FLOODING AT MUSEUM

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28490, 21 January 1958, Page 12

FLOODING AT MUSEUM

Rainwater In New Rooms

When two members of the Canterbury Museum staff returned to the museum by chance late last Saturday afternoon they found ' that rainwater from the Storm that day had been too much for a downpipe and water had poured over the cork-tiled floor of the Pacific Hall in the new Centennial wing, into part of the adjoin, ing lecture theatre and down into the heating basement They worked from 6.30 p.m. to 11 p.m. to clean up the worst of the mess before the water lying in the big hall lifted the tiles. Had they not called: j»t. the museum done and a* have greeted guests at a reception the next day for visiting archaeologists who are assisting in the excavation of a cave at Redciifls. The cause of the flooding was the inadequacy of a downpipe at the north-east corner of the Pacific Hall, the director of the museum. Dr. Roger Duff, explained last evening. The pipe had not been able to take the water that accumulated with the sudden shower in the gully between the roof of the new wing ■ and the old building. This situation had first been noticed early this month after a hail storm and instruction* were given by the architect for the building of a new line of spouting to relieve pressure in the gully. Unfortunately this could not be carried out before the sharp shower on Saturday afternoon, said Dr. Duff.