STUDENTS WHO GO ABROAD.

Taranaki Daily News, 25 November 1929, Page 8

STUDENTS WHO GO ABROAD.

In ten years 45 university students have left New Zealand to do postgraduate work at universities abroad, and 30 of them have not returned. The record which provides these figures ‘has been compiled by Professor T. A. Hunter, who seems to be both alarmed and regretful at the failure of so many good New Zealanders to place themselves at the service of their own country. Alarm appears to be quite unnecessary, nor is it an altogether just ground for regret that in ten years 30 young men from this Dominion have been able to compete successfully with the students of larger and older countries for positions only to be held by men possessing special qualifications. On the contrary, the ability of two-thirds of the Dominion's post-gra-duate scholars to fill important posts may well be accepted as evidence of the soundness of theii’ preliminary training and regarded as a very gratifying complimeiit to New Zealand. Our national pride would, no doubt, be flattered if the best of our students could all be induced to establish themselves amongst us and give us the benefit of their erudition; but the rest of us would be the gainers rather than the students themselves. Professor Hunter’s record show's that nine out of ten holders of science exhibitions and eight out of ten holders of engineering scholarships have found employment abroad, and surely that was the most natural thing in the world for them to do. Because this country is still young and far from fully developed only limited scope can be afforded scientific research. Opportunities abroad are far more numerous, and enable the student to undertake highly specialised and considerably more remunerative work than he could expect to do in this country. In the case of engineering practically all the' post-graduate stu\lents have found good positions with large British and American firms. It would be absurd to suggest that these young men should be compelled to abandon the promising careers now open to them, and content themselves with the far less attractive employment available in this country. They adopt the course of wisdom when they look elsewhere for opportunities commensurate with their capacity, and we should be glad to know that they do not look in vain. We should be equally glad to welcome those who do come back and keen to find them employment worthy of their powers, but we may also remember that it is not every exceptional student who is able to do his post-graduate work outside New Zealand. New Zealanders’ names are found in increasing number in the lists of successful professional and commercial men and captains of industry in' their own country.