SOLDIERS IN PALESTINE.

North Otago Times, Volume CVI, Issue 14026, 18 January 1918, Page 8

SOLDIERS IN PALESTINE.

NEED OF- MOSQUITO TENTS.

Eoference to the campaigning conditions in Palestine was made yesterday by Captain A, Kinder, N.Z.M.C., who returned to the Dominion recently after two years' service with the New Zea ; land troops. He said typhoid.had very rare, but malaria and dipheria had given a little trouble. He expressed the opinion that as the Britisii forces have readied the Jordan Valley the mosquito pest will, be greater, and there will be ' more malaria. Captain Kinder explained that the men of the Imperial forces are supplied with mosquito tents, which completely protect them, an office which the mosquito-netting supplied to jilie New Zealand soldiers cannot be said to perform. He suggests that it is essential that- tlie New Zealanders should be supplied with these tents, and urges that the work of making theni: should be commenced at once, so that the troops will receive tliem before ' the really severe months of June, July, and August are reached. The tent Used by the British soldiers has a calico top measuring fift by 2ft 1 Gin, with a curtain mos-quito-netting, hanging down, all round to a,depth of 2ft, and beneath this a | strip of calico about a.foot' wide. : When iin use Hie tent is limig on i'oilr supports, and the calico strip at. 'the foot is tucked under the sleeper, thus giving I him immunity froiii mosquito bites. The | New Zealnmler, on the other hand, mereI Iy wraps himself in , his netting, .or spreads it over his Ijeffd, and gains yery'Jittle protection.-Tt is suggc?ttil,' to those who follow Captain Kin.der!a ' ' t ■ ' -' ' advice that the tents -should .'.be; folded; aiid packed in stoutjcalicO'OV cloth bags' suitable for carrying on the saddle,