UNIVERSITY EDUCATION
ROYAL COMMISSION OF INQUIRY. The Royal Commission on University Education, consisting of Sir Harry Reichel (chairman) and Mr P. Tate, which opened its sittings here on the 17th, continued to take evidence at Otago University on the 20th. THE HOME SCIENCE SCHOOL. The first evidence considered was that submitted by Professor A. G. Strong, dean of the Home Science Faculty, of which the following is a summary:— Needs of the Dominion for Specialists.— (a) Home science, as a university subject, prepares to meet these needs by training young women as teachers. (b) “Other vocations are now making urgent claims upon the home science graduate; hospitals require dietitians, and all institutions Buch as hostels, benevolent homes, neel trained women to manage the home and Bee that the diet is adequate and satisfying.'’ (c) Welfare workers and exten-' Bion teachers are needed to conduct demonstations, lecture and organise work, carrying help to the women in their homes throughout the dominion. (d) Research In nutrition and other problems is needed.
LIMITING FACTORS. Limiting factors controlling the status of the bachelor degree in Home Science:— 1. Better high school preparation needed, (a) Matriculation does not carry girls up to the standard at which students normally begin work for the degree, and the university course in home science must therefore include elementary teaching Which belongs to a secondary school, (b) Girls of this lower standard fill our classes, and only picked students can successfully pass the requirements in degree subjects.
2. The Basis of Pure Science Required for Home Science.—(a) Fundamental sciences in the university course are as for medical intermediate examination, and as given, have a medical bias. Recognition of science of a different emphasis for a different purpose is needed, though present financial conditions make this impos«ible. (b) Amount acquired of these is an insufficient preparation for teaching these subjects as such; at the same time, more than is necessary as preparing for home science subjects, (c) Insufficient time remains for applied sciences and arts, to carry these subjects to the advance standard, which a home science degree should demand, (d) Shortness of terms, necessitated by degree examinations being held early in spring, thus curtails the work. S. Need of flexibility in syllabus of applied sciences. 4. Provision for Cultural Subjects in the Couse Wanting. PRELIMINARY PROFESSIONAL TRAINING.
As the course of the dental student diverges from tile medical course after his first year, so might the programme for each special vocation, based upon home Bclenec, diverge after the first year or two. 1. Preparation for Teaching.—(a) We are of opinion that ail home acience teachers should secure a university degree, and that their training should tie directly associated with a “School of Education" unltr the control of a professor of education as Its dean, (b) Special methods of teaching home science and household arts are a necessary part of the training. We believe these courses can best he given by those who have hod special preparation for teaching home science and household arts themselves, (c) Provision for practice teaching under real conditions and with full responsibility nrc required for secondary as well as elementary teacher training. (d) Supervision of practice teaching must lie provided. 2. Preparation for vocations of dietitians and Institutional Managers.—A special programme should lie provide! for those desirous of becoming dietitians and institutional managers.
- 3. Social Service and Extension Work.— Programmes for such candidates should provid» opportunity for wider study of economfOntlTd sociology as preparation for later specialisation. 4. Nursing.—A programme, leading to the bachelor's degree, should be provided, leading to teaching and administrating) in aohools of nursing, or pubhc health nursing, and the qualifications of a registered nurse. The proposed requirements for the Master of Home Science Degree were set out in detail. RESEARCH IN HOME SCIENCE Within the last few years the most phenomenal advance# in any line of reeearoh
have been made in the field of biochemistry. Much of home science is based on bio-cnemistry and is very closely related to other pure and applied sciences touching home life, such as bacteriology and sanitary soience, preventative medicine, normal as well as pathological nutrition, chemistry of foods and physiology, economics and social science and psychology. In all of these lines of work, home science is using the results of research being done, but there are problems of peculiar interest to students of home science, and problems which will not be solved by tne more general departments of science. The department of home science will fail of its larger purpose in the dominion unless provision is made for carrying on research. EXTENSION WORK.
1. There is a definite demand for extension teaching in special unit courses covering work beyond secondary standard, from a different viewpoint and with a different content to the work given in a technical college. 2. Many adult homemakers, individually and collectively," are seeking knowledge and help from the Home Science Department. This demand could be met by the establishment of: (a) An information bureau where enquiries could be satisfied by scientific methods and tests, and pamphlets issued to the housewives, etc. (b) With a staff of experts, for both whole and part-time clubs and classes, for lectures and demonstrations could be organised and conducted from the Home Science Department as a centre. At present our money cannot be spent for tnis purpose, and there is no provision for staff. Some such plan as for the W.E.A is required. Staff.—ln order to provide for development of the department along lines of extension teaching, at least one full-time lecturer would be required to organise both types of extension work. She should be assisted by part-time experts who would give the remainder of their time to regular university teaching. Funds would also bo required for office and travelling expenses. The staff must also be supp! oented by an assistant for •supervision of practice teaching. At present, those in charge of special departments of work aro designated lecturers, which status should be raised to that of, at least, associate professor. Other less experienced experts could be appointed as lecturers. Buch changes would make provision for the assistants necessary to conduct research, food analysis, and extension teaching. Bursaries. —Bursaries are at present granted matriculated students for two years’ study, subject to fulfilment of conditions, and upon the recommendation of the chairman of the Professorial Board, the director may extend the term for one year longer. These bursaries are for those preparing for the teaching profession. The students give a bond to teach for three years after graduation, or remit the sum of £IOO to tne Government. Matriculation is at present a low standard for entrance. The money spent on first year students is often wasted. The degree course requires a minimum of four years for completion. Those who have won through to the final year are especially deserving of help in their most important period of work FURTHER VERBAL EVIDENCE. Professor Strong said that their errand in the Home Science School was preventative rather than curative.
They felt there was a great field for preventing sickness in the community bj teaching the art of right living. llieir first aim was to train teachers wno should be able to pass on to the children a knowledge of home science. In answer to the commission Professor Strong said that at present they were not able to turn out all the teachers that were needed, and that was one of their difficul ties. The Home Science degree was for secondary teachers and the diploma for primary teachers. The diploma had como to be a sort of catch oourse for those who .failed degree and they had had to raise the diploma almost to the degree standard. They proposed to abolish the diploma as now organised. It was too like the degree. They wanted something of a different quality. There were many who wished to enter other work than that of teaching. Her remarks about the low standard of matriculation would, she thought, apply to all the other special schools. They were all compelled to give primary teaching. There was some tendency for tho brighter girls to go in for the older established professions and for the less bright to take to home science. All the same they had hod some very marked successes among their graduates who had gone abroad. There were special courses suited to their needs given in economic* and in certain 6cienoo subjects. The yepr had been shortened because of tho change in tho medical course with which they must ally themselves. Their year had been limited to 29 weeks. Last year they had been able to enlarge their teacher training course, and the students had the privilege of doing practical teaching through the vear in 6ome of the Dunedin schools. Sne thought there wu a
difference in method necessary in teaching home science and the method of teaching other subjects like geography. There had been no one in the Training College who knew enough of the subject matter of home science to be able to criticise their students’ work. The principle of giving a degree of Master of Home Science had been passed by the Senate, and it was now just a matter of fixing detail. I hey felt that the need of research was a very important matter. There was a demand on all sides for assistance in the community. They wanted what was known elsewhere as an advisory department. They wanted their science applied to the needs of everyday living. They were working through organised clubhand were bringing groups of people to the school. It had never been suggested to them to have vacation classes in the North Island. That would involve a strengthening of the staff, and the problem of equipment. They would welcome the opportunity of reaching out to other parts of the dominion. Extension work would require a special staff lor it. There was no doubt about it that the time was ripe for that. They found that many who had passed matriculation were not able to do the first year work. Almost all their last year degree students held bursaries. Mr Tate: Why should all the students in this particular department be paid to come to the school ?
Professor Strong: I am euro I don’t know. I don’t think it should be. It has been started here and has become the custom. She thought the greatest waste was in the first year where many were not fit for the work. Possibly it might improve the position if the bursars were chosen from among students in training as teachers. There was a great “mortality” among their best students on account of marriage. The average length of time for passing the degree course was nearly five years. Mr Tate asked if those wno married actually forfeited the £IOO bond. Dr Marsden said the bursars did not pay up the £IOO bond. As a matter of fact it was useless because there was no time limit attached. bursar might say she would do the required teaching after she was a widow. Mr Tate: I should think that would give tho young husband a rather uncomfortable feeling! He added that students in similar position were made to pay up to the bond in Australia.
Dr Marsden said that there was a clause under which if a student was not doing satisfactory work the bursary might be determined and a refund of moneys already paid required. Professor Strong, speaking of the hostel, said they were finding that 50 was rather a large number for experimental and practical demonstration work in the preparation of food. The houses forming Studholme House were not originally planned for their purposes. A good many women students were living in lodgings. There was a University Union for all women students. She outlined the duties and authority of the proposed office of “dean of women.” She admitted that the extensive subsidising of the home science course had a tendency to lower the standard of Btudent entering the course. The standard was, however, improving. In response to Mr Tate she said that one of the most notable discoveries of dietitians was the high food value of fresh fruit and green vegetables, and the importance of making use of the water in which vegetables were cooked.
STATEMENT BY DR BENHAM. Professor Benham, Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Sen nee, presented evidence on several matters' on behalf of the Professorial Board. The followings are the principal sections of his statements: — PRESENT FACILITIES FOR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. A fairly comprehensive course is provided in eoch of the four colleges in the subjects included in the currioula for the degrees in arts and science up to the honours stage. Nevertheless, m all faculties, there is need for further development in most of the departments, which can be met by improving the existing conditions in four partitulars : (a) Improvements in the general equipment of the departments; (b) increase in the teaching staff, including the provision of full-time lecturers in all departments, or even of associate professors in some departments; (c) additional and improved facilities for research. As research or other original work should be looked upon as one of the functions of a professor provision should be made for nim to carry on his investigations, not only by an increase of the staff, but also by providing suitable accommodation and the necessary equipment in its widest sense, j (d) extension of the library In the University of Otago at any rate the accommodation for books is inadequate, and provision will soon have to be made for the extension of the library. But the number and character of the books that are available is in many departments Insufficient either for the higher teaching or for research, so that it ia not uncommon
for the professors to have to provide the necessary books out of their own income, in the interests of their students. There are insufficient periodicals, journals of the learned societies and in special subjects, and much larger sums of money should be available for f he library. The sum granted in tne present year by the Council of the University of Otago is ridiculously inadequate, as it amounts to about £lO to £l2 Per teacher throughout, excluding journals. It. / ra ’ nin & teachers: We are of opinion that the training of secondary teachers should be directly associated with the university colleges in each of which there should be a “School of Education” under the control of the Professor of Education as its Dean ; as is the case with certain ot the provincial universities in England (e.g., Birmingham and Liverpool). All prospective teachers with the necessary attainments should be encouraged to seek a university degree. The attainment of a degree by tho majority of the primary school teachers would tend to improve the teaching, giving them a wider range of interests, and. raise the standards of thescnoo.s. It is true that teachers in the secondary schools, usuallv, if not invariably, take a degree, but at present there is lio Provision for the training of thpse secondary teachers, which in the future should he provided and controlled from the university. Tf some such association were to take nlnee it .would .of course, necessitate an increase m the staff of the university col-
UNIVERSITY ORGANISATION. Under the existing Act the Senate has the supremo control of everything connected with the curricula, examinations, and ail other academic matters. It not unfrequently overrules the decision of the Board of Studies after the matter has been very fully discussed by that body of professors, who are experts in their various departments, and who are therefore, best fitted to arrive at a reasoned opinion on the matter. In our opinion hllH . p ° Wer j of ‘'I 630 ‘"o bodies be redefined, so that due weight should be given in the Senate to the decisions of the Board of Studies on purely r^Z' 0 ( Ti 6Stl ° nS - Th ° So,,ate 3hou| d remain the supreme governing and executive body having the entire manage ment of the affairs of tho university of the finance and the power to make statutes; but this latter power snould only be exercispd after reThI ln not» ePOr [ t n. om „ the Bo! »'d of Studies. . pow ?r of the Senate might be, in practice, limited to accepting or rejecting proposed changes in Statute sent up by l\;t ard n bu shoi '. ,d not bo exercised in making alterations in such Statutes of its ?h™,M ln i batn v i -.. an , y proposed alteration should be submitted to the board for its consideration. On the other hand, to the Board of Studies should be relegated the power of setting out the courses of study appointing the internal examiners, and recommending the external examiners (as at present) and the regulation of the examinations It should have the power to initiate and deal with all matters of academic nature. In short, the two bodies should be more nearly co-operative than i 3 the case now, where the Senate is apt to interfere with matters that are essentially the concern of the board. If some sort of differentiation in scope of these two bodies were brought about, no doubt the constitution of each would need amending. On the board there might be more members from each college, so that the subjects were more fully represented, but, at any rate, we are of opinion that the following principle should be adopted—viz.: “ whenever any matter affecting a special school comes up for discussion before the board, the special school involved shall have the right to send a representative (in addition to the full number normally elected from each college) who shall be presont during the discussion and shall have the right to take part in the debate on the matter.”
