KITCHENER SCHOLARSHIPS

New Zealand Tablet, 11 January 1917, Page 45

KITCHENER SCHOLARSHIPS

EXPLANATION ;BY THE MINISTER. ■ Asked by a Xar Zealand Time* reporter yesterday whether any decision had yet been' arrived at as to the form of „ the proposed Kitchener Scholarships, the Minister of Education (Hon. J. A. Hanan) said that he Would like first of all to make some remarks on the subject in order to remove some misapprehension which is evidently existing in the minds of some of the public (writes our Wellington correspondent,■'under.date December 22). ' It will be remembered,' said Mr. Hanan, 'that Colonel R. Ileaton Rhodes proceeded to Egypt, Malta, and Gallipoli at the request of the Government to inquire into and report upon matters in connection with our troops. The amount to which he was entitled for personal expenses was not claimed by him, and he generously offered the sum (£500) to the Government to form the nucleus of a fund with which to establish scholarships to be called "The Kitchener Memorial Scholarships" for the children of fallen members of the New Zealand Expeditionary Forces. -, He also intimated that he would supplement this amount by a further £SOO if the Government approved of his proposal. This generous and patriotic offer was accepted, and the question as to what form the scholarships should take was referred, at his request, to the Council of Education, and a special committee was set up by that body to consider the matter. In September last the council recommended the establishment of naval scholarships. Before making any recommendations to the Government with respect to the proposals of the Council of Education (Mr. Hanan said) it was necessary, in his opinion, that certain information should be obtained so that he might form a judgment on the subject. As no Naval College existed in New Zealand the Naval Office at Melbourne was accordingly communicated with in order to obtain information as to whether New Zealanders gaining the form of scholarships suggested by the Council of Education would be admitted in' the Royal Australian Naval College, and, if so, what terms and for what period of training, also whether provision could be made after completion of training for their employment as officers in the Australian Navy. So fa> the particulars asked for have not yet been received. The financial and other aspects of the question' are also being inquired into.' . '■.•;■"■: The Minister desired it to be distinctly understood that no decision had yet been arrived at by Cabinet as to the form of the'scholarships." : Mr. Hanan said that

his l own personal desire was to see = that ; the scholarships ■ y shall be of such a democratic form as will enable the ■AI children- of ~ fallen soldiers to compete therefor $ and ] the conditions should be such as to enable the winners to : ; take advantage of same irrespective of the social stand- * , ing of their parents. V . ,-- % \~; '