MILITARY CAMP AT TOMOANA

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Volume 81, Issue 62, 6 December 1937, Page 8

MILITARY CAMP AT TOMOANA

A. & P. Society Grants Permission DEGISION REVQKED Further . consideration to the application by the. Defence Department' for the holding '/ of "a camp on the Tomoana J Showgrounds next autumn was given at a special meetixig of me committee of ■the Hawke's Bay A. and P. Society this morning; when the committ.ee decided to reverse its previous decision and allow the camp to be held. RecOnsideration of its previous decision on the matter was the main item on the agenda paper lor'th'is niorning's meeting, which was a special one and held in committee. ' Yarious Tepresentations from diffeTent sources were piaeed before members urging favourable consideration' of the department's application: • ' ' Included' among these were those of the Hastings Retailers' Association and also the following letter from the Mayor of* Hastings, Mr G. A. Maddison: "I desire to state that I of course, do not wish to .interfere .with the deliberations- pf • your committee, as I may not be fully cognizant of the reasons and the d-fficulties that may stand in -the way of a favourahle decision, but the people- of . Hastings are anxiously concerned about . this matter, because we realise the great importance it will be to this town in hdving no less than 400 men in camp at the showgro,unds. "I am informed, from inqniries that I have made, that similaT camps held at Waiphkurau and in other parts of the North Island, have proved- of the greatest value to the business people of those cenl^res;; and no damage has been done to the accommodation and grounds provided for them. "I do hope that your committee will he able to review this matter in a favourable light." After a len'gthy and full discussion it was decided to grant the department the use of the showgrounds for the camp, and the matter of making suitable arrangemejits was left with the grounds committee.