KEEPING GOING

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 303, 16 September 1921, Page 6

KEEPING GOING

NEW TECHNICAL COLLEGE MONEY BADLY NEEDED Those earnest and energetic citizens who have the interests of the new Technical College at heart and are canvassing the city for fun<|s for the continuation of the building programme are not •(inding that -ready response which probably would, undex- ordinary conditions, be the result of a. canvass in such a cause. The amount raised or piiomised amounts to approximately .£2OOO, whilst they have two loans of .£5OO each without interest. This amount, Mr. T. Ballinger explained yesterday, was little enough to continue the xvork xvith a» there was a substantial amount to be paid out each xveek for xvages and material.

“People do not sefem to realise," said Mr. Ballinger, “that it xvould be a calamity fox- this work to cease in its present- stage. Some people are saying that xve ought to close down for the time being. That is altogether wrong. They do not know perhaps that at present the board is paying away .£350 a year in rent for altogether unsuitable premises in Lower Cuba Street, money that would be immediately if we could' get this one wing finished. That is to say, that it is a good proposition to go ahead with the xvork as fast as xve can, and so reduce the big rent bill the fboard has to' face. It is due to the students—the men and xvomen of to-morroxv —to provide them xvith suitable quarters. Really, it is a matter of national concern to do the right thing by the college, which goes so far to equip the young people for the battle of life.”

Mr. Ballinger intimated that in one case ail offer of .£lOO had been received conditionally on so many other persons or firms contributing a like amount, an'xt they were leaving no stone unturned in order to get this money. In many case* - firms could not give anything at all xvithout consulting headquarters in Australia or England, but even in such cases they hoped that at Veast a proportion of such firms—xvho earned their profits here —would do the right thing by the college and the city.