Dumping of spoil angers college

Press, 11 June 1982, Page 3

Dumping of spoil angers college

This soil, sawdust, and rubbish dumped by the University of Canterbury on land adjacent to Christchurch Teachers’ College has caused an uproar. The university authorities are being accused of arrogance, and the Christchurch Teachers’ College Council has written to the University Council protesting about the dumping. Large mounds of soil and sawdust have appeared during the last three months on university-owned land between Waimairi Road and Parkstone Avenue. Broken concrete, coils of wire, and other discarded building materials are strewn through the spoil, which covers an area about

half the size of a football field. The land is separated from the teachers’ college by a low row of trees but is clearly visible from college buildings. “They have dumped it right at our front door,” said the chairman of the College Couuncil’s works committee, Mrs Margaret Murray. The land was far from university buildings. It was obviously chosen as a dump because of that remoteness, she said. “The university’s attitude has been arrogant. It is a case of ‘We don’t want it near our front door, so we will dump it on yours’,” Mrs Murray said. Dumping had occurred intermittently for about three years. The College Council

had complained before when rubbish burn-offs started. “That has stopped but the dumping has got much w’orse during the last three months,” said Mrs Murray. “As a public relations exercise it is very bad. The college has gone to great expense to blend in with its surroundings but this dumping ruins its good work.” The university's ViceChancellor, Professor A. D. Brownlie, said the University Council would consider the matter at its next meeting and “deal with it in due course.” “I have no wish to get involved in a discussion of this matter through the news media,” Professor Brownlie said.