ACADEMIC EXPERTS.

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 1988, 19 February 1914, Page 6

ACADEMIC EXPERTS.

AND UNIVERSITY REFORM.

PROPOSED BOARD OF STUDIES

A draft Bill, forwarded by tiio University Senate for the feoans'tttutiqii of the New- Zealand University was discussed by- tho Victoria College Council last night. It had been referred to n Kiilicommittce, and it was reported upon far tho sub-committee by Mr,'o, 131 Morison,

Mr. Morison said dint tho committee had approved of the Bill generally, but he,had drafted a new elaaso to give five proposed Board of Studies to bo set up under tho Bill power to convene meetings of toothers is\ any .particular sub' ■ject m order to take their advice. Tho ' object of tho amendment, he to»jd, was to provido for .tho possible ease of tlio board being required to decido any que.S- ' tion with regard to some subject, of . which the m'effiber& of tho board' had little or no know ledge. Ho moved' that tho draft Bill b& ■ approved, with .tli« suggested amendment. - (sir Robert- Stem. said ho did not believe in tho proposal to set up a Board of Studies, which would be an expensive and cumbersome institution!, and lie certainly did not approve of the amendment. To- give tins board power to call' ■ together nil • the teachers in tho four colleges as eftou as they chose would bo to empower them to spend a great deal ,of money, and he considered that the , vote for i higher education wag mounting up quito rapidly enough already. Mr. ■ Morison pointed out that the ■clause was .permissive merely .. Mr. W, bergnsou supported the amendment. '"Orie sf the troubles of. this, country," he said, "!(nd not only of this 'country, but of other cou.iitr.iesi &' that it, is,not governed 'by experis. Thia proposal will give tire experts aft oppoi- ■ tum,ty of being heard," He stated also that the scheme need not hn expensive, as tlio consultation would usually lio done by post.,' Dr. I'rendergast Knight. said he was not sure that be approved of the Bill at all, and ho did' not think tho council was ready to say whether it approved of til* Bill or tho proposed new clause. Hn moved as an amendment that tho .Senate be thanked for the Bill, and that the Sefttvto bo Informed th at . the' Victoria dollogo Council I'.ad no recommendation to make. The Hon.. A. L. Herdniiui said 'ho thought it woiild bo "wrong for a body like tho Victoria College Council to refuse io express an opinion on such a. Bill as that boforo .it,' To refuse t<> consider tho Bill, or to reject it withouU oqmmenii would b& to treat, the Senate with scant-courtesy. ,I» his opinion, it tlio Univ-eTsity svas to bo improved, this professors, those in charge of the academic lifo of the country, should havo tlio right to express their opinions on the (subjects of which they.know. Ho ' questioned very much whether tna sclienie would dost the country any very great amount of money. Ho suggested that Dr. Knight withdraw Ms ameiidjne!nt. , Dr. Knight ac-ordingly did so, ana Mr; Morisoii's motion. was-'' carricd.