IN THE MAKING

Taranaki Daily News, 17 November 1926, Page 6

IN THE MAKING

TANGARAKAU:A MODEL CAMP A SCENE OF ACTIVITY. PROGRESS AT THE RAILHEADS. (From Our Own Correspondent.) The men employed on the big. Public Works job at Tangarakau but steadily blazing the trail for what will eventually provide a very important avenue of trade, as well as a more convenient route of travelling for the people of the Taranaki district. That is, the linking up of Stratford with the Main Trunk line at Ongarne. For this reason it is well that the people from New Plymouth to Marton are kept acquainted with the doings of the pioneers out here, who are working day and night, often under very trying conditions, to push this big job through, and as well to be informed on the progress of the construction work in hand. The main camp at Tangarakau, the base headquarters from which the construction works operate, is gradually assuming considerable proportions. There are now quartered here some four to five hundred men, women and children, the married men’s hutments being on the three sides of a spacious recreation ground, with the school house on the fourth side. The single men are housed on adjoining ground, and are comfortable enough with good fireplace and sleeping quarters in each hut, where they may “bach,” or they may “tucker” at either of the two cook-houses provided by the Department, and very capably controlled by private enterprise. The important matter of educating the children is in the charge of a schoolmaster and two assistants, with a roll call of over one hundred happy children. The Department has also erected a very fine hall, where there is a weekly picture show, and on other nights dancing and cards are indulged in. There are energetic committees formed which provide football, tennis, cricket, and other games, as well as an occasional athletic sports meeting. The results of some •of these fixtures I hope to forward for the benefit of your readers at a later date. An effort is being made at the present time to obtain funds to procure instruments for the formation of a band in the camp, and very shortly a bazaar is to be held in Stratford to obtain a wireless set to further brighten up the evening of the folk in this isolated locality. There are several stores to supply the requirements of the men, grocery, drapers, butcher, baker, fruit, and billiard room, etc. From the foregoing it will be seen that Tangarakau is quite a small township, and that as well as providing the necessary work, the Public Works Department also sees to the recreation of its workers. There is a branch of the Medical Association in the camp, which does invaluable work in connection with the health of the people. A highly esteemed and very capable lady, Mrs. Birss, is also resident in the camp, and her services and wide experience are greatly sought after in times of sickness and accidents. All this organisation does not happen of itself, but is part of the policy of the Public Works Department, whose officers (Mr. T. M. Bill, district engineer at Stratford; Mr. B. C. Aurard, district engineer in the camp; and the overseers, Messrs. Manson and Birss) are directly responsible for the carrying out of the detail work in this direction. What is eually important, these officers are mainly responsible for the selection of the very fine body of men employed on the job, and from a long experience I can safely say I have seen nothing better on any works of a more well-balanced and practical minded lot of men. The foregoing is in the nat’ e of an introductory starting point, and from now onward your readers will be kept posted in a weekly review of incidents connected with the camp. The construction work itself, the bush, bird-life, the formation of the country traversed, and many other aspects of the projected route where, up to the present time has never been trodden by the foot of man.