FOXTON AND THE RANGIOTU CAMP.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXVII, Issue 1424, 15 July 1915, Page 3

FOXTON AND THE RANGIOTU CAMP.

The Mayor wired Mr W. 11. Field, M.P., asking him to try and arrange for Foxton to benefit by the Rangiolu camp, by urging the Defence Department to make suitable train provision for troops to visit Foxton daily. The Mayoi pointed out that Foxton provided suitable attractions for these men. Mr Field forwarded the following letter to the Minister of Railways :

“Dear Sir, —Herewith I forward you telegram which I have to day received from the Mayor of Foxton asking that the railway service may be so arranged between the military camps at Himatangi and Rangiotu to Foxton, as to enable the men to visit Foxton when on leave. As the Mayor points out, there are excellent picture shows and other attractions, and it is the desire of the Government that the men shall have every reasonable opportunity of amusement and recreation before they leave our shores to take their places in the fighting line. There are of course hotels in Foxton, as in Lnngburn and Palmerston North, but the men at present in camp are, speaking generally, of a good class and moderate livers, and there should therefore be no reason to fear that they will go astray in Foxton. I trust, too, that the business people of this town may have a fair chance of furnishing these camps with supplies of stores. This is is not a matter of course which comes within your control except so far as it may be necessary to improve the service to enable the men and goods to be carried conveniently. It is, I understand, recognised by the Defence Department, and properly so, that other things being equal the tradesmen doing business in the vicinity of a camp shall have first claim on the trade of the camp.''