WHY OUR SCHOLARS DON'T COME BACK

Chronicle (Levin), 24 May 1947, Page 3

WHY OUR SCHOLARS DON'T COME BACK

—Press Association

♦ — PAY TOO LOW AND FACILITIES POOR

By Telegrapn-

WELLINGTON, May 23. The University of Now Zealand, in a sLatcnlenL tonight. says that irrview of - press .comment on the faet that outstandijng schohu-s from New Zealand frcquently fail to return to their own country after study overseas, the following views reported at a meeting of New Zealanders convened at Cambridge by Mr. W. J. Jordan on Marcli 10 last, are of luterest. The majority were empliatic that tliey wished to return to New Zealand as they considered the ways of life there preferable to those in Kngiand and more partieularly the facilities for bringiug up and educating a family were much in advance of England's facilities. Two inain reasons wero advanced why they did not return: (a) On economic grounds: they found tliat after allowances were made for exehange and cost of living scales, that they commanded a niucli higher salai-y in the English .market than in New Zealand. In New Zealand it was felt that promotion by seniority was the normal system and that academic qualifications held little value. An instance was given of a departmental officer who had been notified that he wrill receive a bonus rise of £25 a ycar after he has completed a tliree year course for the Ph.D.; degree at Cambridge, (b) It was also pointed out that facilities for research were very poor in New Zealand. Many students felt they would be cut oif from Ilrst class ininds in their own particular spheres by returning to New Zealand. At the same time it was recognised that New Zealand could not hope to possess the laboratories and libraries that England possessed but that in a few restricted branches it might be able to alford a comparatively good type, e.g., in agriculture. It was felt too that if inducements to return were not made to a student within a few years of the end of his course in this country, the chances of return became more remote through marrying English girls or being settled in congenial and possibly lucrative work, and so on. The majority felt they owed a lot to their country and would -like to repay the debt — provided the soc-rilice was not made too great.