REPRESENTATION OF THE PEOPLE (READING UNIVERSITY) BILL. (Hansard, 2 July 1928)

§ LORD WRAXALL
My Lords, I beg to move the Second Reading of this Bill. It is, as the Title indicates, a Bill to give Parliamentary representation to Reading University by adding it to that combination of Universities which now consists of Durham, Manchester, Liverpool, Leeds, Sheffield, Birmingham, and last, but certainly not least, Bristol. Most of your Lordships, I feel sure, know Reading well. You know it as a great industrial centre, and you know it as a great railway centre. Many of you have personal knowledge of the products of its great 806 biscuit factories, and many of you have had personal experience of the nursery gardens of Messrs. Sutton. But I dare say it is news to many of your Lordships, especially perhaps to those coming from the north, that there is a University at Reading.
In the Act which was passed a short time ago and which established the Combined English Universities to form one constituency, there was no provision to add automatically other Universities after such Universities had received their charters. It may be well that there was no such provision. It may be best that as Universities receive their charters a Bill should be brought into your Lordships' House and into another place to give them representation. Reading University received its charter rather more than two years ago. The career of Reading University, if I may go into it for a few moments, has been very largely similar to the careers of other provincial Universities. It began as long ago as 1860 when art classes were established. Ten years later science classes were inaugurated. About twelve years after that a public subscription was raised for the building of a house in which those two sets of classes might be brought together. Three years later University extension lectures were delivered in Reading for the first time. Not unnaturally that very soon led to proposals for the formation of a University College, and in 1892 a University College was opened, of which Mr. Mackinder, who was then at Christchurch, Oxford, was appointed principal. Your Lordships will remember that Mr. Mackinder was afterwards Member of Parliament for one of the divisions of Glasgow, and that he has recently become a member of His Majesty's most honourable Privy Council. Then about two years later an Agricultural Department was added to the College and shortly afterwards the Dairy Institute, which had been founded at Aylesbury in 1888, was removed to Reading. Further buildings were then erected and were opened by the late King Edward VII in 1898 when he was Prince of Wales.
After that, of course, efforts were made to collect money to found a University. Many subscriptions were given, some of very considerable dimensions, and certain of them coming from Reading men 807 themselves. By the time the Great War began a very large sum had been raised for the purpose. Reading University has made itself renowned for its hostel system, which I understand is about as perfect as any in the country and has been very largely copied elsewhere. I must not forget to mention the Milk Research Department which has been established at Shinfield, near Reading, and which owes a great deal to my noble friend Lord Iveagh, its Chairman, who had hoped, I understand, to be well enough to be here to-day. I am told that this department is of enormous value to the district and, indeed, to the country as a whole. Up to the time of its becoming a University, two years ago, Reading University was a constituent college of London University. When it became a University the graduates had to decide whether they would be graduates of Reading University or of London University, and I am informed that the great majority elected to become graduates of Reading University, which I think shows how very much they appreciated that institution. As far as I can find out, there are at present about 600 students who are daily receiving instructions and about 1,000 more who go there for part time instruction and for the evening classes.
In regard to the opposition to this Bill, I think it comes almost entirely from those who are opposed to University representation in Parliament at all. But although that may be their attitude regarding such representation, I feel sure they would agree with the great majority that the more you can give in the way of University education to the people of this country the better it will be for the country as a whole. I beg to move.

§ LORD PARMOOR
My Lords, I do not propose to go into the general question of University representation, but seeing there is such representation I wholeheartedly support the proposal made by the noble Lord, Lord Wraxall. I should not have risen to speak on this occasion but that I know the conditions of Reading University very well and have often been over the University buildings. I know also the enormous benefit which the district has derived from the work of the University. Without mentioning names, 808 I think it is generally known that there are two great benefactors who have given very large sums to provide buildings for research and for the endowment of the University. So far as the hostel system is concerned, I can speak of it from personal knowledge and I should like to corroborate all that the noble Lord has said. It is conducted on most admirable lines, and I think it is generally acknowledged to be the sort of hostel system one would desire to have in connection with such a University as that of Reading. There are not only resident members of the University, but there are those to whom the noble Lord has referred who go there for the purpose of attending lectures and so on. I am perfectly certain that everyone who knows its work, who has been over the University as often as I have and is aware of the general feeling in the district, will entirely support the Bill and will agree that the noble Lord has not spoken too strongly in setting forth the claims of Reading University.

§ LORD DESBOROUGH
My Lords, so far as the Government are concerned, I am empowered to give hearty support to the Bill. I am happy to think that on this very day the World's Dairy Congress has moved to Reading and will see that excellent institution at Shinfield which has really been a pioneer of all similar institutions not only in this country but in many others.