Forestry School Needs More Funds

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 462, 18 September 1928, Page 1

Forestry School Needs More Funds

PROFESSOR OVERWORKED REPORT TO COLLEGE COUNCIL Being in urgent need of more funds and an increased staff, Professor H. H. Corbin, of the Auckland University College School of Forestry, presented a memorandum to the college council yesterday, in which he said the school was at present open to serious criticism on account of lack of resources. The memorandum stated that approximately 20 graduating forestry students were attending the school, and of this number five were of outstanding ability. Collectively, these men would be reliable and valuable to Dominion forestry in years to come. It was regarded as an essential part of the modern forester’s equipment that he should have a thorough and liberal training if the best results were to be obtained from the Dominion forests, especially when it was remembered that these men may later have charge of assets worth millions ster- ! ling. In view of this, it was essential that j the standard of usefulness of the Auckland school should be maintained. To do this, the staff must be ncreased substantially. The staff, consisting of one professor, was obviously inadequate notwithstanding the fact that students obtained part of their instruction in other departments of the college. It was only possible to continue as at present for a limited time. There was a need of £SOO a year for equipment and such travelling expenses as were necessary with the increasing practical outside forest work of the school and for a more complete development of the Swanson Forestry Station. Profesor Corbin stated that £4,000 a year would place the school on a reasonable basis comparable to similar schools of forestry in other countries. The report was received by the council, but consideration of it wa»> postponed until the next meeting.