Dominion Students Find More Attractive Posts Are Offered by Britain

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26852, 17 August 1948, Page 5

Dominion Students Find More Attractive Posts Are Offered by Britain

N.Z.P.A. Special Correspondent

Rec. 8 p.m. LONDON, Aug. 16. “ Many New Zealanders are holders of, or eligible for very attractive posts in Britain or in other parts of the Empire and the rates of pay and conditions offered in New Zealand, whether in the universities or in the public service, do not make the Dominion a strong competitor for their services.” said. Professor A. H. Tocker, one of the New Zealand delegates to the Empire Universities Congress recently concluded at Oxford.

“A visitor from New Zealand cannoi fail to be impressed by the number of New Zealand students he meets,” continued Professor Tocker. “ There are more than 50 at Cambridge, a considerable number at Oxford, and many more scattered in London and provincial universities. One cannot but feel that the high opinion of New Zealanders held so widely here is due in no small measure to this somewha! better than average sample. “ I have found that, the big majority of them want to return to New Zealand. New Zealand needs these people and could use them to advantage, but she is unlikely to secure the proportion she requires while the comparative conditions remain as they are al present.” Commenting on the congress, Professor Tocker said he thought the best feature was the preliminary meeting at Bristol of 75 principals and vicechancellors. The conference had not met since 1936 and many of its delegates were new. "The actual business transacted at the conference was confined to the reorganisation of the Empire Universities Bureau,” he said. “ It is expected that the organisation will be appreciably strengthened and enlarged and that it will now become the real

centre for university co-operation among the British people.” Professor Tocker said the general impression he gained, both at Oxford and Bristol, was that the Dominion universities had now grown up. “It was freely admitted,” he said, “ that

whereas formerly they drew most of their teachers from Britain and sent their post-graduate to Britain for higher study and research, the time has already arrived when they can reciprocate and supply Britain with experts and opportunities for post-graduate research comparable in some fields with those available anywhere in the world ”