UNIVERSITY REFORM

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1218, 29 August 1911, Page 4

UNIVERSITY REFORM

REMARKS BY MR. HERDMAN, In the course of his address at Northland last evening, Mr. A. L. Uerdinan, M.P., advocated a complete investigation into the university system of New Zealand. Ho was not then prepared, he said, to criticise the education system of New Zealand, but lie thought tho university system might woll bo inquired into—by a committee, say, independent of Parliament. In a young country university life was of tho greatest importance to the people. Instances of this were seen in Germany and tho United States. These countries recognised that in trade and science the training of the individual had been of great importance to tho nation and its advancement. Tho best talent was developed, and, gradually, as tho university courses were completed, this talent became absorbed in the nation. -Mr. Herdman described tho New Zealand university system, and said that ho felt sure that the teaching the colleges gave was not developing to the best ami fullest degree the mental product of the country. .In the future the .world's contests wouid bo lirains against brains, ability against ability, and not bmto strength against brute strength. Tho problems of industrial and commercial lifo wevo becoming more difficult every day. Tho great questions wore going' to be solved by the skilled diplomat, and the man of science who made' some fresh discovery, or advanced science. So, for these reasons, which he could elaborate further, he believed that the college and the university life in this country was a question for the Legislature. People who were competent to speak state that tho Senate wanted reorganisine, and tho colleges put on a proper financial basis.