TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

Sun (Christchurch), Volume II, Issue 457, 28 July 1915, Page 3

TRENTHAM ENQUIRY.

THE HOSPITAL SYSTEM. Press Association. WELLINGTON, July 27. At the Trentham Enquiry yesterday, Mr J. T. M. Hornsby, M.P., gave evidence regarding the case of Private Pearson. Pearson did not want to give evidence as he feared the consequences. The. Commission intimated that it would call Pearson. Captain Steele came before the Commission again to say that he had visited Berhampore Hospital. He now wished to say it was not a whare in size, but the conditions pertaining to it were those of a whare. Witness continued to speak contemptuously of the place, and the Judge told him there could be no further discussion. They could do very much better with the plans before them and the evidence of others than what witness chose to say about it. William Chas. Pollard, a brother of Private Pollard, of Chrislchurch, who died at Berhampore Hospital, read letters from his brother saying thai they were sleeping over 80 men in a hut. The food was not cooked well. Mr Pollard said that the notification of his brother's serious illness was received on June 20. Captain Harrison said that Private Pollard's condition was 100 serious to allow his removal to a private nursing home. He objected to civilian interference, which would upset the whole organisation. The patient, the medical officer added, was in too critical a condition to be removed. Witness then said he would like Dr' Thacker to see the deceased. That was like a red rag to a bull. Captain Harrison did not know that Dr Thacker was at Berhampore at the time witness was speaking ,to' him. After communicating with the Hon. It. Heaton Rhodes, a consultation was arranged between Drs Herbert and Anderson. Witness alleged that his brother had been neglected as far as doctors were concerned. A doctor only visited him once a day, which was .not enough. Previously the deceased, who was a strong, vigorous man, 20 years of age, had neverjiad a day's sickness in his life. Captain Herbert Goldstein, M.B. and Ch.B., of London University, stated that he bad been in charge of the military ward at the Wellington Hospital since the 11th inst. He gave particulars of cases of scarlet fever which had been treated there. William Frederick Solomon, a private of the First Battalion of the Trentham Regiment, stated that he left Chrislchurch on May "28 to come into camp. The men were given one pair of boots. He obtained a mattress by paying 2/- for it, and procured a quantity of straw from the store. The quartermaster-ser-geant was selling the mattresses. He burnt his afterwards by order of the military authorities, and did not secure another one. His present camp was at Rangiotu. On the night he arrived.at Trentham, nearly 80.men slept in the;.same hut, and until the sickness broke out there were 70 men sleeping in it. Men had.to sleep under the tables, of which there were four in the hut. Draughts seemed to come up from the floor and play round his body at night. The deceased Pollard, whom he knew, was still waiting for his boots a day or two after arriving in camp. He had stated that he had had his feet wet for a day or two. Witness offered him his own boots. He had tried unsuccessfully on three occasions to get information about Pollard's illness. Witness explained that the custom in obtaining tea was for the men to dip their mugs in the "dixie." Men who had come back from hospital, after having sore throats, dipped Hilar mugs in the same as the others, and this was going on still. The men had to buy their own soap, and even had to buy the tea towels with which to wipe the dishes. The men were told to fold their blankets and put them on the palliasse, then to fold their coats and put them on the blankets. They had to do this when their coats were very wet, the order being that this must be done whether the coat was wet or dry. The Commission adjourned till tomorrow. should be given to parents of illegitimate children to get married. Mr W. IT. Field (Otaki) thought that an allowance to the mother of illegitimate children might prove a help to a man to carry out his obligations. Mr Allen said he would be prepared to have sub-section (a) recommitted for consideration. Sir Joseph Ward said that he was going to suggest that the sub-clause could be readily amended so as only to refer to a future wife where there were living illegitimate children. The matter was sufficiently important to refer to the Defence Committee. Mr Allen: Then I will refer it to the Defence Committee. ft was arranged that progress should be reported with a view to considering a motion to refer the whole of the proposed amendments to the Defence Committee. On the House resuming Mr Allen moved accordingly, and the resolution was at once adopted.