OVERCROWDED COLLEGES

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 3, 28 September 1918, Page 8

OVERCROWDED COLLEGES

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REFERENCE BY BOARD OF

GOVERNORS.

Messrs. W. F. Ward (chairman), W. Allan, W. U. l\ Barber T. Forsyth, J. P. Luke, M.P., M. Chapman, W. H. Field, M.P., and Professor Easterfield were present at a meeting of die Board of Governors of the Wellington Boys' and Girls' Colleges held yesterday morning. The statement of accounts set forth tho following particulars—Balance at bank, £2676 13s. 6d.; lodged but not credited, £104 16s. 3d.; «ash in hand, £238 4s. lid.; total, £3019 14s. Bd. Payments required: Wellington College, £1043.1G5. 9d.; Girls' College, £713 18s. Bd.; total, £1757 15s. od. Tho hoard agreed to renew tho payment of tlio war bonus to the staffs of tho colleges on the same terms as last year, viz., to grant 6 per cent, on tlio total of the salaries, the amounts to bo divided equally.' At tho last meeting of the_ board a committee was appointed to interview tho Minister of Education' on the mat-' ter of the acute shortage of accommodation now, and the anticipated increase of students for the coming year. That committee reported as follows:— "The Minister was sympathetic; but pointed out the groat demand for increased building all over the country. Ho suggested that to remedy tho lack of space At the Girls' College, the board ' should consider the establishment of a second girls' collego at the soii'thcrn part of the city, if a suitable site could ho obtainod. Tho only suggestion to meet the present difficulty was that the board should rent a hall or other suitable building near the present school. Your committee is of opinion that it is quite impracticauio to extend tho accommodation at tho Boys' Collego by this meaus. In respect to tho Girls' College,, the inquiries which have been made show the difficulty of obtaining any suitablo building in the near vicinity. Under the circu'iiistancos, therefore, your committee recommends that no greater number ,qf pupils should be admitted to tho two| colleges than are at present in attendance, and that tho order of admission bo that agreed upon between the board and tho Education Department."

Under the circumstances, the members, in the course of a brief discussion ou tho report, expressed tlio view that they should do all in their power to meet the acute shortage of accommodation. On tho motion of Mr. Luke, seconded by Mr. Forsyth, it was agreed that 'the committee should pursue the matter further, and bo authorised to bring -down a recommendation on tho point.