Edendale School Burned Down, Factory Damaged

Press, Volume C, Issue 29657, 30 October 1961, Page 15

Edendale School Burned Down, Factory Damaged

(New Zealand Press Zssoeiationj INVERCARGILL, October 29. totally destroyed the Edendale Primary School and partly damaged the Menzies Ferry dairy factory. There will oe no school for more than 200 Edendale children tomorrow. Fir* officers believe that the school could have been saved if there had been no fire at the factory. The police are investigating.

Because of the dairy factory fire at Menzies Ferry, atxeit seven miles from Edendale, which started about 7.15 p.m„ the two brigades from Edendale and Wyndham were already engaged when the call came at 8.15 pm. to the school fire. The Edendale brigade immediately went to the school, where it met the Mataura brigade. But by then the school was well ablaze, and little could be done, except to protect surrounding property. The five-roomed school, just renovated, was valued at about £20.000. Two classrooms costing about £14,000 were soon to be added. A detached prefabricated building was saved. Firemen attacked the blaze using water from the school baths, while three tankers of the Lactose Company of New New Zealand, Ltd., brought water from the company's own supply. Many thousands of gallons of water were used. The tankers were earlier

carting water to the dairy factory fire. One of the drivers. Mr J. Newman, on leaving Edendale. was flagged down by a young boy, believed to be a Billy Anderson, who told him the school was ablaze. Mr Newman raced his tanker to Menzies Ferry, and gave the alarm. The walls of the school soon collapsed, leaving a blazing inferno of wood, corrugated iron, and the contents of the classrooms. But standing aloof was the school watertank on a high tower. The secretary-manager of the Southland Education Board, Mr T. J. Gosling, said tonight that temporary accommodation for the 200 or so children had been arranged in the Edendale Town Hall, a scout hut, and the school’s prefabricated building. It was hoped to rebuild with a six-classroom block, costing about £25.000 to £30,000. Mr Gosling said. The board’s building programme would not be interrupted. as there was a special

Government grant to cover schools destroyed by fire. All the school records, and some desks from the infant room, were saved, Mr Gosling said.

Damage to the dairy factory was confined to the Ixwler-room roof and walls. No machinery was lost, and cheese stocks were unharmed. The value at the damage was unknown last night, but the factory will be closed indefinitely. Half the suppliers will now deal with the Edendale factory, and the other half with the Seaward Downs factory, until their own factory reopens.