SECOND-HAND CLOTHING

Evening Star, Issue 17154, 22 September 1919, Page 5

SECOND-HAND CLOTHING

FAILURE TO DISINFECT. [Special to the ■ Star.’] CHRISTCHURCH September 22. A few days ago complaint was made that second-hand clothing has been sold by the Defence Department in Christchurch without being fumigated. It was alleged that some of the clothing was in a. disgusting condition. The publicity which has been given the matter has uncovered? further information. It is asserted that there has been neglect even in respect to the clothing of returned members of the foreign service branch of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. It is said that the clothing was always received into the Christchurch stores and was about the premises for at least some days and was never disinfected—the employees having to work in the stench of it in the meantime and to take their chance of catching anything infectious. One case cited was that of clothing from one of the holds of the transport Pakeha. It is alleged that the late Lance-corporal Rogers (who recently died of pneumonia) and his staff found when they camo to chock the clothing that the hold had apparently been used as a latrine and the filth on the clothing which had to he handled was simply indescribable. It is claimed that the fact that the clothing was sold only ns “old rags” does not excuse the neglect to disinfect, because apart from tho stuff going to the papermills it is also sought after by those who manufacture it into flock. It requires no imagination to see its possibilities of causing great harm to the health of the community. On its passage to the papermills it has to be handled by others. It is asserted as a fact that since this clothing has been going into tho Defence stores in Christchurch the health of the ordnance staff has been anything but good. While there may bo disagreement concerning the condtion of discarded clothing of homo service troops in the defence stores in Christchurch there can be no doubt now that some of the clothing landed from transports was in an insanitary condition. Colonel R. A. Chaffev (officer commanding the Canterbury military district) remarked to a, ‘ Sun ’ reporter;—“ln the absence of means of fumigating tho stuff in Christchurch it would have been better if it had been burned. Instructions were given by General Richardson in my presence that it was to be disinfected before being sent to Wellington.’ 1 It was stated recently that the Defence Department had been advertising secondhand mattresses for sale, and it was asked whether those mattresses had been fumigated. Tho Christchurch officers of the department were unable to give any information on the subject as the mattresses were being sold from Dunedin. Further inquiries which have been made show that the mattresses were not advertised as second-hand. They are new flax mattresses which were manufactured at Port Chalmers and have never loft the stores. They are not required now because of the signing of peace.