TEE NTH AM CAMP.

Press, Volume LI, Issue 15395, 28 September 1915, Page 8

TEE NTH AM CAMP.

BEPOBT OF COMMISSION*. DISCUSSION IN HOUSE. (ABRIDGED rRESS ASSOCIATION* REPORT.) "WELLINGTON. September 27. In the House of Representatives this evening, the Hon. James Allen moved that the report of the Trentham Camp Commission be referred to the Government for consideration.

Dr. Thacker thanked the Prime Minister for keeping faith with the House in giving members an opportunity to discuss this valuable report. He proposed to confine his remarks to one or trfo points. First he proposed to criticise the constitution of the Commission itself. The Commission had been set up by a Reform Government, and no ono else had a say in the selec-' tion of the men who were to sit in judgment on the camp. He did not agree with the personnel of the Commission, and had he had a say in the matter ho could have suggested more suitable gentlemen. The general opinion of the Commission was that it was appointed simply to cover up a blunder, but the weak spots in the camp still stood out in relief. That at least was the vcrdiet of the greater part of the public and the Press. He did not think the Government should have appointed their cwn judges to adjudicate on their own offenco —if offence there was. Ho did not say there was an offence: it was all <hie to misjudgment, largely due to the fact that the Minister of Defence was greatly overworked, having three large departments to control. •Ono of the mistakes made by the Minister was the disregard of Lord Kitchener's pronouncement that the AYaimarino plain was the most suitable site in the Dominion for a military camp. Added to this, insufficient attention was paid to the health of our men in camp, and this neglect resulted in our boys becoming divitalised, and measles followed. Things had changed for the better since, for when he saw tho men at Waikanao yesterday they looked splendid. Ho clid not blame the Minister for the outbreak of the epidemics ; that fault lay at the door of his staff officers, and more particularly Colonel Gibbon, whose duty it was to report to tho Minister that there wero infectious diseases in the camp. Had the Minister known thisc he no doubt would have broken up the camp much sooner. Dr. Purdy was a much-injured man, and had been greatly misjudged. Great credit had been given to Dr. \ alintino for the work he did, but it was not all deserved. Minor mistakes had been made by other officers, as, for instance, in the position of the hutments, but the great weakness about Trentham j was tho absence of tho requisite hours of sunshine to keep it sanitary. Discussing tho Pensions Board, Dr. Thacker said he regretted that no experienced woman was placed on that Board. Dr. Newman said mistakes were fitul being made at Trentham Camp. The curse of the camp was delay; nothing was done in time. Tho men were still in want of proper baths, and the recommendations of Surgeon-General Henderson were not being given effect to. Ho compared this with the methods of Kitchener, who ''shot'' incompetent men. He had no compliments for Trentham Camp to-day. Tho men were too crowded, and there was top much dust in all tho camps. Unless this was stopped, unless baths were provided, incinerators built, and the huts lined, they were going to have all kinds of summer diseases and no end of trouble. This could be avoided if General Henderson's recommendations were promptly carried out. That was all the Minister had to do. Ho urged the Minister to keep a watchful eye on the troops at iSamoa, where -there was great risk of an epidemic breaking out. Someone should bo sent down to report on tho state of the barracks there. Mr Wilford urged the Government to give General Henderson every assistance. The House would not tolerate his recommendations being trifled with; tho country would not stand so high an authority, who had been brought out to help us, being shelved. No matter what it cost, what General Henderson said should l>o done. Ho strongly condemned what he called tho '■"cigarette" policy of the early days of the war, a policy under which cigarettes were sold to the troops at retail prices, and tho merchants collared tho duty, which they had not paid, as well as tneir ordinary profits. He hoped there would be no more of that. Mr Parr said ho strongly resented Dr. Thacker's attack .on the personnel of the Commission. He understood that Sir Joseph Ward was consulted with regard to the selection of the Commissioners, and it was absurd to say that "the Government had selected, their own judge and jury. As to the report, it was undoubtedly a mild censure of official bungling at Trentham. but it was no use over the past. "Wo should look t<T tho future, and in this connexion he urged that respectful consideration should be given to General Henderson's recommendations.

Mr Field (Nelson) said he hoped th« Government would make some provision for the dependents of those men who had died in camp without having an opportunity of striking a blow for their country. Mr P. C. Webb said the Commission's report bore out every word uttered by Dr. Thacker in his criticism of the camn. Mr Escott laid the blame for all the trouble at the door of Colonel Purdy. The man who deserved credit for reforming Trentham was Dr. Valintine, for from the time he took chargfc things began to improve. Under these circumstances he regretted to find Colonel Purdy still holding an important office. •Mr* Field (Otaki) put in a plea for the dependents of the men who had died in camp. The Hon. James Allen, in his reply, defended the constitution of the Commission, describing the qualifications of each member of the Commission. The Commission was not appointed hurriedly, and before it was appointed the Leader of the Opposition was consulted. He was not holding three portfolios when the Trentham trouble arose. He had been relieved of Education by one of his colleagues. Had it been possible, lie would have appointed a Director of Medical Services long ago, but there was the question of expense to be faced. It would be remembered that two years ago there was keen criticism of the Defence expenditure, and we had to go cautiously. It was not until the trouble at Trentham developed that he felt compelled to faco the expense. He was very glad to know that Surgeon-General Henderson was here, and he could assure the House that no one would value Colonel Henderson's reports more than he would. He defended the time spent in training at Trentham, and warned members against trying to make conditions there too easy. Th© great consideration was to make soldiers of the men. He defended Colonel Gibbon and Dr. Valintine against the attack of Dr. Thacker, and described both thei-e officers as class men. On the authority of I>r. Valintine he asserted that the numerous admissions to the military hospital were due to the great care taken of the men. every man with a cold being sent to hospital. Th© baths, were being erected at Trentham. and should bo finished this week. The evidence on the Question of lining the huts was most contradictory. The health of the troops at Samoa was not being overlooked, and as to the complaint of Mr Payne, lectures were regularly given at the camp and in the transports on the subject referred to. He quoted the report to show that the dust nuisanco

was not abnormal at Trent-ham, and bo denied that the leport'bore out tho statement of the member for Nelson that the most elementary rules of sanitation had been neglected at the enmp. There was no warrant for such a statement in the report. As to provision for the dependents of those who had died in the camp, he could say that an amendment of the Defence Act would be brought forward this session which would incet the cases mentioned. If Dr. 'l'hacker knew that the trouble at Tiontham was cercbro-spinal mouingitis before the camp doctors knew it, then his duty was to acquaint his brotherdoctors of the fact, aud he surely had something on his conscience if he did not do so. He defended Dr. Purdy from tho attacks mad<> on him. He might not hare done all that a man could do, or he might not have known all that a man should have known, but he did good work, and he still had to be heard in his defence on the point as to how tho epidemic arose at Trenthanx. The Minister paid tribute to the good work done at Trentham by all concerned in tlie training of our men. Our 4th and sth Reinforcements - were so well trained that they wero sent straight to the front without further training. What other country, ho asked, could say the same? The House rose at 9.50 p.m.