages, lecturer; mathematics, lecturer; chemistry, lecturer; physics, lecturer; history, lecturer; economics, lecturer; law, fivo part-timo lecturers; philosophy, lecturer; engineering, workshop instructor, assistant-lecturer; library, assistant-libra-rian; student demonstrators and correctors; student, tutorships. In regard to finance, total receipts had increased from in 1919 to ,Lu6,639 in 1929. (he payments for the same years being £15.967 and £37.181. The statutory "rant had increased from £9OOO to £12.500. with additions of £1250, £350 and £IOOO for the chairs of architecture, education and forestry. Endowment revenue had increased from £I4OB to £2062 and students' fees from £4607 to £13,711. 'I ho chief expansion in expenditure was in salaries, the figures being £12,710 and £30,985. State Aid Lags Behind. Commenting upon the financial statement, the chairman said the income showed an increase of about 100 per cent. The relative proportions of its several parts, however, had been considerably altered —and altered in a way which could not be considered as progress. 'I lie statutory grant in 1919 was 49 per cent, of income; to-day it was 42 per cent., and if for purposes of comparison they ignored the £IOOO grant for the School of Forestry, which was financially self-contained and which was not part of the institution in 1919, the statutory grants wore now exactly 40 per cent."of the total income—a drop of one-fifth m relative importance. A necessary corollary of this was the fact that fees had altered from 25 per cent of income to 38 per cent.—an increase of one-half in relative importance. Thus, while the percentage for statutory grants bad dropped by one-fifth, that foi student fees had increased by one-half. The contribution from the State in respect of statutory grants had not, kept pace with the expansion of the university. New Zealand had a long way to go before its university education would have the financial status accorded in practically all other parts of the world. If during the Ilf!X t few years college rolls reflected the drop in'the number of births durinjl the war years, then finances would lecl the effect* of this. The, proportion of expenditure on starring was now 83 per cent, as compared with 80 per cent, in 1919 It. was expansion in this direction which was mainly responsible, for the present position of a small annual deficit, but he felt that hoy mil ,| „ot possibly set the. Mailing level - lt les S than the present irreducible minimum. He hoped that as each year went l,y some, addition would be possible.

PRESIDENT RE-ELECTED

tributes to ins work

a meeting of the council of the Auckland University Coll,-go yesterday, Sir George Fowlds was re-elected p.csiKenneth Mackenzie, in congratuSir George on his long term ot c'lhce and proposing his re-election, said the whole council appreciated his leader chjo "11 has always been u great p | c ' lMl re to work will, von and your tact and patience have, meant Unit our \soik has always been carried out in harmony, he said " Your relations with the stall have been of the happiest nature and it has been your constant endeavour to improve both the academic and tho financial status of the, university. on have always looked after the welfare of the students especially in improving the social life of the. university. H has also been your constant aim to extend the useluliiess ot the university to the ty. Y\ e should all like to see \ou in office in the jubilee year or the college, 1933, when the building of the line arts block is commenced." I'lol'e-sor I\. M. Algie, on behalf of the university stall', said both the staff and students'realised the benefits of the work of the. president. !Vol essor I'. I . Worlev emphasised the cordial relations ~\i ling between the council and the stall and said this was largely due to the intensely human nature of the president. i uher tributes were paid by members of the council.