Organisation of the Affiliated Colleges.— Thore is, in our opinion, insufficient representation of the teaching staff on the governing bodies, so that the views of the staff an academic questions are not’ always put before the members of that body. In each college there are only two representatives of the Professorial Board.* THE SENATE. The Constitution of the University Senate.—The committee have no remarks to make on the general question, but, so far as the representatives of “special interest# ” are concerned, it is of opinion that agriculture, industry, and commerce should not be directly, represented on the Senate, as at present constituted; for it is unlikely that auoh a representative would be able to give any assistance in a discussion on the academic aspect of the special interest they represent; nor on matters of general acaaemio interest affecting other schools; but such apecial interests would be better served if the views were expressed through the special schools concerned or through the faculties involved.
QUESTIONS BY THE COMMISSION. In reply to the Commission, Dr Benham said that Otago University was, on the whole satisfied with the' work of the W.E.A. He thought the gentleman who gave evidence in Christchurch against it was not fully acquainted with its work either here or in Christchurch. He was on the District Council and on tho Tutorial Committee of the W.E.A. here, and was in close touch with it. Tile classes were doing work of real value in the community. Some of the men became so interested that they brought their employers along to the class. The fees were merely nominal. Biology was a specially good subject for researen in New Zealand. Their difficulty was to get men to carry on research work. lie himself had devoted much time to research work ever since, he came here. The professors, however, were so much occupied with the drudgery of teaching that it was very difficult to get the time for research. They desired to encourage students to stay on beyond pass and honours standard to prosecute research. Fellowships would be good if awarded very carefully. Assistant professors should be encouraged to stay on for a year or two. They were now being paid less than they would <?et in secondary schools. Funds did not allow a sufficient salary. Mr Tate asked if it would not be possible to have the same system of teacher grading extending through the secondary schools and the university.
Dr Benham said there was always a strong objection to placing themselves under the Education Department.
Mr Tate said they would not be under the Education Department. Dr Benham said the scheme would be good, but he thought it would still be necessary for the colleges to be able to pay higher salaries to assistants. He agreed that there ought to be much more cooperation between the schools and the uni* versity. Biology was, however, not a school subject. The Chairman remarked that it was quite obvious to anybody coming from outside that the libraries here were hopelessly inadequate. Dr Benham said that teachers who went to secondary schools generally went straight from the university, with little or no training in teaching at all. There was already a line of division between tho primary and secondary teachers. Dr Marsden said they had a district high school with about 40 pupils in connection with the Training College for the special training of teachers for district high schools. They looked to the department for staff for the district high schools. “For the ordinary high schools,” he added, “we trust to the university—and luck Dr Benham said the whole Professorial Board was agreed that the relations between tho Senate and the Board of Studies was not altogether satisfactory. They thought the Senate should not be quite so drastic in turning down recommendations from the Board of Studies. A matter that had been thoroughly threshed out by the teachers was again threshed out in the Slenate.
Professor Hunter expressed the view tha* sometimes the Senate had done well in reversing decisions of the Board of Studies. The board did not always have time tc thresh out the matters before it very thoroughly. Dr Bennam said he thought there might be some differentiation of scope between the Senate and the Board of Studies. There would bo no need to have so many professoi’3 on the Senate if there was a system by which the Senate either accepted the board’s recommendations or referred them back to the board. As a general rule the views of the four professors in any one subject were accepted, but the difficulty arose in connection with the special schools where technical details were under discussion bv those who*e special knowledge was in other fields. The proposal was that the heads of special schools should be called into consultation on matters concerning their departments. In the opinion of tho Professorial Board agriculture, industry, and commerce should not he directly represented on the Senate at the present time. H« thought, however, it would he an excellent thing to have them on the college council. lie did not know—speaking offhand—that the co-outing of distinguished mentbers of professions with the faculty would be specially helnful, but ho had not given the matter consideration. Mr Tate said that was tho universal practice in Melbourne.
THE STUDENT POINT OF VIEW Mossrs P. 8. de Q. Oaibot (president o! the Otago University Students’ Association), (J. D. Barrowdaugh (vice-president 0.U.5.A.), and J. A. MncUonuld (secretary of tho association) next waited on the commission as a deputation from the Students' Association. Their written evidence was in substance as follows: We wish at the outset to affirm that what is embodied in ouj evidence is by no means
jonneoted with the relations between the Qt*go University Students’ Association and University Council, our governing body. The utmost giV>d feeling and cordiality exists between these two organisations. In the past our only means of approaching the University Council has been through a deputation which at best seems to be a cumbersome method of representing views A deputation is received with the utmost courtesy, yet there is not the free discussion essential to the threshing out of the unforeseen pros and cons of any question at issue. Our views as represented are the result Cf the very decided expression of opinion of the Otago University Students’ Association and of the presidents of all the faculties, who, at a recent conference, unanimously recommended to this deputation—- “ That student representation on the University Council is highly desirable and that the representative or representatives be ■elected by the Otago Students’ Association Executive.” The proposal also embodies the consensus of opinion within the student community. The Court of Convocation appoints four representatives to the Univer»ity Council. It is surely evident that, owing to the force of circumstances and other interests, the graduates who elect these representatives are people whose direct personal interest in student affairs must necessarily be negligible. Now, by its very nature, the Students’ Association has, and must necessarily have, an executive organisation which is constantly in a state of more or less flux. While by no means rigid in its constitution, the oouncil possesses a far greater degree of permanency than the Student?' Executive. Hence it seems inevitable that when questions of immediate concern to the students are dealt with bv this comparatively permanent body it is certainly not directly and vitally cognisant of the ■fcudents’ viewpoint. This difficulty would, we submit, be overcome to a large extent by some form of definite liason. There is imposed on every student an annual amount of £2 10s, which, although known as a college fee, is without an undue stress on the analogy nothing more than a “super-tai.” This extra £2 10s represents a total sum of approximately £2OOO. It might surely be not unreasonable, then, that we would be justified in having some form of representation in accordance with the spirit of the traditional basis of our English constitution. In answer to the commission, Mr Cabot said they were practically supporting the •oheme in vogue in Melbourne. The Chairman said they had made a straightforward statement, which carried very considerable weight. Mr Cabot said the £2 10s tax of which they complained had no relation to sport. If a student refused to pay the guinea for the Students’ Association he would be told he could not avail himself of any of the privileges of the association. Mr Barrowclough said the £2 10s was quite distinct from the guinea sports fee. Professor Hunter said that the college fee was univeF&al, but Otago was the only place where it was £2 10s. It was a guinea m other colleges.
