"THE CINDERELLA OF THE COLLEGES."

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 536, 17 June 1909, Page 6

"THE CINDERELLA OF THE COLLEGES."

ACCOMMODATION WANTED,

DISCUSSION BY VICTORIA COLLEGB COUNCIL. GOVERNMENT TO BE ASKED FOE £400. Inadequate accommodation for tuition at Victoria Collego was again tlio subject 'of discussion, and it was eventually rosolved to ask the Government for a grant of £400 in order to provide 1 'temporarily for tho most urgent needs. 1

In introducing a report of the special oommittee 011 tho quostkm of accommodation at) the college last craning, tho Chairman (Mr* J Graham, M.P.), said tho committee had carefully gono over, tho buildings and . heard all tho suggestions which tbo professors desired to make.

Detailed Rwommondattons. Ihe committee reported that accommodation for tho lecturer in geology was urgently required. For this purposo they reoommended that tbo room ou the top floor now used as a tea room bo finished with a partition dividing off tho passage planned in tho original design of tho building. They furthor recommended tti&t the lArgo room adjoining, now used for social* meetings, bo used as a tea room, and that in tho event of further accommodation being required, tbW room bo used as a common room, the present common room being then available for odnoational, purposes. It was estimated that the finishing and fitting up pf tho room for thelecturer;in geology would oost about MOO,; exclusive of architect's fee, and the committee reoommended that the Government be asked to givo such sum'to enable the work to bo done. In the opinion of tho committee, the work was absolutely necessary, and should be commenced at tio earliest possible moment. :; Tho Irroduolblo 1 Minimum, ■

Mr. H. F. von Haast seconded the motioi for adoption of the report. He thoughi they should ask for their minimum roqniro< iiicnts at present owing to the existing fr liancialtstringency, but tnoy must have bofcit very long , a new wing to tho buildings. It should be genorally recogniscd that Victom Collego ana tho Auckland College should haw nioro Government assistance than the older colleges which wero already better provided for. : Victoria Collego was the Cinderella ol tho colleges, but it was bound to outdo nil the others beforo long, if only bocauso it had a district comprising nearly half tlio Dominion. 'Ilio suggestion of the chairmaa of Canterbury College that a grant of £20,000 should ,be sought on behalf of that institution was not made without consideration. The Prime. Minister had lately been to Christchurch, and the college aothorities had' interested him in jtheir demands', so that, perhaps, they expected to securo a substantial portion of what they] asked for. ; V"> toria Collego had been visited by tho Minister for Education, but not by tho Prima Minister,* and ho thought tho latter should 1 be asked to como ana sec tlio work they l were doing and ' what they required. Ho would tlioir realiso that the council bad strivon to use tho greatest economy, and had provided a, good education. It was an error to regard tho. college as a beggar when it • went to tlio Government to; ask for financial assistance. It was a child of tho Governments and the council administered it for the Government. . : 1 : / ' Mr:'von Haast then'wont on to give soma intotesting financial comparisons between Canterbury Collego and Victoria College, and in ,conclusion, lie so id that while the council would be right in asking;, for tho irrodnciblo minimum, they. should. inform the' Government of the dilferenco between tho amounto of the assistance given to this and to other colleges, and should try to obtain an assurance of more liberal treatment later on.. i

'Endowments • Wanted. . ' Mr. E. D.: Bell' said tho. council' ; must always be ready to hear suggestions from tha Professorial Board as to accommodation and other matters. It was most unsatisfactory that tho finances of tho council, including tho payment of the professors, was dependent upon, a chance vote in. Parliament, and that they had to go to tho "Government whenever' they wanted money,' The college ought to liavo , endowments in .different parts of the great district in both. islands which it served. Tho annual vote might bo 1 struck out by members of Parliament at ail early hour of' some morning, when they hardly knew: what they wero doing. , < The. Chairman (Mr, J. Graham, M.P.): That is not,'likely here, Mr. Bell: It has happened in New South Wales.*- We should, have a statutory grant. (Hear, hear.)' ; Dr.- Knight endorsed Mr. Bell's suggestion as to endowments. -• . ' ' .' '

' A Deputation, ■ ji: Tho.chairman said thitt what was propowd to ; bo asked' for was urgently required at onoc, but would not meet tho position for tho . future.Tho £3000 would bo required later, and perhaps 'something' above the' £400 in the meantime. The Minister for Education had told Jinn that a grant of £3000 would U impossible. at> present.: Tho report was adopted, and it was -e"tlio w cv)\iucil should wait upon tho Minister for Kdutfat-ion to prefer .their request'for a isrant of £400. ' ' .