EDUCATION ENDOWMENTS.

Taranaki Daily News, 7 October 1929, Page 8

EDUCATION ENDOWMENTS.

Th© remarks made by Taranaki members in the House of Representatives in regard to the Opaku Reserve were no exaggeration of public opinion in this province. The reserve was set aside to provide special scholarships for Taranaki scholars only, tenable at any of the University Colleges at Dunedin, Christchurch, Wellington and Auckland. The suggestion has been made that the Massey Agricultural College shall be included in those at which Taranaki scholars may utilise scholarships provided out of revenue from the Opaku Reserve. Tn view of the fact that Taranaki’s main industry is dairying there seems everything in favour of pupils from this province being enabled to proceed to an agricultural college. Speaking in regard to this the Minister of Education (Hon. H. Atmore) said there was a growing feeling that monies derived from public estates for university purposes should be distributed among the youth of the whole of the Dominion and not used for many particular district. It will be 'interesting to learn the views of the well-endowed provinces of Auckland, Canterbury and Otago on this proposition. In Wellington, where the Victoria College is known to be deficient in endowments and therefore receives much greater assistance in the shape of State grants, it would doubtless be quite popular. For many years the authorities of that college have urged that the revenues from the Opdku reserve should be diverted to its funds on the ground that it provides facilities for the higher education of Taranaki students. It is a claim each of the other university colleges might make with equal force, but that is not the most important feature of the position. What is necessary is to see that the reserve is maintained intact for the establishment of a University College in Taranaki when the needs and population of the province make such a step desirable. It is evident from last week’s discussion that the agitation in favour of Victoria College is by no means dead. It is equally certain that public opinion in Taranaki would regard any such diversion of revenue from the reserve as a wrong to the province, and will resist by every .means in its power such an act of spoliation.