THE DEFENCE INQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLIX, Issue 4862, 7 May 1918, Page 5

THE DEFENCE INQUIRY.

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS

Press Association WELLINGTON. May 6. Before the Defence Commission today. Colonel (Dr) Yalintine gave an account of the measures taken .to combat cerebro spinal-meningitis when it was most virulent at Trentham camp in 1915. He said that when Trentham camp was broken up the epidemic ceased. The steps taken since—inhalation treatment and segregation of recruits in a camp other than Trentham during the winter months —had been very successful, iln winter there was a greater risk of catarrhal disease among recruits and catarrhal diseases predisposed men to cerebro-spinal infection. He did not consider this segregation necessary now. There was no epidemic disease. Lieutenant-General McGill said the recruits most liable to infection were hardy young men from the country who had lived an open an life and nob faced any danger of infection. When Tauhorenikau eamp was established for recruits everything was kept very primitive and the men lived al ays in the open air. This camp, although for recruits only, was the healthiest of all. Q.M. Sergeant Beanland said he had served abroad three years and a month and was sent back to New "Zealand after a special course of instruction in England. He was with the Irish Guards for seven weeU and learned their system. He ana others sent to New Zealand were put on the Quartermaster-Genei al s btatt, but had not been asked to introduce the methods learned m England. Under the battalion system followed in the Irish Guards many .less men were Required to carry out the Quartermaster’s work than were employed for similar numbers -of men at Trentham. He said Tren tham had no time for returned soldiers-