£15,000 SUBSIDY

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 160, 1 April 1919, Page 6

£15,000 SUBSIDY

AND A FOUR-ACRE SITE

FOR TECHNICAL COLLEGE

A SETTLEMENT AT LAST

Wellington is at last to have a Technical College suited to the need 3 of tho community.

Tho chairman of the Technical Education Board (Mr. Georgo Frost), when interviewed by a Dominion reporter yesterday, stated that at last a definite settlement had been arrived at, and I)}' that arrangement tho board, through tl.o medium of the Education Board, could go right ahead with preliminaries for a new and np-to-date college. Mr. '.Frost explained that the Technical Education Board, whicli controlled tho college, was not constituted to own property, and in that regard was subsidiary to the Wellington Education Board. Mr. Frost said that the Government had arranged to hand over to the board four acrcs of land, immediately to the south of the Alexandra Barracks, and the southern part of the Mount Cook military reserve, three acres of which consisted of practically level land quite suitable for the purpose mentioned, and one acre of land which slopes awav in a south-easterly direction towards gasman Street. The public would perhaps tret a better idea of the lay of the Technical College, block whpn it is said that the eastern end of Hankey Street will be the main entrance to'the college grounds, and that if the southern alignment of Hankey Street were carried westward it would form tTie southern boundary of the college block! The eastern boundary consists of Town Acres 715, 716, and 71" (which front Tasman Street). Between the two first-mentioned town acres there is Ranfurlv Terrace, which will form another entrance to the collece grounds, and the quickest, means of reaching tho Basin Eeserve and the nearest point to Wellington's tramway system. One advantage, and a valuable one. is that the land is on .the average about ISft. higher than the level of the 'Alexandra Barracks site. The importance of that is stressed because the favoured aspect for building in Wellington is the northwest, so as to get the fullest advantage of the sun at all seasons of the year. A higher land will therefore mean a little more chance of cotchin? a gleani from over the ton of the barracks—which "has its place in the sun." The Type of Building.

What the tvne of building is to be has nof: been <1 ofin 1 fely sotHpd. but iuoro are certain ideas that must. be Riven repression to in' any up-to-date lechniciu school—space. lipM. and air. As a.basis jfr W. li. T,si Trobe has drawn plans of a college building which meets mp=t nf the demands made, and is in line *;ith the new t.houiht on school construction. His building is a rectangular block, with an interior "nuad." half an ac.ro 111 extent in the centre (divine 1' in nbiinilanco to every room), and that the classrooms shall "all ope" on to a corridor which is planned to run nronnd t.no liHiUlinp b-hven the "quad." and the walls of the class-room on crouiid floor, and on to verandah corridors en the floors above. The administrative Mo- I ** will run through tho centre of the building, but does not imping nt all upon tho "r|uad." As for tV rest of the building the windows provided ar" so and numerous that they p'rnetienllv become tjlfss walk l-berefore ensurim: a r-'aximnm flood o* light in all weatlicl* and .As has been stated, tho r i n „c of f'" hii'Mim; have not. yet been p(looted! Mi*. Frost hn« .been advised that a deputation of architects is to unit upon th« hoard tln\ evening with rennost I'M' competitive plans be Cillle'l for. h"t that was a matter for the board to decide

The Monetary Grant, The Govorrjr.ent .has also cuthori=e<l a -rant of ,515.000 io k* made .v:?ilni>le conditienn':-,- :*i .<*«•• «<•* Cannc-il. W: inj< nyer tV lts jhs.OOa" aaiaidr in ti«> It '•« icj-emberod thjji tb. o&r o± the City Cousin « was the nro?:*J= of a. of wCl.ii • <1 in J'sono ill ■•tain-eats.-conditional on t. ic return tz ib ..Cifc Corr""«™ ?f Mercer Street l:lflck for so >rs in <h« occ"pition. of tho Technical Board «w rkf'-ops and lawn tnmua ooiirt. TJIO (;ifv Corj'Ciridi^-* 1 rcauirca tlus VJpck ior further vnoccsaniy .?st?2isions of the Mercer Street eleeh'io lirfitins p.ower-l-.ouso, aoil them is not like.-;* any "liold-un" or. their..-oa!'t with the hTSt ir'tnlmcnt of the subsidy. The nositiou is* now so. satisfactnrj the" tho to?i*d can. KO «"ht nml, rh'iist takhiz siifeguauls, «"*. Frc.st DronucfJ th.it no tiwe w:£>ula lost'in irenarine tho *ft*ss f*'' lMe, whicl'. ,w;v.d... he. hoped, do Wellington credit for all time.