LOST TO DOMINION

Southland Times, Issue 18810, 1 May 1920, Page 8

LOST TO DOMINION

STUDENTS FROM OUR COLLEGES. Some doubt is evidently entertained by the Minister of Education (Mr Parr) as to whether the country is getting a proper return for the large sums of money it spends on the professional training of some of our young men in the university colleges of the country. Speaking for a deputation in Wellington last week Professor Marsden was urging the claims of science for more support from the Government. He mentioned that the teaching of science in the university colleges was needed for the production of teachers of the subject in the technical and secondary schools, and of trained scientists for industrial researches. Some of the other professional schools had been aided much more generously than the pure science branches of the colleges, and while the men trained in pure science would help the community a great deal, most of the men taking, for instance the Bachelor of Engineering degree at Canterbury College, would help themselves much more than the community. Mr Parr said he had been sorry to discover that two out of three of the graduates of the Canterbury Engineering School went out of the country. Mr R, W. Holmes: Do you know why that is, sir? It is because in this country any Dick, Tom, or Harry can call himself a qualified engineer. The really qualified engineers have this matter in hand, and they intend to bring it under the notice of the Government next session. Professor Marsden said that the best students would not take up the study of science, because at present the rewards were an small. They preferred to take up law or medicine. Mr Parr: I am sorry to bear this I am more than sorry so many young men are talcing up law, my own profession, for I know that it is being done to death. Half of the young follows taking it up will not make a living. They would be far better to go in for a scientific career, rather than to bother with the law.