Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century] THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1912 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume LXIV, Issue 11340, 2 May 1912, Page 4

Wairarapa Daily Times [Established Third of a Century] THURSDAY, MAY 2, 1912 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEW ZEALAND.

The annual meeting of tho University Reform Association, which took place in Wellington on Tuesday night, directs renewed attention to the complaint of the reformers that tho University of New Zealand, as at present constituted and governed, fails to fulfil the functions which it ought to fulfil, and does not exorcise tho influence upon the national life which it ought to exorcise. The shortcomings and defects of the present University system havo boon the subject of a good deal of discussion in recent years, and it may be at onco conceded that, the question of University administration and its results is ono of prime importance, inasmuch as the University is [ the coping stono of tho system of ! education, and must, determine in the final issue tho general standard of learning in the country, since from its portals proceed not only the members of the learned professions, but also tiie bulk of our school teachers. That the University of New Zealand does not, as a matter of fact, enjoy tive prestige which should rightly belong to it, or play tho part, in the life of tho nation which it ought to play, is all too obvious to the observer of those things, and perhaps this accounts for the remark of the chairman of tho Reform Association the other night that "though the merits of the cause had been impressed on a section of the public, he feared that the gonoral husiuess community did not yet appreciate the importance of reform iv University methods." The failure of the business community' to appreciate that need is largely duo, in our opinion, to the fact that so far it lias scarcely been made to appreciate the University influence at all. For all the influence it exorcises upon the general public, tho University might as well not exist. Towards the end of the Parliamentary session of 1010, a petition was presented to Parliament hy -thirteen, members of the Victoria College teaching staff, praying for an inquiry into the condition of University administration and education iv Now Zealand. The Education Committee

of the Houso, after consulting with and receiving a report upon the potition from the Inspector-General of Schools, adjourned the inquiry to the session of 1911. Meanwhile, the University Reform Association came into existence, and at once started an active campaign having for its object to secure ; the appointment of a Royal Commission to inquire into the University, and iv order to facilitate the work of such a Commission it embodied tiie case for reform in a bulky pamphlet to which aro appended tho opinions of sixty-five of tho greatest living authorities on University administration, all of whom, with the exception of three, appear to endorse the reforms advocated by the Association. Briefly stated, the complaints aro these :— (1) That the system of external examinations has resulted in a fluetuatiug but always low' standard, so that our degrees command no respect in Europe, a condition of things further contributed to by tho facts— (2) That tho University professors havo no voice in determining the standard of examination papers, or in tho allocation of degrees upon the results of tiio examinations; aud (3) That tho professors have no seats on the College Councils (except in one case), winch consist of laymen, so that tiie professorial boards have no control over the determination of the curricula and courses of study in the colleges. Tho Association further complains that thero is no co-ordination of work botwoen the tour colleges which at present constitute the teaching apparatus of the University; that the j University Senate, whilst expressly debarred by statute from teaching, has a despotic power to determine the conditions requisite for obtaining degrees and to appoint all examiners, so that it exercises entire control over tho academic activity of all the affiliated colleges; that there is an entire neglect of research work in the University ; that the college lioraries are woefully inadequate for true academic purposes; that teaching is entirely subordinated to examinations: that the finances aro unsatisfactory, and so on and so forth. We havo not: tho space to go into any of these complaints iv detail, or to explain at length tho effect of the present system, but the mere enumeration of so many glaring defects in the University system of tho country is sufficient to indicate tiie urgent need for some reform. As tho chairman of the Association remarked on Monday night, the Association, when the matter again came before tho Education Committee of the Houso last session, succeeded in convincing that body of the necessity for reform, but tho committee reported that a Royal Commission was not necessary as the University Senate had given evidence of an intention to effect reforms. The Senate is a conservative body, tho Chancellor, for some reason or other, does not appear to bo iv sympathy with the Association, so wo think the Association is wisely advised in not resting content with that decision. The chairman said it was proposed "to have a Bill drafted to secure alterations in the constitution of the Victoria College Council, particularly in the direction of giving the professors more representation. Further than this, a deputation was to wait on tho Minister of Education to place tho association's caso before him at an early opportunity. It was considered that tho association's demands would be greatly strengthened if it were possible to secure the assistance of a recognised expert from outside like Professor A. Hill, master of Downing College, Cambridge, who should be asked to come to New Zealand, thoroughly investigate the working of tho system, and make a comprehensive report. Reform," Mr Herdman addod, "was absolutely essential if progress and satisractoiy work wero to be secured.'' In that wo entiroiy agree with him, and wo hope tne efforts of the Association will bear fruit before long.