When Colonna School burnt down 18-6-1905

Police Station, Barraba - 18/06/05
                 A SCHOOL BURNT DOWN NEAR BARRABA

Sergt. Moroney reports:  The provisional school at Black Springs, six miles from Barraba was burnt down at 3 o’clock this morning.  There is nothing to show how the fire originated.

The building was 15ft.x 17ft.x 10ft. high, built of pine weatherboards with galvanized iron roof.  No one lived at the school & the nearest place to it is Mr D. Orchard’s place, about ½ mile away.  The teacher, Mr Miller, resides at Barraba.  The school ground abuts the main road.  Mr H.E. Martin, Engineering Assistant, Public Works Department, has been at work in the immediate vicinity of the school for some days past, taking the levels for the proposed railway siding.  He camped in a tent on the road about 250 yds north of the school.  He says he was close about all day yesterday (Saturday) and went to bed about 10.30 last night.  He did not see anyone about the school during the day or night.  He woke about 2.50 this morning through the light from the burning building shining on him.  He went to the fire and thinks it was burning then about ten minutes.  It was full moon and he did not see anyone about.  He did not get any smell of kerosene or notice anything to show how the fire was caused.  There was a covered in verandah on the northern end of the school.  This and the N.E. corner of the school were on fire when he arrived.

The chimney was in the N.W. corner.  He looked through the window and could see the fireplace, there was no fire in it.  Mr Martin was alone.  Frank Gray came to the camp this morning, he is a road maintenance officer and Mr Martin sent him to inform the Police.  He arrived at the Police Station at 8 o’clock.  The Sergt. had Mr Miller, the teacher, informed at once and immediately went out to investigate.

Mr Miller says he uses the fire in the school, but it was quite out when he left on Friday afternoon.  There were no matches in the school that he knows of, he used to leave a box there one time but has not done so lately.  In wet weather swagmen sometimes camped in the covered in verandah and on two occasions got into the school.  He never knew them to make a fire, but he sometimes found matches on the floor which they had apparently dropped.  The press containing the schoolbooks, etc. was kept in the N.E. corner where the fire was when first seen.  There was nothing in the press to cause a fire by spontaneous combustion.  There were mice about the school, and he often saw them running about the press.  Under the floor of the covered in verandah would also be a harbour for them as it is only a few inches off the ground.  There are 19 children attending the school ranging in ages from 6 to 13 years, they live from ½ mile to 3½ miles away.  The children are all particularly good, not a bad one amongst them.  The parents as far as he knows are all well satisfied with the situation of the school, it is centrally situated.  So far as he knows none of the parents want it, or ever did want it, anywhere else and so far, as he knows, there is no likelihood of it being re-built anywhere else.  It was erected in 1891, he does not know if it is insured. 

Mr David Orchard, farmer and grazier, who lives ½ mile from the school and has two children attending it, says yesterday afternoon he was at the corner of his cultivation paddock about 200 yards south of the school from 4 o’clock till dark waiting to shoot hares.  He did not see anyone about the school.  His place is infested with mice, and they are plentiful about the bush.  He knows the neighbours are all well satisfied with the situation of the school and very pleased with Mr Miller, the teacher. The Coroner has been informed.                                                                               

(Signed)  Geo. A. Moroney.
Sergeant Superintendent Sutherland.           TAMWORTH