CAMP AMENITIES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 3 June 1942, Page 2

CAMP AMENITIES

“ARMY DOING EVERYTHING IT CAN.” POSITION IN THE WAIRARAPA. An assurance that everything possible was being done by the Army to provide eamp amenities was given at a meeting of local body representatives last night by Mr S. K. Siddells, Mayor of Pahiatua. Mr Siddells drew attention to the position in regard to the construction of defence works generally in New Zealand. The public, he said, did not realise the scarcity of labour. Timber was not available in the quantity desired, and that was the cause, to a very large extent, of the delay in the erection of camp amenities. At the present time five gangs of men were engaged in the Wairarapa on that work, and they were being assisted by the soldiers themselves. By the end of he said, every camp in the Wairarapa would have drying rooms and mess shelters. The Army, he said, should not be blamed for circumstances over which it had no control. The Mayor of Masterton, Mr T. Jordan, said he had accompanied the Minister of Defence, Mr Jones, when he inspected Wairarapa camps. Mr Jordan said the Minister was impressed with the necessity of providing camp facilities as soon as possible. The Minister appeared to be very anxious to do what he could to improve the position for the men. All knew that there were difficulties.