BAN ON BRICKS

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 139, 15 June 1931, Page 8

BAN ON BRICKS

SCHOOL BUILDINGS STATEMENT BY MINISTER A REPLY TO CRITICISM [ Per Press Association.] NELSON, June 14. Deferring to criticism directed against the Minister of Education by the chairman of the Terrace End School Committee at. Palmerston North, the Ministei of Education has made the following reply: “The whole question resolves itself into a consideration for the safetj of the school children, and if the chair man of the committee referred to had been in full possession of the facts in connection with the earthquakes of 1929 and this year, he would not have levelled his unfounded criticism. Immediately the Hawke’s Bay earthquake occurred, I telegraphed through New Zealand stopping the construction of all brick work on school buildings, and or dered the immediate inspection of those buildings already in occupation by the children. This * was a precautionary measure on which the Government have been congratulated. “I visited Hawke s Bay the day after the earthquake, and found that practically every one of the 260 deaths had been caused by the collapse of brick buildings. I saw on the floor of the ’wooden courthouse in Napier, 39 victims of the collapse of brick buildings, including some school children. “In the Wellington earthquake of 1848, nearly all the brick buildings were thrown down, and the 3 deaths there occurring were caused by bricks. “Quite recently an influential deputation representing the brick makers <-i the Dominion waited upon the Prime Minister to protest against my attitude in regard to the use of bricks in school buildings. The Prime Minister was asked to stay and curb the Minister of Education in his attitude. The Prime Minister’s reply was in these words: ‘ln regard to the building and construction of school buildings, if there is any question of doubt about any materials, it is the Minister’s duty not to have the material about which there is the least doubt. The Government would be blamed immediately if they used unsuitable materials in their buildings and an earthquake disaster occurred. We have not the right to place children in the buildings of material which has not proved satisfactory. hen the Prime Minister was reminded that the decisions of the Minister of Education had had a tremendous effect upon public opinion, Mr Forbes replied: ‘That may be so. The very earthquake itself and the opinion expressed at that time were bound to have that effect on the use of bricks in buildings. The impressions created were adverse to brick.’ This fine reply of the Prime Minister gives a good indication of the proper attitude to be taken up by all those in authority in connection with school buildings and the consequent safety of 250,000 children in the scnools of New Zealand. Dilworth Institute “The Dilworth Institute committee at Auckland recently offered a prize for the best design for the erection of an £BO,OOO building for institute purposes, and the prize was awarded in December last to Mr Henry White, a well-known Sydney architect. After the Hawke’s Bay earthquake Mr White visited that district, and as a result advised the Dilworth trustees not to build in brick. The trustees thereupon decided to erect buildings in reinforced concrete.

“The Murchison earthquake caused loss through the destruction of brick buildings in the Nelson Boys’ College area of over £40,000, whilst at the Girls’ College, which is a wooden building, the sum of £4l only was expended, and this on account of falling brick chimneys. The Girls’ College is an old building erected in 1882. The Boys’ College was erected in 1905. “The insurance companies in New Zealand are charging a tariff of 6s per hundred for insurance against earthquake for buildings constructed with a wood or iron frame, but for brick or stone 15s. If the building is to be erected on reclaimed ground, then the tariff for a brick building is 20s per hundred. I know it is unfortunate for those who have invested money in brick works that the results of the recent earthquakes have proved conclusively that bricks should not be used for building construction in earthquake countries, but the paramount consideration for the Minister of Education is the safety of the children, and as the Prime Minister stated, it is the. Minister’s duty to have the material for schools about which there is the least doubt. That is my attitude, and I am sure it will meet with the commendation of all parents. The 'difficulty in connection with the Central School at Palmerston North is on account of it being a two-storied building with some unsatisfactory top gear. I have had reports made by the architects and engineers, and as there was a difference of opinion, the Prime Minister suggested we should have an independent opinion from Professor Cull, of Christchurch. The Professor has suggested that, two Wellington experts visit and report on this school, and this has occasioned some delay, which was unavoidable. Replacement of Wood buildings can be erected in wood, and the interest on the difference in cost between a wooden school and a brick one, spread over a period of 36 years, will suffice for the replacement of the wooden building. If it is a hostel that is to be built, then it can be built in reinforced concrete at no appreciably greater cost, if any, than for a brick building. “There is no reflection necessarily on the architects or builders, in th. I have ordered a rigid inspection of all brick schools, but the results of the recent earthquakes have shown that more strength is required in buildings than was considered necessary prior to the Murchison earthquake in 1929. “There is no need for any alarm in the minds of New Zealanders at a possible recurrence of earthquakes, if we build with full recognition of the fact that we are building in an earthquake country, for earthquakes, since 1810 in New Zealand, have not damaged wellbuilt wooden houses, and since the advent of reinforced concrete work, no well-constructed building of that description has been damaged by earth quake. “Tn conclusion, T repeat that the deaths in Hawke’s Bay were caused by a collapse of brick buildings, and we tust guard against a repetition.’’