A BRIEF VISIT

Evening Post, Volume CXXVIII, Issue 24, 28 July 1939, Page 4

A BRIEF VISIT

ENGLISH PROFESSOR

REFUGEES AND UNIVERSITIES

Only about one hour's stay in NewZealand was contemplated .by. Professor A. R. Richardson, D.5.0., B.Sc, A.R.C.S., Fellow of University College, London, of Swansea, when he saw Wellington for the first time from the decks of the Rangitata yesterday. He was booked to sail for London again by the Rangitiki, originally scheduled to sail at 4 p.m. yesterday, but her delay until this morning has pro-i longed his first visit to the Dominion' by some 15 hpurs. ."." , . '•" The Professor, who is Professor of! Mathematics at the University of, Wales, Swansea, said in an interview with "The Post" that he was spending the long vacation on a sea voyage for j health reasons. Throughout the Great, War he served with the Imperial] Forces and rose to the rank of colonel in command of the 2nd London Regi-j ment. He said that during the short1 time at his disposal in Wellington he I hoped to make contact with Mr. G. Seers, who was his adjutant during | the war. Referring to the recent influx ' of refugees from Central Europe, the Professor said some of the scholars who> had come to the United Kingdom from that area had been appointed to positions on the various university staffs. "That has acted as a handicap to many of our own younger men," he said, "for it means 'that those men with reputations already established have been appointed to positions that would ordinarily have bedh filled by British scholars. "Attendance at the universities at Home has been adversely affected by the recent industrial boom and concentration on armaments," added the Professor. ."Young men who would otherwise have continued their education at the universities have _ chosen to enter upon business careers instead. Education of ,a practical nature has been favoured at the expense of the cultural education provided by:. ..the universities." . • • : .

The Professor said that possession of a university degree was "still considered of value in commercial life, but was regarded as by no means essential. Regret was expressed by the visitor that the short time he would be in Wellington would prevent his meeting local lecturers in his subject.