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Salient. Victoria University Student Newspaper. Vol 35 no. 1. 28 February 1972

Halls of Residence

Halls of Residence

Meanwhile, the only group that has gone as far as raising finance in the cause of accommodation, is working on, meeting each month in increasingly depressing circumstances. Many students probably aren't even aware that there is such a thing as a 'Halls of Residence Appeal Foundation'. In the six years since it started, Halls of Residence have ceased to be a sought-after form of accommodation, and the appeal is unlikely to generate enthusiasm. The Appeal started in 1965 when a number of small Church appeals decided to pool resources. So far it has been able to loan money to help extend Victoria House and rebuild Helen Lowry Hall in Karori, but Its major projects show few signs of materializing.

The Anglican Trinity College' has been almost priced out of feasibility. It could, if ever made a reality, certainly be a big contribution to the University. Its size for one thing (eleven storeys) could hardly be ignored. In design it is thankfully a lot more imaginative than the concrete morgue that is the new wing of Weir House. As planned at present the first stage would be an eleven storey round tower with Kitchen and dining room attached.

On its site at Clermont Tce it would command a magnificent view, but the height could also be disadvantageous. As the University becomes larger and more monolithic, the need may be far more personalized home surroundings. The Halls of Residence Appeal is in an unenviable position. The money it has raised, something in the order of 430,000 dollars is steadily being eroded by inflation, and the donors have not seen any marked results. The government has all along been reluctant to grant a subsidy, and now it seems that the University Grants Committee has seized on the trend towards flats for students as an excuse to drag its feet.

Jothiran The motorway-major reason for lack of central accommodation.

Jothiran The motorway-major reason for lack of central accommodation.

That particular excuse is ridiculous. As Victoria grows towards a population of 10,000 the demand for all types of accommodation will increase Already there are about twice as many people wanting to get into Weir House than there are places. There will probably always be a demand for hostel accommodation from first year students and that special breed that thrives on the monotony of hostel life. Victoria's accommodation problems are enough to depress anyone. There are no forseeable solutions, although hopefully the size of the shortage will be a political embarassment big enough to force action from Wellington's M.P's in this election year. Otherwise, perhaps the best we can look for is that the Halls of Residence Foundation keeps plodding along, and finally uses its funds in a less ambitious project like Everton Hall; or that the Student Accommodation Trust is actually formed and makes that difficult first move of buying and letting its first house.

This house once housed six students. Where do they go now?

This house once housed six students. Where do they go now?