THE DAILY STAGES TIMES FRIDAYS AUGUST 15. 1902.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12432, 15 August 1902, Page 4

THE DAILY STAGES TIMES FRIDAYS AUGUST 15. 1902.

OTAGO UNIVERSITY FINANCE. The liberality with which public-spirited firms and citizens in Otago hare responded, and are responding, to tho appeal that has been addressed to them for assistance in-improving the financial condition of the University of Otago is being very favourably noticed in other portions of the colony. But the terms of commendation in which the generosity of lai'ge-jninded donors is acknowledged are sometimes combined with the expression of the opinion that there should be no occasion to seek aid from individuals and companies for the maintenance of university education—that the Government is the proper source from which any funds that may be necessary to place an educational institution on a sound footing should be forthcoming. That is the view which tho Hawke's Bay Herald advances in a leading article dealing with the matter. It is no doubt perfectly true that the provision of education is regarded as the business of the State. And, after a fashion, the State in New Zealand has undertaken this function. It maintains the primary schools, and it has sc-t aside endowments for the maintenance of the secondary schools and of the university colleges. But we (hid now that in Otago these endowments liare, through the shrinkage in land values, proved to he insufficient for their purpose. The revenues «re quite inadequate to maintain the institutions that have been brought into existence. The fmaucial stress of the University has reached an acute stage. Either a large additional sum must be provided or else expenses must be reduced by the abandonment of some feature or features of the University course of teaching. Already, indeed, has there been such an abandonment, and where in other features of the University's life actual abandonment of teaching has not been resorted to, salaries have been rcduced to au extent that is entirely unjust. The public of this provincial district have awakened to the fact that the usefulness of their University as an important factor in the national life is being seriously impaired, and they have already shown that they are quite prepared to liberally assist in changiug this state of affairs. They realise, moreover, that a great danger would attend the relinquishment to the Government alone of the duty of placing the finances, of the University on a better footing, and, because they realise it, they are prepared to dip their hands ,-m their pockets and give their personal assistance to a movement that aims at establishing the finances of the Otago University on such a basis that its managing body will be relieved from the harassing care that has been its lot for many years. Tho Government cannot refuse to subsidise private subscriptions for the maintenance of a public institution. But the needs of the University are very great.. It requires nil 'the help that it can obtain from private benefactions and the public pur?e. The wellwishers of the University are now being consulted, and we understand that 'a

meeting will be callod by the chancellor as soon as his judicial unties enable him to fix a elate for the, purpose, which will probably be in the course of a week or so. Particulars of the University's requirements will then be made public, and systematic efforts instituted to obtain the funds it so urgently requires. In the meantime it will give us pleasure to receive contributions to the fund we recently initiated, to which some generous donations have already been given.