The Report of Committee on Buildings.
We, your committee on buildings, beg leave to submit the following report. On entering the field we found all the buildings at Good Hope in a dilapidated condition, three in number, namely, the mission-house, chapel and school-house. The latter was a mere wreck, having been covered with bamboo, which was completely rotten. This allowed the rain to pass through, which hastened its ruin. As we desired to open school and at once proceed to work, we were compelled to repair it. As one of our first duties, the whole building was made anew, and also enlarged at a cost of about £100.
The chapel, too, was in a similar state, although it was covered with boards and tin. The school was held in this during the time of repairing the school-building. As soon as this was completed we proceeded to the repairing of the chapel. From this we went to the mission-house, which we found to need more repairs than we could possibly make before the rains fully set in.
The first work was to begin the covering of this, that the building, with its contents, might be protected during the rains, though we were interrupted frequently, being called to the repairing of the floor, which was fast decaying. We could not cover the whole of the building before the rains had fully set in. The remainder of the roof was patched so that it might serve through this season.
Since the rains commenced some internal repairs have been made. We recommend that the remainder of this building be covered as soon as the weather will permit, and that all or a greater part of it be painted.
We have also been trying to enclose the premises, but under much difficulty. This is very much needed, that cattle roaming about may be kept out.
At Avery we found three buildings, namely, the mission-house, chapel, freight-house; in addition to these a mill-shed, the three former in good condition. Adjacent to the house is an ell built for a kitchen, bath-house and store. Under the chapel is a room for a school; adjacent to this is another room, used both for school and sewing-room. Also, at the freight-house is a shed-extension used as a lumber wharf. The mill is in a decaying condition, the greater part of it being covered with bamboo, which was rotten, and allowed the rains to pass through, greatly to the injury of the frame-work and the mill apparatus generally. Repairs have been made on this roof more or less ever since our coming on the field. Still, we regret to say that this work is not as yet completed. Repairs have also been made on the under part of the shed, a water-trunk, saw-lever, etc., have been replaced, yet much more is needed to put this structure in good condition, which we deem best to have done during the next dry season. Again, there are other things that must be supplied as early as possible—rubber-belts, etc. The belts, we are informed, have already been ordered by the Executive Committee. As it is so difficult to pass up the ascent from the front wharf to the house, we recommend the construction of an elevated stairway, which would put the whole place in a good condition.
At Debia, we found also one building in a dilapidated condition, namely, the teachers’ home—a structure enclosed with rough boards—three rooms and a bamboo roof. This roof, like most others on the field, was almost worthless. It has been re-covered, and is used at present for school purposes. Previous to our coming on the field, a country building had been erected for a chapel and school, which for want of attention had gone to decay. If this work is to be continued, it is quite necessary that a better building be erected for the same purposes, so that the persons teaching and carrying on the religious work there, may have the use of the house and reside upon the field. Each of the above stations has one or more country buildings erected for different purposes.
We submit all to your consideration.