Mr Cabot said thev thought that the executive of the Students’ Association Would be the best qualified body to nominate a representative. It had the confidence of the general, body of students. The students explained in detail the constitution of the Student Council, consisting of about 40 representatives of all University clubs and of the executive of the Student*’ Association and the relation between the two. The executive was the acti vp body in which the real power was vested. RESIDENTIAL COLLEGE ACCOMMODATION. Mr Cabot submitted written evidence of which the following is a summary on the subject:—ln submitting evidence on th« topic of extension of facilities for increased residential college accommodation, it is hardly necessary to point out that the greater portion of the corporate life of a university depends on the extent to which collegiate life has developed. In Dunedin there are four residential colleges —Knox. Selwyn, St. Margaret’s, and Studholme—but these are by no means adequate. 'Tn all, some 280 students are in residence, but this represents only about one-third of the number of students who are compelled to seek board and lodgings in this city. It is submitted that under the present scheme of organisation within the colleges the students have every reason to consider themselves privileged. The tariff is comparatively moderate, facilities for study are adequate, and the system of student control in each college maintains discipline and order in a way approved of by the governing bodies and' officials. So pressing is the demand for residence in the colleges that on the average there is an annual excess of 110 over the number of successful applicants. This does not include a large proportion of students who come from all over New Zealand, and who, realising that it is futile to apply for residence are forced to accept board and lodging elsewhere. It is interesting to note that the number of students who come from other places and who are not in any of the colleges, represent, some £6OOO, which is circulated within the city. Perhaps the position is more keenly felt by women students, and of these a larger portion would be probably comprised of those attending Training College. The setting up o: a hostel to fulfil in part the function of a home life would do much towards making the girl student feel that she was one of a happy corporate community, sharing in the broader atmosphere contributed to by students from other sections of the University. At a recent conference of the presidents and senior representatives of the four residential colleges it was the Unanimous expression of opinion that should those important needs of the students be duly recognised it would be infinitely more advantageous to have college* which would cater for students of nil faculties. r . The students said it was a matter of great ’difficulty to get into the residential colleges. Tlicv de-ired to stress the noin* of ■ocial contact Und interchance of idoae among tho different faculties. Mr Tate questioned the three students as to their respective oourses in law, commerce, ana arte, eliciting much information as to how these courses were frequently mapped
FINANCE. Mr L. D. Ritchie (honorary treasurer of the University of submitted evidenoe dealing with tho financial aspect of higher •duoatTon, more particularly in relation to too University of Otago. The estimate of is normal inoome and expenditure for the -■wrrent year was
Normal Income.—Contributions: City Oouncil, £200; New Zealand Society of Accountants, £100; Hospital Board (for Medical and Denial Schools), £1300; Presbyterian Church Board. £2500; total, £4IOO. Rents: Otago runs, £6000; Southland runs, £1200; Castle street, £377; professors’ houses, £352; King street, £%; total, £8025. Fees: Students’ fees, £20,000; Assay fees, etc., £100; dental fees, £2000: clinical laboratories, £1000; total, £23,100. Government Grants: Statutory, £8200; salaries—medical professor £2OO, education profossor £BSO, home science lecturer £450; Mining School, £750; Home Science School, £1000; commerce classes, £200; national endowment, £2000; subsidies, £100; W.E.A., £500: clinical laboratories. £650; total, £15,000. Miscellaneous: Interest on investments, £3175; national endowments from University of New Zealand, £1000; contributions from other accounts, £850: sundries, £500; total, £5525. Grand total, £55.750
Normal Expenditure.—Salaries, £40,900; students’ fees paid out, £2500; equipment, £2300; material, £2800; library, £900: repairs, etc., £600; water, light, and fuel, £1350; insurance, £336; interest on £7OOO debentures, £402; printing, advertising and stationery, , £1000: miscellaneous—departmental petty nsn, laundry, telephones, travelling expenses, etc. (last yeaifc £2801), £2500; total, £56,588. It was evident that for the period under review there would be grave difficulty in making both ends meet; and there would be a definite increase in expenditure next year. For instance, the new Medical and Dental Buildings would mean extra upkeep and assistance, and certain new appointments were in contemplation. Last year £5547 had to be transferred from the arts and general account to meet the deficit for the year on the Dental, Medical and Mining Schools, and the Museum. Very heavy transfers in the same direction were annually .necessary. Even then the income for these schools was altogether inadequate to meet the urgent and necessary demands, while on the other hand the transfers made were hampering the just and proper provision that should be made in the Arts and Science departments for teaching and research. The Council had the assurance of the Government that it regarded these special schools as national schools, and he trusted that this Commission would see its way to set out fplly the financial orovision necessary to meet the requirements as set out by those most capable to speak—viz., the Deans and the staffs associated with them. He would like to stress the fact that the people of Otago had been very generous in the matter of these schools, a sum of oyer £34.000 having been provided from gifts and bequests, most of these being for the Medical School. While the donors were glad to have the opportunity of supporting a national school, it was quite possible that some at least of these gifts would otherwise have gone to the support of tho Arts and Science Faculty. More revenue was necessary under two headings: (1) Upkeep and assistance for the buildings now in course of erection. This assistance will be required in the almost immediate future. (2) Financial help in the direction indicated in the other reports above leferred to. There was a falling off in the number of entrants to the Medical School —a decrease that might continue, and while this would mean no material saving in expenditure for that school, it would mean a very marked decrease in revenue, inasmuch as the fees of the medical students were in excess of those payable in most of the other faculties. The Medical School was established as far back as 1874, and the Dental School was founded in 1907. The founding of the latter school was a direct result of the Dental Act of 1904.. At the request of the Government a committee was set up to consider the establishment of such a school, and this committee reported that it should be established in Dunedin, and the Council of that day assumed the heavy responsibility entailed. Financial aid was required in respect of the Mining School, a school which was founded at the direct invitation of the Government in 1877. and which had won a world-wide reputation. The matter of salaries, assistants, and provision for research was in serious need of attention. If the sums transferred from the art 6 and general account to help the special schools were available for the Arts and Science Faculties it would probably meet the position as far as they are concerned, but merely extra assistance for the growing needs of the special schools would not meet the point. Provision should be marie to obviate the necessity of these transfers. To allow the Art« and Science Faculties to starve for the sake of feeding the special schools wa3 entirely contrary to common sense and the desire of the community. It would appear that in tne Arts and Science Faculties the departments were under-staffed. As a matter of fact, a number of the professors were without the aid of full-time assistants. Not only did this under-staffing place an unduly heavy burden upon the staffs in relation to their teaching, but research was practically out of the question. In addition to this there was necessity for further equipment and refitting in certain of the science departments, and this in turn would help research. The salaries paid by this University, and possibly others in New Zealand, were in many cases inadequate, and he had reason to suppose that in some cases the salary paid here was less than for the corresponding position in the other colleges in New Zealand. It certainly appeared to him that the increases granted in recent years were not commensurate with the changed economic conditions. Under the Superannuation Act a professor receiving a salary of £IOOO per annum, and coming under the provision of the Act at the ago of 30, would, pay £6O per annum, while a leoturer at, say, £450, aged 25, would have a deduction of £22 10s; but the maximum superannuation for both was £3OO. This was a compulsory scheme, and on the face of it appeared to be a blot either on the honesty or the common sense of tHe Legislature that passed such an enactment.' Under the Public Expenditure Adjustment Act, Government grants for salaries were reduced. The council thought the reduction should cease to operate, and thus relieve it of the burden at present imposed. While the benefits accuring to a university and to its more brilliant students from postgraduate work were recognised by the Government, the scholarships made available by it were not of sufficient value to retain suitable students. One research scholarship of only £IOO per annum for each of the four colleges was, he believed, offered by the Government. This could only be regarded as a feeble and futile effort to meet a great and growing need, as apart altogether from the number of these scholarships an amount of only £IOO was entirely too little for such a purpose. The University Council's
revenue did not possess the elasticity necessary to enable it to meet the demands made upon it, and this difficulty would be increased with the passing of the years. The State had assumed the .major responsibility for the financial support of education in this country, and if the money contributed by the taxpayers was to be spent to tho best advantage and full value received, there could fce no halting by the way. Those extra sums necessary to make the system thoroughly efficient and in keeping with the ideals of the day must be available, otherwise their graduates would lack a perfect equipment, and when they face their life’s work would be unable in their various capa cities to give to the people of the State the service expected of them, and, in addition, would fall behind in competition with those coming from other lands, where better educational facilities had been provided. Mr Ritchie said that a practice prevailed whereby professors, were paid a nominal salary and were allowed the students’ fees. That applied to three professors. The council was trying to eradicate, that practice, und in some cases had departed from it, paying the professors a fixed sum. Owing to lack of finance the council had increased the fees all round some years ago. It was contended that the deficit on any of the special schools should be made good by the Government, as the institutions were not run merely for the benefit of the people of the province, but were conducted in the interests of the dominion generally. It was felt that they cduld not have progress and efficiency if they had to he going cap-in-hand to the Government continually. Next year, when the new dental school was established there would be an expenditure of £590 or £6OO for janitor, lighting, etc., quite apart from the academic side. Referring to the decrease in the number of medical students Mr Ritchie said he thought there was a feeling that the number of doctors out was more, or would be, more than the country needed. Possibly it was partly due to the fact, that the course had been extended from five years to six years. In some cases that really meant a course of seven years. If they had to live within their income he thought it would lead to closing down. There would certainly be no progress. B.A. AND B.Sc. DEGREES. Dr Inglis gave evidence with reference to the B.A. and M.Sc. degrees. He stated that the standard in certain subjects was lower than it should be owing chiefly to the want of homogeneity in the calibre of the students, many of whom on entering the university had only fulfilled the bare requirements of the matriculation examination. The better students were retarded in their progress by the presence of so many relatively weak members in the university classes. The admission to the university examination of students exempted from attendance at lectures also tended to lower the standard. This, however, was not of vital importance as the member of such students was relatively small. A mors serious defect was that many students—a majority in some classes—were attempting to carry on a course of study for the degree examinations along with a full-time training college coulee. The standard under any purely external system tended to be low because the examiner was reluctant to fail a. candidate on the evidence of one examination. The present system of examinations for advanced and honours grades was purely external. The pass degree examinations were also still largely external. From both the teachers’ and the students’ points of view the external system had serious defects, as under it the student and the public were apt to regard the university teacher as a mere coach and to judge his efficiency by examination results. It should be recognised that a university teacher must be free to develop his subject as his experience and study suggested. This was impossible under a purely or mainly external system because the teacher must keep in view the interpretation which the external examiner might set on the syllabus. Under this system a student was often at a disadvantage because the work of his whole course was assessed on the result of a single examination. This was peculiarly unfair in the case of honours students. Another drawback of the present system wa9 that the highest awards in modern languages and experimental science were made on the result of an examination which did not include an oral or a practical test. The best system of degree examining was one in which each university teacher snared with an external examiner the preparation of all degree examination papers, both pass and honour, and the assessing of tho merits of candidates.
Dr Inglis said that if Dr Pickerill’s sug gestion that physics should be taken in the schools were carried out it would mean the dropping of the B.D.S. degree and going back to the C.O.P. Mr Morrell hud stated that the Senate during recent year* had instituted new degrees and diplomas, it had established new subjects in existing degree courses-, its syllnlbi, on the initiative of the Board of Studies, had been in constant process of remodelling; and it had altered the system of pass examinations in. substantial conformity with the professors’ wishes. Dr Tnglis stated that the main alteration which the professors had desired was refused. A CHANGE DESIRED. Professor Jack stated that the Professorial Board was unanimously of the opinion that there were grave causes of dissatisfaction with the present university system. The infrequency of meetings of the Senate anil the Board of Studies caused much loss of time in effecting changes. Any sug gested change must bo discussed by correspondence with colleagues in other centres and then pass through" faculty Professorial Bourd of Studies (meeting once a year) and Senate (meeting twice a year), involving at least a year’s delay. Changes could not bo made by Board of Studies with teachers’ approval, and suggested changes had to bo referred back, or changes were put through without the teachers’ approval. A Board of Studies should consist of nil teachers, but under the present system such an arrangement was impossible. Some members of tho Otago Univorsity staff did not see their colleagues in other centres once in five years, and with such infrequent meetings it was very difficult to keep in touch with each other. There was very grave objection to the delay caused by the Senate having to refer business back. Every year trouble arose through congestion of business in Wellington resulting in considerable difficulty in control of examina. tione in publication of results punctually and oorreotlv end in keeping in touch with centres for interpretation of statutes. There had been serious cases of trouble recon tly owing to the lack of proper supervision
in regard to examinations control in such matters should be nut into the hands of the local colleges. Delay in publication of results miscarriage of examination papers and errors in results were frequent causes of trouble. Interpretation of statutes was sometimes the cause of trouble. With regard to examinations at the advanced and honours stages for arts science degrees the system favoured was that of the teacher acting as internal examiner together with a professor or someone of like standing in another centre acting as external examine*, lhe standards oi succeeding external examiners often varied considerably, and this caused great hardships to students, especially for candidates at the honours stage. Insufficient latitude was allowed especially at the higher stages in teaching to a syllabus. A totally wrong impression was sometimes got by the external examiner, who was quite ignorant of the conditions here. Insufficient value was attached to practical work and training. A system of examination which left out the kind of practical work done was very defective. H© was sorry to note a statement that any of our professors, however competent, shall be known far beyond the hounds of the dominion. Suoh a statement, which was quite wrong, tended to give the public a false estimate of the staffs There was a distinct cleavage here on the question of four separate universities. The Medical and Dental faculties were almost wholly against it and the Arts and Science faculty and the Home Science faculty are almost wholly in favour of it. There was a division of opinion on the other faculties. Arts and Science facultv felt that the main reason for opposition to the change was due to the fear of multiplication of special schools, but it thought that could he provided for by setting up some authority for regulating the numbers of these. The Arts and Science faculty felt that it would have a very real grievance if this obstacle was to be the cause of holding bjick much-needed developments of the largest part of the University. In Otago the students in the various faculties were: Arts and science, 423; mining, 24; agriculture, 2; medicine. 267; dentistry, 113; home science, 75; law, 76; commerce, 116. Next year there would be a larger lead in arts and science owing to a smaller number entering some of the other faculties. The arts and science professors had in their classes students belonging to other faculties but their numbers were not credited to that faculty. If arts and science were put on the same terms as the special schools the payment for the conduct of examinations would be very great. If the present Senate were transformed into a court of governors of very restricted powers, would it attract the tyiie of men required as a governing body for a university? The difficulties of suoh a scheme seemed so great that it would break down in a few years. It had been said that if there were four separate universities the cost of examinations and general administration would l,e much greater. The cost last year was £23,000, but surely the cost with four universities would not. be mere than £5750 each. It was said that with four universities, four different standards would arise, but at present there were quite different standards for granting of terms and these could not be controlled. With four separate universities there would be no difficulties in regard to distance; cost, or time for consultation, and there would be continuous opportunities for discussion of improvements. He was convinced that in Otago and Southland the support given by the community would be considerably greater if there was no confusion between the New Zealand University and tho Otago University. With four universities there would be healthy rivalry between the centres, but each would develop its own character, and this would be all for good. It bad been said that the population was not large enough for separate universities, but there were four universities in Scotland long before its population was equal to that of New Zealand, and that at a time when the percentage attending the university was much smaller. The time was already ripe for the change. In this country a vital factor was tne great distance between lhe centres which prevented consultations and led to delays. It was felt by all faculties that the number of special schools must be limited, as the country could not support special schools of all kinds in four centres. There was great need for radical changes m the constitution of the council of the university so a* to utilise the services of men of hign academic standing who were at present excluded. The essential should be knowledge of, and sympathy with, university ideals.
