HIGH SCHOOL CHIMNEYS

Taranaki Daily News, 27 March 1934, Page 9

HIGH SCHOOL CHIMNEYS

AN OVERLAPPING HALF-TON. BOYS’ MAIN BUILDING DANGER. Following - upon a mention of fire escapes at the Girls’ High School in a report to the New Plymouth High Schools’ Board last night, ■ the discussion veered around to the danger from cer-. tain chimneys at the Boys’ school in the event of earthquake, and it was decided to communicate- with the Education Department, drawing attention to a previous report of the architect upon the subject. The principal of the girls’ school (Miss D. N. Allan) in her report stated that when the new building was completed fire escapes would -be provided. As it was a brick building the danger from fire was slight, Miss Allan supposed, but she drew the board’s attention to the fact that there was- only one exit ■ from the upper rooms, and that in case of fire or earthquake there might be difficulty should this exit’be blocked. The damage from fire was negligible, but that from earthquake was different, said Mr. P. J. H. White. It ■■ was a serious matter, and the board should quickly get a report on the question of more exits, said Mr. Smith. The chimneys of the boys’ school main building - were dangerous, Mr. Moyes said. - An adverse report had been sent to the department , previously, but it had gone no further. There was half a ton of ’ bricks-in each chimney. - The chimneys were reinforced to 12 feet from the .top and the top part which overlapped was simply ; brick. There would be no difficulty in fixing the chimneys. The danger of the chimney itself was just the enormous weight of bricks on the top.,