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Salient: Victoria University Students' Paper. Vol. 29, No. 8. 1966.

Canterbury's Delays Slated

page 2

Canterbury's Delays Slated

NZSPA Service

Christchurch.— Canterbury's vice-chancellor (Dr. L. L. Pownall) has again publicly attacked the contractors for the Ilam science buildings. Due to be completed at the end of last year, the new blocks are still in the builder's hands.

Earlier this year Dr. Pownall slated the contractors for the delays at a university council meeting. At last month's meeting he renewed his attack on the builder's tardiness.

At present science lectures are taken in the new buildings. but students have to travel into the old town site, three miles away, for practical classes.

The council decided not to protest to Cabinet—already aware of the delays—but will write to the contractors, W. Williamson Construction, and ask the Ministry of Works to ensure that future work is finished cn the specified dates.

Harmful

Commenting on a letter from Chemistry Professor J. Vaughn which listed the harmful effects the delays were having on the students' morale, Dr. Pownall said Williamsons had refused to give specific dates for the completion of work, but had said his earlier attack had done nothing to help the situation.

"I cannot believe that this is the attitude taken by New Zealand tradesmen," he added.

In Dunedin. the University of Otago's Arts Faculty is suffering similar problems— but this time because approval for a new building was not given.

The faculty is faced with an accommodation crisis in 1968, the Dean (Professor E. A. Horsman) has told the University Council.

"Permission to call for tenders for Phase 1 of the new arts building, originally due for accommodation in 1968, was withheld throughout the last three months of; last year, and the possibility of completing it by the target date receded," his report stated.

However, the Minister of Education (the Hon. Arthur Kinsella) later gave the goahead for the first stage of the arts building and a new chemistry block. The work will cost approximately £1,250,000.