SCHOOLS AFFECTED

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXIII, 22 July 1929, Page 4

SCHOOLS AFFECTED

BY EARTHQUAKE MENTION AT EDUCATION BOARD MEETING Dealing at the Education. Board, meeting to-day with the earthquake disaster the chairman (Mr F. W. O. Smith) said the damage done to schools and other properly under the board’s control was very extensive, ana would run into thousands of pounds. However, considering that tile schools were all occupied at the lime of the big shake, the Board could feel very luoky that only one child had been seriously injured. It was very gratifying to know how splendidly the teachers and the scholars had behaved during the disaster. Mr Smith referred .to the very valuable work done in Murchison by Messrs Hayes and Thom.

As soon as it was known that damage was done the secretary (Mr J. H. Tliorr, ton) set out in one direction, .and the architect (Mr Reaper) in another, to see what had happened. They were fortunate in being able to secure assistance immediately to effect repairs where necessary. The following week both the secretary and the architect went to Westport ajui Reefton and examined every school they could reach. The chairman said that the Board's thanks were due to Messrs Thornton and Reaper for the work they had done. The secretary then reported to the hoard, giving details of the damage suffered by individual schools. Much of the work, he said, was temporarily held up pending information as to wTiat Government assistance would be forthcoming. On the motion of Mr F. V. Knapp the following resolution was carried unanimously: “That this Board places on record its keen appreciation of the prompt and efficient manner in which the secretary and the architect of the Board acted , immediately after the great earthquake.' amid possible risk to themselves in making arrangements' for ascertaining the damage done to the schools in the dis- j trict and for making suitable arrangements for resumption of school work at' the earliest moment.”