NEW BUILDINGS.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 18681, 3 May 1926, Page 9

NEW BUILDINGS.

OTAGO UNIVERSITY. MORE MONEY WANTED. (SrECIAL 70 "THE PRESS.") DUNEDIN, May 1. A representative deputation from tlio Otago University waited ou the Prime Minister regarding the financial position of the institution. The Chancellor (Mr T. K. Sidcy, M.P.) said the object of the deputation was to bring before the Prime Minister certain financial matters and solicit the Government's hcip. Their general financial position had fluctuated considerably in recent years, particularly as far as their endowments were concerned, as owing to financial stress many of the returned soldier rentals had had to be reduced. Last year the University expenditure exceeded the income by £713. The salaries paid the teachers were less than that paid to those at other Universities. Before the cut, professors were paid £9OO per annum, but now it was £'Boo, except in one or two' cases. They had to obtain their teachers in the world market, and they were competing in consequence against other Universities. Owing to the smaller salaries paid, there was considerable difficult in obtaining the best men. The public of Dunedin had been verv generous to the University. the total sum presented being between £IOO.OOO and £150,000, and a. iiood deal of this had gone into buildings. The interest on the amount found locally amounted to £2OOO per annum. The Presbyterian Church had also relieved the Government of financial responsibility by providing £2oGO a rear for important chairs. Special Schools. Dealing with the question of special schools, the speaker said that the University Commission, in its report, strongly recommended that these should be separate and distinct from the other departments of the Unirersitv. Speaking parenthetically, lie would like to say that ho considered the Commission had misinterpreted the remarks of Professor Park. It had recommended the removal of the mining schools, b.ut he would like to say that if this we're done there would be a big outcry in Dunedin \ Speaking of the medical and the dental schools. Mr Sidey said that thej were debarred from rendering adequate assistance to their professors, particularly'in the direction of giving facilities for research. Quite apart from anything else, additional expenditure was required in connexion with the staffiing and equipment of two large buildings. It was estimated that £IOOO a year would be required for the maintenance of the medical school and £650 for the dental school. Hie Dean of tlio medical school estimated that to place the school in a satisfactory position they would require £13,000 jv year. That looked large sum, and it might possibly be wide of the mark. It was estimated that £2700 would be sufficient to meet the immediate needs of the. dental school, this sum including maintenance. Cost of Buildings. It had been suggested that the University Council had misled the Department in that it had. largely underestimated the amount of money required for building. The original estimate for the dental school was £38,300 this having'been made three years ago, but. the actual cost exceeded this by £3OOO. So far as the medical school was concerned, he admitted that the estimate had been exceeded. Five years ago when it was prepared,- the estimate approximated £IOO,OOO, but they j?ow found that the cost would run into £lll,OOO without the site, which cost £14,000. The original estimate was therefore exceeded by £25,000. i or the shell of the building the original estimate was £50,000, but this had cost £6OOO more. . , The Prime Minister, in reply, said ho understood that the request was for an annual" grant of £15,700. Dr. Marshall Mac Donald: That is the ultimate development. The Prime Minister went on to say that the original cost of the new building, was £83,000. Now it was found the cost would be £lll,OOO. If the estimated cost of buildings all over the country were exceeded, what sort of a position would the Government find itself in? Could not the estimates in regard to the new wing be readjusted? Sir Lindo Ferguson replied that at the time the contract was let the Government only faced the of putting up the shell of the building. If the whole contract had been lot at the time thev would have got it done for £IO,OOO less than the present demand. ?: Mr Coates said that that would be about 1920. when prices were at their peak. The whole job would cost less now. Could not their architect readjust the plans in some way P The Registrar said the difference was £IB.OOO. , , The Prime Minister said lie was not personally in touch with the matter, but he understood that investigations were being made by the Department as to what its liability would be in the future. The matter was somewhat involved, and lie thought ho had better see the buildings. It was arranged that Mr. Coates, should visit the University buildings ou Monday morning.