WAIOURU CAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume LXXI, Issue 178, 29 July 1940, Page 8

WAIOURU CAMP.

WORK PROGRESSING.

CONDITIONS IMPROVED.

THREE MONTHS TO FINISH.

Construction work at Waiouru military camp, near Ohakune, is now proceeding at a rapid pace. Se.veral hundred men, working under three contractors, are now concentrated there and, with tl>c work proceeding at the same rate as that which marked the building of Papakura and other military camps, it is expected that the camp will be completed in about three months.

At the start of the work.the conditions under which the men laboured were not of the best. The representative of one of the contractors, Mr. R. McCracken, etated this morning that conditions were now much improved. "The first team was housed under canvas," he said, "and the feeding facilities, which had to be improvised, were not toe convenient. At the present juncture, however, sufficient hutments have been erected to house the entire personnel of the three contractors." New Messing Arrangements. In the building of these hutments the three contractors had worked together. Within a few days the messing accommodation for the First Battalion area will be completed, and as th'.s ontains up-to-date equipment the present catering arrangements will then be transformed. In addition, sufficient buildings will shortly be erected to provide recreational rooms for the staff. Already thasPiihlic Works Department is making available steam-heated drying rooms in which the men can dry off their clothing. Other accommodation improvements are being made, and the health of the men working on the job is being carefully safeguarded. A doctor is engaged on a full-time, basis with a <=mall staff to handle the temporary hospital, where cases of accident and sickness are treated. The Health Department, which is working in collaboration with the contractors, also has :i full-time official on the job, working in an advisory capacity. Men's Good Work. Mr. MeCracken paid a tribute to the men, who, he said, were working well. They were engaged six days a we3k and were working nine hours" a day. The progress which had been made under difficult conditions spoke volume* for their interest in the job. The improved conditions, to which a well-grown shelter belt of trees contributed, should allow for further expansion of work. When completed there would be about six battalion areas at the camp. As soon us the first was completed the contractors would each work separately in the erection of further areas.

The camp, which would be one of the biggest in New Zealand, will be built on a similar to that at Papaknra. Adjustments, however, have been made, in the design of individual building?, because of the different climatic conditions. These changes will ensure that the greatest comfort possible ie provided.