1.—13 a.

64

[PBOFESSOE ADAMSON.

Professor Adamson further examined. (No. 17.) 1. The Chairman.] There is one question I should like to ask you in regard to the law students. Do your law students here make use of the Law Society's library?— The students of Victoria College as such have no right to use the law library, but I understand, though I am not a barrister of New Zealand, the practice is that the barristers in practice are allowed to give their assistants permission to use the law library, and that some of those assistants who are students at Victoria College do make use of it. 2. You do not know whether they use it regularly? —Not of my own knowledge. I do.know, as a matter of fact, that some do use it. ,3. Is the Law Society's library more fully provided with later works than yours?—l cannot say personally. I have not been inside the Law Society's library, but I should think it is much more fully provided. 4. Then is it not desirable that your students should be encouraged to go there as much as possible?—l think not. I doubt very much if the Law Society would permit of a large number of students going down and using their library while members required it. I can understand in a small place where there are few students or assistants that that would be quite a good system, but where we have many students coin ing from many parts of our province who arc not law clerks thai system would not work. There is also the further objection that to make the law library properly efficient it must be at hand to the students, for this reason : that the law students attend Victoria College in the evening, and it would break up the whole of their time if they had to go down town to the Law Society's library. 5. Even during the day?—l quite agree that if they had time during the day it would be advisable, but 90 per cent, of them have not the time, as they are occupied earning their living.

Professor Labt examined. (No. 18.) 1. Mr. Si<ley.\ I think you and your colleagues wish the Committee to take up this attitude, that we should not spend any money in giving effect to the report of Mr. Hogben until we have had a Royal Commission ? —Yes, that is so. 2. Do you not understand that the report of Mr. Hogben is supposed to be based upon the minimum requirements of those colleges? —Yes, that is so —it is supposed to be based. The money he provides does not meet what he states to be the minimum requirements in the case of Victoria College. .'5. Hut do you not think the minimum requirements ought to be met at the present time apart altogether from the delay in obtaining the report of a Royal Commission? —No. If the College were going into debt I think under its existing commitments that ought to be provided for; but, since the finance fixes the policy, to allow further expenditure to be incurred by the colleges before a Royal Commission was set up would largely spoil the value of the Commission's report. 4. But the minimum requirements are based upon the colleges as the needs exist to-day i The minimum requirements are as much a matter of opinion as the maximum requirements. 5. Do you mean that a Royal Commission would alter the existing institutions so far as policy is indicated in the work they are doing to-day?—l trust so. We would never have advocated a Royal Commission if we had not hoped that a greater degree of specialization would be introduced. 6. One of the complaints you made in the pamphlet was that Otago University had not enough money for its medical school? —I think Otago University has never had enough money for its medical school. 7. And do you object to the Committee now giving effect to a report which will tend to improve and strengthen that school? —Yes, I do. I object to a piecemeal solution. 8. Do you suggest tjiat there should be another medical school established outside Dunedin? — No, I think that would be most undesirable. 9. And yet you think no more money should be given by the Government to make that school more efficient? —No, I think a Royal Commission ought to be appointed. I trust it would report very quickly, and report also in favour of Otago being given enough money to make the medical school thoroughly efficient. 10. Then you say there would be no specialization in law if Mr. Hogben's report were given effect to?—No, there would not. 11. Now, are you not aware that there is an Institute of Accountancy in New Zealand?— Yes. 12. Are you not aware that in order to qualify for the Accountants' Examination a certain amount of knowledge of law and commerce is necessary?— Yes. 13. Xow, are you aware that the branches of the Accountants' Society in New Zealand have asked each of the colleges to undertake the preparation of their students in those centres for the examinations that they have to pass?— Yes. If I may add something to that I would saythat I have been informed that at present the coaches can compete against the University colleges in preparing students for the Accountancy Examination. The reason for that is, first, that the University degree is of such a character that the students do not prefer to obtain it as a qualify for their profession. There are two qualifications, first a professional qualification, and also the degree. The professional qualification is as valuable as the degree, and it is found by students that the coaches can prepare them quite as successfully for the former qualification, with the result that the number of students has decreased in all the colleges. We are merely competing with the coaches. 14. That is rather beside my question. You know the colleges have beeii asked to provide lecturers for the accountancy students? —Yes.