BURSARIES FOR SOLDIERS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume LXVI, Issue 17515, 7 March 1919, Page 5

BURSARIES FOR SOLDIERS.

A.N IMPORTANT PROPOSAL

(Per Press Association.)

WELLINGTON, March 6

The Minister of Internal Affairs made a statement to-day regarding the scheme for the establishment by the War Funds' Council, of some fiity bursaries for returned soldiers desiring to attend the university to qualify for a profession. The National War Funds' Council established by the War Funds' Act, 1915, the Minister said, and to it considerable sums of money were handed by donors, and a fund had been created, approximately £32,000. The war having come to an end, and the country having started a policy of repatriation, the Council was desirous of using the funds to the best advantage for the benefit of returned men.. As the general work of repatriation—dealing with th» settlement of men on the land, in businesses, etc., was in the hands or the Repatriation Board, the Minister had submitted to members of the Council a proposal that that body should specialise in the direction of helping in the education of returned men, as he considered the funds in the hands of the Council would be put to no better use than in providing: bursaries for returned soldiers. The Minister had communicated with all members, asking their approval to the immediate establishment of 50 bursaries by the Council of £50 a year each, to be held at any '•ollege of the University of New Zealand, in any of the following courses of study—arts and science, law, medicine, dentistry, music, engineering, commerce, agriculture and public health, the bursaries would be for four or five years, as might be necessary to complete the courses, and would be subject to an annual report on the conduct and work of the holder being satisfactory. The Minister said that replies received from membars of the Council expressed entire approval of the scheme. The Minister added that students could not take up a graduate course on the bursaries provided by the War Funds' Council, but it was hoped they would be subsidised substantially by patriotic societies, which were holding practically a million and a-half of money raised for the benefit of soldiers.