UNIVERSITY CONTROL.

Auckland Star, Volume LIX, Issue 233, 2 October 1928, Page 10

UNIVERSITY CONTROL.

THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

«DANGEROUS STATE INTERFERENCE."

REPLY TO MINISTER.

The contention of the Minister of Education in a statement yesterday that Parliament must have a voice in University expenditure is strongly deprecated by Sir George Fowlds, president of the Auckland University College.

"The statement of the Hon. the Minister of Education," commented Sir George, "while most unwelcome in some respects, is welcome in this respect at least, that it makes perfectly plain to the public of the Dominion the relative positions of the Government and the University, and the intentions of the Government in the matter of obtaining control of University education in New Zealand. The Hon. Mr. Wright stated: 'If Parliament is expected to provide the money for University education, Parliament must have some voice as to how the money shall be expended.'

"Compare with this the following statement by Earl Balfour in 1926: •Undoubtedly the growth of learning has brought with it characteristic dangers. One, I think, is associated with this very question of money to which I have referred. If the. State be aßked to subscribe great funds, either in this country or in any of the Dominions, or indeed in any country, there will always be a natural and pardonable instinct on the part of the State to control and supervise the working of an institution which it is doing so much to support. It is perfectly natural, but it is extremely dangerous. Ido not think in the older Universities of this country, for various reasons, that there iB any probability of the danger becoming a menacing one to any serious extent. Cambridge, Oxford, and the older Universities are receiving assistance from the State, but our University traditions are so deeply rooted that I do not think there is any symptom, as far as my judgment goes, of any Government attempting to interfere with the University autonomy which, whether it be well exercised or illexercised, is at all events at the worst far better than State control.'

"The above remarks speak for themselves," said the president of the Auckland College Council.

MINISTER DEFENDS BILL

"GOVERNMENT PROVIDES MONEY."

WELLINGTON, Monday.

A statement regarding the-University Amendment Bill was made by the Minister of Education, the Hon. R. A. Wright, to-day. "The Professorial Board of the Auckland University College, according to a report in the Press, expresses its disagreement with certain proposals in the University Amendment Bill, because such proposals are 6aid to be opposed to certain vital questions of educational principle," said the Minister. The board asserts that the developments of policy should be in the hands of the University authority, unfettered by political control, that is, free from Parliamentary control. Proposals in the bill to which exception is taken are: (1) That no new chair shall be established by a University college without the consent of the Minister, and (2) that the grant to the New Zealand University, instead of being a fixed amount of £3845, as at present, shall be sucl* sum as is appropriated by Parliament. . "With regard to the first objection, it must be pointed out that the Government has to provide most of the funds for the maintenance of University colleges and for buildings, equipment and apparatus. Payment to Auckland last year from Government grants and national endowment income amounted to over £16,000, to which must be added students' fees paid by the Government, amounting to about £6200, income from endowments granted' by the Government amounting to nearly £2000, and other payments. The income from Government sources is therefore, about £25,000 out of a total income of about £35,000, and this does not include very large payments, amounting during recent years to nearly £130,000, for buildings, equipment aid subsidies.

"It will thus be seen that the Government shoulders very heavy financial responsibility respecting Universitv education, yet, according to the Professorial Board, the Government must have no voice in deciding what chairs shall be established or what schools shall be represented in the institutions. According to the board, a University College must be allowed to undertake instruction in every branch of learning if it ao decides, notwithstanding that there may be adequate provision in other institutions for the needs of the country for years to come. Freedom in selfdevelopment 'could be granted if there was a guarantee that the cogt of that development would not ultimately come upon the Government, but what is the present position ?

Finances of University. "With regard to the grant to the New Zealand University by Parliament, and the determination of that grant from year to year according to requirements, the following is the position: VV hen the University was established in jt , re ceived an annual grant of i.dUOO for the purposes of maintaining the University, of establishing lectureships in affiliated colleges and defraying the expenses of scholarships and the necessary expenses of management. For a few years grants were made to affiliated institutions, but these ceased about 1878, and since that date the grants have been used largely to build up a capital fund for scholarships and other purposes. This capital fund has been added to from year to year until it is now over £71,000, the interest from which is over £4000 a year. In 1 t - e total accumulated fund was £30,135, so that in 17 years the University has added to reserves £41,240. "Last year the general income' of the University, apart from subsidies and contributions, was: Interest on investments, £4074; examination fees, etc £27,225; statutory grant, £3845; total! £35,144. The expenditure was: Administration, £<925; examination expenses, £17,552; scholarships, £5375; surplus' income, £4292; total, £35,144. Ron) this it will be seen that the University is in a strong financial position, and could probably carry on without the statutory grant, which could be devoted to some other University purpose of a pressing nature. The Government, therefore, iB quite justified in considering whether, as a matter of policy, it should continue to give the University an annual grant in order that it may be able to build up a large reserve fund when additional funds are so urgently seeded for other University purposes."