MINIATURE TOWN

Wairarapa Times-Age, 31 August 1940, Page 7

MINIATURE TOWN

BUILT IN TWELVE DAYS. LUM BER.) AC K’S SURPR ISE. More than 100 lumberjacks from Newfoundland arc cutting down the "soft wood" pine trees in the New Forest. They are a contingent of the 2900 lumbermen who arrived in Britain in the spring from Newfoundland. They are cutting pit props which must now be produced at home in large quantities since the invasion of Norway. At the same time, every shipload of pit props cut in Britain, leaves a ship free to carry other goods from Canada and Newfoundland. The New Forest, covers 93.000 acres, but only part of this contains wood suitable for pit props. Most of the trees now being cut were planted only 40 or 50 years ago.

The mon get 2 dollars a day—Bs 4d — half of which is kept in the bank in Newfoundland till they return. A special board selected the 2000 lumbermen from 15.000 applicants. A clerical and supervising stall of 180 look after the men’s interests.

Their first job on arrival in the New Forest was to build their own quarters. To the amazement of the villagers, this took them only 12 clays, during which they built five bunk houses, a cookhouse and a recreation hall. There lias been some difficulty about the transport of the timber after it has been cut. The Newfoundlanders arc keen to harness the wild New Forest ponies in teams of 13 or more to sledges made from felled trees.