The powers of the Court .of Governor? should be restricted to general policy, finance. and responsibility to the public and Parliament for efficiency. The Professorial Board would become the Senate if the change were effected. Its powers would be as at present in addition to the following all purely academic questions, appointment of examiners, approval of syllabus, and control of standard and conduct of examinations. It was suggested that there should be freedom to appoint a principal if desired. Freedom from Government control in academic matters and a more assured basis of finance were greatly stressed. It could safely be said that the staffing in the Arts Faculty was worse than in any other arts faculty in any univorsity in the British Empire. The professor became a teacher, and had no time for proper reading and thinking. Most professors had to worn seven days a week, and the result was that the standard of work was lower than the professors desired. Some moans should be taken to let tho leaders of industry know that help <)ould be given to them by the univorsity and t<> let university staffs have time to tackle problems for industry. Thcro was now a rapidly-growing number of students capable of doing good research work. Additional fellowships and scholarships would enable good students to remain at the university. The establishment of a research fund was highly desirable. It would be good for New Zealand to have “one university press for thj publication of books and original papers. There was no provision for leave of absence, but it wus essential to allow professors and lecturers to visit Britain and America Lorn time to time.
EVIDENCE FROM INVERCARGILL The first evidence submitted on Tuesday was that of Miss E. M. Johnston, lady principal of the Southland Girls’ High School, who handed in a statement of which the following is the major portion:—
FACILITIES FOR UNIVERSITY EDUCATION.
In spite of entrance scholarships and bursaries, facilities for university education tu New Zealand are inadequate. (1) It is difficult for girl® to obtain entrance scholarships. This is largely due to the fact that the departmental regulations require girls to take, during their first two years at a secondary school, a full course in home science and practical housecraft. There is nothing f corresponding to the latter for boys. The only solution seems to be the reservation of a certain number of scholarships for girls only, the number to be pro portionate to the number of girls qualifying. (2) The latest regulations for the medical preliminary examination make physical science a compulsory subjecthome science is not accepted. In practice, this debars girls from the medical profession. (3) Bursaries, though helpful, are inadequate from an economic point of view, especially where a bursar has to live away from home (the maximum bursary is £SO per annum, and fees, and this only for certain courses). Many parents are unable to finance deserving bursars through their courses. Would it not be possible to establish a system of State loans at a nominal rate of interest, to assist deserving students? (4) Outside the four centres, arte students, unless chilaren of well-to-do parents, are practically debarred from university education. In university towns, they may undertake pupilteaching for two years, then go on to Training College. There is an urgent need for the establishment, in connection with the university, of a properly equipped Training College for secondary school teachers—the practical work of the students to be done in the postprimary schools (of all types) of the centre chosen, the theoretical work to lead to the diploma of education, which should receive adequate recognition from the Education Department. In the event of the establishment of four separate universities provision must, of course, be made for mutual acceptance ,of entrance qualification, and for transfer during course. The present system, which attempts to test three to five years’ work of the pupil by means of a three-hour paper, is most unsatisfactory. It leads, in practice, to the neglect of cultural subjects and, conversely, to the fostering of “cram.” The only alternative to a system of accrediting seems to be the setting of an entirely different type of paper, testing “content” only, except in the case of English. The relationship of the syllabus for matriculation and that for entrance scholarship to the various university courses requires consideration —e.g., in mathematics, there is very little difference between the prescription for entrance scholarship and for the B.A. degree. Would it not be feasible* to encourage postgraduate work, both in and out of New Zealand, by a series of loans, as suggested above?
In answer to the commission, Miss Johnston said that she considered that the facilities for girls to obtain university education in New Zealand were inadequate. Girls were required to take home science subjects whether they had any bent in that direction or not. She described in some detail the nature of the instruction given in sewing and in cookery in her school. She wished to have the university scholarships differentiated between the sexes, and distributed, say, in proportion to tile numbers qualifying in the matriculation examination. Mr Tate said there was a very successful loan scheme for students in connection with Melbourne University. Miss Johnston said that was what she desired to see here. Many of the bursaries went to those who could do without them. Many parents could not face maintaining their girls at the university for four years. Mr Tate asked if there was no system of girl students finding employment during the long vacation. This was the shortest academic year he knew of, and they had four or five months at their own disposal. Miss Johnston said she did not know of any suoh system. She thought every girl who was physically fit should at least have the opportunity of taking a university education. A great many girls suffered, but that was on account of attempting to do too much. There was difficulty in finding teachers for secondary schools sufficiently highly qualified in special subjects such as economics. She doubted whether a trained primary school teacher with a (rood degree would necessarily be an efficient secondary school teacher. Special training was required in secondary school work. She thought the girls’ high schools had a better choice of teachers at the outset than the boys’ high schools, but they were liable to lose their best teachers on account of marriage. She saw no solution of that difficulty. She did not think that married women should be debarred from teaching, She was in favour of a new svstem of examination, such as the “true-false” test, which would, of course, be taken in conjunction with other tests. The great majority of the girls in her sehoql were looking forward to matriculation.
PROFESSOR LAWSON’S EVIDENCE Professor I.awson, Professor of Education, submitted evidence of which the following is the substance: — A. Training of Secondary Teachers.-—(a) Knowledge of subjects is the first requisite for a secondary teacher. This knowledge should 'bo at least up to advanced standard in one subject. All candidates for training should have a dogree. (b) Training of secondary teachers will help to solve the problom of accrediting, becauso the quality of the school-work depends upon the teachers. A‘ teacher trained is 'belter than the same tonoher untrained. 1 have known several cases where tonohers with a degree, even a first-class honours degree, failed to pass a secondary teaching test even after a Star’s study and practice, (c) Training would need to be controlled from the university. This would bring about a closer nexus between the university and the training college. In New Zealand the best results would be obtained by having one central secondary training group for the whole dominion. Four groups, composed of, snv, 12 to 15 students, ooukl not have allotted to tho four spocial staffs in science, languages, mathematics, history, and English. Of course, with four centres, special local needs can be met. The training staff should be people of proved ability as teachers, should possess an honours degree, und should give evidenoe of a knowledge of the theory of educational practice and methods. ' (d) Training makes a teacher conscious of the art of his profession. It creates a professional spirit* and so a pride in doing tile work in a professional manner, (e) special training—e.g., Dalton
plan, for a subject or a class, direct method in Latin or French, heuristic method in science, should he made possible. (f) Students engaged in a full university year should be freed froru other work. This is particularly cogent for secondary teacher training courses, where of necessity considerable time must l»e given to lesson prepara tion. Each year a group of teachers who have already proved their worth should bo given half or full-tune off for the year to enable them to take the secondary training course, (g) Compulsory registration of teachers is required. It ought not to be difficult to get an Act of Parliament to this effect. B. Accrediting.—Accrediting depends on training and compulsory registration. Accrediting would have to be administered under a Schools’ Board regularly constituted under the university and giving representation to the university, the department and non-departmental secondary schools—and if desirable also to business interests. The board should determine what standard would be required for registration —presumably a year’s training. The board should have power to approve schools after inspection of records of qualifications of staff, laboratory equipment, and so forth, as well as on proved ability of such schools to reach standards required by the university in matriculation and similar examinations. At present it is a common complaint that science is badly taught in many schools. Direct knowledge gained by the university teacher of the laboratory and other conditions would make for improvement and would give professors and lecturers an immediate contact with the sources of their student material. This system cannot be introduced at once. It will be four or five years at least before any accrediting certificates can be issued.
