"SLAVE CAMPS"

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 1, Issue 43, 13 October 1931, Page 3

"SLAVE CAMPS"

(Press Assn.-

single man's complaint about conditions and pay EARNED 7d IN SIX DAYS

— By Telegraph — Copyright.)

4 HAMILTON, Monday. "They are slave camps — nothing more or less," declared a young man who has just arrived in Hamilton looking for work after spending three weeks at the single men's camp near Papakura. He had some hard things to say about the Government and unemployed relief measures generally. He stated that the men were paid 10s a week for the first fortnight and were then placed on contract work at removing heavy spoil. The total amount earned after six days' work was 7d. The staple diet was bread, cheese and tea at almost every meal, with something on a plate in the evenings, which was graced by the name of "stew." After this treatment 14 of the men left and returned to Auckland, leaving only six in camp. "The idea is to get the single men by free fares as far away from civilisation as possible, and then treat them like slaves," added the young man. "They give them 10s for the first week or two to keep them there. I have heard that at the camp at Rotorua the men have to remove and break heavy boulders, which would be regarded as 'scabbing' by a convict. en who have returned to the city have been refused any form of relief by the Hospital Board and the City Missioner. Twenty-six of us were turned out of the doss-house yesterday morning, a Sunday; there's Christionity for you!"