"ACT OF VANDALISM"

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2510, 10 July 1915, Page 3

"ACT OF VANDALISM"

ON THE MAHENO CONTENTS OF THE MATTRASSES DR, THACKER ANQ HIS "SAMPLES."

llio Hospital Ship incident, in which Dr. Thacker (Ghristcliurcli E;jst) figured so prominently on Thursday, was again referred to in tho House yesterday, afternoon. i

Mr. Mander (Marsden) asked tho Jlinister of Defence 'whether tho Defence Department was responsible for the equipment of the ship, and whether it was not a fact that the .bedding, etc., had been supplied by public subscription. The Hon. J. Allen replied that tlio skip, was equipped partly by the Government and partly by means of private subscriptions." The Government had paid for tke hire of tho ship and the alterations ■ to tke vessel as well as for bedsteads. 'The Governor li-ad by his own desiro led a movement to provide the remainder of ti»'e equipment hj means of_ private subscriptions; The bedding, instruments, and stores of that kind had been provided by these means. 'As to tho action, of a member of the House who had cut a piece off one of the. ruga— — ; Dr. Thacker: No, I did not. Mr. Allen: Well, you tore it off.' Dr. Tliacker: I absolutely deny that I interfered with a*rug at all, except to' tako a tag off it. j Mr. Allen said that although visitors to the skip were directed not to touch anything on the vessel, .the .honourable member had taken samples from mat- . tresses and pillows, for the purpose, as he "understood, of ascertaining- whether they had been sterilised. An' lion. member: He gut them in his pocket! Mr; Allen said that , he'had ascer-tained-that tho contents of tho mat- 1 tresses and bedding had been made by Messrs. Scovillar and Company. The 'member for Christckjirch East -\vould be glad.to. hear this. , . ' ' _, Mr. Buick: Ho has had the samples in his'pocket since then: Mr. Allen said ho was sorry that such an act of vandalism had -, taken place,.and he had.oppressed regret for the occurrence to tke - committee. If. the honourable gentleman who'committed tho act of-vandalism and mistrust really wanted to do a service, as-he professed he.wanted to do, he should, nave done-so by. representing his . case to tke Minister of . Defence, and if he could not have got satisfaction from the Minister or his Department, ho would then 'have, been justified in publishing what he did.. Dr. Tliacker rose to make a personal explanation. "In view of the absolutely courteous manner in which I havo been treated," he started,: but Mr. Speaker drew his attention to tko.fact that-ho could only state where' ho-had been misrepresented,, and not make comment. Ur. Tliacker.: I 'will pomt 'out,-where the right honourable Minister unduly chastised me, and misrepresented me. In so far as the rugs were concerned, the Austrian and Bavarian rugs with tho German label on flhem—— .' Mr. Allen: It was not a German label. Dr. Thacker said that he did not cut the rug, but as far as the ■ mattresses were concerned he made a small hole at-one end of .a mattress and took out a quantity of what the Minister called hair. It was mostly wood fibre, and Hot hair at all. "It was said that I hiid committed vandalism, and if that is vandalism I mil commit it a hundred times if in the public good, even if I am ostracised' from the House. I consider the honourable gentleman on the other side of the House— —" ' Mr. Speaker: -You must not continue in that strain ' 'Dr. Thacker: The honourable gentleman on the other side of tho House said I wanted washing, .and another' statement was that perhaps I wanted sterilising. That 'is a "reflection on my personal appearance, and *my personality; and 1 wish that statement withdrawn.' ' Mr. Speaker said that he'believed the remarks were made in the way of interjection. The 1 interjections wore the cause of trouble, and lie asked members to refrain from making them. The matter then dropped, but later, tke Minister of Defence said that he had just received information that the Government Supervisor, Mr. MacDougall." saw all the mattresses and pillows maao by Messrs. Scoullar and Co. The contents he examined, and saw the hair steamed. There might bo soriie' gift ■mattresses which ,Ms remarks did not apply..to. - ■ Mr. A. M. Myors: Will the' honourable Minister inquire whether the. con-, tents of the gift mattresses .were sterilised? . Mr. Allen: I will inquire into it. STATEMENT BY THE SCOULI/AR . COMPANY, LTD. Tko Tomarks tkat have' been : made regarding the quality of the stuffing used in the mattresses supplied to the Hospital Ship Maheno -were the. subject of. a statement made by the manager for the Scoullar Company, Ltd. (Mr. Andrew. Menzies), yesterday. That, gentleman said that .his company was. the successful tenderer for tho supply of 558 hair mattresses . and 558 hair bolsters for tho Hospital Ship v and that every mattress aaid bolster was made according te samples submitted with the tender, and each contained horse-hair. They were mado' under the' supervision of a supervisor (Mr, M'Dougall) appointed by the Transport . Board, who visited tke factory; at least once daily. He saw the hair in the bulk, being teased, and in the mattress covers beforo tkey, were sewn,up, and were all approved and passed by him. The firm still kas in stock 12001b. of, hair similar ,to that used'in the mattresses, which'may be inspected by anyone sufficiently interested. This is stated for ,the reason that one correspondent had Etated that horsehair was not' procurable in the Dominion. i . Tho company lias been supplied with the following certificate:— "To the Manager of tlio Scoullar Company, Ltd.—Dear sir-,—Be the hair in mattresses and bolsters supplied by yon for the. Hospital Ship, I have pleasure in certifying that they were made according to specifications, and that they contain hores-hair to sample submitted -with your tender.. Tliey were made under the supervision of a supervisor appointed by the Transport Board, and wero finally approved and taken over.—Yours faithfully (sgd.) Tracy Inglis, Lioutenant-Colonel, Second . in Command/ Hospital Ship."