VETERINARY SCIENCE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22769, 1 July 1937, Page 10

VETERINARY SCIENCE

When the Veterinary Association was in conference at Palmerston North, Dr. T. D. M. Stout introduced a subject of very great importance, the establishment in New Zealand of a veterinary college capable of training fully qualified surgeons. This is not the first that has been heard of the need for veterinary education. The Department of Agriculture has done something to cover the deficiency by offering scholarships tenable in Australia or Great Britain. This is valuable, but should not be considered anything more than a stop-gap measure. The University of New Zealand is not wholly blind to the serious gap in the educational service offered to New Zealanders in their own country. The question was raised in the Senate during its 1936 meeting, and reports on it were ordered. When they are produced, it is quite certain the inevitable obstacle, lack of funds, will appear. It should not be allowed to remain an obstacle. The importance of animal husbandry was illustrated once more, a few days ago, when the increase of the sheep flocks to a new record of 31,200,000 was announced. This is only one department of the enormous industry that is dependent 011 the health and vigour of farm and domestic animals including, of course, birds. Yet no attempt is made to develop in New Zealand the science of animal health. Many other subjects of far less practical importance to the country are taught thoroughly at heavy cost. As an example of what a leading competitor of New Zealand in the markets for pastoral products does, Argentina, with five universities, has four schools of veterinary science. That at the University of Buenos Aires was stated some years ago to have a staff 73 strong. This country could not do things on such a scale, but that is not a reason for doing nothing at all.