CAMP REGULATIONS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 159, 2 April 1937, Page 12

CAMP REGULATIONS

Elaborate Provision For Few Tents AN OWNER’S COMPLAINT Almost grotesque anomalies have been found to result in at least one case from the general application of the eamping ground regulations brought into force in December. The regulations have force in a local body’s district when the local body resolves to adopt them, but apparently they’ apply to all the camps in the district, no matter whether a camp is a congested one in a populous area or an infrequently used one remote from civilisation. It appears that lighting drainage, rubbish receptacles (emptied everyday), piped water, fireplaces, ami washing places have to be provided even when half a dozen parties camp over an area of many acres. Attention was drawn to the effect of the regulations by Mr. W. H. Field, who owns a camping ground at Waikanae Beach, in Horowhenua county, in a letter to the county council after it had adopted them. Mr. Field told ‘‘The Dominion” yesterday when the subject was taken up with him again that he did not wish to pose as an aggrieved party, the income from his camping ground being trivial, although he had decided to raise his voice against the apparent effect of the regulations.

Roadside Camps Not Covered.

“I fear that in order to comply with the regulations 1 must face an expenditure entirely out of proportion with the receipts derivable from campers,” wrote Mr. Field in his letter to the county council. “To lay on water and give road access to and provide conveniences for my camping ground I was put to tin expense of considerably over £lOO two years ago. Last year the camping fees were, I think, £ll, and this year £l6, of which 1 received half. Thus it will be seen that my enterprise could hardly be regarded as profitable to myself. “My main desire, and this I accomplished, was to furnish to a number of people' who prefer this health-giving method of spending a holiday an opportunity of doing so at reasonable cost. There was not only no complaint concerning their accommodation, and no suggestion of insanitary conditions, but every camper -was perfectly satisfied. I find now I must either close ray camping area or perhaps fully double the fees which I should have to charge if I am to comply with the regulations. “The only unpleasant, not to say filthy, conditions resulting from camping at Waikanae Beach have had their origin in camps established ou the roads and streets controlled by the council, in positions from which the conveniences supplied by me could not conveniently be reached. Apparently the regulations do not cover this class of camp, and I naturally want to know whether such camps are still to be allowed to infest the beach.” Electric Light for Few Tents. Mr. Field pointed out that the regulations required the installation of cooking places and sinks, although campers preferred to supply their own cookers and their own wash-basins. The regulations required the provision of ablution places,, by which might he meant two closed-in shower baths, but they could not be provided unless the township were supplied with water at high pressure. Apparently the camping area would have to be fully illuminated, although the district had not had even street lights until a few weeks before. The drainage required also was of a more elaborate nature than the conditions required. “Many of _these regulations .are, to my mind, under present circumstances, quite unnecessary at places like Waikanae beach, with a handful of campers and acres of land to camp on," wrote Mr. Field, who remarked that it appeared that he would have to close the camp.

The council’s reply was that it had considered the development of camping generally in the county, and while seeking the authority the regulations provided it would not be unreasonable in their application, and they would be administered only as the demands of public health required. Mr. Field commented yesterday tbaj no matter what the local body wished to do. it appeared that a camp owner would have to comply with the regulations once they were invoked. He had written to the Government to make sure. Usually there were only about six parties in the Waikanag. beach camp, and they had about 20 acres on which to camp.