HOKIANGA CAMP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21577, 23 August 1933, Page 11

HOKIANGA CAMP

MEN DESIRING SECTIONS TEST OF SUITABILITY RECLAIMING SWAMP LAND [FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT] •WTTANGAREI. Tuesday In extending tho arrangements for placing inon on small areas of farm lands the Hokianga County Council has now embarked on vanothcr scheme, whereby men from tho towns are put into camps and given road work. Those men who prove suitable will be given an opportunity to go on the land where sections are available. Tho first camp has been completed and tho first batch of men, numbering nine, are now comfortably camped. Tho camp is located about 3J miles from Rawene. Tho building is 45ft. by 35ft., divided in the centre and match-lined. For tho first few days the men wero employed constructing an access road to tho camp. Tho main work will be tho reclaiming of about 500 acres of swamp land bordering tho main highway. This will be followed by general road improvement work. The conditions of tho men's employment are specified in a letter to -the council from the Labour Department, as follows: "The county council provides tho camp and cooking utensils, tho men providing their own blankets and mess gear. Tho men work 40 hours weekly, receiving pay on tho following scale: —Married men with wife only, or wife and one child under 16, £1 17s 6d a week; married man with wife and two children, £2 a week; married man with wife and three or moro children under 16, £2 10s a week. Tho men aro particularly anxious to securo small farms in tho Hokianga County and feel that their accepting of camp work under that county will not in any way mitigate against their chances of ultimately becoming farmers in tho Hokianga County." In reporting on tho camp, Mr. R. B. Russell, manager for tho Hokianga County Council, said the camp had been inspected by Mr. Grieve, of tho Labour Department, Auckland, who expressed himself as being well satisfied with tho equipment and general surroundings. In referring to tho allocation made on behalf of men sent from outside centres, particularly from metropolitan areas, Mr. lhissell stated this allocation was additional and quito apart from moneys allocated from week to week to country local authorities controlling No. 5 work. The allocation was better than many received on No. 5 scheme, but the men worked full timo for it and it was a recognition of the policy adopted by tho Unemployment Board, that if town men who were unemployed in tho city and were suitable for country work would volunteer to go into tho country, they would get a reasonable sustenance payment and tho local authority employing them Avould bo refunded the full amount set out in the schedule for these men ,without interference to their normal requirements for local men employed on No. 5 scheme.