“FREE FROM BOOZE”

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 80, Issue 87, 13 April 1938, Page 7

“FREE FROM BOOZE”

N.Z. CONSTRUCTIONAL CAMPS COMMUNISTS ALSO WEEDED CUT I Ter FrM» A**ocl«tloa. ] CHRISTCHURCH, April 12. I "For the first time in thei’: history • the constructional camps of New Zea- [ land, I am glad to say, are free from i booze,” said Hon. R. Semple, in an interview to-day. There might be individual cases throughout the country where liquor was still finding its way into the camps, the Minister admitted, but as soon as a whisper of offences against the rules was heard, full ini vestigations were made. ’’And when we catch those responsible they have to look for other jobs,” said Mr. Semple. "Recently 15 men on the Plimmerton-Paekakaviki road were found guilty of bringing liquor into the camp and they were discharged on the spot. We are cleaning out the camps and removing from them the opprobrium of being booze-dens and gambling dens.” The dismissal of men with Communistic activities was also mentioned by the M'nistcr. Very little trouble was now being met from the Communists, he said, because most of them had been weeded out and tired out. He wanted the men to go on to the jobs to give service, not to play the fool. He would not stand disruptive activity in the camps. A: every one of which he visited he had made inquiries from ti e engineers as to disaffection among the men. "If the men have a legitimate grievance we will go al! the distance to put it right." said Mr Semple. The men could make their complaints through the union to the engineer, through him to the district engineer and its e last avenue of redress to the Minister. There was activity in every part of the country, said Mr. Semple, am! the men were happy, contented and pulling (heir weight