Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 2, March 16th, 1949.
[Introduction]
[Although the following contributed, article contains minor inaccuracies we, print it, because, it represents the thoughts of many students on a most important subject,—Ed.]
The Building Fund Appeal which concluded last year was a failure. Not oven half of the amount aimed for was raised. Either students had not five pounds or they had no wish to give it.
No one denies that this building is a necessity. All students—except a few who never think much anyway—know that the Gym is inadequate, unsafe and should be replaced.
There seems to be one dominating idea in the minds of those who organised that appeal and that is: get the money now from the present students. Why this should be is not clear, for if the new building is ever a reality it will not be those students who were asked for five pounds The will enjoy better facilities. This is not a dog in the manger attitude but an attempt to see why everybody was so loth to donate money. It is not just to expect this generation to pay in full for something future generations will use. Buildings such as this will be are investments for the future and students who usually have very, little money think that five pounds is a lot of money. As it is, some portion of every student's association fee is set aside for that same building fund. That was one of the reasons why the fee was raised. Most students will gain nothing from that allotment either—and so the appeal was a flasco.