WAIOURU CAMP
GROUND DRAINED
FACILITIES PROVIDED
MINISTER'S VISIT
"There is no reason for the hysterical protests and exaggerated reports which have been published regarding the conditions at Waiouru Territorial camp," declared the Minister of Public Works (the Hon. R. Semple), who, with the Under-Secretary of his Department (Mr. J. Wood), has just inspected the area. "There is a certain amount of black soil on the surface, and it has taken some time to remove this on an area of about ten acres to get down to the dry pumice," he said. "This has been done with mechanised units, and the surface will now be as dry as a bone. It will be covered with grit, and the parade grounds will be sealed to avoid dust.
"Thousands of feet of drains have been laid," continued Mr. Semple, "and the stream straightened and cleaned' out to prevent flooding. A huge septic tank and complete sewerage system have been constructed, and the camp has the finest water in the North Island laid on. We are also building a hospital immediately. OVER A THOUSAND MEN EMPLOYED. "Over a thousand men have been employed in this work and all the 'key' buildings, such as mess rooms, drying rooms, stores, bathrooms, and recreation huts are of timber. The Territorials will only need the tents for sleeping, and in the summertime the climate at Waiouru is ideal.
"There was some complaint at the beginning of the job," concluded the Minister, "and it was natural that when you have hundreds of men making a start, they have to make their own conditions and do a bit of pioneering for a time, but they have been well catered for in the way of meals, and they are using the big mess rooms. The contractors' men are sleeping in the twenty dormitory huts. If the war continues the question of erecting wooden hutments for sleeping during winter will have to be considered by the Government. Under present conditions there should be no cause for complaint. The work has gone on splendidly, and the job will be finished on schedule time."
Permanent link to this item
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19400814.2.83
Bibliographic details
Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 11
Word Count
350WAIOURU CAMP Evening Post, Volume CXXX, Issue 39, 14 August 1940, Page 11
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