THE VETERINARY SCHOOL

Otago Daily Times, Issue 14277, 28 July 1908, Page 2

THE VETERINARY SCHOOL

MKETIXG OF OTAKO MEMBERS. QUESTION OF KNTRAXCE EXAIIIN 'HON. A DEPUTATION ARRANGED, (From Our Own CoiißESPoram.) WJvUINIiTON, July 27. All important meeting of Utago 11101 hers, convened by Mr ,lames Allen, M.l was held here this morning, when matk relating to the proposed Veterinary Bclk < and the Dental School, which is a ready exstonce, wore discussed. Mr Allen mentioned at tho outset Hi there . was a inovo in the direction widening the representation on the (Jia, University College Council with a view giving more encouragement to such distrii as Southland ami Wa-ilalti. lie did n supposo that anything could be done tl year, but lie had 110 doubt that, within t. following year the representation would widened so that- the country interests won be hotter represented t.iian they had been. In regard to the Veterinary School, tlr had been negotiating with the Govcrnmei which bat! rather unwisely, be tliougl transferred its control from the Agricultui Department to tlio Education Departmer Mr Hogben, Inspector-general to the. <] partmont, had visited Dunedin, and h: told tliem what tho Government would 1 quire. Tho requirements were set for in tlio following' letter from .Mr Hogbi to the counoil : — Sir,—lll reference to the proposal ostaHish a Veterinary School in the Ut versity of Otago, diseusscd at my intc view with the University Council 011 tl 24th inst., I have tho honour to say th, it _ appears to me that there are foi prinoipal points on which it is desirab t.hat your council should express 1 opinion in order that I may lie in a po; tion to place the matter befoTe tl Minister with a view to action by tl Government. The;e points arc: — 1. Whether tho Otago University willing to establish such a school. 2. Whether the Otago University won establish as soon as possible a subsidiai course of veterinary training suitable f< inspectors of the Agricultural Depar ment, as described in the schedule a tached, and what the length of that coiir; would be. 3. What assistance the Oiago Universit would require fi'om.;tbe Government I enable it to carry out the two parts 1 and 2) of the above echemo (for build in < and equipment, and far. annual maintei ance, taking into account the fees receive from students and for professional se vices. i What preliminary examination t other entrance requirement tho Unive; sifcy of Otago would expect from 6tudenl attending the subsidiary course named i paragraph 2. It is presumed that the would be required to show that they bav sufficient, general education to unclertak the course satisfactorily. Mr Allen addod that an effort had bee made to get students, but they could m get many entrants unless there was som guaranteo that the Government was pr< pared to tako all its mart from the schoo It also seemed necessary to provido a sul sidiary course, sueli as might not be sui ablo for veterinary surgeons, but whic would be taken by slock aiid agricultur; inspectors. Tho subsidiary course euggeste by Mr Hogben was as follows: — Diploma of Animal Hygiene.—Syllabus: Elementary chemistry; 2, elementary botai —(a) principal ordors of plants; (b) grassc and useful plants; (c) noxious plants; (< treos, etc.; 3, elementary anatomy of dome, ticated animals~('it) osteology, (b) principi muscles and groups, (c) circulatory," respin tory, digestive, excretory, nervous, and gem rative system; J, physiology (elementary < above); 5, contagious diseases and schedule diseases of animals, symptoms, patholog; prevention laws rotating to above; 6, con men diseases of animals (nature, cause, an prevention), woundi, and aocidcnts, first aid 7, moat inspection; 8, milk—its care, tram port, manipulation, detection of impurities 9, animal hygiene housing, feeding, etc, plan of buildings, water supply, drainage arrang< fficnts, and general sanitation. The University Council had fcont the fol lowing reply to Mr Hogben's letter:— 1. The Council of the University of Otag is willing and anxious to establish a veteri nary school, and undertakes to find a site. 2. Tiio council considers that its speoia duty is to provido a complete course ii voterinary science, such as would be recog nisedi by the Koyal College of Yeterinar, Surgeons. In viow, however, of the Govern mer.t's desire for a subsidiary course suitabl the "training of "inspectors of til Agricultural Department," the counoil is ii accord with tho Government, and is quit prepared to establish a subsidiary course a recommended in your lotter. The counei suggests in clause 3, subsection 3, that th worcP " nervous" be added after " excretary,' and that " pathology and bacteriology" b made an additional, subject in the course The council is of opinion that the course can not bo completed in Jess than 19 months covering two winter sessions and one eumme session, the work being taken as in th< following table:— First Year.