VICTORIA COLIEGE BILL.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLI, Issue 13430, 11 July 1914, Page 3

VICTORIA COLIEGE BILL.

DEBATE IN THE HOUSE.

(Per Press Association. l WELLINGTON, last night. The Hon. Mr Allen moved the second, reading of the Victoria College Bill. He said the principal alterations were m the name, which it was proposed to change to Victoria University College, and m the constitution of the Board, by eliminating the representation of the Professorial Board. It was proposed to increase the representatives of the Court of Convocation from three to four, one representative of the Wellington City Council, and two representatives of the secondary schools, and two of the public school teachers. Mr McCallum suggested that the Bill be sent to the , Statutes Revision Committee, with the obiect of having a consolidating measure brought down. Continuing, Mr McCallum said that while not objecting to' Wellington City having a representative, there wa,s no reason why the smaller towns, such as Wauga-nui, Palmerston North, Napier, New Plymouth, or Greymouth, should not have representation seeing that the proposal to do away with the representative's elected by members of the House left thorn without their present reprer sentalives. Mr Veitch said it was m conformity with the policy of the Government .-to concentrate all the power m its own hands or the city of Wellington. It was a further curtailment of the powers of private members of Parliament. There was Ho reason why the control of , Weir lingtnu 'should be materially strengthened. The personnel of the Board was a good one, but he objected to members of Parliament having no control over the institution. T Dr. Newman saw nothing to object to m the Bill. He approved of th^ proposal to put professors on the Board, but thought there should be representation of mercantile and agricultural interests. Mr Malcolm held . that the undergraduates should have a representative. None were so greatly interested as the graduates. Mr G. iM. Thomson urged the advisability of making the constitution of university boards uniform m New Zealand. Professors should be on the board. He agreed with' the proposal for representation of mercantile and agricultural interests, but opposed representation of undergraduates. Mr Sidey said if the suggestions of t'he education committee; of last session were adopted it would lead to great uniformity of university, boards. Auckland and Otago at present had constitutions similar to the proposals of the BUI. He suggested that increased grants be xnven to the colleges to increase their efficiency. Mr Rmssell a/jreed that some method •should be established to give children m such places as Napier, New Plymouth, or Blenheim the advantages of university education. This could only be done by giving an assured finance.* He saw no reason why other largo towns m education districts outside Wellington should not have reoresentation. He supported the proposal that) business 1 men should be placed upon the boards. He opposed the 'suggestion that professors should sit upon the board; *■ Mr Wilford dealt with . the recommendations of the Education Committee and thought, to give proper representation, the education boards' districts should embrace the whole provincial district. ■ . " Mr Allen, m reply, dealt with the criticisms advanced, and said 'he hoped to give Parliament an opportunity to consider the question of assured finance. The second reading of the Bill was carried on the voices.