ARMY IN ACTION

Waikato Times, Volume 193, Issue 22203, 24 November 1943, Page 2

ARMY IN ACTION

GATHERING HARVEST

MOBILISATION TODAY The Army this week is going into action on the harvesting fields of the Waikato. Today 900 men were mobilised in the Northern Military District and were despatched to various camps in the Waikato at points where harvesting labour is most needed. The territorials mobilised today are all under Army discipline, will be treated in practically the same way as the ordinary soldier but will be engaged solely in harvesting and other farm work. They will remain in harvesting camps for a month but a further draft will be called up at the end of December or the beginning of January. The active co-operation of the Army with the Waikato Primary Production Council laid the foundations of success for the present scheme and it is expected that the soldier labour will prove eminently satisfactory. Weather conditions could scarcely have been better for the start of the scheme and if there is no break in the weather in the near future the harvest may be gathered in record time. Every soldier employed on his farm will cost the farmer 2s 6d an hour or part of an hour over 20 minutes, the money being payable to the Government. Where Army transport is provided rates have been fixed at 3s 6d an hour for vehicles up to and including three tons carrying capacity and 5s an hour for vehicles over three tons. A number of men for allocation to the various harvesting camps paraded at the No. 4 (Hamilton) Military District Headquarters this morning. They will be posted to the Ist Battalion, Waikato Regiment, and drafted to camps, principally at Claudelands and Cambridge. It is understood that a draft of recruits from the No. 1 (Auckland) Military District is also being directed to harvesting camps in the Waikato. They are members of the Ist Auckland Battalion and will go to the camps at Ngaruawahia and Claudelands.