MOVE AGAINST FORESTRY SCHOOL BEING AT AUCKLAND

Grey River Argus, 2 September 1948, Page 10

MOVE AGAINST FORESTRY SCHOOL BEING AT AUCKLAND

CHRISTCHURCH, Sept. 1. Action on the decision of the University Senate to re-establish the School of Forestry at Auckland and Rotorua will be stayed by the direction of the Canterbury University College Council that its representatives should move for recision. The Senate will not meet until January, and it is not thought likely that a special meeting will be held before then. Notice of intention to move for recision of the motion favouring Auckland will automatically postpone action, until the next meeting. By then the Chancellor (Sir David Smith) and the Vice-Chancellor (Professor lan Gordon) will have returned from England and the views of the full Senate may become known. Though their representations will have no official standing with the Senate, the Canterbury Progress League and the Canterbury Chamber of Commerce (which sent a' joint deputation to the Senate urging retention of the School in Canterbury) are expected to support the move for recision. Members feel that with the margin so close the vote of every member of the Senate should be taken into account. The Progress League will meet this evening and the Chamber of Commerce to-morrow evening. Both will have reports from the deputation. The Minister of Education (Mr T. H. McCombs) will be brought into the discussion by a letter from the college council explaining why it considers a mistake has been made in deciding the issue on Professor Wadham’s report (now considered by some members to be out of date) by one vote, with two principal officers absent overseas, and when action was not urgent.

During the college council discussion another possible complication was mentioned. It was reported that, the Senioi* State Forester wants the' complete School of Forestry to be established at Rotorua, and wants ai - other referee to decide between Auckland and Rotorua.