—Winter Session: 1, Chemistry 10 hours poT week; 2, anatomy, 10 hours pe week; 3, physiology, five hours per week Summer Session: 4, Botany, fivo liours pe: week; 5, physiology, five liours per week; 6, pathology and bacteriology, five hours pe week; 7, meat and milk inspection. Second Year.—Winter Session': 8, Patlio log)', five hours per week; 9, diseases < animals, five hours per week; 10, anim; hygiene, five hours- per week; 11, meat an milk inspection. Of this schedule the University of 'Otag can now provido Nos. 1, 3, 5, G, and 8. N< 4 (botany) is taught, but it might be necei sury to secure additional teachers to satisl the requirements. The subsidiary cours would be serviceable as part of the 111 course required) for the veterinary degree. ] would be necessary to provide a staff sufi cient for the complete veterinary course, s the subsidiary course would require vet nearly the same teaching. This is estimate to be two professors, £1200 per annum groom, £100 per annum with house; cleat ing, upkeep, and insurance, £100 per annum laboratory expenses and appliances, £100 pc annum;—total, £1500 per annum. But- ? addition Mr Gilrutli has previously estimate that a hospital surgeon would be necessar; Tho council is not clear as to -the liospit: surgeon's duties, but assuming that he i neccssar.v 'in 'additional £150 per annul would he required, and the total annul expenditure would therefore amount to £1651 Mr Gilruth estimated the cost of building and equipment at £2500, and to this fh council would add £1000 for a lecture rooi and a groom's residence, making a total < £3500. The council is unable to submit an estimate of revenue from fees, not knowin the number of students who might take th course. Continuing his remarks. Mr Allen sai. there would be 110 use their starting veterinary school unless they could start i on a eound basis. It was obvious, how over, that if a school was to be started Otago was the place for it, and ,he though Jhe time had arrived when 170 should pre pare our own me.ll for our own veierinar work. Tho expenditure suggested was paltry sum in comparison with the advanl ages to ho gained. Ho suggested a depute tion to the Minister 011 the subject. _Mr Malcolm raised the question as to th difficulty in regard to the entrance exam: nation. One reason why the eohool ha failed to attract students was because tit matriculation examination wis too high standard of entrance. He suggested th substitution of a Sixth Standard pass. Mr Allen said he thought such an entranc standard would not be high enough to enabl the students to study for the degroc. Mr Sidcy expressed a similar opinion and said such an entrance might lie suffi cient for tiro strlwidary course, but if t,h students wished to take their degree aftei wards they would require to pass tho matr: culation examination. Mr Mackenzie said he wag willing to suj: port tho scheme if effect was given to 51 Malcolm's suggestions. At 'all events. Seventh Standard pass would bo suffk.-ien to let students come in and obtain sue qualifications as would enable them to b placed in our own country. Mr Allon: We cannot alter the examina tion for the veterinary degree, though w can alter the subsidiary course in the direc tion of making it as easy .as practicable Tlic only condition necessary in oonneetio with the latter would be to see that th students were capable of taking the lecture if (.hoy entered the school. Mr Malcolm moved—" That- the incetin recommend tho council of the Utago Un: vensity to approach the New Zealand Uni versity. and ask it to accept a Sixth Star dard proficiency pass as the entrance exami nation for a veterinary degree." Mr Arnold expressed his accord with wlui lmd been said, hut said the .veal quostio was whether they were to have a sehot established in Dunedin. It was apparen that, a larger Government grant was neort sary to successfully establish I ho school This matter having, been settled, tho que.tion of the entrance examination could b settled. .Mr Sidcy said Mr Malcolm would not. Ii Jwko in pressing bis motion. ft would Ij impossible for the SniKiln lo wure pmpn recognition for the degree if il lnwrai th standard of the entrance examination- 'i'h:i would be all right for inspector. o , but ix

