Bursaries Fall Behind

Over this period some bursaries have increased, e.g., the National Boarding Bursaries, but the total value of bursaries has not risen by anything like the extent of 110 per cent. In any case, the bursaries available in 1939 were quite inadequate. They have become even more inadequate at the new level of pries existing today.

In 1939. too, the bursaries available were most complicated and confusing. This has been made even worse since then by the changes involved in adopting the accrediting system of University Entrance and by the provision of a few bursaries to exclusive groups such as the Bursaries granted by the Department or Scientic and Industrial Research.

Thus today we find two major faults in the Bursary system in New Zealand.

Remedies Proposed

The Government has always made free education a major point of its programme. The present shortcomings in the Bursary system have grown particularly during the last few years and the Government should immediately order a full inquiry into the present situation. The inflation of the last few years has brought the matter sharply to the attention of the students concerned. Last year the N.Z. Student Labour Federation brought out detailed proposals for an improved and integrated system, and presented them to the student body. The scheme was based directly on the Australian "Commonwealth Financial Assistance Scheme." Briefly. NZSLF proposed 1,000 bursaries to replace the present Special Bursaries and Junior and National Scholarships, these to pay, as in Australia, all fees and a living allowance of £117 per annum for students living at home and £156 per annum for students living away from home.

Not only do students realise that the present bursaries available are inadequate. Many educational experts have also stressed this also. Sir David Smith, the Chancellor of the N.Z. University, has urged the need to free students from having to work during College, Terms and so enable fall-time study. Dean E. Mc-Henry, Assistant Professor of Political Science at the University of California, when in New Zealand, strongly urged the same point. Recently the Committee of Inquiry into the Scientific Manpower Resources in New Zealand presented its Report to Parliament and one of its proposals and recommendations was as follows: "That the various bursary schemes be brought into line and that Treasury be asked to arrange for a conference of the Departments concerned in order that this may be done."

Students Demand Increases

The proposals mentioned above were adopted unanimously at a General Meeting of the VUC students' Association on the motion of Ron Smith, Secretary of the Student Labour Federation, seconded by Jim Battersby, Secretary of the N.Z. Student Christian Movement. They were also adopted in principle at the Annual General Meeting of the Auckland Students' Association and by the Winter Conference of NZUSA. The latter body appointed a subcommittee to investigate them but at the time of writing the report of this committee has not become available. So far as is known no representations have yet been made by NZUSA to the Government.

At the recent Student Congress in Curious Cove the question of bursaries was again discussed and the following resolution was carried unanimously: That this Congress considers that University bursaries should be increased in value and number and the whole Bursary system rationalised. It urges NZUSA 1o expedite its submissions on this subject to the Government and to request that NZUSA be represented on the Conference of Bursaries proposed by the Scientific Manpower Committee to represent the student point of view,"

In an age of science and large-scale Organisation". New Zealand needs scientists, engineers, economists writers, artists, etc. The Report on Scientific Manpower, referred to above reveals the vast increase in chemists and other scientists that has occurred in the past period. There is no reason to think that this rate of growth will diminish in the future. Students studying to meet these needs must not suffer financial hardship and must be enabled to study full-time. In Britain this has been recognised in the Barlow and Percy Reports.

The matter is urgent. NZUSA must hasten in its task and at the, earliest date present to the Government the student's point of view on the question of an improved Bursary scheme in New Zealend.