THE WOMEN STUDENTS' HOSTEL.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 134, 29 February 1908, Page 10

THE WOMEN STUDENTS' HOSTEL.

It was on October 14 tliat tho Governor drove the first pile of tho Women Students' Hostel, and yesterday afternoon tho Hostel, completed and furnished, was formally opened by Mrs. Findlay, wife of the Attorney-General. Between itlio two dates a great'• deal of work, has been accomplished, and especially during tho past fow weeks have mombers of the Hostel Committee been busy buying, sowing, and, arranging the furniture and furnishings which mako the now institution look sopretty and,homelike. It is really a charming place, and one cannot think there will ever be any difficulty' in finding occupants for all tho rooms." Indeed, tlio troublo will soon be that tlioro is not room for all who want to go. Everything has necessarily to be very simple. Each bedroom, has its littlo stretcher bed, •it? wardrobe pegs, its strip of carpet, and a liandsoino. chest' of drawers in dark wood, with which is combined a folding dosk. The rooms looked their be3t yesterday in their spotless freshness; tlio downstairs living' [ rooms were prettily decorated with lilies and dahlias, in honour of the occasion, and much wore they admired by tho guests who crowded the. passages and hall. .Miss Holmes, who. spoko first, drew attention, to the fact that the influence of the Hostel would be .widespread, and that among tho* initiates woro students from places as far away as.- Napier -and Wanganui. Sho expressed the thanks of tho Council'to .'the Secretary,"Mrs. Salihoud, and to Mrs. Gibbs, who had been appointed with tlio secretary to. choose tho. furniture. 'Miss Holmes especially. referred to-tlio- efforts of .Jlrs. Wallis, .who had initiated ■ ■ tho idea of the Hostel, arid had secured guarantors for the rent. She congratulated the Council generally op the success of its.work, and oil the fact that ■ tho Hostel, .which only a- year ago was nothing but a; drcarii'i. was now an accomplished .fact. .. V Mrs. Findlay then .expressed her pleasure in declaring the Hostel open, and hoped that'it would realise the highest lippes of its promoters. Mr. J. G. W. Aitkcm thanked the. contributors to the. building and furnishing fimds. • : : . ■

Mrs, Salmohd and Mrs. Gibbs received the giiests, .wljo', were numerous and .representative. Among those present wero—,Drs. -Bennett, ' Gumi, \ Crosby, Mesdames!' Fiteliett, Izard, Fisher,:. l''irth, Evans, ] Gnidy; AVilliams, Von Haast,' Bunny, Richmond,' Kendall, .and Gray, and Misses McLean, Baber, Richmond, .Newman, Glasgow/ and Ivey, with several Uiiiversi I,y professors, niembers of . Victoria . College and liianv girl students...ln' tho ■ evohirig an impromptu dance fiya's held by ..Victoria 1 , students.