Relief Camps.

Star (Christchurch), Volume XLIV, Issue 521, 2 August 1932, Page 6

Relief Camps.

To the Editor. Dear Sir, — Recently some of the cityfathers visited some of the single men’s camps around Christchurch. Some of these people, genuine in every way-, and with sl strong sense of what is right, and what is not right, O.K.’d these camps, and said that the men appeared satisfied with their lot. They are perfectly- right as far as they went. They did not know that a lot of these men were afraid to complain; that they had been told to get out if they did not like it; that they had no place to go if they- did get out, and thus had to put up with the camp or starve; that for one shilling and eight pence a day they have to work out in the wet, and walk through waist-high, wet vegetation to get to the?r work, in thin boots absolutely unfitted for the purpose (some have boots tied togeth«f with string). After tea they- have to sit in their tents with an allowance of two inches of candle a night (one candle a week) without even a cup of hot coffee a night to keep out the cold. (Supper is a delicacy put on on occasion). I can hear some people saying, “ Do they- want flowers on their graves?” If you do not believe me, get an absolutely unbiased delegation, make sure of no victimisation, and ask those men at BALMORAL.