THE NEW CAMPS

New Zealand Times, Volume XL, Issue 9093, 12 July 1915, Page 9

THE NEW CAMPS

VISITED BY MINISTERS. THE HOSPITAL ARRANGEMENTS. HON. J. ALLEN AT TAUHERENIKAU. Yesterday the Minister for Defence (the Hon. James Allen) paid a visit .to the new camp at Tauherenikau, where some 800 men of the mounted rifles, artillery, and engineers are quartered., It was intended on Saturday to move the 6th Reinforcements to their camp, but owing to tne severe weather the idea was abandoned for the time being. The train which conveyed the Minister and his party took also some field cookers for tho use of the camp. “I made a thorough inspection of the camp and the hospital arrangements,” said the Minister last night. “ The men had been unfortunate in having to go into the new camp during the bad weather experienced on Saturday, but the conditions, m the circumstances, were satisfactory. The surface at the camping ground, is a sandy loam, with a pebbly subsoil, and there is a slope that provides natural drainageThe ground was not particularly wet, in spite of the exceptionally heavy rain, and tho man had settled down in good spirits. The chief need appeared to be tent floors, and we are dealing with that matter as quickly as possible. Timber that has been ordered already will bo sent to tho camp, and the officer commanding has authority to buy timber locally if it can be obtained. The tent floors will be constructed quickly. A few of the tents were reported to be leaky, but quarters already on the ground were found to accommodate severity'"or eighty men, and the tents thus set'free have been put over the leaky ones', thus providing double protection. “The Tauherenikau camp is two or three miles from the railway, the approach being by a good road. The local settlers and the people of Featherston have volunteered to put down gravel from the river bed where it is required, and they were busy with their carts yesterday. I understand they intend to carry the gravelled road right up to the supply tents. Their generous and patriotic effort is of very great assistance to the Defence authorities, and I want to thank them warmly. A good water supply has been secured from an ' artesian well at the camp. The sanitary arrangements are good already, and they will he improved during the week. A camp cannot be constructed in a day, and, naturally, it will be a long time before any of these new camps are as well equipped as Trentham camp is at the present time. “The hospital accommodation is not being taxed at all severely at Tauherenikau, but one object of my visit was |

to see that it was satisfactory. The buildings owned by the heatherston Racing Club have been placed at our disposal, and appear to provide warm and comfortable quarters. Two doctors were in the camp to-day -when I was there. One nurse was in camp, and another nurse was engaged during my visit- Some ambulance men were on the spot. I saw all the sick. One man had measles, and was in the tea kiosk. Two men had bad throats, and about twenty men had colds. The sick men all had proper beds, and they were thoroughly comfortable. The tea kiosk has been set aside for cases that require’ nursing, and any severe cases that may occur will be sent to the Greytown hospital.’’ Tlio Minister added that ho had given definite instructions with regard to the reporting of all cases of illness to headquarters, in order that information might be sent promptly to the next of kin. If a man was reported sick and was unable to perform light duties he was to go into hospital, and his name and condition were to be reported to headquarters. If he could undertake light duties he would not go into hospital, but would be carefully watched in order that he might receive attention promptly if he required it. It was hoped that this arrangement would do away with the difficulty that had existed with regard to the conveying of information to the relatives ol sick men.

With regard to the medical arrangements generally, the Minister for Defence stated that Dr Valintine was inspecting medical officer for all the camps, and would supervise all tho hospital work. A special sanitation officer had been secured to give expert advice concerning the sanitary arrangements at the camp. Lieutenant-Colonel H. R.-Potter would be Inspector of Camps, and would see that the sites were suitable, and that the provision for the accommodation of the men was adequate.