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degree (the first two years for the intermediate part time) obtains on appointment a salary £lOO higher than if he had not secured this qualification and can readily repay the loan from his salary in the next few years. Recommendation— That a system of loans be established to assist deserving students who may be unsuccessful in securing bursaries or scholarships or ivho may require financial assistance over and above the value of the bursary or scholarship to enable them to jpursue an engineering degree course. (4) GENERAL EFFECT OF RECOMMENDATIONS FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE 250. The system of bursaries and other financial assistance is based on the general proposition that, for the more academic student who proves his merit at the postprimary school, considerable assistance is available by one means or another from that stage onwards to enable him to take a University course. It is hoped that the assistance at present granted will be increased, but the point made here is that something already exists. The more practical student will prove his ability and his determination in the first two years of the diploma course, during which he will be engaged in industry and part-time study. Financial assistance for this class is thus deferred, but when it comes it is substantial and, for a student of exceptional ability, the prizes are high. 251. The Committee considers that money spent on diploma bursaries will be well worth while. It would be loath, however, to see a situation arise in which students who might otherwise take a degree course with success, decide to take the diploma course because the financial assistance appears more attractive and the time, effort, and money involved are less. Such a decision would be extremely short-sighted, and it is hoped that the majority of students and their parents will realize the over-all desirability of taking the degree course. If it is found by experience in the next few years that the attractions of the various forms of financial assistance do not in fact produce the desired balance, particularly if it happens that there is any trend away from the degree course, then steps could be taken by the Council of Engineering Education to effect an adjustment. 14. COUNCIL OF ENGINEERING EDUCATION 252. The need for keeping the University schools of engineering and the technical schools in constant touch with the engineering profession has already been mentioned in Sections 10 and 12. The University schools of engineering and the main technical schools have advisory committees which include amongst their members practising engineers of experience. The Committee was impressed with the interest shown by some of these men, and considers that co-operation of this kind should be encouraged. 253. At the national level, however, there is at present no organized body able to give special attention to the courses of study, examination requirements, and educational qualifications of the profession. The Senate and the Academic Board of the University of New Zealand deal with the degree courses in engineering and the University statutes relating thereto. Neither of these bodies, however, provides the kind of opportunity that the Committee considers desirable for close observation of trends in engineering and for inquiry into ways of keeping abreast of new developments. Moreover, it is highly desirable that the proposed diploma courses in professional engineering should be related to degree courses and that both should be constantly under review. The need for close co-operation between the various authorities concerned in the training of professional engineers and the engineering profession has been mentioned frequently throughout this report. 254. The Committee has shown that there are several branches of engineering for which little training is at present available, and it is probable that other needs will arise from time to time. The engineering profession plays a most important part in our

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