Some Come For Days And Stay For Weeks At Levin's New Camp

Chronicle (Levin), 23 December 1949, Page 4

Some Come For Days And Stay For Weeks At Levin's New Camp

fl[ENRY PLAYFORD, were he alive today, would have cause for considerable satisf'action at the result of his generous actioii and his keen foresight. On his land is, now the nucleus of what will be. one of the finest and most up-to-date of the Dommion's motpr camps. Whe.n he l'eft the land to the Levin Borough Council that is precisely what Henry Playford had in mmd, and already it is shaping alongr those lines; . What is even niore significant, motorists and trampers are beginning to reaiiso it and the future of the camp is looking very bright.

In Mr. E. D. Bell the Levin Borough Council has an excellent caretaker and an even better ambassador and publicity agent. This is shpwn by a perusal of the" Visitors' book kept during the past year. Fraise fpr the camp and its f acilities is oyerwhelnfing, but ip every instance the narne pf Mr, Bell is linked with the praise and in many cases these personal re^ferences occupy nearly as much space. One key to Mr. Bell's popularity is possibly his happy knack of making everyone feel at home without overdoing the hospitality - touch. He is always on hand when needed, but is otherwise unobtrusive on the camper's privacy. His- abhorrence of the common practice of pasting notices all over camping grounds telling people what to do and what not to do is Shown by the almost complete lacl? of these in the Playford Park Camp. "People don't like them," says Mr. Bell. "After all they are here on a hojiday." Thc only notice is in the cookhouse, where the number of electrical * appliances makes it necessary for Mr. Bell to warn people who are Ln the habit of Weaving such things on^after use", that this is not done in the interests of both the eauipment and the campers themselves, Has Great Possibilities. The people who have used the camp to date were of a very fine type, said Mr. Bell, and the consensus of opinion among them was that the Levin people had an asset in the new camp and that it had great possibilities. Some called in for only a few days but ended up staying weeks, said ,Mr. Bell. Since June there have been 76 camps established. At the moment there is only one, but Mr. Bell expects a larger number this Christmas than before. Judging from those who stated in the visiting- book that they would be back again for the holidays he is very probably correct in his estimation. People were not leaving home fluite so early this year as last, said Mr. Bell, 'but recently the average had been four camps a night. All the facilities are, of course, not available yet, but the advances made are .sound ones and much ^ppreciated. There is a hot water service which lives up to its name, hoth in regard to its heat and the service. It has been acclaimed by campers as the best hot

water system installed anywhere in the Dominiori. There is also a washhouse and a clothes line.:Whent the' new roads, some of which have already been started, are put through, the camping site Will be brought close to the town. Next Christmas should see a vast improvement if the Levin Borough CounciTs plans are put into opera-* tion. Three sets of three unit cabins 'might also make their appearance. . ' • - ■ • ^ An extra unofficial amenity is provided by Mr, Bell by way of an information service. Having quite a% extensive library "on travel and a personal acquaintance with all parts of the Dominion, he can give traveliers a large degree of assistance. In earlier days he had much to do with the Maoris and has also made a study of the early days of this district. , To visitors to the camp he will. descri'be the early history of the district, its pioneers and the correct pronunciation and stories behind place names in the Horowhenua district, His long service with the St. Jo'hn Ambulance Brigade' also makes him a handy man to have around the camp in the event of an accident. . What Visitors Say. That visitors are not unappreciative of the camp and its friendly caretaker is clear from the remarks made by them in the camp register. Here are but a few: 9 Camp and sports area a most ambitious project. Ask Mr. Bell to explain Maori place names. '9 Had wonderful time thanks to , good camp and obliging caretaker. « This camp is on the right lines and has great potentialities,- • Been in a number of - camps during last four months. This "is the nicest yet. • A change from some pf the crowded transit camps. Will come again. o This is my second visit here. Always feel at home, Mr. Bell makes this camp second to none. • First class camp. Good service. Hot water service good. Friendly kind ^caretaker. , & Best camp in New Zealand tour. Thoroughly enjoyed stay here. One camper ,who obviously is in the habit of getting right down to hard faets took a new angle when he wrote: "The- ground -is soft to sleep on — a very heavy frost this morning!!" *'