MAINLY TENTED CAMP

Evening Star, Issue 23651, 10 August 1940, Page 15

MAINLY TENTED CAMP

WAIOURU TRAINING PLANS STATEMENT BY MINISTER Astonishment has been expressed in several quarters since it was learned that the military training camp at Waiouru for Territorials is to be mainly a tented camp, with dormitory accommodation for only one battalion, states the ‘ Auckland Star.’ There had been a general impression in the public mind that Waiouru was to be established as a camp of modern hutments, on the lines of the fine mobilisation camps at Papakura, Trentham, and Burnham, it was found that there is to be only one complete battalion unit of hutments, and that, so far as the other six battalion groups were concerned, there would be no sleeping dormitories, though wooden mess rooms, store rooms, laundries, drying rooms, boiler rooms, orderly rooms, and shower houses would be provided. It has been announced that one complete battalion area is being built, on almost precisely similar lines to the units at Papakura, •’which is regarded as one of the most modern and bestequipped mobilisation camps in the world. It was learned that one of the principal reasons which inlluenced the authorities in creating a complete unit of hutments at Waiouru was that tradesmen, engaged to,build the service buildings, found the winter climate too severe and made a general demand tor hutted accommodation. In view of this demand, it was thought to be more practical and economical to build sufficient permanent hutments for one battalion, rather than temporary buildings. Advertisements calling for carpenters have been published in the newspapers recently, indicating that difficulties have been experienced in finding sufficient skilled labour. ONLY A SUMMER CAMP. “ Primarily Waiouru is to be a summer camp,” said the Minister of Defence. Mr Jones, when questioned regarding the nature of the camp. “It was always intended that it should be a tented camp.” The Minister explained that the summer training period would include some sprint” and some autumn weather. It was expected that from 6,000 to 7.000 Territorials would be trained in Waionru. Probably the first detachment of trainees would go in early in October. Questioned about the construction ot complete hutments for one battalion, Mr Jones said this work was undertaken originally for the accommodation of tradesmen during the winter months, and the Government came to the conclusion that it would bo better to build permanent hutments so that in the event of trainees being kept at Waiouru in the winter they would be accommodated in hutments. In winter there would never bo more trainees there than could be hutted.

BUILT ONLY FOR TRADESMEN. It had not been decided, said the Minister, whether any troops would be placed in the sleeping huts. It was considered that the dormitories could be used as storage and hospital areas, or for any other purpose. The Minister said the hutments never would have been built had it not been that the tradesmen working at the camp wanted to be housed in comfortable conditions. Mr R. M'Cracken, representative of the Fletcher Construction Company, said that many people had expressed astonishment when they learned that the Waiouru camp was not to have sleeping hutments provided for the seven battalions that were to be trained there. It was true that only one battalion area would have sleeping dormitories. However, wooden floors were to be ffiuilt for the canvas tents in which the trainees were to he accommodated. The three contractors engaged in building the camp and the Public Works Department have approximately 800 tradesmen working on the site. Mr I'. C. Scale, manager of N. Cole Ltd., said that 550 of those men were employed in building construction work. Many of the tradesmen had objected to working under canvas during the winter, and it had been decided to provide them with temporary wooden quarters. QUARTERS FOR MEN.

On consultation with the authorities, it was decided to make them permanent sleeping quarters, of sufficient capacity for the accommodation of a full battalion. Never at any stage had it been the intention to create a fully-hutted camp for seven battalions. “ AVe found that some tradesmen were being advised not to go to the job because they would have to sleep under canvas in winter conditions, and In consequence it was expedient to provide something more comfortable. However, some of the men became so accustomed to tent Ife that they did not wish to move into the hutments when they were readv. It was mainly elderly men who had found the conditions trying, the majority having quickly settled down to the life,” added Air Scale.