0. Education Course.—(a) I am doubtful about the present education course in the university with one professor undertaking it all. Only a pantosophist professor could manage the whole syllabus efficiently, (b) £ am inclined to think that education should disappear from advanced and honours courses, that the pass be reduced, and that the diploma should be greatly developed to work in with and include the training of secondary teachers. The honours course and the advanced are of less direct value to teachers than the pass. Professor Lawson, examined by the com mission, said that if they got a special course of training for secondary teachers established it would be necessary to specify a group of subjects not more than a certain number of which were to be taken. It was essential to have an effective system of teacher training before any system of accrediting could be established. It would take at least five years to introduce such an accrediting system: Before the univer : sity could recognise it it would have to be satisfied w T ith the quality of the' teachers. From long experience in Melbourne he had seen that a special type of person was required with special experience and qualifications to train and demonstrate to secondary teachers. That was why he considered that the best results in New Zealand would be obtained by having one central secondary training group for the whole dominion. If suitable instructors were available in each centre that might modify his opinion, but he doubted the practicability of that. If a special demonstration school and picked staff were also necessary that would be further reason for having only one school. He stressed the importance of secondary school work and of special training for it. He knew cases in New Zealand where teachers had gone into secondary schools and ‘-made a rness of it’ 5 through lack ot training. There was no doubt that to-day the secondary school exercised a tremendous influence on the primary school. Mr Tate expressed the view that the problem"- of the near future was to get the secondary school right, because during the last d) years it had come to dominate the primary school efficiency and also the university work. It was to be got right by teacher training. Professor Lawson said it was hard on the students to do their university work and teacher training at. the same time and it gave them no proper background for theii work. Pie did not see that there should be any hindrance to working out a better system to free students from doing their academic work and teacher training simultaneously Teacher training was planned as a whole-time course. The training col!ege exercised the right to say what students should be allowed to take university classes and what should not. As far as he was aware anyone could teach in a secondary schoo m New Zealand if he could get, a job there. Dr Marsden said that the department was this year looking into the question of registration of secondary teachers. Professor Lawson said his proposals for accrediting were modelled largely on what he had seen in Melbourne. He had no doubt that accrediting had immensely improved the standards of secondary education in Victoria, though he had at first been opposed to the idea. The inspectors in charge of accrediting would have to be appointed bv or through the Schools’ Board He outlined the present*requirements of a professor of education in New Zealand as required by the syllabus, and said that it was hopeless to expect one human being to combine all those requirements in himself
■DUCATION BOARD’S EVIDENCE The Otago Education Board submitted to the University commission the following statement in opposition to the proposal that at each of the four university colleges there shall be a school of education on the same looting as the school of engineering, school of medicine, etc and that the professor of education should be Dean of the Faculty and have charge of the Training Collog*. ~.T n Kn ln. ? °f .Primary School Teacher*.(1) Ihe board is not m favour of the suggestion that tho university college should take over tho control of the Training College. (2) It is of opinion that the principal of the Training College ghould be selected by the Education Department and the Education Board. (3) To these two authorities is entrusted the direction and management of tho primary schools and teachers. It is reasonable to suppose, therefore, that they will have a more eompleto knowledge than the University Council i» in a position to obtain of the training most suitable to equip the teachers for their particular work in the schools. Training of Secondary School Teachers. - (4) For the training of teachers for secondary school work the board is of opinion that the existing secondary department of the Normal School should be enlarged both in respect, of the number of pupils and of the staff. There should be at least three teachers empoved in that department, one ef whom should specialise in languages and one in science and mathematics. (5) There
should be a properly equipped laboratory in connection with the Normal School secondary dejnirtment. (6) The board further thinks that from five to 10 per cent, of the second year students should be given a continuation course of one year, and that their training during that period should partly coincide with the training given to the students in Division C (graduates), y 7) The board holds the view that the policy now adopted at the Dunedin Training College of allowing worthy students to attend university lectures should be continued. At present 156 students are attending one or more university classes. Hostels.---(8) The board desires to emphasise the urgent need of establishing hostels for Training College female students. The number boarding in Dunedin at present ls--177. Mr J. Wallace (chairman of the Otago Education Board), Mr J. A. Moore (principal of the Training College), and Mr T. R. Fleming (senior inspector), appeared before the commission in support of this evidence.
Mr Wallace said they believed that the university was not concerned in the Training College work, and that matters should remain as at present. They recognised n was a weakness that there was no system of training secondary school teachers, tie thought there should be one secondary training school for them in the dominion. He did not. see that the university could give •them the practical training. Ho thought that up to a point the training of all teachers might be taken together. Afte» that there should be one special school for secondary teachers for the dominion. Mr Moore said that the matriculation standard was too low. That was partly why the Training College did some work also covered in secondary schools. Matriculation English did not equip students to teach English in the primary schools. •Mr Fleming agreed tnat the weakness was in the matriculation standard. Mr Wallace said the Education Board wanted the highest standard possible for entrants to the Training College. It was a matter of supply and demand. He would like to see the Higher Leaving Certificate required and nothing less. There was an ample supply at present, and they could raise the standard as high as they liked. Mr Moore said he did not think tne pres- j sure on students was very serious. About ; 90 per cent. of. the men and 30 per cent, j of the women in the Training College took j one or more university classes either with a view to degree or to D certificate. I Mr Fleming expounded the view that; secondary teacher training would have to j come iii gradually and that the present j secondary departments in the training col- ; leges might be extended. In matriculation work the district high schools would do just as good work as any of the secondary schools.
Mr Wallace stressed the difficulty of finding accommodation, especially for women students. The department had given them a site for a hostel, but no money with which to build it.
Mr Tate remarked that the number of governing bodies in education in. New' Zealand provided them with a fine set of problems. Mr Wallace said he was on four educational bodies.
PROFESSORIAL CONDITIONS. . Professor W. N. Benson stated that on behalf of the Otago branch of the University Teachers’ Association of New Zealand lie desired to express concurrence with the representations placed before the commission in Wellington by the General Executive of the Association, and to call special attention to certain items therein regarding the conditions under which University teachers were working here.
FOUR UNIVERSITIES OPPOSED. A statement was submitted by Dr G. H. Thompson, a member of Otago District Court of Convocation, who stated that, besides speaking for convocation, he was deputed by the Otago Professorial Board to represent it on two topics—(a) objections to the establishment of four universities; (b) the standard of the matriculation exami--nation. As regards the standard of matriculation, tlie views of convocation were practically the same as those of the Professorial Board. As regards the question of four universities, he represented the views of convocation in opposing such a change, but as the Professorial Board w’as fairly evenly divided on the point he had been asked to speak for those who favoured the retention of the present constitution. In meaning and intention a matriculation examination must be uderstood as a qualifying test for entrance to the university. In order to fulfil its true aim it must be of such a standard that a candidate who had passed it should be able to proceed to university work with the certainty that the level of his attainment would at least be equal to that of the initial sagos in the subject he took up. This had, of course, special reference to school subjects, such as languages, mathematics, and history, but in general the matriculation examination should be such a tost of knowledge and intelligence as would enable a student to profit fully and immediately by tho lectures he attended.
There was a general consensus of opinion among university teachers that the New Zealand matriculation examination did not fulfil this function. Among professors in charge of school subjects this opinion was expressed unanimously and very emphatically. The matriculation examination did not carry intending university students up to the stage of the first university year. A a this first year was the year in which students normally worked for the first section of the B.A. degree, it was inevitable that the «tandard of the degree examination, as well as the general level of the class work that prepared for it, was seriously affected; and the class curriculum had necessarily to include a large amount of elementary teaching which might easily and better be done in a secondary school. It was essential to the--#eonomio arrangement of an educational system that its several stages—primary, secondary, and university—should he strictly consecutive, should not overlap in any of their parts, and should not nave at any point a double staff to do tho same work. The secondary branch -of education, as at present organised, did not as a rule encroach on the primary, nor did the primary on the secondary. Yet a much greater encroachment than that which at one time used to exist between the two lower branches Was still tolerated between the two higher. In the opinion of professors of long experience in this university the lowness of the matriculation standard* permitted of the examination being passed by boys and girls so immature that they had little capacity of profiting by university work; and it allowed students to come to the university too often
deficient in thinking powers, and unable to express themselves with sufficient accuracy and fluency. The main reason for thin unsatisfactory position lay in the fact that the New Zealand matriculation had come to be used for purposes outside those of a university entrance test. It had become a convenient leaving examination for many secondary schools. This had brought about a chai ge in the point of view, the reuirements of the examination being now considered too much from the secondary school aspect. To rai&e substantially the standard of an examination that had so entrenched itself as an integral part of tho secondary system was a matter of great difficulty, for the economic factor played a prominent part in all arguments against -such raising. The problem could best be solved by leaving the present matriculation to serve the interest of secondary schools in any way desired, and by the institution of a new* and separate examination. Uni- i versity teachers would agree that the standard of this new examination should be that of the university entrance scholarship; but if the economic factor he regarded as a bar to such a reform, the standard might he set at a stage at least one year beyond the present matriculation. The Higher Leaving Certificate, with the bursary attached, might then be awarded on the result of a further, post-matriculation year. It should be regarded as a mark of merit, and therefore not lightly given. This reform would bring th* New Zealand matriculation more in line with that of universities in Australia and. in Britain. This raising of the matriculation standard would bo greatly assisted if secondary education were commenced at an earlier age, say at 12, aS was contemplated by the junior high school proposal. Intelligence tests might"be introduced as part of the university entrance examination.
Dr r I hompson said the Court of Convocation was unanimously against four universities. Ihe question of the standard of the matriculation examination was a very burning one. There was a unanimity of opinion on the part of the Professorial Board and the Court of Convocation that the matriculation examination had been divorced from its true function. It had failed to be an examination which qualified for entrance to the university, and had become a mere leaving examination for the schools. There were really three grades in the university—the scholarship class, the bursars, and the bare matriculation class. The last-men-tioned class should he required to take one more year. Matriculation should be abolished and replaced by another examina tion. Twenty years ago the number of candidates for the junior university scholarships was 110, whereas the number now was about 150 or 160. The candidates for thfi matriculation examination had increased from less than 1000 to more than 5000 in the same period. Professor Hunter: And the number of scholarships offered now is three times as many as it was 20 years ago. Dr Thompson said he was president of the local branch of tho Workers’ Educational Association, but so much evidence with reference to that organisation had been given that he did not consider it necessary to bring any more forward. The Chairman: I think we are seized with the importance of the Workers’ Educational Association’s work.
GRADUATES’ CLAIMS. Dr Stuart Moore gave evidence to the effect that there should be an active recognition by the other courts of the university that a university consisted not only of colleges, teachers, and students, but also of graduates. The Courts of Convocation should be more frequently consulted than was the custom some few years 'back. The Courts of Convocation should have a large representation on the council and Senate. Originally in Otago it was enacted that convocation should elect the whole “Senate’’ of Otago University. The election of members of Senate and of councils should imply a statutory meeting of the court at which nominations should close. These statutory meetings were abolished by “The New Zealand University Amendment Act, 1902,’’ and by “The University of Otago Council Act, 1911.” Convocation should have some money, which could be obtained either by the imposition of a fee on entrance to the court or by the imposition of a small biennial fee at the discretion of the court. Graduates should possess some power of veto by plebiscite of—e.g., important changes in the constitution of the university. If the electorates—(a) secondary school teachers, and (b) primary school teachers—were to continue, graduates should have the privilege of voting both as members of the court and as teachers. The General Court of Convocation should be abolished, and matters should be referred instead to the four district courts. It should be a statutory provision that a chairman of each district Court of Convocation should exist, and it should be obligatory on the registrar of the university of the district to call a meeting to elect a chairman in the case of a vacancy occurring. The chairman of convocation should have power to direct that a meeting lie called. At the request of 20 graduates it should be obligatory on the chairman or registrar of the university or college to call a meeting. Dr Moore said that if they had a standing committee of convocation as they had in Victoria it would assist in the development of the University.
Professor Hunter said that in Wellington they had a very strong Graduates’ Association. It was connected up with the life of the college, and was very much stronger than the Court of Convocation. An old student of the college was eligible for membership. In tho course of the discussion it was agreed that the General Court of Convocation had been practically defunct for a good many years.
