Trentham Soldiers Build Homes Out of Army Structures

Grey River Argus, 22 September 1948, Page 8

Trentham Soldiers Build Homes Out of Army Structures

P.A. WELLINGTON, Sept.. 20. Outstanding success has attended the personal efforts of Colonel G. H. Clifton, commandant of the Trentham Military Camp to secure satislactory housing for married personnel under his command. It is the Army’s intention eventually ■ to evacuate Trentham as, a training establishment in favour of Waiouru. The Army authorities are thus reluctant to build permanent housing in a temporary camp and the position is therefore, different from other military camps in New Zealand, where houses are built by the construction companies of the Royal New Zealand Engineers. Colonel Clifton conceived the idea of Trentham soldiers building their own homes with unwanted camp buildings, receiving the help, where necessary, other members of the camp staff and, in some cases, special units. The scheme was inaugurated in March,, 1947, and since then 66 families have been housed at remarkably low cost.

The contagious diseases hospital was rebuilt into seven flats at a cost of £695. The camp hospital was subdivided into 22 flats. Twenty-four houses ranging from two to four bedrooms and equipped with electric hot Water services and stoves were built at a total cost of £13,000. One soldier converted a chemical warfare testing hut into a well-built bungalow at an official cost of £lOO. Colonel Clifton intends to continue the scheme until provision has been made for all nessitious cases.