TRENTHAM CAMP.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 231, 28 September 1915, Page 9

TRENTHAM CAMP.

IMPROVED CONDITIONS

DISCUSSED BT PAHUAMLEKT. AN AGITATION JUSTIFLED. -$ "DELAY THE CURSE OF TRENTHAM.' , Itt Teltsrapb — Parliamentary Keporter.) WELLINGTON, Monday. In »«cordance with, the promise given ■tie House some time ago by the Prime Jiiuster, the report of the Royal Cornjjistion on Trenth&m Camp vrae brought Xi lor di.-cussion among members when ft House met to-night, the Minuter

fitting matters in order by formally ■f wring that the report be referred to tie Government for consideration. - Dr. TtiAO-ker opened the debate. The H&j»l I'oramiseion, he remarked, wai ■yirrfedjy appointed in the teeth of a ■Jijrious agitation. It was appointed by ■<j« Reform <io\ eminent, atid although tie. chairman, a Judge of the Supreme Court, w' h gentleman against whom tnrord could be said, yet he concluded (Jt chairman ehould have been a aihtary authority. There was no military man on the Commission, and n[ one of the members wan a man of $ifODg local bias. It was remarkable tgatA that Dr. Martin, the only gentloB4C of actual practical experience on the CinuDtuion, gay» hi- independent (jhJDKin in a separate section of the .liport. "I have travelled up and down puts of the country recently, and I am «avineed that it is the opinion of the gijority of people in New Zealand that frif Commi**lon was made and apsirateJ to rover and smother up a huge k under," declared the doctor. A SELECTED JURY. [The member for Christ-church East j *sit on to .say that in a court of justice IHβ jury was not selected by the per^ou i jitinst whom the charge was laid, yet ; tte Prime Minister and his Cabinet Relied their own jury to judge their ' affence, if Mich it wa«. "i do not believe tbat it wa* an offence," he explained. "1 think the whole thing arose from inability and ignorance. I do not think i* was done in a deliberate manner. J tiink it wai crass ignorance about how ti manage our affair*. Very well, that jiry rhonrn by the Reform Government produced a verdict which i- known in Stotland as "not proven.'" • iMr. Parr: You fay there i» ho ofceace. (Laughter.) ..■[Dr. Thacker: I know there are no tfences in Auckland, and I generally ilmi tilt the s-aslfinin who -sraoocei over Wtrything against Auckland—(laughter) -rtries to do the same thing fc*re a* «{hen he was in all the glory of a city Stagnate in Auckland. iKrneunl merriment.) The only blemieh- on the sending est of the Expeditionary Force was the Jiilure. to adequately attend to tl»e ■iedical side. Men were taken out of a high standard of comfort and made' to rough it. From the beginning of June 4keue among the troops increased until JkK- a, wben keener, faster and better Snuts came Into Tbrce against the bidden {if, and it waned -away -until today 'Trentha:n Camp had VtD improved out .Mail consideration, tie considered Col. Gibbon, in allowing more cirn to go into t! amp containing infectious disease, *kt blameworthy. Colonel Purdy, who *»s w-erworked,'did not deserve.all the ■discredit some attached to him. Aβ to Trentham. he considered the hutm?nt( KM hill and the waehihg accommodation iiia«Jeiiuate. The MinleMT would probably explain the nature; of the ophthalmia itich had broken out. THE CURSE OF TREKTHAM. Dr. Newman suggested that the wport. like that of most Royal Commissions, avoided the i-sue and failed to ey who was to blame. SurgeonGeneral Henderson «u> undoubtedly a epable man, but his useful suggestions ■were not being carried! out. ' A 'Member: Give hitn time. Dr. Newman: The curse of Trentham ta* been that nobody has done his duty ia tine. HuU were not built in time. -toadt not made, and the hospital not 'SaiK in time. Everybody delays and <Wa_vs. The tupply Of baths is still inadequate after twelve month*. Dr. Xewnwn prophesied summer disei»e* unleA, the camps were kept clear of dust, the hut« lined, and warm baths provided. The Minister should ten<l Knsfone to Samoa to insist that the a*'a'» health was kept in a satisfactory Mate. He warned him that if thing* were not altered in Sarao*, there would b< trouble the tame as in Tren-tluun. 3*r. Payne stated that a medieaj man «io lectured the troops upon' a certain «fi«a*e and material for treatment given to the men w»s stopped from die.Uiboting the antidote. "This country has imported an expert. Burgeon-General Henderson is well known to be an «ipert, and what be eys ha« got to go," s*id Mr. Wilford, •dding: "We want no more of the ■ cigarette, policy of the olden days, -when oar boy» were Rent to Samoa —no more o( that sort of tomfoolery. I hope that flfis country and the .N'Ationa.l Governffleat will 'see that whatever General Hioderson's recommendation* may be tWe recommendations will be carried <n>t" (Hear, hear.) AGITATION JUSTIFIED. , Trentham ha« been so rearranged U»t it shows that there was full justification for the agitation that h&s taken plitt/ , contended Mr. Poole. adding: '1 Wiere the apitation has been productive of peat good, and that the leason Carried from the unfortunate occur reseee hi» not been forgotten, bat will twult in preator military efficiency in tlw.'near future." REOORD OF OFHCIAL BLUVDERING. Mr. Parr deplored the *tUck made on the j>ersonnel of the Commiaeion by Dr. TQeker. He hiroeelf considered that a a»re capable pertonnel could not b*ve found in Kew Zetland. To contend -*fc»t the Government deliberately • Peeked its own jury for iU own -purposes *U too ridiculous to merit discuaeion. The member, turning to the report, de■d*red that he could not help coming to •iht tonclusion that it was a record of ■official blanderinp at Trenthajn*. There *U official muddling and ineptitude, **»t it wu not worth while digging Jt 'P. a* it was not likely to recur, »n d punishment for the muddlers would not, in this ca*e, fuiai it* object. Let them Utter see to the future, and let the I*rt take care of iteelf. He joined in ejressing the hope that with thee** , " yitm of Surgeon-General Henderton *iap at Trentham and the other eemp« *OWd leave no cause for complaint. H« **d heard the suggeation from eeverai JTerters that the Minieter intended to *oai the suggestion* of General Hender> • t«. He did not believe there was »ny

