Dr Gupta leaves the Asian Studies department for the City University of New York at the end of this academic year. Since coming to V.U.W. in I960, he has established a reputation that makes his parting shots characteristic

Meanwhile, Associate - Professor Palmier is to head a UNESCO team in India. He will return to Victoria in 1964.

Gupta recognises the problem of salaries and stalling in N.Z. universities needs attention. Higher salaries and the provision of research funds and facilities is a must.

The more attractive conditions in England and Australia, materially and professionally, put N.Z. in the shade. He said that he was leaving because he couldn't make ends meet on his present salary.

The system of appointments and promotion at V.U.W. is "crook", said Gupta. Two persons in separate disciplines, with identical teaching experience, equivalent degrees and research publications may be ranked differently. Rank depends not so much on a person's achievement but on the situation in separate departments.

This contrasted with American practice where people in different departments, with equivalent qualifications were usually equal in rank. The crux of the matter, said Gupta, is the very arbitrary system of departmental organisation, i.e., one Professor and a certain number of Senior Lecturers, etc.

Cannot Integrate

A large number of part-time students is detrimental in a university, Gupta went on. They cannot integrate themselves into the life of the university.

He explained that there was more to a university training than bare adherence to a syllabus. Furthermore, he said, when good lectures are given in the evening often very few students attend.

The library at V.U.W. was probably the best in the country in the in the Asian field. It was not a research library; but an excellent undergraduate collection, he said.

A comparison between students in N.Z. and the experience he had gained in the U.K. and the U.S., led i Gupta to say that N.Z. students do much less reading!

Dr Gupta has shown interest in university clubs in the past. He answered a question about his attitude to them saying that they made up a "peculiarly student field". "I keep my interest but also keep my distance," he said. Relations with his colleagues and students had been very satisfactory.

Judging from his experience as political correspondent of the "Times of India", covering the Korean war, the war in Indo-China and the U.N., Dr Gupta will be a valuable acquisition for the Cit: University of N.Y. V.U.W. has certainly gained from his all too short stay here.

Professor Palmier is taking up the position of Senior Research Officer at the UNESCO Research Centre for Social and Economic Development in Southern Asia. On a year's leave without pay, in lieu of sabbatical leave, Palmier will coordinate the 'entirely original" research to be done by this body on the whole of Asia.

Having not done any field work since 1956, Palmier felt it was "high time" that he returned to Asia for this object. He felt it was necessary to have personal experience in keeping up to date.

Asian Studies

The Asian Studies Department at V.U.W. had the function of stimulating interest in Asian matters. The problems of Asia, the very different way of life and the responsibilities of "rich" countries such as N.Z. were included by Palmier. Naturally, he would like to see development in the department which he saw acting "as yeast in the university, stimulating staff and students."

"Lectures, by and large, went out of date when the printing press was invented," continued Palmier. The seminar system was the "essence" of university education and his department had endeavoured to have as many tutorials as the staff/student balance allowed.