Trainees for farm?

Press, 18 November 1982, Page 6

Trainees for farm?

The Christchurch Airport farm may take on 12 agricultural trainees soon under a project that would take the place of an “imitation farm” formerly proposed for the Bottle Lake Plantation. The Christchurch City Council’s job-creation working party said yesterday that Labour Department approval would be sought to hire a training supervisor. Field days on properties near the airport could be arranged to cover activities not available on the council’s farm. Training for farm work would be done under the Government’s Work Skills Development Programme. The council will consider building a combination information and lecture centre at Bottle Lake, where 207 people are being trained.

School parties could use the centre to obtain information about the forest park, and “survival skill” lectures could be held for trainees. Cr Vicki Buck, the working party’s chairman, said that a cost estimate for the centre should be prepared. It would be considered by the policy and finance committee. Riverbank delay The Heathcote riverbank beautification project, downstream from the Ferry Road roundabout bridge, could be delayed for a year. It was scheduled to start this spring. Future river channel widening may be required in connection with upstream Woolston Cut flood relief

work, and the Christchurch Drainage Board has sought a delay to the beautification project until a river catchment plan is completed. Education Two Bottle Lake trainees have found jobs as a direct result of a special Hagley High School second chance education course which included remedial reading.

The six-week pilot scheme course had almost finished, and other trainees had asked about continuing with night school studies, the working party was told.

There had also been a noticeable improvement among those attending courses in their attitude to one another in groups.