COMPULSORY GARDENING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXIII, Issue 27, 2 February 1932, Page 10

COMPULSORY GARDENING.

May I explain the difficulty tlie relief workers have to contend with in regard to compulsory gardening? It was reported in the "Star" of the 28th ult., that a relief worker was "stood down" for not attempting to cultivate a vegetable garden. As I am the person concerned, I would like to make clear the conditions I had to contend with. It was not the fact of not making a garden, but tlie postmaster at Birkenhead said that I had not done enough to enable me to get relief work. The section attached to the house I rent had in days gone by been an old blacksmith and stable yard. It was metalled to allow horse drays in and out of the yard, and it has not been cleaned or touched for nearly three years, so yon can guess that the growth was very thick. After receiving notice of establishing a garden I started on the job of clearing with the only implement I possessed, which was a small spade with a broken handle, and I endeavoured to do as much as possible in the time I had after working hours. The garden inspector visited my place and reported that I had started to improve the section. A visit from the postmaster then ensued, with the result that I was "stood down" for not doing enough. It was through the kindness of our Mayor, Mr. J. P. McPhail, that I had the loan of two implements from Friday to" Monday morning. I have cleared a piece of land 40ft by 30ft, and after collecting old horse shoes, bones and bottles, which can be seen, I dug a plot 30ft bv 12ft in which I have planted beet, cabbage, lettuce and silver beet to the total of 90 plants. I invite any practical gardener to come and pass their opinion on what I have done in trying to fulfil the requirements of the board. A. O. EVANS.