STATE LAGS BEHIND

Sun (Auckland), Volume IV, Issue 1030, 22 July 1930, Page 14

STATE LAGS BEHIND

CONTRIBUTION TO VARSITY DIMINISHES PAST DECADE’S WORK In the past decade, 1919 to 1929, while the number of students attending the Auckland University College has increased by 60 per cent, from 821 to 1,321, the State’s contribution in statutory grants has not kept pace with the expansion of the institution. The college’s income from the Government has diminished relatively by one-fifth, compared with 1919. This information was given to members of the College Council yesterday by the president, Sir George Fowlds, in a review of the expansion of the college over the past 10 years. The fact that four times the number of graduates were now passing through the college meant that a larger proportion of students was proceeding on to the master’s degree, Sir George Fowlds stated. He commented upon the gratitying results that followed the introduction in some departments of post-graduate discussion groups, which enabled students to maintain connection with the college, and to extend their education. A small, but very satisfactory, start had also been made in a system of tutoring by advanced students in pass grade classes, the size of which had been considerably increased. NEW CHAIRS ESTABLISHED Sir George went on to enumerate the new chairs that had been established during the past decade. These were: Chair of philosophy, leaving a joint chair of history and economics (1921); chair of education (1924); lectureship in journalism (1924); chair of architecture (1925); chair of agriculture (1925), since transferred to Massey Agricultural College; chair of forestry (1925); division of chair of history and economics into two chairs of history and of economicts (1927) ; chair of engineering in place of lectureship (1927), following on the three-year recognition of the school; chair of geology in place of lectureship (1927). He also pointed to the substantial increase in the teaching staff during the period. Discussing the financial aspect of the college’s control, he said that the total receipts had increased from £18,390 in 1919 to £36,639 in 1929. the payments for the same years being £15,967 and £37,181. The statutory grant had increased from £ 9,000 to £12,500, with additions of £1,250, £BSO and £I,OOO for chairs of architecture, education and forestry. Endowment revenue had increased from £1,408 to £2,062 and students’ fees from £4,607 to £13,721. The chief expansion in expenditure was in salaries, the figures being £12,710 and £30,985.

The income had incre&sed about 100 per cent, in the ten years, Sir George Fowlds stated, but relative proportions had not altered in a progressive manner. The statutory grants in 1919 amounted to 49 per cent, of the income; today they were 42 per cent. Fees, on the other hand, had increased In the proportion from 25 per cent, to 38 per c#nt., an advance of one-half in relative importance. New Zealand had a long way to go before its university education would have the financial status accorded in practically all other parts of the world, Sir George added. If during the next few years college rolls reflected the drop in the number of births during the war years, then finances would feel the effect of this. The proportion of expenditure on staffing was now S 3 per cent, as compared with 80 per cent, in 1919. It was expansion in this direction which was mainly responsible for the present position of a small annual deficit, but ho felt that they could not possibly set the staffing level at less than the present irreducible minimum. He hoped that as each year went by some addition would bo possible, j These statistics prepared by the ' Registrar, Mr. R. O’Shea, were quoted by the president in comparing the increase in the number of students in the past 10 years: Attending lectures — Matriculated students: Graduates — 1919. 1929. Men 8 56 Women 12 31 Totals .. 20 87 Undergraduates; Men 345 714 \ Women 127 237 Totals 472 951 Non-matriculated students: Men * 151 89 Women 151 52 Totals 302 141 Exempt students not attending lectures — Men 25 108 Women 2 34 Total exempt students 27 142 All students— Men 529 967 Women 292 354 Totals 821 1,321