PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT.

Evening Post, Volume LXXVIII, Issue 19, 22 July 1909, Page 2

PROVIDING EMPLOYMENT.

WORK AT VICTORIA COLLEGE. FURTHER EXTENSIONS PLANNED.

At last night's meeting of the Victoria College Council a report upon the relief works was submitted by the Finance Committee regarding the works proposed or undertaken. These consisted of the following: — _ The removal of hillocks on the north side and extending the flat by filling in towards the corner, making a road up the east side from the corner and over Salamanca-road to the front of the college, at an estimated cost of £600 ; (2) facing up, grubbing, and planting bank along Salamanca-road at a cost of £150 : (6) Excavations around gymnasium and in front of and by present greenhouse, removing trees, making approaches, and generally making that part safe and sightly. Total cost, £250 to £300. The committee pointed out that the profitable employment of tha funds and the immediate commencement of the work would have been quite impossible without the hearty and businesslike attitude of the City Council, which had allowed its officials to do the work and had lent the plant (waggons, rails, etc.), without which the College Council would have been helpless. The chairman of the Finance Committee (Mr. Watson) stated that there was due to them towards the earthworks from the unemployed fund and the Government subsidy a sum of £700. A further £400— being £200 from the fund and £200 as Government subsidy — was available for additions to the college in the nature of carpentering — constructing partitions , and lining rooms. A sum of £1100, he considered, was necessary to prepare the grounds surrounding the college for trees, and to cover the cost of planting. This left £350 to be arranged for. He thought that a further advance could be anticipated from the fund to complete the works. The report was discussed in committee, ■when the council confirmed the committee's action. The Finance Committee also reported that the Government had promised to give a subsidy of £2000 if a sum of £1000 was raised for the purpose of building the wing at the back of the college. They recommended the council to take steps to raise the sum of £1000, and for that purpose to appoint a committee to co-operate with a committee of the Professorial Board and of the Students' Association. The chairman of the Professorial Board wrote the Finance Committeo stating that the stdfi of the college would give all the assistance in its power if a proposal to raise £1000 for the college were adopted. The staff promised a joint donation. Subsequently, it was decided that the members of the council comprise a committee, with power to add to their number, to co-operate with a committee of Professorial Board and Students' Association for the purpose of raising the necessary £1000. Votes of thanks were passed to the Mayor of Wellington, the City Council and its officers, and the Unemployed Committee for their services in connection with the relief works.