Retrenchment

In September the [unclear: Univ]sity Council met. The [unclear: Edu]tion sub-committee [unclear: rec]mended the plan be [unclear: procee] with. Two hours' [unclear: discuss] led up to the retrenchment Dr. Beaglehole.

To the end, Sir [unclear: Geo] insisted that [unclear: Beagleho] political views had [unclear: noth] whatever to do with retrenchment. ". . . The [unclear: wh] assumption of political [unclear: op]ions being responsible for the proposed arrangements garding the History [unclear: Depa]ment next year, are who page 7[unclear: out] foundation in fact," said in November, 1932.

[unclear: o] a certain extent he was [unclear: t]. At no time had Dr. [unclear: glehole] stated any political [unclear: s]. But he had challenged president's views on public statements by staff members. Also challenged was magistrate's unconsidered union and in association, of the "semi-sacred" [unclear: ets] of our society—the rule law. The crowning aberralay in soliciting the [unclear: port] of the New Zealand [unclear: rker] whose political views [unclear: e] quite clear even if Dr. [unclear: glehole's] were not.

[unclear: etting] aside political views the retrenchment, the [unclear: nomies] motive does not are with the circumstances [unclear: er].

[unclear: he] Department of History [unclear: h] 202 students was the second largest school on the [unclear: lege]. Students per lecturer [unclear: ounted] to 101 compared [unclear: h] 85 for English, the next [unclear: gest]. Moreover, the history school was carrying on without a professor.

In 1933 there was to be one and a half lecturers for 202 students.

Students of the History School unanimously filed resolutions of protest at the harsh treatment of a lecturer and of themselves. In doing so they paid tribute to the fine qualities of Dr. Beaglehole both as an academic and a lecturer.

The irony of making economics the justification for doing away with Dr. Beaglehole was revealed at the end of the year.

Despite the conscientious effort to save £360 it was possible to make an ex gratia payment of £200 to Beaglehole's executioner, the Registrar. He was leaving for America with a valuable fellowship and the extra finance was to allow him to extend his trip to England.

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The Facts of this article have been taken from "Academic Freedom In New Zealand, 1932-1934," by F. A. de la Mare.