The Mayor's Speech

Mr Kitts was pleased that the Little Theatre will strengthen bonds with the city. The two city council donations to each of the 1949 and 1960 appeals were mentioned as a small though tangible help. His final comments were on the City Council Library which during the weekends were an extension of the Sub.

Mr Dowse's remarks were delightfully ethnocentric. He graciously admitted our view to be magnificent, suggested a Palmerston North-type extension in the Valley and darkly hinted at improvements to the Lower Hutt Little Theatre. The £1500 which his council recently donated was, he said, due to the Vice-Chancellor's persuasion. This was, however, justifiable in that the university received more students than the "dying" city of Wellington.

Dr. Lynch introduced Sir Bernard Ashwin as a kind and old friend. Representing the donors, all of whom had been invited, he said that businessmen recognised the value of our facilities. The Sub would contribute to a fuller community life in the university in which character and personality were built by informal discussion which sharpened wits. He suggested the possibility of government legislation being more lenient with taxes when donations such as to the Union Building, saved the government much money.