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Salient: Victoria University Students' Newspaper. Vol. 24, No. 9. 1961

Furniture Fiasco

Furniture Fiasco

I dare say many of you are wondering how come the railings in front of the new Student Building got busted and torn out of their concrete settings. You inquiring little devils, you. I suppose most of you thought that this, too, was part of the aftermath of the notorious and much discussed Grad. Supper. Some drunken he-man conducing a trial of strength?

Photo of Holland's Furniture Removal truck

I'm sorry to have to disillusion you on your most intelligent deductions, Watson, but in fact the solution is almost mundane. The damage was done by Holland's furniture van on the delivery of some furniture to the building. Although the answer may seem indeed very matter of fact and uninteresting, the incident was quite hilarious to watch, providing you had no qualms at seeing even more Student Association funds go down the drain.

The truck arrived fairly early in the morning to deliver a load of nondescript furniture, presumably to tide us over until funds allow for new stuff. However once the truck had made the approach to the building down the steep slope from the old Stud. Ass. buildings (you know, that steep slope that nearly busts your gut when you're late for a lecture) it was unable to reverse out again. Every time it did so, it skidded, slid forward, finally becoming wedged between the railings and the telegraph post. Naturally the railings gave way first.

The students then witnessed the massive machinations of Kearney's Breakdown Service to haul the truck out. Quite a job, for which I am sure they were amply rewarded, since, apart from the fear of getting the tow truck bogged too, there was no straight approach. Finally after much confusion and "high level" organisation the truck was extricated about 4 p.m. The end to an incident which cost Holland's a whole day's work as well as the cost of Kearney's services, and which cost Stud. Ass. for some new railings (or are they going to try and unload this on to Holland?) However, there are bound to be many such "teething troubles" for the new building and although it is a pity that no one thought of the problem of trucking access (particularly the Holland's drivers) it does not seem fair to place any particular blame.

Salient Reporter.