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Kā Kōrero o Waikirikiri Selwyn Stories

Burnham Industrial School

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NameBurnham Industrial SchoolDescriptionThe Star newspaper of 28 October 1874, reported on the new Burnham Industrial School.

The school buildings are about a quarter of a mile distant from the Burnham railway station in a westerly direction, and they have a south-eastern aspect. The buildings were intended for a Reformatory, until it was found that an Industrial School was more in keeping with the requirements of the province, and an alteration was accordingly made.

The contract was originally let to Messrs Price, Bros., but the work progressed so slowly that the Government ultimately took possession of the buildings, and called in Messrs England, Bros., to complete them. The total cost of erection was upwards of £5000, and, though Mr Colee took possession in September, 1873, the workmen did not finish until February last. A block of land 243 acres in extent was originally set apart for the reformatory, but since then 750 acres adjoining have been reserved, thus 1000 acres are attached to the school.”

Mr Colee had been a master at the Industrial School at Look Out Point in Otago. Interestingly, Mr Armstrong, the Government gardener sent 50 mulberry trees to the Industrial School at Burnham. They were planted in the grounds and it was planned that when they were ready for the silkworms the boys would be instructed in the management of them.

The Star report of October 1874 describes the background of the children who were sent to the school not long after it opened. Of the twelve inmates, seven had been sent there for criminal offences, mainly theft. One 12 year old boy was sent there as he was deemed unmanageable and one 13 year old because he had been living in a brothel. Two children from Timaru were there because they were being neglected and one girl for being the daughter of a woman of 'ill fame'.

'The meals are ample and the whole of the 115 boys sitting down together, with the exception of those told off each day to act as servers. The mutton is grown on the place, and vegetables on a liberal scale are provided by the large garden, which also contributes fruit, jam, etc. The boys are encouraged to learn various trades for which they show an aptitude, and the new system of pay, which was adopted at the commencement of the present year, as well as pocket money, is given at the rate of from 2d to 6d per week to all who show diligence. With regard to the pay, an arrangement has been made to assess the value of the work done by each lad, and after a sufficient amount is taken out to pay for maintenance in the institution, the balance is put to their credit in the savings bank and is handed to them when they leave. The younger boys attend school every day, and are not put permanently to work until they have passed the Fifth standard, after which they are drafted into the different departments to learn their respective trades, and by this means when they leave the institution they are enabled to earn an honest living.'

In 1899 Mr Thomas Archey was appointed as manager of the Burnham Industrial School. He had been from 1880 to 1883, head-master of the Leeds School Board Industrial School, and from 1883 to 1893 head-master of the York Industrial School. After arrival in 1893 Thomas had worked for the Auckland Education Board at the Paparoa School. His son was Sir Gilbert Edward Archey, C.B.E. a zoologist, ethnologist, World War I officer, and museum director. He wrote one of the major works on moa, based on his own field work and collection.

In 1900, the Industrial School became a Reformatory and the girls were removed to Te Oranga Home in Burwood. There were a number of incidents, which led many to question the running of the institution, including the death of James Denny in 1903 and the reported ill treatment of Edward Lewis in 1905. An inquiry into the running of the school and the treatment of the children was held in September 1906 and found that little real fault could be found with the institution and the management.

One of the witnesses, Mr Pope the Inspector of Industrial Schools, felt that a good job was being done and quoted some statistics to prove it. Of the 235 young men who had been discharged from Burnham in the preceding five years, he said that “155 were of distinctly good character, 8 might be classed as only fair, 28 as bad, 5 as weak-minded, 23 were missing, 3 were at sea, 2 had died, 1 was discharged at the age of fifteen, and 15 were not defined.

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