THE TRENTHAM CAMP

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9092, 10 July 1915, Page 6

THE TRENTHAM CAMP

The suddenness with -which the Government arrived at its decision to abandon the Trentham Camp, and the promptitude with which the work of removal 'was commenced, suggest that there was ample reason for this radical change. Nevertheless, it required a great deal of outspoken criticism from the Opposition before the Government was stirred to action. As might naturally be expected, the Opposition is being .blamed in . certain interested quarters for worrying the Government at a moment of supreme anxiety. Probably there would have been no supreme anxiety in the Government mind, however, if there had been no scathing exposure by the Opposition. It transpires now that there were a great many things vitally affecting the health and equipment that the Government was not aware of, and that the Opposition h‘as been able to make Ministers acquainted with, and not the least of these was that the camp was insanitary and was becoming a menace to the lives of the soldiers. In making these disclosures, the Opposition have laid themselves open to the accusation that they are displaying party animosity, but this is a charge from which they will be fully absolved by public opinion when it becomes apparent what a great service has already been rendered to the public interests. However, the Opposition must .be prepared at every step for the taunt, however ill-deserved, that they are attempting to raise the party issue and are unpatriotic. Not only have their motives been questioned, but they have also found some difficulty in securing the right of freedom of speech in order to make these necessary disclosures. Several days ago, when Dr Thacker was pleading with the House to give him a hearing on this Trentham question, and the Speaker was explaining that he could only speak with the unanimous indulgence of the House, Mr Nosworthy, the Government ‘Vhip,” called the “No” that was requisite to close the doctor’s mouth. In this way, party was being used to enforce silence on a matter of great public consequence. Dr Thacker has discovered a means of making himself heard since then, and has been heard to some practical purpose, bur nevertheless the reproach is being unscrupulously used against the Opposition members that their protests have been made solely to serve party ends. Seeing that the Trentham Camp is now being hurriedly changed, in the face of Mr Allen’s reiterated assertion that it was quite sanitary, the Opposition are entitled to public gratitude rather than party misrepresentation.