HOME ECONOMICS. Evidence was given by Mrs S. M. Park and Mrs H. E. Barrowelough, representing the Otago Home Economics Association. They urged the advisability of bringing the association’s work within the scheme of university extension lectures. Hitherto the work had been carried on largely with the assistance and advice of members of the Home Science Department. Their servioes had been rendered unofficially, gratuitously, and quite opart from their regular duties as members of the staff. It was now felt that if the growing demands for this specific instruction from all parts of the dominion was to he met. the work must be brought officially under the control of the University authorities and a regular and salaried staff apEointed to organise and supervise. It had een proved from experience that branoh
leaders, being lay women, however enthusiastic, required the help and guidance of trained home science experts. The proposed organisation would be under the control of the deau of the home science fatuity in the same way as the professor of economics directs the W.K.A., and the extension staff would be responsible for spreading the activities of the H.E.A. beyond the cities into the provincial towns and country districts. Public health reports and reports of school medical officers furnished abundant proof of the urgent need of the desired instruction throughout town and country alike. The deputation drew attention to the success which had attended similar organisations in England, Canada, and the United States. In England and Canada the work came under the name of women’s institutes. In Canada and the United States work along similar lines was done through the Home Economics Association, and was maintained by State and Federal funds, and in most States was directly associated with the home science departments of the State universities. This extension service was one of the most vital forces improving home and health conditions in these countries. Ihe Otago Home Economics Association had just admitted to affiliation the Christchurch Home Economics Association, arid the speakers felt assured that were the desired aid granted such a forward moven ent throughout the dominion would take place as would result in the greatly improved health, physique, and mentality of th«» people in New Zealand. Mrs Park said the association had been unable so far to go into the country districts and hold schools for, say, a week. Such a thing would be very desirable, but it would mean that the expenses of several women would have to be paid. The association thought that the people in the country might be reached by bulletins. In conjunction with the Y.W.C.A. the association had during the winter session held qvening classes for those contemplating marriage and those working during the day. Mr Tate expressed the opinion that if the association utilised the resources it had at present it could extend its work very much. It was a vigorous body, and if it was self-reliant it was likely to develop further.
DUNEDIN SITTINGS CONCLUDED. The commission continued and brought to a close its Dunedin sittings on Wednesday. The first to give evidence for the day was Prof ;sor James Park, dean of the faculty of mining engineering. OTAGO SCHOOL OF MINES. Professor Park saij that the Otago School of Mines had always been one of the special schools recognised by the New Zealand University as a School of Engineering, and in 1906 the Right Hon. Richard Seddon as Prime Minister announced that Cabinet had agreed to recognise the school as the National University School of Mines for the dominion. The school comprises three departments—the geological, mining and metallurgical, and the function of tnese three is (1) to prepare candidates taking geology for the B.Se. degree and later reading to honours standard; (2) to prepare candidates entering for the B.E. degrees in mining and metallurgy; or (3) for the associateship of Olago University in mining and metallurgy. The course for the B.E. (mining and metallurgy) and A.O.S.M. and honours in geology covers four years spent in the classroom and laboratory and one year in field or practical work—in all, five years.
On tho question of one federal university for the dominion or four separate universities. a two-thirds majority of the faculty favours four separate universities. On the other hand, the minority favours a scheme of internal autonomy for the B.E. degrees in mining and metallurgy on the same lines as for the M.D. and B.D.S. degrees—i.e., examination by the teacher in collaboration with an external examiner. Failing this reform, the minority is inclined to favour four separate universities. Section 6.—On the question of external or internal examiners we are unanimously of the opinion that external examiners are undesirable for professional degrees—(l) Because the candidate’s w r ork for the whole year is not taken into account; (2) because the profession of engineering cannot be covered any written prescription. There is no pharmacopiea in engineering. The conditions met with in practice are so diverse that a new prescription must be devised to suit each difficulty as it rises. Another objection is that the examiners in England are unable to apprehend the trend of our course or the motive behind our bins in certain directions. The examiner sees mining only through English eyes and English experience. We are of opinion that in each department of the School of Mines each professor should have the assistance of a fulltime demonstrator: (1) To afford relief from the enormous amount of drudgery and individual instruction which a professional course involves; and (2) to give time for research. The teacher who is unable to carrv out independent research soon stagnates, whereas research is stimu-. lative, not only to the teacher, but. to the taught. The Otago University School of Mines is recognised by the New Zealand Government as the University School of Mines for the dominion, and we are of the opinion, whatever changes are recommended or made, that, no similar special school shoul 1 be established elsewhere. We recognise that young men in other parts of ths dominion with a bent for mining and geological engineering are handicapped as compared with the young men of Dunedin, and to overcome this we recommond the granting of mining bursaries —two for Auckland, one for the middle district, one for Canterbury, and one for Otago and Southland, in all, five annual bursaries tenable for four years. Such a scheme would obviate the duplication of schools and give equal opportunity to all at a small cost to the dominion.
Personally I am of the opinion that if four universities are established no groat harm can arise, provided adequate safeguards are enacted to provent the unnecessary duplication of speoial schools. It must be borne in mind tnat the founding of a university depends on twp great factors—geographical expediency and finance. I am of the opinion that iV is not population, but finance, around which a university revolves, and if four separate universities are established, provision must be made for their maintenance and growth. It is generally recognised that a university town possesses educational, cultural, and
financial advantages that are denied the country towns and districts. For in Dunedin, besides the opportunity given the young men and women who attend the University and its special schools, the outc'rc'"!,?te 10 loss a sum than x. 1,000,000 every 19 years—itself a matter of no little moment. The. pro! lem is how to iitiam-e four universities. For the enormou> benefits derived, directly and indirectly I would M’gie.st that a special rate be It vied on all tile university towns lor university education, tho rate to be supplemented by an annual grant of equal amount fiom the con-olidaled revenue, *lllO rate eould be raised on the eapital value of all ruteuble property, or its equivalent on Ihe unimproved value. Local rating for education embodies a sound business principle that lias been sanctioned by long usage in England and the United States. Xtie depression in mining is world wide, vv onc „ of 11,0 after-effects of the Great fortunately, and for some cause not easily explained, our attendance has not tallen in the same ratio as elsewhere. At Hie present moment, we have as many undergraduates taking the full course in mining engineering as all the University Mining Schools in Australia taken together In two departments we have fallen behind tne tunes and provision must be made to remedy this unsatisfactory position. I efer to metallography and applied electricity flic many graduates we have sent nhleiJn! eve 7 Wlerc re ™gmsed as capable, well-trained men, and if the coming men are ro maintain the high reputation our school has acquired abroad our graduatea must bo able to leave us with a sound electri U ° metallography and applied
Applied electricity 1S now, and rightly so. a compulsory subject for the A.O.S.M. anj IS. It. degrees in mining and metdlurgy. So far no provision has been made for teach. }"* " . at . ,ho university. As a matter of Imliu ‘1 k w M k tho P h .V s| es department ou o ht to ho able to undertake, and doubtless - would. if it possessed tho necessary apparatus. At present we are dependent goodwill of the Dunedin City Count cil both for a teacher and for the use of the electrical machines and apparatus belonging io the -city electrical department factory™ 36 ”* P ° S,tlon is extre ““ly unsatia*
Professor Park, questioned by the com' fWTWvV Sait ! /f l? re was , SoUle Provision foi Technical College work counting at the ocnool of Mines provided that the student was matriculated. It happened that certain subjects were taught by the same teacher at the Teomucal College and at the bchool of Mines. He asserted that mining was the greatest primary industry of the Empire, and chat it produced four times as much as all the other products of the land taken together. The mining faculty had no - tho . sa t m e privileges as other faculties in examining for degrees. The Home examiner had not the ability to visualise the special conditions here They carried out a very great deal of research work .at the School of Mines. They were very well equipped with engineering apparatus and testing machines. They had at present 25 students taking the full course 11 taking geology, 30 taking chemical metallurgy, and a few other casuals making a total of 50 or 60. They had no bursaries such as the other faculties had. He would propose a bursary of about £6O. He thought the dominion could hardly support four separate universities at the present time. The time might be ripe in 10 or 15 year?. He estimated that the students spent £l5O or £2OO a year on an average in Dunedin. They were spending all the time. He did not know if any proposal of -ating for the L T n,iyersity had ever been before Parliament, hut the system was common in other parts of thq world. To apply it to high schools would be carrying the principle too far. He thought personally that the Auckland Bchool of Mines was entitled to recogni* tion by the Senate, and that it was a tactical blunder to oppose it.
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES VIEWS. Messrs J. P. Hawke and A. J. Woods appeared before the commission representing the Otago Educational Institute, and submitted the following statement:— “The institute, acting as the guardian of the rights and privileges of teachers, views with alarm the suggestions made in some quarters that there should be restrictions as to the number of evening classes conducted by the University. A system of day classes alone, if inaugurated, v ould render it practically impossible for teachers to graduate and thus obtain for themselves and their profession the hall* mi.rk of the University. The exigencies of the teaching profession are such that practically the whole time of the student while at the Training College must be given to training and practical work in the technique of his profession. The paramount aim of the Training College authorities is to turn out a fully-trained teacher, and very few trainees have the time and oportunity for the acquirement of a degree. That most that can be hoped for while the student is in training is at best a section or two towards a degree. The system of evening classes should be continued to suit the real needs of those who have completed their 'l raining College course, and who wish to share in the cultural advantages which the University offers. The institute has no desire to the door to a degree slammed and bolted in the face of teachers. “While it may not he admitted that the general organisation of the University should he adapted strictly to the practical needs of the community, it is surely in* contestable that University facilities should, if possible, be extended to those whose duty it is to fake charge of education in their various districts. To divorce the University from the teaching profession would seem an unnatural aim. At the present time 104 Otago teachers are taking classes at tho University, and the holding of day classes exclusively would render impossible the attendance of the majority of this number. The percentage of teacher graduates in the primary sohools of Otago is eight. This percentage must surely be considered as low from the point of view of a highly-qualified educational service. “Whereas the staffs of the city schools comprise only 30 per cent, of certificated teachers of Otago they hold over 50 per cent, of the degrees. Seventy-five per cent, of these city teacher graduates have qualified through attendance at university classes outside of sohool hours. These facts are submitted to show both that acoess to the university after school hours is necessary, and that this privilege is availed of by city teachers.
“The following negative instance is instructive: Science classes have been almost exclusively day classes. The proportion of science graduates among the primary school teachers of Otago is & per cent., and there is not i\t the present time on the stalls of the primary schools of the city itself a certificated teacher with a science degree. “The abovo arguments and our emphatic protest against the suggestion for day class** only are not based upon the assumption that graduation is an essential part of the training of primary school teachers. *» d submit that from the point of view of an efficient national teaching service and of the highest good to those committed to our charge, convenient access to the higher educational facilities provided by the university is highly desirable. Many of the leading figures in the professions in New' Zealand are the product of the part-time system, and there is every evidence to snow how the need for its continuance in the future.** . . Mr Hawke, in answer to the commission, said that the Otago Educational Institute represented all the primary school teachers of Otago. There were some technical teachers affiliated. They held that evening classes should be continued not only as an avenue to a degree, but for their cultural advantages. Mr Tate questioned whether it was practicable to get the benefits of a university course on a system of night classes. Mr Hawke quoted a number of gentlemen holding leading positions in the dominion who had obtained their degrees on this system in proof that it was possible to get the benefits of university • training by night classes. Mr Tate countered with the story of the bagpipes in the hospital ward, which cured the Scotchman, but killed all the other patients. . . Mr Woods said that the restriction of evening classes at the present time would be a great hardship to many teachers in the city. . The Chairman said that was if nothing else took the place of these classes. He thought many did not realise the tremendous strain these evening classes put on the staff of the Universiay. They had the evening classes at Home and they were most valuable, but they were conducted by a different 6taff. The Chairman suggested that the value of a degree obtained under the night classes system was largely illusory. The members of the commission explained to the witnesses part? of the system in vogue in ' Victoria and m England.
