Veterinary School May Be In Otago

Press, Volume C, Issue 29513, 13 May 1961, Page 12

Veterinary School May Be In Otago

(New Zealand Press Association)

DUNEDIN, May 12.

While the Minister of Agriculture (Mr Hayman) is touring New Zealand meeting deputations and inspecting possibilities for the establishment of a veterinary’ college in the Dominion, the Government is in possession of a confidential report by an overseas veterinary expert which nominates Otago for the college. There has, however, been no mentioin of this report at any of the meetings with deputations.

It is known that there are a few copies of this report in Dunedin, but those holding them have not been prepared to allow the newspapers to view them. The report was prepared by Professor J. Francis, professor of preventive medicine at the Veterinary School of the University of Queensland, who is an acknowledged

world authority on his subject. and who has trained a number of New Zealand veterinary surgeons. Recently Professor Francis toured New Zealand inspecting suggested sites for the proposed veterinary college and meeting some of the interested organisations. Although it has been impossible to obtain a copy

of the report, it is understood that Professor Francis has strongly recommended that the main veterinary college should be on the campus of the University of Otago in close proximity to the Medical School and that all the available buildings and land at the former R.N.Z.A.F. Station, Taieri. should be utilised for field work.

Backing the contentions of the report by Professor Francis is a recently-received letter from Dean Allen, head of the Veterinary College of Philadelphia, who has told Professor E. G. Sayers, Dean of the Medical School in Dunedin, that it is of the utmost importance that a veterinary college should be sited close to a medical school in preference to an agricultural college. This letter, which Professor Sayers said was most emphatic on the subject, has been handed to Mr Hayman to augment the case for the veterinary college coming to Otago.