Board Subsidy Refused

The University Council has turned down a Students' Association request that it subsidise the board rates at Victoria Houses A and B.

The Students' Association had written to the Council to tell of the financial difficulties being experienced by the girls at Vic. A and B. In April this year their board was increased by approximately 20 per cent from £4/2 6 to £5 per week.

The executive pointed out that the girls had entered the hostels on the understanding that the board rate was, and presumably would continue to be, £4/2/6 and that they should have been able to reasonably conclude that the rate would remain at this level throughout the year.

The increased board might cause financial hardship later in the year for some students, and already a number of students had left the hostels because of it.

The executive asked the council to consider granting a subsidy to each university student residing in Vic. A and B to assist in meeting, or to cover, the increase in the cost of accommodation for the remainder of 1964.

At the last council meeting it was decided to advise the Students' Association that the council regretted it had no power to subsidise the board paid by students resident in Victoria Houses A and B.