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Bookshop at last

By Roger Wilde

After 25 years' agitation, Victoria is to get a bookshop near the University campus.

An application by Sweet and Maxwell to turn [unclear: 15] Street into a bookshop has been allowed by the Wellington City Council.

Speaking on behalf of the management, Mr Kaye said [unclear: that] bookshop would [unclear: probably] open by the middle of [unclear: the]

He said it would include [unclear: a] range of university texts.

It has been 25 years since a Salient editorial in [unclear: 1944] the first formal suggestion.

[unclear: interfacu] committee [unclear: in] considered making available No. 18 or 30 [unclear: Kelburn] for the establishment of a bookshop, but only on a temporary basis.

"After full investigation by the committee it became apparent that the whole of the area set aside for University purposes would be required by the University itself, and that no land or space could be made available on which the faculties required by the University could be established." said Professor J. A. Roberts in a written submission to the Council.

"Owing to the topography of the surrounding areas, the only satisfactory places would be in Kelburn Parade, Salamanca Road, or at the top of Mount Street."

"It has already been decided that Kelburn Parade would be unsatisfactory, Salamanca Road is too narrow and could create traffic problems and Mount Street seems the only reasonably suitable area", Professor Roberts said.

The reference to Kelburn Parade was concerned with an application which was made last year by Sweet and Maxwell, but was declined by the City Council because of a potential traffic hazard.

The Vice-Chancellor of Victoria, Dr. Culliford, said: "The site will become even more suitable as future development takes place."

Reaction from the Students Association was unanimously favourable.

The president of the Student Association, Gerald Curry, said:

"Such a site will be beneficial for convenience, for the ease of expressing the University's needs to the management of the bookshop and their appreciation of their needs, and the students opportunity to use, more frequently, such a service."