DIVINITY DECREES. The following statement signed by the Revs. L. G. Whitehead, M.A., warden, Selwyn College, Dunedin, Hector Maclean, M.A., M.Sc., 8.D., convener Theological College Committee, Presbyterian Church of New Zealand. W. Saunders, Congregational Church. R. 11. Knowles Kempton, Baptist Church and W. Wills, Methodist Church was submitted to the commission. In addition to these signatories Professor Dickie, Bishop Richards and the Rev. E. J. Tipler woo also present:—
We, the duly accredited representatives of the Church of England, Presbyterian Church, Methodist Church, Congregational Church and Baptist Church, desire to place before you for your favourable consideration a request that you recommend to the Cabinet the establishment by the University of New Zealand of degrees in Theology. We do so on the following grounds:—(l) We represent, with one exception, all the churches in New Zealand which have colleges for instruction in theolgical subjects. The exception is the Roman Catholic Church, which, as far as we can ascertain by inquiry, offers no.objection to the proposal we are making. (2) As shown by the census we represent 85 per cent, of the population of the dominion. (3) There is a demand among our students for the opportunities of study which such degrees will afford. A number of them have obtained, or are at present preparing themselves for, the degrees offered by the Melbourne College of Divinity. There are also some who have gained the B.D. of the University of London. But all would prefer academic status from their own university. (4) No university, from the very definition of the term, is complete which fails to meet the academic needs of such a large body of trained students as is represented by the clergy or ministry of our combined churches. We further desire to make clear:—(l) That such degrees as are proposed will be a# test of proficiency in theological study and not a certificate of orthodoxy or a profession of belief in any particular set of doctrines. (2) That the subjects which will be included in the degrees are all purely scientific or historical. (3) That the teaching of these subjects can therefore be quite safely left to the denominational colleges which at present exist or which are in process of being established. (4) That there ' is a sufficient number of suitable men in New Zealand to act as examiners. (If any difficulty is anticipated in this connection we should be quite willing to have examiners appointed outside of New Zealand). (5) That, we think the degree should be of a high standard. We suggest that every candidate for the degree should be a graduate in one or other of tbo other faculties of the University. (6) That the establishment of such degrees would help to place the teaching of Greek in our universities on a more satisfactory fooling. Mr Maclean, in introducing the deputation, said that they did not all propose to speak, but they had come to show that they were entirely united in what they were asking. They represented with one exception nil the churches in New Zealand that had colleges. They had got into touch with the authorities of the Homan Catholic Church, but they said that their students would not be availing themselvesof the degree, and so they did not see any necessity to join in the movement. So far as they knew there was no opposition on the part of the Iloipati Catholic Church to the granting of theological degrees by the university. They wished to emphasise the fact that they were united in this matter. The statement had often been made in the past that the churches were not united. On this occasion they certainly were, and as far as ho knew in the past they had been united in their desire to obtain Buell degrees. They represented a very large proportion of the population of the dominion, including all the largest churches with the exception of the Itoirtnn Catholic Church. They had a number of students who wished to obtain these degree's, and they were forced to go outside New Zealand in order to do that. A number of their men had degrees from the University of London, and a number were taking them from Melbourne College of Divinity. More and more desire was being •hown by llieir students for degrees in tfceology. They were working in bar-
mony with Auckland, and thought it best to have deputations waiting on the commission both in Auckland and in Dunedin. In Auckland there was a certain amount of theological instruction given and a large amount in Dunedin. Christchurch had a strong Church of England College, but Auckland and Dunedin were doing the main work In the teaching of divinity. The subjects for examination were subjects which were largely historical and linguistic and scientific, and he anticipated that there would he no difficulty whatever in the matter of the doctrines of the various churches. In New Zealand the ministry of the Church felt that it was very isolated. They were cut off from higher learning in theological matters from the world. There was absolutely nothing being done In the dominion at the present time to encourage ministers to go in for higher learning in theological subjects. They felt very strongly that it was not right to leave such an influential body of men without any opportunity for further instruction. They thought their universtiy ought to grant these degrees because a great many of their nfinisters were graduates of the New Zealand University. As for the names of the degrees Auckland had suggested 15.1). B.l). with honours, and D.D. lie understood that the D.D. in older universities was largely an honorary degree. They would not like in any way to interfere with the speefal nature of that degree, and they suggested that the difficulty would w be got over if they called the degrees Bachelor of Theology and Doctor of Theology, as was done on the Continent in many cases.
Mr Whitehead said that the practicality and good sense of the proposal seemed so obvious that it was hardly necessary to say anything about it. Some seemed to think that the principle of secularity would be infringed if this came into force, but he did not think that the principle of secularity implied anything of the kind. If secularity mehnt a principle of indifference and impartiality there was as much reason for the university to examine in theology as in philosophy or any other subject that had religious implications. As for denominational quarrels another bugbear that had been raised —he thought their presence there was sufficient answer to that. He was assured by Father Morkane, of the Iloly Cross College, Mosgiel, that his college would offer no opposition to the present movement, though it did not feel inclined to support it. He referred to the isolation of New Zealand, and said that this proposal was in the direction of promoting wider culture. Universities at Home which had started with ardent secularist leanings had taken up the granting of degrees in theology.
Dr Dickie, president of the senatus of the Presbyterian Theological College, said that as a teacher of theology it struck him as decidedly hard that those students who ware interested in theology and who pursued their studies in it should be able to obtain no recognition of their scholarship from their own university. Ever since a divinity course had been establshed in Melbourne some of their students had read for the Melbourne B.D. It seemed unfair that so influential a study as theology should obtain no recognition as a valid department of human knowledge. In Scotland though denominational differences were intense there had never been any feeling that there was unfair influence exercised in the granting of theological degrees. Bishop Richards said there was little to add to what had already been said. The one point that presented itself to his nund was that it was not altogether desirable to have the B.D .and D.D. degrees, which had acquired a special connotation. He would prefer, as had been suggested, that the degrees be bachelor and doctor of theology. He did not think that the degree would make for differences among the churches, but that it would rather tend towards unity. Mr M’Lean, in answer to the commission, said they were quite agreeable that the University of New Zealand should merely conduct the examination and give the degrees, leaving the courses of instruction to the different denominational bodies to provide. The Chairman pointed out that it would be very difficult to separate church history from other history or philosophy of religion from philosophy in general. Mr Maclean said he thought a sub-com-mittee of the senate in conjunction with the teaching staffs of the church colleges could draw up a course for degree. They were not necessarily conversant with the details of university administration, and were chiefly anxious for the recommendation for a degree to go forward leaving the details to be worked out afterwards. The Presbyterian Church at the present time supported four professors at Otago University. It made the appointment with the concurrence of the University Council. There bad been an agitation some years ago that the university should take control, but he did not think there had been any serious difficulty. . Mr Tipler said the present position was explained by the very large part that the Presbyterian Church had taken in the foundation of Otago University. The church had acted as custodian of the public -interest in the matter. The Chairman explained to the deputation the attitude of the Welsh University to the granting of divinity degrees. in thanking tho deputation for its presence he said that, personally, he regarded tins as one of the greatest movements in higher education going on at Home at the present time. DISRUPTION OPPOSED.
On the question of four separate universities for New Zealand or one, Dr Marshall Macdonald said that he had been nominated by the Court of Convocation to oppose tho proposal for dividing the University into four separate universities. The court wns practically unanimous in its opposition to that proposal. They felt strongly that the very real difficulties which existed with retard to the conduct of examinations, the inelasticity of tho syllabus the absence of a permanent paid head of the University and flio infrequent meetings and clumsy machinery of tho Senato were all difficulties which could he overcome by measures of internal reform without resorting to the extreme step of hanging, drawing, and quartering an institution which had done such splendid work as the University of New Zealand. Even those who were clamouring most loudly for the dismemberment of their Alma Mater all united in bearing eloquent testimony to the glorious ricord during the past half century of the body thoy were so anxious to destroy. Surely such a record carried more weight than academio references to the benefits that had followed university disruption in
places like Manchester and Capetown, where the conditions were by no means analagous to those oxisting in New Zealand. Even if it were true that the establishment of provincial universities would be followed by an outburst of provincial patriotism and munificent benefactions, that in turn would surely be followed bv a multiplication of the special schools with a general loss of efficiency and an unnecessary extravagance of expenditure. A combined syllabus meant the comparative suppression of the erratic idiosyncrasies of professors, but a one man syllabus in every province meant that the crank would have unlimited indulgence in his own particular sphere, and that there would be such a variety of standards in this small country that in the long run outsiders would be inclined to base their general opinion of New Zealand culture on the lowest of all. It would also tend to isolation even within isolation, and so to progressive deterioration. The argument frequently put forward that four universities would have more influence in approaching the Government was illusory, and the universities acting separately would soon find a process of centralisation even of the executive function going on by which they would be reduced to a similar position to that in which the high schools found themselves to-day. If power over the university was ever centred in tho hands of the Director of Education such a position would be fraught with dir"' consequences to the. freedom and independence of the universities. They had every sympathy with the professors in the faculties of arts and science for the way in which their work was cramped ana hampered. If there was to be freedom in any department of education surely it should be in the university, but suicide was not the best way out of their present state of depression. The Court of Convocation hoped that all those concerned would be able to come together in a spirit of fellowship and with the inspiration and the determination to rearrange the affairs of the university in such a way as to ensure the efficient and harmonious working of an institution of which the graduates were all justly proud. Dr Macdonald’said that if more options were allowed within a more comprehensive syllabus and were allowed difficulties in regard to inflexibility, a paid chancellor could be relied on to do everything possible for the University without acting unfairly. In support of his contention that if control were centred in the hands of th": Director of Education the consequences from a university point of view would be disastrous. Dr Macdonald said that the new Dental School was planned by Dr Pickerill, who was one of the highest authorities on the subject, but the Director of Education, acting presumably on the advice of the Director of Dental Services, who had no experience of university teaching, had cut the grant down by £I2OO on the ground that certain equipment was not necessary. The department granted what was held to be inferior equipment, and refused to budge from that position, with the result that the University Council had to get private benefactions to make, up the deficiency.
Dr Mars den said that Dr Macdonald’s statement was quite true, but it was a question whether the Government should give carte blanche in such a matter. Mr Tate said that what would happen in such a ease in Victoria would be. that the Government would vote a certain sum of money, and the expenditure would be left to the University Council. Mr Macdonald said he thought it would lie a wise thing to make use of the clinical material in other centres, and to make them feel that they were hi touch with the Medical School.
UNIVERSITY COUNCIL’S VIEWS. The veiws of the University Council were presented by Mr W. J. Morrell. This evidence expressed the opinion that the present facilities for university education of the ordinary type are, generally speaking, sufficient, but that the various colleges should have at their disposal larger fun is for extension and W.E.A. work. The ideal would be the provision of a full-time director of tutorial classes in each university district, who should be a man of professorial attainment and status. The council reaffirmed that it was most desirable to maintain the principle of specialisation in connection with the recognised professorial schools, it was desirable that the professions of medicine, dentistry, law, engineering, and accountancy, and the agricultural interest should be directly represented on the Senate. The council was strongly opposed to the setting up of four independent universities within thidominion, regarding such a step ns entirely premature, and as undesirable both for educational and financial reason.?. Additional funds should be provided for the appointment of assistants to the professors at adequate salaries, so ns to allow of the professors devoting more time to research. Additional fellowships and short term tutorships should be available for the best post-graduate students. The amount should be sufficient to attract the best candidates, and in cases of special merit to retain them. A more assured basis of finance for the four university colleges was urgently necessary. Mr Morrell said that Dr Inglis had made a statement with reference to examinations that the main alteration which tho professors desired had been refused by the Senate. Ho wished to point out that in taking tho action it did tho Senate adopted the recommendation of the Board of Studies and reallv rejected the opinion of only a minority of the professors. The statement made by l>r Inglis must have been due to a lapse of memory on his part.
