NEW UNIVERSITY PLANS

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26221, 19 September 1950, Page 3

NEW UNIVERSITY PLANS

IMPORTANT MEETING TOMORROW

DIRECTOR OF EDUCATION TO ATTEND

The way may be cleared" considerably for development of the new university site at Riccarton by a conference in Christchurch to-morrow. The Director of Education (Dr. C. E. Beeby), officers of the Education Department, and a representative of the Government architect will meet the committee of the Canterbury University College Council which has been handling proposals. The Christchurch town planning officer (Miss Nancy Northcroft) will also attend.

Primarily the discussions will be on procedure to be followed in realising the comprenensive plan for the new university. Arrangements for surveying the site are likely to receive early consideration. Government surveyors may be called in; but use of staff from the National School of Engineering, attached to the college, may be suggested. The responsibility for costs of this work may be discussed.

The siting of the first building (the new School of Engineering) may be mentioned only in passing for the conference will be concerned chiefly with determining the stages through which plans must pass before definite submissions for authority to start work are made to the Government. When he called the conference at the request oi the Minister of Education (Mr R. M. Algie), Dr. Beeby emphasised that Canterbury College authorities and departmental officers should understand these clearly.

There may be little to report from the conference on the domestic arrangements decided; but the Canterbury University College Council hopes that some indication may be possible soon of a likely starting date. For many months talks have dealt chiefly with the actual choice of the Ham road site and the acquisition of properties. The Stead and Neave blocks, totalling 83 acres, have been secured; but no progress in acquiring the Gardner block has been announced.