AFFORESTATION AT BIMATANGI

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 212, 2 June 1921, Page 6

AFFORESTATION AT BIMATANGI

AVfIAP THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING. (From Our Own Correspondent.) Palmerston North, May 30. As a good deal of misapprehension appears to exist at to what is being done at the camp in the sandhills near Foxton, and as some very wild statements were in course of circulation, I yesterday paid a visit to the camp, and was enabled to see for myself the actual state of things and to glean information which gives the lie to such rumours as that the camp was being flooded with immigrants from Home, and that tho men were being paid only six shillings per day for married men and four shillings per day for single men without dependants. On investigation I found that at tho present time there are twenty-five rmen under canvas. They are comfortably housed in new bell tents and tfre found with stretchers, blankets, pullinso and oil-sheet. Thoy all expressed themselves as quite satisfied with the arrangements, and spoke exceedingly well of the moss. There is a good cook-house provided with a military stove capable of cooking for 2.50 men. It is understood that it is eventually intended to considerably increase the number of men employed, but until hutments aro erected for their accommodation only a few more will be takenThe camp is only for returned soldiers who have passed the convalescent stage, while the work to be done, that of stoping the drift of sand on tho dunes along tho East Coast, is a most important one, as it will reclaim vast areas of land in course of timp-. The statement that immigrants aro being taken on there probably originated from the fact that there are two Imperial Army men in tho camp. The possibility of any but returned convalescent soldiers getting in is guarded against by the fact that all tho men who go there have to be recommended by the Repatriation Department. The preliminary work is the planting of marram grass on places where the sand has been drifting, and as the drift is checked suitable trees will be planted. AVith regard to the payment of the men, married men with dependants get 12s. per day. and sin/fe men 10s. per day. From this is deducted 2s. per week per mnn for accommodation and keep, and all the men I spoke to are more than' satisfied with the arrangements. The camp is situated in what is known ns the lower Carnarvon district, about six miles above Foirton, within half a mile of what is known as M'Kelvie’s Lake. It is in a good sheltered position, being erected behind some high sand hills about a mile back from tho sea. It is rather difficult of approach, as there is no road into it. It is about 27 miles from Palmerston, and in order to ron_nh it the best way is to go through Rongotea and down the Sanson tramline and then up the Puki Puki Road to tho end, where motor-cars or other wheeled conveyances have to be loft, and there is a three-mile trip over sandhills and swamps, which can be done either on horseback or on foot. It is over this stretch that all supplies and timber ifor the erection ( of the hutments has to be transported, and wit h unformed roads this is strenuous work, and as a good part of the way is through private property the difficulty of constructing any sort of road can be understood. The men seemed quite satisfied with their lot. although they find it rather difficult to get anything that they require, and suggest that: a dry canteen should be set up, as their nearest town (Foxton) is quite ton miles away by road. The lands on which the reclamation work is being carried out is portion of a Crown reserve of 6000 acres, which is at tho present time under lense, and which will fall hack into the hands of the Government long before any beneficial results can be experienced from the work now being done.