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Hostels
O'Brien Fights for

A Foreshadowed motion urging the University Grants Committee to draw to the attention of the Government the immediate necessity for heavy expenditure on building University Halls of Residence, was heard at a Council meeting on March 22. This was the work of Student Association representative Mr. P. V. O'Brien, and resulted in the establishment or a Standing Committee on Halls of Residence.

Mr. O'Brien urged the need for the expenditure of at least £5,000,000, and this sum, while alleviating the present situation, would take no account of future problems. Mr. O'Brien claimed the Government had not accepted its sole responsibility for the provision of halls of residence as recommended by the Parry Committee on University Education, and saw the problem as assuming the "magnitude of a crisis situation."

The Vice-Chancellor, Dr. J. Williams, saw the situation as being acute. He claimed with the annual increase in student population being supplemented by the Government, and various head offices bringing in students, there was less accommodation available each year. The matter was one urgently needing attention, and he proposed the establishment of a Standing Committee to deal with the problem.

This committee would deal with the general matter of providing halls of residence, and would also co-operate and carry on discussions with the two Church organisations now providing accommodation because of Grants Committee's subsidies. The Committee would be under the temporary convenership of the Deputy Vice Chancellor, Professor Campbell, until the return from overseas of the Assistant Vice-Chancellor, Professor Slater.

This standing committee would include various Council members, including Dr. Williams, Members from outside of Council would be Mr. I. H. Boyd, Director of Student welfare, Dr. T. H. Beaglehole, warden of Weir House, and Mr. A. T. Mitchell, assistant to Mr. Boyd, who would act as Secretary of the Standing Committee.

Dr. William's proposal was accepted as a motion and passed unanimously. Mr. O Brien's fore-shadowed motion was referred to the new Standing Committee, with the recommendation of the Council that it be given "favourable consideration." It was also decided that the new Standing Committee should seek the support of other universities, and refer any decision to them.