TRENTHAM COMMISSION.

Marlborough Express, Volume XLIX, Issue 169, 20 July 1915, Page 5

TRENTHAM COMMISSION.

HUTMENTS, SANITATION, AND j BOOTS. j WELLINGTON, July 19. Mr R, W. Holmes, En^incev-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, pp.ve evidence to-day before the Trentham Royal Commission. He said that up to the present he had had nothing to do with the oj-ection of hutments. On Tuesday last 'l«i was asked to take charge of all the work. He considered the hutments fairly satisfactory. They _ would be rather cold on frosty nights, and some attention would have to be given to ventilation. With regard to sanitation he considered the collection of sewtige was satisfactory, but the disposal after collection provided greater difficulties, in view of the ground possibly becoming clogged with particles 'of solid matter. He iwid under consideration nitans lor dealing with this. , Al r Holmes, continuing his evidence, paid that improvements at th<* camp were to be made at-a cost -approximately of £28 000. He considered the .fdte a very suitable, one for a. caftip. Major James O'Sullivan, Assistant Quai-toi-master-Genei-al, said that tho Department let a contract, for. Z-/M pairs of boots per month to. K. fcuraiah. and Co., of Wellington, and O'Brien and Co., of Chnstchuich. The difficulty commenced when in addition to ihe 1700 men originally provided for the authorities put m the Trentham Regiment, the JJield Artillery, base hospitals, and other .'H^Hohot: What we want to know is whether there was . suttwnent activity displayed in getting boo. ; s. As a matter of fact, you don't get 'enough now? v Witness: No, -we do not.—He added that efforts were made at once 'to increase the supply. Other boat manufacturers were invited to supply a.t the com tract price.