N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18417, 25 June 1925, Page 9

N.Z. UNIVERSITY.

COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY. FURTHER CORRESPONDENCE. i'Si'EelAli TO "TBS TRESS.") "WELLINGTON. June 21. Replying to Sir Hubert Stout's letter of -May -Cub, regarding tlio appointment- of the Commission thai is to enquire into University education in New Zealand. Sir James Parr mentions that Sir Harry Reielu-1 will not arrive here until a week later than was expected, and lie liopes Sir Robert Stout will therefore be able to give evidence befaro the Cenuni>sio:i. Sir James .-ays that the >ettmg up of the Commission is not a mere whim or the .Department, as the governing bodies ot three ot the colleges have asked for a Commission. Jto points .nit that there are problems on which dilfereiu'c.s of opinion exist. A~s to appointing a Commission from abroad. Sir Jumes points out- that- many questions on which the Commission has to report are closely connected with what might be described as local University politics, or relate to subjects concernin;.: which there is a. very large body of opinion definitely arrayed on either side. It .should be. recognised that under tlie>c conditions, it would ho cxticmelv difficult to select as Commissioners, a body of men who have the standing ami qualilications necessary for such a responsible and important Commission and. at the samo time, be sufliciently dissociated from either of tho opposing views, so stiMiigly held in various quarters concerning the intricate and controversial matters referred tD the Commission. "Beforo tlio Government appointed an ouisido tribunal.'' he says: "I carefully considered the possibility of employing local men for the task, hut t came to the conclusion that such a step was not likely to result in a finding commanding the same respect as a competent and independent outsido tribunal would give; us." Sjr James further states that the position of the Commission is more than the mere ascertaining of facts. The essential function of tlio Commission is to report on tlio facts, and to mako recommendations regarding policy. This Commission is specially charged with tho duty of reporting on tlio necessity for amendment and improvement of tlio present system of University education. Ho does not think the public will agree with Sir Robert, that tho setting up of tho Commission is a futile proceeding. Indeed, ho suggesfs that tho criticism offered by Sir Robert himself from time to time upon the policy and procedure fallowed under tho present system, would alone bo sufficient to warrant the establishment of a Commission.

Lastly, Sir James suggests that "itis wise at this era of rapid development in "University education, to have a thorough and independent investigation taking in view our whole, system. This will provide, si survey of tho fundamentals, the natural tendencies, the trend of development, and tho inherent factors of tlio strength or weakness of our University system, in a manner which could not possibly bo provided by the controversial discussions on separate, disconnected, lineal and often ephemeral questions considered from time to time.'' Sir Robert Stout replies at length to Sir James Parr's leFfer. Ho does not see that any good end could be served by his presence at tho Commission, his views already being on record. Ho reiterates tho opinion that an external Commission is unnecessary. Sir Robert writes: "Tho body deeply interested, the Senate, of the New Zealand University, has expressed nodestro for such a proceeding. The Education Department; must know what the history of the past and the present agitation started by certain professors of the colleges is. "\Vhat was the object of the agitation ? It was to get thb solo control of University education placed in tho hands of tho professors. They objected to external examiners, and they got a Board of Studies created so as to control tho Senate and lessen its powers. It may be that the G"iieinment desires to see University edition controlled by tho teachers. If to the control of tho primary and secondary schools should, I suppose, be left to the primary and secondary teachers. Arid (Min the claim of some" of tho Post and Telegraph and Railway employees, etc., to control their departments be- considered inexpedient if the Education Department is to bo managed by its employees? And what of Defence r.nd the various industrial and social services of tho Government? Is this new rystem of management to bo applied to them?. You allude to differences in the Senate. There haro been many debates and differences of opinion in tlie iSenate. fcj there are in the Parliament of New Zealand. Does the fact of such differences lead to the conclusion that something is wroiiff in our Parliament and that a commission of non-residents should be called into being to bring peace amongst us? I see no harm in uiffcrences of opinion in our inidst. That .shows that we are thinkers and arc not dominated by a bureaucracy."

Sir Robert emphasises his statement that there is no need to go abroad for a commission of enquiry. He asks how can it ho said that the commissioners are independent experts when we know that in two at least of tho most important questions they have to consider they have already expressed their opinions. Have they not declared in favour of the accrediting system? alavc they not declared that the teachers should examine and' pr.ss their own otmlcnts?

