LEWIS PASS CAMP

Hokitika Guardian, 27 August 1932, Page 6

LEWIS PASS CAMP

.CATERING FOR THE UNEMPLOYED

iLITTLE GROUND FOR COMPLAINT.

CHRISTCHURCH, August 26,

Unemployed single men in the Lewis Pass camp are'' treated on a much more ■liberal scale, as far as food is concerned/ than are members of the Territorial Forces in military camps. This is the ppinion formed by two representatives who made a special visit to- the to observe the conditions there. Some of the men, especially the youngfer ones, -have complaints, but it is difficult to see how these can be surmounted. The main one relates to a shortage of Tobacco. The majority of the men 7 were very short of money -when they arrived in camp, and their smoking supplies were soon exhausted. The result is that until they get their ■-first pay, -they will be without .‘‘smokesv” : -The : quality of food issued is governed -by the Pijblic Works Department peal e as adopted on all jobs of j this nature. Provision is made for two hit meals and one dry one a day. As an instance of the adequacy of the supply, it .can be pointed out that each hum. is given 20 ounces of fresh meat -daily. i , There -was no chance of the cook ®stagi-dteWing’’''.tife meals while the werp there. . It was not known that they were coming, and when they arrived they went directly to the Icopkliouse. As it' was raining ahcl no work was beitig done, the cook had .decided to have.a hot dinner at. mid/_ day instead of at night. He was in the middle, o? .preparing this meal when the | reporters arrived. <■ ■ -,fn the camp were 47 men all told, 4>M for these there were seven large ! roasts,i of beef' A cauldron was being -filled with peeled potatoes and another cauldron of swedei "turnips wafe- ready to go on the fire. The sweets consisted Pf ricei ahd.’ap'.'icdts, and these were got | /ready’just'after the visitors arrived;. " The care taken in preparing the'meals, /was illustrated by the way in which' the rice was* cooked. After it had been .put in a boiler with the necessary water jjhalf a pound of butter was added Jo make it more appetising. ; Whatever ■ cpmplaints the' men had about; the meals, they , were not slow; to respond when tlie dinner gong was sounded, Most -of the young men leff .their -tents with a rush and did nor Stop funning until .they reached the fining-room—a large iron structure brought from the railway works at Parnassus. • - All the meals' are put out on plates apd. served .through a slide to the men. Each mari was given three large slices of roast beef, .with turnips and onions heaped on top until the plate was full A liberal quantity of rich brown gravy! was added to each plate. As soon as each man had taken his plate of meat and vegetables, the cook and his assistant prepared the servings of 'Sweets. A -kitchen ladle was used ,to pti’t these out,’ and two of these were put on each plate. In addition, a ( . ladleful of apricots was added. The!Public Works foreman in charge of the job' and the cook and his as-' sistant .have exactly the same meals as the men. . ... >

USince the-men have been in the camp, tiie menus h|iv|\ consisted of the following:- ~ ’ Bpakfast— Chops, stew and on - Sundays, bacon and steak. , Lunch—-Bread, butter, cheese, tea, sugar. Dinner—Roast beef, roast mutton, boiled mutton, soup (when stock bones are available), swedes, parsnips, carrots, potatoes,. sago, tapioca, rice, bread and' butter puddings, prunes, apricots and plumduifs. Cake is always supplied on. Sundays.

The men have complained of lack ot variety in the menu, but there appears .little ground for this complaint. They get different .vegetal)'is and puddings every day. There are difficulties in .regard: to the meat supply which result in the men having mutton for a week. arid beef for a week or ten days withud t a change. The reason for this is,, /that the meat is "brought from the ( i,Glen Wye station j ihere is no shop within many miles. When a bullock is, killed for the camp, it . has tp, Tie consumed in as short a time as possible to prevent the "meat being wasted.. An animal was killed at the end of last week and beef will have to he the sole meat oni the mend for the whole of the week. Next week, mutton will be usedj again until ib is felt that a change 15, desirable,"'/wlidn ‘another bullock will be slaughtered. ' go■ne. of the men have asked that they’ be supplied .with three hot meals j a day, hut this is as they., are working one mile and a half away, ‘from the camp. Others have asked/ for sandwiches .with their midday meal I ,', but these the cook, from his experience of many years .in this, class ol work, refuse ,to, supply. ... Sufficient bread, jam, butter and