LATEST IN CAMPS

Dominion, Volume 36, Issue 37, 7 November 1942, Page 8

LATEST IN CAMPS

Ncw Base Depot For « Central District BENEFIT OF EXPERIENCE The benefits of three years of permanent camp building are incorporated in the new Central Military District base depot camp now on the way toward completion. It will accommodate all the recruits likely to come from this district and, in its general facilities and amenities, should give a recruit that favourable first introduction to Army life which lias a good psychological effect on the whole of his subsequent military career. Men already in this camp know what it is to have more hot water for showers than they can exhaust, hot water in their covered-in ablution rooms for the morning shave and wash, ideal arrangements for messing and that all-important job of washing one's dishes afterward, and laundries which with their drying-rooms will give the men a better service than cau ut present be obtained by civilians. There are seven areas in the camp, four occupied and three ready for occupation. There are still a few tents, but these are being replaced by eightman huts which are to be the standard for the camp. More than three-quarters of the men already in the camp are in huts. There have been some unsatisfactory huts -both from ventilation and weatherproof aspects, but they are i/e--ing replaced. Less than a year ago this was a big farmland area. It had plenty of mud in the early stages, but now a start has been made with paving. The work has been interrupted through the exigencies of the labour situation, but progress has been made to the stage of making the men comfortable with their huts, messrooms, shower-rooms, Laundries, ablution huts, drying-woms, social halls, and so on—the frills liae paved roads and paths, lawns and gardens, are following. A rail siding is being completed to the camp’s own railway station, situate within one mile of the nearest camp area. Here there has been erected a complete modern supplies installation with the railway siding on one side and motor transport loading bank on the other. . The camp is not isolated; it is less than eight miles from the nearest large town, which can provide enough leave night amusement for any number of troops likely to be there at one time. Each area has its owu hot water system to supply kitchens, showers, laundry and anywhere else it is needed. The boilers of former railway engines have been utilized, looking as good as new despite their age, and heated from an automatic feed furnace. The.stoker in one of the engine-rooms, far from feeling the heat and grime, said his was a “good job.” Big Recreation Area. The recreation area has four entertainment halls completed—Church, Army, Catholic, Y.M.C.A. and Everyman’s Hut. There are no bigger or better equipped anywhere else in New Zealand camps. The Y.JI.C.A. alone is having six billiard tables. On the spiritual side, the halls have chapel provision. A cinema and post office are scheduled for erection; also a 50-bed. hospital and dental room with 24 chairs. The niessroom arrangements are the best yet seen by the representatives of “The' Dominion” who visited the c:tnp after exiierience of many others of all types. Each of the areas has the same facilities in this and all other respects. The kitchen and serveries are the central point of the messroom blocks. The former have oil-burning stoves, also hot boxes to keep food warm for drafts of troops who may be coming into camp after ordinary mess hours, or returning late from manoeuvres. Each kitchen has also its refrigerator and the kitchen block a meat freezer, milk and butter cool storeroom, vegetable rooms with special racks to ensure the safe-keeping of vegetables, and other facilities.

A feature is the use of steam for cooking .vegetables and the meats which are not roasted in the oil-burning stoves. This steam cooking keeps ail the goodness in vegetables; further, it is hygienic and efficient. From the kitchen area centre radiate four messrooms, each able to seat at least 200 men comfortably. As each man comes in for a meal lie 'passes through a large concretefloored annexe, first there are pegs on which to hang his hat or coat. Then he passes into the servery of his particular messroom. He has his wo plates and cutlery and his food is served to him cafeteriti fashion as he moves past jn line. Thereiis none of the time-waSting business of one mess orderly serving one man will) till his food. As a man passes along tlie line his plates are filled with the eatables, and at the end he has his complete meal. Tea is served at the tables.

Coming out, the men again tile through the annexe. Here are nvo long metal troughs, one filled with hot soapy water and the other with hot clear water, in which to wash and rinse eating utensils. This done, men can retrieve their hats or coats from '!e [legs and leave the block. There is a 24-honr service al tlie drying-rooms, which are also heated from the central boiler house of each area. Each man does his own washing —unless he <-an get another man lo tackle it —and hands in his clothing over tlie counter of lhe room which divides laundry from drying-room, di efficient checking system ensures Init he gets it all back in 24 hours. ' Tlie sanitary system is good, with flush lavatories. Ablution sheds i>ave fixed basins with hot and cold water over each.

When a representative of 'The Dominion'’ was visiting camps to inquire into conditions he got no complaints in' this camp from men of a Held regiment of artillery. They thought it a good show then without all the facilities that were on the way.

In May, they said, it was a differed' story when huts were Hooded and meti had to be accommodated in messrooms Since then the Public Works Depart meat, which is const meting the camp, has completed the drainage and put an end to flooding. The paving will lit.i<b even the minor discomforts of wei shingle paths. What Itappened in Usy is past history now to these soldiers. They had a special word for three men', their Y.M.C.A. secretary, Bryd .n Harvey, Sergeant XV. T. Mist, who runs a weekly regimental paper in which the men can voice their opinions f .nd read those of others, ami Hie gunner in charge of their drying-room. Thomas Sly. Napier. Each tn his own way had done a good job toward helping things along at times when conditions wore not so comfortable as now