TRENTHAM CAMP ENQUIRY.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15316, 2 August 1915, Page 2

TRENTHAM CAMP ENQUIRY.

I SATURDAY'S EVfT>EXCE. j (rnE«S ASSOCIATION TF.r.ECRAM.) j WKLLiXGTO.V. August 1. ! "I ho Ti oiitliani Camp Commission took ■ rrid"noo at tile Camp ye.^torflay. j -lohn Connor, n. priviito in tho Tionj tlium l{ogim«»nt, 2nd Battalion, said ho j ramo into camp on the 129 th May, and [ hud to wait throe hoars for his kit, I finally rocoiving jt at 11 p.m. Thoro j w,i< ovidontly n shortage of nnder-cloth- . ing, u* thoy voro given only one »et at J that ( time, though tlir-y had boon told I that thoy should liavo two. He was in j tln> Ist Battalion m the first pluc?, and ! n.is n<>t ovormwded in his Imtniont. | -Miiny othor Itovovor. worf i ».vorftow<lod. and '- r >' n '' had "o shflvos, | floors or windows. Whou h*> was tiansi I'frrod lo iho i'nd liattalion ho occupied i a hut in which thoro wore about 70 | men. The doors and windows were put I in after a fortnight's occupation. "VVit- ! ross remark-x! that in the opinion of several men thoy had too much fatigue work, tsometimos doing six houtg in a day. Digging drains and so 011 was uofc | pleasant when the ground was very wot and" thoy had only one pair of hoota. Tho men complained, not lx-causo tho ■ work was hard, but because it was not the work they had come in for. Wit--1 ness had been ill at tho _Racecourse, Wellington Hospital, and Kaiwara, and ; had 110 complaint regarding his treatment. Trooper Lawrence Ctoipg described hie experience when ho became eick of measles on -Tune ot-h. Ho was sc-nt to a marquee pitched on wet ground. He obtained some straw and lay down on it. Ho lay there for three days, and was then removed to ;i. looso-l>6\ at the Racecourse, whore meals wero better, j though irregular, through lack of orderlies. ' ; Surgeon-Captain Crawford gave evidence regarding tho illness of Private Ernest Smith, of Christchuroli. "Witn<*?s received an urgent message and found Smith in .1 state of collapse. Tho patient .wan nI a end in the meningitis ward, and next day developed double bronchial pneumonia. It was incorrect to say that Smith was not properly chased while in bed. At this stage Mr Skerrett intimated that this ca,«e would be further investiga ted. A number of soldiers taken at random from those about the camp wero examined a3 to camp conditions generally, and particularly as to the treatment in cases of illness. Tlio Commission adjourned till Monday morning. .