foundation for such a rumour, and he! would be gUd to hear an ueuraAoe from I the Minister to that effecUFURTHER OPINIONS. Mr. T. A. H. Field (Kelson) expressed the opinion that the report was a very depressing one. It showed unmistakable incompetence in the military medical service, and the result had been that many fine young men had lost their lives. He hoped that the dependents, of the men who died at. Treutham would receive the same consideration - theyj would have received if their men had, died on the battlefield. (Hear, hear.) j '"I think the country, the Minister of i Defence, and the Cabinet should ail pay a tribute to Dr. Thacker for the emphatic protest and keen, intelligent eriticum• which did-bo much towards bringing about a change in the state lofi affairs at Trentham." was the opinion which Mr.- Webb voiocd. The finding of the Commission was inferentially a very strong condemnation of Colonel Purdy. *aid Mr. EacotV Mr. Wilford: Tha: is absolutely incorrect. Mr. Eecott: No member who reads the report for himself and .mpartially can come to any other conclusion. I have never met Colonel Purdy, but am judging him Solely upon what 1 find embodied in this report. MINISTER IN REPLY. The Minister, In reply, vigorously de- | fended the [>er»onnel of the Commiwion. i Neither was the Commission appo.nted hurriedly, but was carefully thought out. and before it vu constituted the Leader of the Opposition wis coneulted. As to the medical aide, ho would very much have li.Ved to ask the Imperial Government three yeare a«»o for the services of a director of medical service*, but the question of expcn&e had to be considered. Respecting the recommendations of Sur-geon-General Henderson no one woald value and take more notice of hie <-uggestion* thin bo • would. The Minister of Defence would always be ready to discuss any suggestions made by General Henderson, to tee how they might be put into effect. Regarding the charge* of neglect to take proper cane »nd precautions, members should recollect that we were training soldiers fo"r peculiarly arduous and warfare. Many of those young men came from drawing rooms. An hon. member: You nhould keep them alive, making the men fit. Hon. Mr. Allen: Yes. it is our duty to ke«p them alive. *>ut it is our Juty to fit them for the trenches and the climatic conditions they have to endure. If, therefore, come ot the men in training had to undergo greater privation* than they were accustomed to in order that they might be itble to stand the difficulties at the front. I am cure that the men themselves will thank us for it I wfcen they, reach the trenchte. I readily j admit the necessity of every care and ! precaution, and I think members will agree that with our experience we are ' 'doing a 1.1 that ought to be done by giving every facility to these men to inure tbemeelvt*—to hardships they may be called upon to bear later. If we failed to dp co we should be criminally rei:,on sible to their parents and friends. MISTAKES ADMITTED. The member lor Wellington East proceeded the Minister, said trut mistake* *«re aiiU l>eing- made.- U'ulL they were none of them perfect. As,to.the bathe, hot shower baths for Trentham were ordered at the beginning of the camp. Dr. Newman: Why were they not done? Mr. Allen: Why were lots of things not done? Because there were other more important things to do. A hundred were ordered at the beginning of the camp, and about six weeks ago another hundred were ordered. 1 am sorry that delay has taken place, but I am assured that they will be ready this week. Referring to the Samoan troops, the Minister said that the report he hail received, was to the effect that the health of the troops was excellent. The medical arrangements at Samoa had been reorganised thoroughly. If any specific complaints could be made, he would be kjlad to deal with them, l>ut he could not reply to vague generalities. PENSIONS' FOR THE STRICKEN. He bad already told the House that during the present session an amendment of the Defence Act would be brought down to provide for pensions for those who had lost their lives or met with accident-before-leaving the shores of New Zealand, continued Mr. Allen. He proposed to- make the amendment to apply to men at Trentham and also to -those who went into our territorial training camps. He could not say exactly at present what the proposal would be, but the bill was being drafted and provision would be made this session for thoae who had lost their lives during the eourie of training. THE QUESTION: OF BLAME. The Minister remarked that he had been aceiieed 'of being too loyal to his officers. Well, he would rather be too loyal than be disloyal. The Commission vas • nofc 1 prepared to say whether anyone was to blame. He did not say , that Colonel Purdy did everything t»t | a man could 3iave done, or that he knew everything, but Colonel Purdy worked very hard indeed, and probably had too mal-M to do. At all events, if any accusation were made against him he had the right to be beard. Mr. Wilford: Hear. hear. The Minister added that for his own part, immediately he knew that there was a Mgn of an epidemic at Trentham he made arrangements to bring about a change. The Minister read Colonel Purdv , * comment on the report which was that 'Actual facts proved that the Sixth Reinforcements at the end of April brought in 1 the first epidemic, which lasted until June 14. The Trentham -Battalions who went into camp on May 28 brought ft the double epidemic, and the dull damp atmospheric condition, tended to fan the flame. In conclusion the Minister declared that great cred.t was duo £ those medical men trh.o came forward £rl)Hto«««rt in the preparation of our troops for the front. House row.