LEGAL EDUCATION. Evidence relating to legal education was presented by Mr J. B. Cullun, jun. (Dean of the Faculty of Law at. the Otago University), on behalf of the council of tho Otago District Law Society. Ho stated that ho wns confident that. the New Zealand Law Society was dissatisfied with the present state of legal education; but up to the present no concrete proposals as to tho exact form improvement should take had been agreed upon. That the subject was engaging the attention of the profession quite apart from tho occurrence of the present commission was further illustrated by the nrticles and letters that had appeared in Butterworth’a Fortnightly Law Notes. A feeling of grave dissatisfaction with the present system of training and testing law students had been felt by the profession for a considerable timo. In New Zealand a nersop might be. and generally was, entitled to practise both as a barrister
and a solicitor. llie great bulk of the profession spent—some of them all their time, and the rest of them the great part of their time—at work which in countries where the professions were divided was the work of solicitors, not of barristers. The qualifications of solicitors seemed, therefore, to be a question of more general importance than the qualifications of barristers. It was admitted that the training or testing of those who desired to be barristers was in a satisfactory position. The present point was that tne training and testing of those who desired to be solicitors affected a much greater number of members of the legal profession. A substantial majority of the persons now holding the qualification of a barrister had reached that result by five years’ practice as a solicitor, and not by any examination beyond those examinations they originally passed to qualify themselves as solicitors. This consideration made more cogent the contention that the consideration of vital importance was the qualification of solicitors—what tests they were compelled to undergo before being allowed to practise, and wnat training and teaching were available for students who aspired to be solicitors.
The whole course of seven law subjects could be, and sometimes was, accomplished by an intelligent youth in two years from matriculation—hut no one could tre admitted as a solicitor before the age of 21. There was no requirement as to articles in New Zealand nor any requirement whatever as to practical work and it was not a very unusual thing for a man engaged in some other occupation—the civil service or the teaching profession—to study for and pass his solicitor’s examinations when the law allowed him to be admitted and to practice as a solicitor, although he had never been employed in a solicitor’s office. The defects of this system were obvious. The most outstanding were:—(l) Too low a standard of general education. (2) The study of the technical professional subjects by candidates at an age when they had neither the experience of life nor the development of mind sufficient to enable them to grasp the subject matter of their studies. A competent practitioner could not be turned out in two years though our existing syllabus and course encouraged that ambition. Hie contention was that the course should occupy not less than four years and should be scientifically arranged in accordance with the natural development of mind and growth of experience, and should proceed from general principles to concrete rules When students were endeavouring to study subjects for which neither their age, experience, nor previous education had prepared them. When they were endeavouring • to study too much in too short a time in order to have the hateful nightmare of examinations well behind them, and when they were studying these subjects often in an illogical and inverted order, it necessarily happened that they trusted to memorised statements of principles only very imperfectly appreciated and had little capacity for and little interest in their practical application. Another serious defect was that nowhere was there any test in book-keeping or accountancy. .
The training afforded the embryo solicitor might not have, and generally did not, include anything whatever in the way of accountancy, and he was not tested or examined m any way as to his capacity to keep correct accounts of his clients’ moneys. By a curious and unfortunate contrast the accountants included a considerable training in various branches of law in their course. There would appear to be at least equal reason for a solicitor knowing something about the rudiments of the accountant’s business as there was for an accountant knowing a good deal about the rights anti duties of trustees, and receivers, mercantile law, law of bankruptcy, and tho law of joint stock companies. A solicitor, and still more so a barrister, was, in his piactice, constantly finding it necessary to have some understanding o j accountancy if he was to advise his clients intelligently on the problems presented to him. How could a member of tho legal profession give intelligent advice as to income tax, adjustment of partnership disputes, adjustment of disputes between life tenants and remaindermen, etc., unless he had the capacity to understand a balance sheet and a knowledge of the usual and proper method of preparing balance sheets and profit and loss accounts? It was admitted that the University of New Zealand could not be held responsible for the absence from the solicitor’s course of any requirement of practical work. But it was submitted that other defects which it was claimed exist, were defects for which * the University was responsible because the judges had in effect delegated to the University the appointment of examiners and the prescription and standard of the examinations. In England persons desiring to he admitted as solicitors served under articles for five years, reducible to fduri years or three years in certain cases. Thoy passed three examinations, the first of which Was a premilinary examination in subjects of general education. The matriculation examinations of certain universities were accepted in lieu and the preliminary examinations must be passed before registration of the articles, and the articles must be registered within six months of their date. Then there was an intermediate examination in general law and elementary questions on trust accounts and bookkeeping. The final examination covered the field which in New Zealand was covered by the seven law professional subjects, but covered it according to a somewhat different classification. Before the English student came to these technical studies the authorities had been satisfied of his general educational acquirements. He had had after that some years practical experience as an articled clerk, and he had had some training and testing in the groundwork principles of law and in elementary accountancy. He submitted that the product pf such a system must necessarily be more fit to discharge his important duties than the product of our system. As a teacher he constantly found himself torn between the desiro to explain to students things they ought to know but did not, and the necessity of covering the ground in his subject during a session of six months. In his opinion teachers really ought to be teaching students how to find their way about the law; how to get to the kernel of any problem that was presented to them; where to look for their law and how to find it quickly; and how to use the text books, law reports, and precedent books, that were in after life to be their tools of trade. The present course gave them practically no opportunity and no time for doing any of these tilings, and students were successfully passing the written examinations and going to earn their
living as solicitors who had not been trained to do those things. The Council of the Otago Law Society had instructed him to raise the question that if four universities ensued, to what body or bodies would be committed the functions as to legal education present discharged by the University of New Zear land? It was inconceivable that there should be committed to four separate universities the function that had in the past been committed to the University of New Zealand. To do so would lead to the existence in a small country like New Zealand of four separate standards of fitness for admission to the profession. In the opinion of bis council, the idea of one Law School for the whole dominion was mischievous absurdity, because it must lead to the accentuation of the divorce of theoretical study and practical experience. The council had come to the conclusion that there should be in at least each of the four centres a fully equipped and complete legal school. It thought also that the lecturers in at least the law professional subjects should be men engaged in the actual practice of their profession. His council found itself driven to tho conclusion that if there were to bo four universities, there must be some body outside them all to maintain the standard of the legal education. The members of such a body ought to be members of the legal profession. In England these matters were, in a large measure, in the hands of the profession through the Incorporated Law Society and tho Council of Legal Education, subject to some supeivision by certain members of the Judiciary. It might be a very excellent thing if some such body constituted from tho legal profession itself came into existence in New Zealand whether or not the separation into four separate universities ensued. There was ground also for dissatisfaction with the qualifications required of barristers. It was extraordinary that the candidate for an L.L.B. degree was allowed to take his second division subjects before his firet division subject? or to take them up together. He was allowed to erect his top structure and to come back later and lay his foundation, or he might, if he chose, embark on both operations together. The council supported the following recommendations, but obviously recommendation 1 and 2 which merely amounted to trifling amendments of a system in need of radical revision were in its judgment of little importance compared with recommendations 3,4, 5 and 6: —(1) A higher standard of general education ; (2) a course of at least four years progressively and scientifically arranged; (3) practical work in some form; (4) some training and testing in elementary accountancy; (5) a law school in each centre; (6) the continuation of a national standard for the maintenance of which the profession itself should be tho body principally responsible. In a supplementary statement Mr Callan directed particular attention to the following points:—(l) The whole topic of legal education is in the hands of a council of which the judges are members and in which both the University and the profession are represented. It is not in the hands of the University alone. (2) The requirements made by this council have been revised as recently as 1921 and consist of: (1) Preliminary examination in general knowledge in which Latin is essential; (2) practical experience in an office normally for four years; (3) examination in law. Victoria had pointedly indicated that in its opinion the New Zealand requirements are inadequate. It would admit practitioners from Eneland, Ireland, Scotland or other States of Ihe commonwealth without examination and without- practical work, but it would not admit a New Zealand practitioner unless ho sewed for five years as a clerk and was re-examined in law. Tn Now South Vales there was a barristers’ admission board and a solicitors’ admission board, and there were similar boards in Queensland, South Australia, Western Australia and Tasmania. The handing over of the whole control of legal education to the University as was done in New Zealand seemed to burden tho University with a function which was not the function of a university in England or in Australia. It might he a function in which the university should have a share as was accomplished by the Victorian system. Mr J. 0. Stephens said he agreed with Mr Cailan’s evidence in its entirety, but he would like to make one or two comments. There was the question whether a student should spend the timo in which he was studying cultural subjects in the university or whether he should go into an office as soon as possible. He thought a student should go into an office as soon as he could, as he would thereby acquire a legal atmosphere and a knowledge of legal wavs. Mr Tate: Would there not be a tendency to make a mess of cultural subjects if they were taken in conjunction with office work? Mr Stephens went on to express the opinion that the Senate should mend its ways, and that if it could be arranged the legal profession should be represented on it. If it were responsible to the people they would get a syllabus that would satisfy the profession. A course of study that would satisfy the* profession was wanted. With regard to the representation of the profession on tho Senate ho was very strongly of opinion that the persent conditions must be. altered. They must either have representation of the legal profession on the Senate or they must have some outside body, because at present they could not get anything done by the Senate. Outside of the centres the question of distance really did not matter, because no matter what college a student attended he would have to pay board.
LAW STUDENTS’ VIEWS. Mr T. A. Kinmont, who represented the Otago University Law Faculty Students’ Association, gave evidence that the association was of the opinion that the course laid down for the LL.B. and Law Professional examinations was insufficient in that it made no provision for practical training in a legal offico. That a person completing his LL.B. degree or his solicitor’s professional examinations at tho university should then be qualified to commence tho practice of his profession without undergoing any practical training was not a sufficient guarantee of efficiency from the point of view of public protection. For this reason, and in view of the fact that in such faoultiqs as for example the medical, dental, and mining faculties, praotical instruction was essentially part of tho university training, tho association suggested that in addition to the present course at least three years’ practical exErience in the employ of a practising rrister or solicitor should be completed before a person could be admitted as a barrister or solicitor of the Suprem* Court.
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/OW19250728.2.23
Bibliographic details
Otago Witness, Issue 3724, 28 July 1925, Page 7
Word Count
20,460UNIVERSITY EDUCATION Otago Witness, Issue 3724, 28 July 1925, Page 7
Using This Item
Allied Press Ltd is the copyright owner for the Otago Witness. You can reproduce in-copyright material from this newspaper for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons New Zealand BY-NC-SA licence. This newspaper is not available for commercial use without the consent of Allied Press Ltd. For advice on reproduction of out-of-copyright material from this newspaper, please refer to the Copyright guide.
Log in