GOING TO RUIN.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 20057, 21 September 1920, Page 7

GOING TO RUIN.

BURNHAM INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL BUILDING. AN IDEAL TRAINING CAMP. The Burnham Industrial School ■'Viis closed up about two years ago. Since that time the buildings and a. good part of the grounds of tho institution have lain idle and neglected, ‘with the result that several thousands of pounds worth of good buildings are beginning to waste away to ruins. • 4 Tho property is under the supervision of the Education Department, and apparently, when the school was closed up, the Department did not know what to do with the buildings. So il did nothing. Ono or two sheds and a cottage were sold, and the Department has three men at work farming parts of the land. As for tho main buildings of the institution and the residences of tho manager and some of the staff, tho doors wore locked and that ended tho business. An inspection of the grounds and buildings yesterday showed them to lie falling into a state of dilapidation. Tho buildings, so far, arc not showing many signs of neglect, but the military uutnorities, in the course of their camp there in 1919 and one which is now in progress, have been responsible for the maintenance in .decent order. Had there been no camps the bhildings would have been in a much worse state. Tho grounds surrounding the institution and somo of the outbuildings, however, give a good idea of how it hits been neglected. Where once a neat garden smiled, all now is a wilderness. An infant blue gum tree flourishes by the side of a toi-toi bush in tlio middle o| an asphalt tenuis court, and rank weeds grow unchecked right up to the doors of the buildings. Tho institution was provided with a good concrete swimming hath, but weeds are now growing yp through t.xconcrete. Tho military have endeavoured to fill the bath whilst they have been there, but so far have only been able to induce the water to trickle. ■ Tho pipe is apparently choked up through non-' irae. Whfit was onco a well kept orchard is showing tho fate of the other parts of the ground. The institution was provided with a good system of water supply, which enabled hot water to be carried to all the The water is pumped into a ion’i-thousand gallon vat and two four-hundred gallon tanks by weans of a kerosene engine, and there is also a Wg boiler for the hot water service. When tho camp which is now in progress opened, tho engine could not ho started. Then the pipes were found to bo 'leaking in many places, and it took two days to fix up tho water supply. Now, when the'big vat is full, there is a constant stream of water from it. Tho whole plant needs a thorough overhaul. There is also a very good system of drainage, but many of the drains have become blocked, and unless this receives attention’ shortly it will become useless. There is a drag which was once used Lo tnku the hoys for outings—a vehicle which would sent about thirty people. , Jt has been run into its shed, and, from present appearances, has long been in use merely as a homo for spiders. Of tho_ buildings the main one is a very old-fashioned rambling two-storey-ed structure, the outer walls of which are of cprrugated iron. It is in a lairly good state of repair excepting for several broken windows. Some of tho bathrooms are badly in need of improvement. Opposite it is a house of ten or twelve rooms, which was the residence of the manager of the institution. This is a good house, and is still in a goad state of preservation. The same may be said of a cottage residence, at which some of the smaller children were housed, apd the two-roomed cottage which was erected ' for the assistant manager. These three residences, together with the laundry which has been ' dismantled and- looks very dilapidated, and tho school, which ]s also showing the Effects of neglect, we of wood. The office is a two-roomed brick building, which seems to have only been erected recently, and there is a fine gymnasium and another building containing what look like two class rooms, also in brick. There are 1000 acres attached to the institution, and except for the parts which are being farmed by the Education Department’s men, the whole property is lying idle. One thing seems to be certain; Tho Education Department has no further use for tho property. The question is, what is to be done with it? Since the closing of tho Industrial School the Defence Department has held two camps on the property. ’ In November and January next two more will be held, and it has been suggested, that tho_ Boys’ High School should hold their next annual camp there instead of at Rcdcliffs. The spot is an ideal one in every way for a training camp. It is easy of access yet not too close to a town. There is practically every convenience—a hob an).l cold water supply, a good, gymnasium, a swimming bath, a church, and liviug accommodation for a big number of Territorials or Senior Cadets. The big dormitories and dining-rooms which were, used by the boys can serve for the sumo purp’oso for tepops. Moreover, in case of jvet weather, there are a number of big rooms, so tliau lectures and a certain amount of training could be carried on indoors. The Defence Department is desirous of taking over the property, and if it did so would keep the place in . order. It would not need 1000 acres in which to carry out its operations. Half of that area would lie quite enough. The other 500 acres could fie made into a farm for a returned soldier, and one of the residences of tho institution could be shifted on to it for a time. The property is worth a great deal of money. Even if the buildings were pulled down and sold for removal, the Government would benefit considerably—a great deal more than it will do if the present administration, or rather, lack of administration is persevered in. ’