HOSTEL FOR GIRLS

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 150, 20 March 1919, Page 6

HOSTEL FOR GIRLS

GOVERNMENT ASKED TO ASSIST WELLINGTON STUDENTS LACK ACCOMMODATION

A deputation representing tho Wellington Education Board, tho Victoria College Council, and local women's organisations interviewed the Minister of Education (Hon. J. A. Italian) yesterday in order to urge upon him tho desirability of securing the establishment in Wellington of a hostel for girls attending Victoria College and tho Training College. The members of tho deputation wcro introduced by Mr. R. A. Wright. M.1., who briefly supported tho claim that was being made. ... , ~ Mr. J. S. Tennant, Principal of tho I Training C<fllege, said, that about 100, girl students of the collego were at present living away from their homes. Ho I had been fortunate in being able to use ■ two private institutions, which received about 80 of the girls. But it was impos-, sible to count upon these remaining availablo. This year about tlnrtv girl students had no place to go to, anil lie had made temporary arrangements with, tho Y.W.C.A. to receive them. He urged that the present system was wasteful and unsuitable. The Education Department was spending £9000 a, year in allowances to tho 100 students. girls could' be supported in a hostel lor about £1 a week, leaving -£5000 a year for other purposes. ITo had been told that a hostel capable'of accommodating GO girls cou.ld bo built for .£9OOO. If it contained some class rooms and some accommodation for teachers, it could be used very effectively as a school of domestic science. The hostel was urgently required in order that proper surroundings might bo provided for tho girl students during their period of training. _ slr. T. Forsyth, representing the Wellington Education Board, said that the Education Department required . theso girls to como to Wellington for training, The provision of proper accommodation for them ought to be regarded as ail immediate diiity. The girls could not study to the best advantage in ordinary boardinghouses, and there were other very strong- objections to that sort of acconi' mooation for young girls who were awaj from their homo' for the first time.

Mrs. Atkinson said that some time ago she had been a member of a committee that had inquired regarding the accommodation for girl clerks in 'Wellington. The committee had found that it was almost impossible for a girl to set respectable board and lodging for less than 2os. per \veek._ That woulu leave a considerable irargin to be made up 011 the allowances of students attending the Training College. It would be right and economical for tho Department to provide a hostel for these girls. TJiey needed 'surroundings that were comfortable, congenial, aud 6afe. Mr. C. Watson, chairman of the Victoria College Council, and Mr. A. W. Hogg also spoke in support of the claim made by tho deputation. The Minister of Education, in reply, said tho deputation had raised a.u important question. The sneakers had asked in effect that the Education Department should undertake a new service by establishing and maintaining hostels for girls attending tho educational institutions. Obviously a concession of that kind could not be confined to Wellington, and it would be necessary for the Government to consider the suggestion from a Dominion standpoint. Ho was awaro that in Wellington there great difficulty' in obtaining good accommodation. *He was aware also that the investigations made at the time of the epidemic had shown the existence of very unsatisfactory housing conditions in some parts of the city. Ho had beeln very much impressed by what members of the deputation had said regarding the danger of students getting into unsuitable surroundings. Environment played an important part in training, aud the students of the Training College, tho future teacheip, ought to have really good surroundings. If a hostel were established, the students could study domestic science in a practical way 'by taking ovej some of the work and duties of management. Ihc Minister suggested that there was room for the efforts of benevolent people of wealth, in a matter of this kind. Education in Wellington aiui not been endowed as it had been in other parts of New Zealand. There was 110 money at present at the disposal of the Education Department, that could bft used for the establishment of a hostel on tho lines suggested, As a matter of fact, the demands that were being made 111 other directions were very largo and pressing. But lie would consider the whole matter with a view to making a recommendation to Cabinet. He felt with the members of tho deputation that something ought to be done to improve the position of the students, and ho would bring the request before his colleagues in the Government.