SAFETY IN THE SCHOOLS

Taranaki Daily News, 9 June 1931, Page 9

SAFETY IN THE SCHOOLS

NO MORE BRICK BUILDINGS WOOD TO BE THE ONLY MATERIAL. MINISTER’S EMPHATIC'OPINIONS. I By Telegraph.:—Press Association. Nelson, Last Night. Speaking at the opening of new country schools at Brightwatcr and Spring Grove to-day the Minister of Education, the Hon. H. Atmore, referred to the policy he had adopted regarding the erection of future schools. He believed there was some criticism directed at him on account of the demolition of an old building. “I condemned it,” Mr. Atmore said, “after a Public Works Department engineer had stated it was absolutely unsafe and should not‘be occupied again.” As there appeared to be a good deal ot difference of opinion throughout the Dominion as to the relative stability of brick 'buildings he would like to make the point that every person killed in the Hawke’s Bay earthquake was killed by bricks. Three were killed by bricks In Wellington in the earthquake of 1848. Since the occupation of New Zealand by white people there had not been .an earthquake in the Dominion of sufficient violence to do damage to well constructed wooden or reinforced concrete buildings. In the Nelson earthquake the place damaged was of brick. He put it to his hearers as a wellknown Auckland architect had put it to him: “What would an engineer think of a reinforced building if it had a joint every three inches?” There was no danger to well constructed wooden buildings in New Zealand unless there was a greater earthquake than those of the past, and that was unlikely according to people who had made a study of the question. A deputation of brickmakers had recently expressed to the Prime Minister some concern as to the attitude he (the speaker) had taken up. If the brickmakers represented two millions of capital he represented 250,000 children, and he was sure the people of New Zealand would think that if there was any doubt as to the stability of brick buildings the doubt must be exercised in favour of the children. Speaking later in the afternoon at the opening of the Spring Grove school, the Minister said schools throughout New Zealand were now being erected in wood. In passing Mr. Atmore said the new Nelson College hostels were superior to any other building in New Zealand.