UNIVERSITY REFORM.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1870, 2 October 1913, Page 8

UNIVERSITY REFORM.

EDUCATION COMMITTEE'S REPORT.

SOME COMMENTS.

The report of the Education Committee of the House of llepresentatives 011 tho subject of tho control of the New Zealand University has not met with complete approval amongst thoso who have for several years past been agitating for reform. A Dominion reporter yesterday waited on several reformers, and asked for their views on the report. - Most of them declined to say anything, preferring to wait until tho report has been more widely circulated, .and, tho various branches of the association liavo had an opportunity to discuss it. The most 'noticeable feature of tho committee's decision, said a Victoria Collego professor, who has taken a prominent part in the movement for'reform, is that the Royal Commission has been refused although many of the suggestions of those who asked for the commission have been adopted. The Eominittce had practically said, "Your contentions are perfectly correct, but you cannot havo your,commission." In fact, the committee, in conjunction with the Inspector-General of Schools (Mr. Hogben) had usurped the powers which the advocates of reform desired should be granted to tho Royal Commission. Many of the, rccoiiimondations of the committeo were the suggestions of the reformers, who were, however, by 110 means satisfied -with the others. The evidence called before tho committee had been almost wholly Wellington evidence, and thore was one proposal at least which would have been heartily condemned by witnesses in two of the other centres. A Royal Commission would have visited theso centres, and heard that evidence. Ho predicted that when the proposals aro brought before tho House there will be very strenuous opposition to some of them. A leading member, of tho •Reform Association commented strongly on the committee's statement that the Senate's atition in placing three alternato schomes before the graduates will probably not lead to any practical result. This assertion, ho. said, was altogether too sweeping. The committco suggests an alteration in the constitution of' the Senate, so as to mako it consist of members elected from tho councils of the affiliated colleges. Such a scheme, 110 said, had much to commend it, as it would certainly be a good thing to havo the-services of those more closely engaged in tho teaching side of the University, ill such matters as the drawing \>p of the syllabus,'etc. But tliero was one very great drawback to that scheme at tho present moment, / and that was the constitution of the college councils themselves. At the present time there were many men on tho college councils who were not qualified to occupy seats 011 the Senate, and discuss such subjects. There must be a radical cliango in the constitution of the councils before such a reform of the Senate could be considered. ■

It is tlio intention of the Reform Association to discuss the report fully after, it has been printed and .circulated, and to prepare an official statement for publication.