In cuv.-lus'on. Sir Robert says: •■'Hie whole proceeding seems to ignore what our Now Zealand University has done. .May I give an example of its work and of the abilitv of our students since the inauguration of the Rhodes Scholarship and up to tho beginning of the groit war. which interfered greatly with l"niversity education, for many of the Rhodes scholars went to the nail' 1 find that about f>2 per centum of our New Zealand Rhodes scholars obtained first-rln.ss honours in the Oxford honours list. Australian.' scholars got L'-'l per centum. Canadian scholars 11 ner centum, South African scholars o per centum end United Statos sclio!.;rs 7 imt centum. These arc figures for the years 1004 to 1911 inclusive. !■> Xew Zealand so discontented wiih its University and so incompetent to manpga its highest education institut'ous that it requires to call into its aid two external examiners ignorant of our Dominion or of its history:-'' (rniS3 ASSOCIATION" IZLEGP.AM.) YVELUXfiTOX. .June l' 4. Ashed to day whether lie had anything further to say regarding Sir Kohcrt Stout's attitude towards the University Commission, Sir James Parr said: —'' Sir Robert Stout seems completely satisfied with things- as they arc in the University. I regret I cannot altogether share this satisfaction. Further, I venture the opinion that SO per cent, of the people engaged in both the administrative and teaching sides of the University consider "with mo that there is more than ample justification for a thorough' overhaul by competent experts from outside swayed by no local or sectional bias. Tam afraid, therefore, that Sir Robert Stout, in his attitude of hostility, is not supported by any large body of University opinion. Sir Robert Stout says the Com-

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mission is a futile proceeding. Tea result we shall get from the Commission will, I am sure, prove the ex-Chan-cellor wrong. I regret the should bo wet on its arrival this morning with the publication of Sir Robert Stout's hostile manifesto, but I believe the eminent scholars and administrators woo compose the Commission taa be assured that Sir Robert Strut's view is entirely a minority one. Lastly, this attempt to create through the Press, on the morning of their arrival in Xew Zealand, and before the Commissioner* had even begun their labours, au atmosphere prejudicial to the Commission is neither fair nor courteous."

COMMISSION'S OPENING SITTING. Cfexs.;- association TSLXsaut.} WELLINGTON, Jun* 24. . The lloyal Commission on ITnirersity education. S"r Harry It. Rekhel (chairman) and Mr F. Tate tPireetocof Education. Victoria) ojieued at Parliament Buildings to-Jay. Giving evidence as Yiee-Chancelbr, Professor Rankine Brown outfoxed tho institution and working of the University of New ZealaiTu. the Board «K Studies, General and District Coarte of Convocation, Senate. «c., and also dealt with questions of Vmrersity finance, scholarships, and B>o iuYfch. Exception, he stated, had been taken to the number (ten out of 24) of professors acting on the Senate, but a* defended this large proportion so t«g as the Senate had full and unrestricted power to deal with academic questions. He strongly opposed the repreaentation of special interest-., such as agr*culture, en the Senate, as calculated ta impair the efficiency of that body, and pointed out that special interest* bad power to make representations to the Senate by deputation or otherwise. Their representations would always receive consideration. He agreed that there should be sou no, business men on the Senate, but Field that tb>s* htaottld he selected because of their interest in, and competency to deal with University questions not because they happened to represent so mo special trade <>r profession.

Referring to the complaint that the matriculation examination seriously interfered with the teaching organisation of secondary schools, he contended that tho schools and tho public of Xew Zealand were mainly to blame for any such detrimental resulL It was a I niversity entrance examination, and _»* such, no fault could be found with either its subject or standard, but it had com© to be regarded as the school leaving examination, and it nvght well bo that a largo number of yoang l»eoplo were !«eing educated along lines for which they were not sotted, and were being mentally stunted in consequent, but the University conld be blamed for that. This improper ij» of tlie- examination was the real reasoa whv last vear a Tery large number of the 4435 candidates sat and jfflty 20G3 gained a full pass, while 497 entrant* for the accountants* preliminary examination brought the total sitting for the December examinatio«a w> "to about 0000. He did not kpw whether any bad t"> deal with «> bloateu an exanunatwm rt so short a time as six weeks, and than the results were got out so qntckh. reflected great credit on the orgatusation of. the University office.