WAIOURU CAMP

Press, Volume LXXXVI, Issue 26211, 7 September 1950, Page 3

WAIOURU CAMP

TENDERS ACCEPTED FOR BUILDINGS TO BECOME MAIN CAMP IN NORTH ISLAND (New Zealand Press Association) w • WELLINGTON. September 6. Waiouru Military Camp will eventually become the Army’s main training camp in the Central Military District. Tenders have been accepted for a considerable building programme to provide 220 houses for the camp staff, 14 more barrcak blocks, four blocks of quarters for officers arid senior non-commissioned,officers, and 19 other buildings with a total area of 61.000 square feet for classrooms and equipment storage space. These details were announced today by the Minister of Defence (Mr T ’ J*Macdonald), who said he expected that 180 houses would be completed by the end of March next year, together with other accommodation. The remainder of the houses would, it was hoped, be completed by the following August. Of the second intake of territorial recruits to enter camp. in January, those from the Central Military District would undergo their basic trainat Linton, but some would do „_ e, . r eight weeks’ corps training at Waiouru. The latter would comprise recruits who were posted to field and anti-aircraft artillery units and Central and Northern District recruits posted to armoured units. By the time the third intake entered camp was expected that about "alf the number from the Centra] Military District would do their basic training at Waiouru. *’he Minister said that Government approval had been given to the purchase of more land at Waiouru. and tne ‘Ota] area of the camp would be about !60 sauare miles. It was suitable for all forms of military excrci'es. including jungle Warfare and artillery and anti-aircraft training. Eventually the Army School at Trentham would be shifted to Waiouru.