THE STRICKEN 40ths

Evening Post, Volume XCVI, Issue 113, 8 November 1918, Page 6

THE STRICKEN 40ths

QUESTIONS IN PARLIAMENT

MINISTER'S REPLIES

Members of the House of Representatives have asked various questions about the transport which carriedthe 40th Reinforcements, stricken by a virulent form of influenza, which brought death to many. The Minister of Defence has given the following replies :— NO ROYAL COMMISSION. To Mr. M'Callum (Wairoa) : "iisr* wj no overcrowding in the vessel conveying the 40th Reinforcement. The numbers carried were less than those carried on prevkious voyages of the same vessel. I am in favour of troops en route to destination disembarking where possible, but the treatment of the men at Albany is governed by the requirements of the authorities at that port. 'According to the accepted standards for troopships the vessel was in excess of requirements. Ido not consider a Royal Commission, justified, as everything possible was done to provide for the comfort and health of the men." RECORDS OF PREVIOUS TROOPSTo Dr. Thacker (Christchurch East) : "(l)No soldiers suspected of carrying any form of infectious disease were permitted to embark on the transport when she sailed on the 10th July, 1918. Twenty-six men contacts with a case of scarlet fever were in isolation during the period of training of the 40th Reinforcement. With the exception of this case the reinforcement, was singularly free of disease while undergoing training. Every reinforcement draft is examined by bacteriological methods on mobilisation and just prior to embarkation for cases in which the throat-con-dition permits of a suspicion that the meningococcus organism may be present. Forty such cases were dealt with from among the 40th Reinforcement during .their period of training.' These were isolated and treated, and not permitted to, return to their unit till repeated examination proved them to be free from suspicion. The final examination was mad© about three weeks prior to embarkation, and any case regarding whom any suspicion remained was not permitted to embark. The proportion of suspects so treated from the _ 40th Reinforcement was not notably high. . "(2) Prior to the sailing of the 40th Reinforcement the transport had made ten voyages carrying troops. On one of these trips—in 1916—a death from cerebro-spinal meningitis occurred, and on the same trip another death attributed to influenza was probably due to oejrebro-spinal meningitis. These two are the only deaths in ten journeys due to this cause. Since that joura&y in 1916 the same transport has made three voyages carrying troops without any deaths from this cause, and a fourth voyage was made also as a cargo-boat. Regarding the voyage prior to that carrying the 40th Reinforcement ' the Army Sanitary Committee imported that the transport appears to have had little sickness during the voyage, but on disembarkation two cases of measles were found. It is obvious that no connection is conceivable between the two deaths in 1916 and the outbreak among the 40th Reinforcement. "(3.) There is no record of tranflhipment of troops to another transport on account of sickness. "(4.) The vessel is now being utilised by the Imperial authorities for the conveyance of troops. The vessel was transferred to the Imperial Government at their request as she was deemed eminently suitable for troopship work. "(5.) No troops were accommodated in the ship's holds. They were accommodated in the main decks or decks above that. The main deck is not below water-level, and adequate ventilation by wind-sails, shafta, and hatchways was provided apart from the portholes. "(6.) Hammocks do not overlap, and suitable provision—by means of wooden tubs—is and has always been made for sea-sickness. Where hammock accommodation is provided the meals are partaken in the sleeping-quarters. This is in accordance with the accepted principles for troopship-accommodation, and has been found to be the most sanitary arrangement. "(7.) If soldiers were ordered below decks in the tropics, such must have been rendered necessary through the exigencies of war: Every endeavour is made to afford the maximum of comfort and fresh air throughout the trying voyage through the tropics." THE TRANSFER. To Mr. Sidey (Dunedin South): — "(1) The vessel had been transferred to the Imperial authorities for trooping purposes prior to her departure from New Zealand. Whether New Zealand or other troops were to be carried in future was not known, the vessel being considered as suitable for any class of trooping; (2) the numbers carried were less than on previous voyages ; (3) I have no information regarding the percentage of deaths on other vessels of the convoy." MEMBERS DISSATISFD3D. Mr. M'Callum said he did hops the Minister for Defence would grant a Commission of inquiry of some kind. He believed that about 170 soldiers lestf than on the previous voyage were carried on this occasion; but the transport was a cargo boat on this occasion. No . fewer than 61,000 feet of air space for merly occupied by the soldiers were taken up with cargo on .this occasion. The two doctors were young, inexperienced men, he was informed. One was not even qualified. Sir James Allen: They were both qualified. Mr. M'Callum said he was also informed that there was a shortage of drugs. . PRESSURE FOR COMMISSION. Mr. Lee trusted that the answer would not be the last word on the subject. Statements were being made throughout New Zealand which, in his judgment, camo from reliable sources, which should be either proved or denied. If there were no inquiry there would be debate, which would give no satisfaction. If the conditions were proper it could be easily proved; if they were not proper, then the House had a right to know it, and the relatives of men had a right to such compensation as could be given if there had been negligent conduct. This was not a light matter. Sir James Allen: 1 do not say it is a light matter. Mr. Lee: Then if it is not a.light matter it should not be dismissed in, the way in which the Minister dismisses it here. Mr. J. X. >I. Homsby emphasised the giavity of the question. Mr. Anderson (Mataura) also urged the setting up of a Itoya] Commission. Sir James Allen said he was quite Jitepared to have a Commission, but the question was: Would it bo of any use? They had to get evidence from the other side of the world. Mr. Lee: Why not? Tlie Minister: We are getting it. There had been inquiries made in England, and he had received two tele-ffs-aphic rapovtt | but until h? received _«i9_«pe^.>y mail j*jra* jwtjftAJSte-

tion to say what happened after the last port of call. NO OVERCROWDING. Mr. Lee: Overcrowding is a New Zealand fluestion. The Minister : Yes, it is; I say unhesitatingly that there was no overcrowding. The ship carried fewer troops than on previous voyages, and there was more air space than was allowed for by the Admiralty regulations. Mr. Lee : It depends on how you read the regulations. The Minister said that so far as his judgment went it was not a question of overcrowding. Unfortunately the ship called at a port, and got the epidemic there. What did need inquiry, and was being inquired into, was whether the ship had on board the drugs, etc., which should have been there. These epidemics might break out at any time, and it was not fair to attach blame where it was not attachable! "I am quite willing, if the Prime Minister at^rees, to have a Committee of the House, or any other committee, to have a full inquiry."