KAIAPOI BOROUGH SCHOOLS.

Globe, Volume I, Issue 40, 16 July 1874, Page 3

KAIAPOI BOROUGH SCHOOLS.

In a few weeks it is expected that the new borough schools will be finished and ready for opening. The contract time has nearly expired, but in consequence of the difficulty and delay experienced by the contractors in procuring materials, an extension has been granted to them. The buildings are situated on a section of about 2\ acres in extent between the Northern' railway line and Hilton street, which was purchased from the church property trustees. The site is the one which the local committee decided upon after much discussion in reference to other and perhaps more desirable sections, though considered by them as not being quite so central. It strikes one at once that the particular spot on which the schools are erected is lower than it ought to have been, that the expense of filling in, thus raising the building 12 or 18 inches, would have added greatly to appearances, and placed it in a better position in wet weather. The water will collect in the hollow in which the schools stand, and although the floors will be high the bottom of the building will be always damp, and about the doors difficult io drain in rainy weather. The front of the building is on to Hilton street, and the frontage occupied about 130 ft. The boys’ division is in the right wing, the infant’s school in the centre, and the girls division to the left. As a school, it has a very good and bold appearance at the front view. The outside walls are red brick, pointed with blue ash mortar, the'window and door dressings, angles and coping of parapets, the arches of the Gothic headed windows, weatherings of the buttresses, turret and chimney tops, are of white sandstone from the White Rock quarries. The dressing round the centre entrance dour is of plain white Stone, and that around the two

porches alternately of brick and stone. Rising from the left entrance, viz. to the boys’ division is an octagon shaped bell turret 45ft from the ground, to be surmounted with finial and vane, an ornamental iron scroll will also be placed above each of the entrances and on the gothic dormer window over the main entrance. The contrast of the brick with the stone facings and the general appearance of the front is pleasing, and it is only a pity that the roof was not covered with slate instead of corrugated iron, hut this may probably be improved in appearance when it has been painted, which is intended to be done. At the main door there is a lobby 28ft long and 7ft wide, extending to the left to the boys’ entrance and to the right to the gir.s' school door. Near each of the latter doors are cloak-rooms 10ft x 7ft. The principal or middle door leads into the infants’ school, the area of the floor of which is 45ft x 2lft; it has a lire place and is lighted by two large square windows at the back and equilateral windows in front. Adjoining it to the right is the infants’ class-room 24ft x 18ft. this also has a fireplace, and is well lighted by a large Gothic window Bft in the spring, the beat in the whole building, and seen outside adds to the beauty of the design of the front. The girls’ rooms further to the right comprise a large room fiOft x 21ft, with two fireplaces; lighted by two Gothic and four square-headed windows, the former being in the front outside, and the latter at the side. To this room is attached a girls’ class room 21 ft x 20ft, with a fireplace, and lighted from two square-headed windows. Returning to the front again, the boys’ division is entered by the left door. Passing through the cloakroom described, the boys’ largo room is gained through a door with glass in the upper panels as in the girls’ side. This is 62ft x 21 ft, lighted with two Gothic windows from the front, and six square windows at the sides and back ; it has two fireplaces. Further to the left is the boys’ class room, 2lft x 20ft, which is divided from the main room by a sliding wood panelled partition, as in the case of the girls’ class room from their large room ; it has a fireplace, and is lighted from windows placed as in the girls’ class room. At the back the recesses in the building will be roofed in, and lavatories made, there being also a covered way to the water closets, coal-house, See. The walls are of 14in brickwork, bonded well, and set on substantial concrete foundations, and rise to a height of 12ft Gin before the roof springs up, Thereof is an open one with principal rafters, purlins, tiebearas, and tension rods to secure it. Inside it is lined with matched lining placed vertically, which has to be stained and varnished. It does not appear that the walls of the rooms have to be plastered, but will be left as at present, though probably they will have to be painted. A cement skirting is carried round the rooms. At present the carpenters are busily engaged laying the floors. The rooms are well ventilated by air bricks underneath and Venetian ventilators in the gables, as well as a neat ventilator put in all round beneath the eaves, with an apparatus for closing same. The fact that the schools will be well lighted may be judged from the fact that the square windows arc 6ft Gin by 4ft Gin, and the gothic ones Bft x 4ft 2in. Mr Strouts, Christchurch, is the architect, and the design reflects great credit on that gentleman. The contract for the work was taken at £2990 by Messrs Prudhoe and Cooper, builders, Christchurch, who seem so far to have carried out their contract in an excellent manner.

It is purposed to carry a fence along the front of the section on Hilton street, a distance of 200 feet, to consist of a nine-inch brick wall with eighteen pins at a height of five feet, and a stone coping and iron rail placed on the top. The section also requires levelling and some planting, which will no doubt be done in its time.