MILITARY CAMPS

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVI, Issue 20106, 28 November 1939, Page 7

MILITARY CAMPS

MINISTER’S INSPECTION IMPRESSED BY PROGRESS TROOPS WELL FED (Per PreSß Association.) WELLINGTON, this day. Military training camps and other defence establishments in both the North and South Islands have been inspected during the past 10 days by the Minister of Defence, the Hori. F. Jones, who returned to Wellington at the week-end from visits to Hopuhopu, Papakura, Narrow Neck and North Head camps, Hobsonville repair depot air base, and the service aerodrome under construction in Whenupai. The Burnham military camp had been visited by the Minister a few days before leaving for his northern tour of inspection. ...... This is the first opportunity the Minister has had since the outbreak of war of visiting camps other than Trentham. He has yet to visit the air stations at New Plymouth,-Blenheim and Ohakea and the advanced military training camp at Waiouru. These inspections he hopes to make very soon. Work of Contractors “What impressed me greatly was the enormous amount of work that has been done in the different camps in the past two months by the Public Works Department and the contractors,” said Mr. Jones in an interview last evening. “There is, of course, a good deal still to be done, but it should not be long before the buildings being erected for mobilisation purposes are completed. “I was extremely pleased with the officers and men whom I met in the camps. They seemed to me to be well satisfied and exceptionally keen. “I made it my business to make numerous inquiries regarding the rations and food, and general satisfaction was expressed. lam satisfied that the parents on seeing their boys after a period in camp will frankly admit that camp life has agreed with them.”

Discussing the recent cases of influenza among the soldiers, Mr, Jones said that seasonal sickness had been general throughout the camps. Such sickness would very probably become more general in such places as military camps, where men were congregated together, but the medical officers and nurses with whom he had talked all agreed that the sickness was rapidly waning.