Jj for students who wanted the degree. If. would be ridiculous. Mr Malcolm and Mr Thomas Mackenzie said tlio veterinary degree was of a more practical nature. The latter said ,ho would A.- not support any proposal thai: would bar the very people tliey wanted to take advantage of the course. The Hon. Mr Duncan agreed willi this. Mr W. L'raeer said there would then need lo lie two matriculation examinations for the Now Zealand (Jtiivcreily. liven in the li- interest of the boys who took the course il, might ho necessary to liuve the ordinary rs matriculation examination. ]f ihe Home ol authorities recognised a degree gained under in those circumstances, well ami };ood. Mr Malcolm raid ho thought they would at recognise such a degree. of Mr Maejiherson thought they should do ;o all they could lo simplify the entrance to examination. its Mr James Allen admitted that, the mat riot dilation examination was gelling more diflilis cull—perhaps too difficult,-but llioy should ic not, lower their standard l»!ow * j.hat of be other countries. If it was possiblo to proId vide for an easier examination, a.nd to get the degree recognised by the Royal College yy of Yeterinary Surgeons, it would bo all it, right, but he pointed out that there might it, lie some difficult)- in getting recognition at al aJI. r lhoy had oot recognition lor their it. Dental School, but Sydney had not been e- able to do so. There would be an advantage id in having « standard of degrees thai would e- be recognised in droit Britain. Willi Mr Ji Malcolm's proposal they would be jetting in up an entrance examination (bat CO nld be acquired prior to the secondary schools. :o I'hey should not commit themselves to that J. unless they knew where they were. Such r . a. _ degree .'is was proposed could lie reoogiC uisotl only within our own shore.?. It. was it different with regard to the subsidiary ir They could make the examination Ic as low an practicable. Moreover, he. did ,ii not think they ought to 1060 another year, i- He felt thov would get plenty of students ie if the Government, undertook lo get its ie men from the. school. Mr Malcolm eaid the pay offered was not is high enough. Mr Allen: I understand the Minister ind tends to make it higher. •y Mr Arnold: If Mr Malcolm's motion >r moans hanging up the whole matter for t- 12 months .1 cannot support it. I move: t- ''That this meeting form itself into a ie deputation to wait upon the Minister with a, view to having a. veterinary -college y opened as soon as poesigle in Otago." 0 Tile Hon. Mr Callan agreed with the 1 views put forward by M,r Arnold. He [3 Mid once they got their vote, and they i- found they could not got students it would d time enough to lower the entrance ox- > animation. Mr Malcolm .said tliovo was a. danger of lV sc^oo l altogether because of ihe difficulty of getting students, owing 1-0 the a high standard of the examination for n entrance. y Mr Mackenzie said the matriculation e examination would act detrimentally in e the case of country lads, who would mako the beet studeut.s in a. veterinary college.' fj They had not the s&ino chance as town boys (fc who could attend the high schools, e Mr Sidey said tho question of payment of veterinary surgeons and stock inspsoj t tors was the real bar to the initial success of_ the school. He understood that the Minister was going to remedy that. He h thought tho difficulty suggested might be ] got- over to some extent by granting certitj fieatos of proficiency or diplomas, but he felt that it would be useless to expect the Senate to grant a degree ijn an entrance ' examination as low as a Sixth Standard pass. [g They would be only wasting their breath [j in making such a request. They were all Otogo members, and they ought to agree ,] on this matter. Lot them, therefore, go t . to the Minister and chat t.he matter over .. with him in all its bearings. if The Hon, Mr Duncan said he thought d there would bo a danger if the school wore to be dominated by the medical .- authorities. They would, lie feared, insist d upon qualifications that were unnecessary ; for a veterinary degree. i- Mr Roid said it was a pity that they ; should be divided on this matter. He couns soiled Mr Malcolm to withdraw his motion, • as it was really a secondary question. , The Hon. Mr Sinclair syiid it would be • better to £0 and out. the whole matter generally before t-ho Minister. He feared 3 they -would never get any recognition of . their decree if they adopted a standard that was not equal to the standard in other I 1 places. If fliey wanted a,, degree that I was to be recognised in all parts of tho < world they should not whittle down the t standard. J The Hen. Mr Paul counselled unanimity, i First and foremost they wanted to get the t school. If it 'was desirable for them to 6 have two degrees—one for the colony and s another to ho recognised throughout tho e | world—no doubt the matter could he f ' arranged afterwards. Tho first neccssitv j ; was the school, and tlier should be unani- r moils on that point. Tho management of t 5 it would, no doubt, bo practical enough to j ■ suit the needs of Kew Zealand, and also of 1 those students who wished to go to other 1 ' purls of tho world. i J Mr W. Fra-scr agreed that the establish- c mont of the school was the first Ihing. S As several members a,erred with this idea, r J and- suggested that the must ion of the s o.ntTancc examination eould be subsequently d I discussed', Mr Malcolm, on that -understand- c incr. said he would withdraw his motion, t . Tho meeting then unanimously decided to p adopt Mr Arnold's motion, y ' t f , r