DUNEDIN TRAINING COLLEGE,

Otago Witness, Issue 2685, 30 August 1905, Page 18

DUNEDIN TRAINING COLLEGE,

THE GOVERNMENT'S PROPOSAL.

(Feom Ocr Own Cobresfonkemt.} WELLINGTON. August 2*.

The Otago Education Board Empowering Bill passed through its committes stage today. A series of amendments, introduced by the Premier, were brought down by Governor's message. Briefly put, these provided that instead of the board selling tha endowment msntionad in the schedule to the bill it should horrow the sum of £10,000 (the amount required for a training college)^ from the Government in the manner provided by the Loans to Local Bodies Act. The Colonial Treasurer is to fix the date on which the payment of interest shall commence, such date to be not less 'than two years after the date on which the loan is advanced.

Mr James Allen asked the Piernie-r, what the Government proposed to do in regard to training 1 colleges in the other centres. Mr Seddon said that the value of the land referred to was more .than sufficient to pay for the Training College, but there was a feeling in the House, and he befieved it was endorsed by the country, that these endowments should not be- sold or parted with.— (Rpar, hear.) The Government had opposed the. sale of the land, and as a way out of the difficulty it hsd proposed the course now suggested — viz., that the board should be empowered to lease the land and that the money required for the erection of the building should be borrowed, and the interest paid out of the rent derived. It would, however, be a year or two before the lease rents would come in, and under the new proposal the Government would pay the interest for two years on the £10.000 proposed to be borrowed. It was a very good princiole, and it would save th-o land being sold. Mr T. Mackenzie said that -the property was not worth £10.000. The land was worth about £5000, and the buildings about £3000. Mr Scddoii said that was not represented to him. He did not care whether the property was worth £8000 or £300. Parliament should not agree to the sale of these endowments. The interest would be all right after the first two years, but, if necessary the time could be extended. Mr James Allen said that he objected just a3 strongly as the Premier to the sale of the endowments, but what he wanted to know was : What was the general line of policy on which the Government proposed to proceed in regard to the establishnaai.it of training college;? In. Auckland, for

instance, the need for a Training College was just as urgent as in Dunedin. Were the- other centres to receive votes from the Consolidated Fund, or were they to be assisted only by loans, as in this case? If not, why should they not all ba treated alike? However, a bird in the hand was worth half-a-dozen in the- bush, and \\s> hoped the Government v.ould pay the interest for a greater period than two j-f-ar?. Mr Seddon said that the other centreswere differently situated, inasmuch as they had no similar endowments, and had therefore no seeu£j£r to offer. In their case ha would not hesitate to give a vote for the> purpose, as otherwise they would not beable to get training colleges. Mr Alien said that if this were done he> hoped the Go% - ernmenb would pay back the loan money to the Otago Board. _ He> asked if the Government wotild bring in a> bill this year for the purpose of providing grants for other centres. Mr Seddon : Tou want to know too much. I do not ee^ much difference in lending* £10,000 or finding £10,000 and paying th« interest to somebody eke. Dunedin is coming first because it was first with its pro* posal. Mr T. Mackenzie thought it would bebetter for the Government* to take a transfer of tho property. This would be better than' the involved process suggested. No doubfe the Premier had done the best he could under the circumstances, but the collegecould probably not be erected for £10.000, - or double that sum. He did not think there was the slightest chancs of sufficient revenue being obtained from the rents of the property to pay the interest on the £10,000. Mr Seddon said he desired to give the board a start with its scheme, but he might consider the question of extendingthe two years' period. He was advised that the land was worth £15,000. Mr Mackenzie : Well, give them th& money. The Premier: What! Give them £10,001} and take £15,000! The bill subsequently passed through committee, and was reported with the amendment introduced. Mr J. Allen asked if it was absolutely necessary to include a -school of art. In suoli rai?.s -fclie sum of £10,000 would hardly be sufficient. Ho did not ob}ect to a school of art, but it should only be a subsidiary object. The training college was the essential, and it should not be hampered by any restriction. Mr Millar eaid that the original schemeprovided for an expenditure of £20,000. which was to provide for everything, but' this had since been cut down to £10,000 for the training collage. For the time being it was proposed to locate the school of arts in the upstairs portion of the new building. Mr Allen also asked for some information regarding the trusts which were mentioned , in clause 5. Mr Millar said he had been unable to obta'n full information as yet, but he hopec* to pret it before the bill came o.n for the third reading. Mr Allen afco s.usrg-esfced that the bill should provide that the Government should pay the interest on the loan until the rente were sufficient for the purpose. Mr Millar said it was estimated that this would happen in two years — the time the building would take to reach completion. In accordance -with a regulation made> some time ago, no special holidays wco granted to the bank officers in Ghristchurch last week. It is understood that any officers who desired to attend the races were allowed to do so. but the banks remained open for the transaction of business as usual. The Victorian Cabinet has decided to spend £50.0j0 on its lunacy system durinsr ■fhe present financial year. It is intended to build two new asylums in place of the Kew and Yarra Bend institutions, and also to call for tenders for the erection of a. receiving house at, a cost of about £15.000. and for an inebriate institution to cost £10,000.