THENTHAM INQUIRY.

Colonist, Volume LVII, Issue 13824, 20 July 1915, Page 7

THENTHAM INQUIRY.

[United Pbess Association.]

We«ingta«, July 19. At the Trentham Camp Royal Commission's inquiry, John D. Louc'h, District Engineer of tiie Public Works Department for Wellington, said the design for hutments was ultimately approved, with modifications. The Engineer-in-Chief was not consulted. An advisory board mado modifications, and witness got his instructions from the Under-Secre-tary. The modifications were in regard to lessening draught under the eaves and at the bottom of the walls. He would not say that tliere was too much air space, but the trouble was that the men were sleeping dh the floor. Captain Thomas McCristell, Gamp Quartermaster at Trentham, said there had been no difficulty in the issue of the first pairs of boot's, except when an extraordinary "12" or "13" was wanted, as in the Third Reinforcements, but there had been delay at times in issuing the second pairs. The Second Reinforcements came in on six weeks' notice, but- there was delay in obtaining the 5-eoorid issue of boots, which, though requisitioned for, had not come to hand. Mr Justice Hosking: Are there Jin.v other stores that have not come to hand? , , , „ , ' Witness: Yes; the blankets for the big body did not come. We managed to'get over the- difficulty by getting the blankets from town. Witness pointed out several defects in the drainage. Grease and silt also escaped from the cages and got into the soakpit. It was found eventually, twhat could not be1 foreseen, that the soakpit was not adequate for the purpose, and a new one had to be constructed. Each set of huts or cookhonses should have its own soakage. Ho considered the soil all round was good for drainage, with splendid gravel. There were soakpits in use now which had J>een in use in October. They were covered by manuka fascines, so that they could 'be inspected from time to time, and had proved quite satisfactory. After some examination by Dr. Martin, witness said he had never made a report in writing of defects in the drainage, but he had mentioned the matters to Colonel Morice and Dr. Finch.

To Mr W. Ferguson: Ati ordinary times his staff was sufficient for the work. .No request of his for assistance had been refused.

To Dr. Martin: He had not inspected tlie drainage system in company with the medical officer. At first witnesß used to go the round with the sanitation officer, but it took him five hours, ani he had to send the quarter-master-sergeant. To Mr Gray: Everything went nilright in connection with sanitation up to May 29th, when defects came under his rotice. He mentioned them to the medical officers. Witness said that there was a sufficient supply of clothing, apart from boots, in tlie early days. The .construction of the boots was unsatisfactory, but that had been remedied. Lieutenant Philip N. Pettie, .Supply and Transport Officer, stated that the qiuility of the food was good, and any individual complaint of shortage/ was generally foxird to be due to a mistake. There were no grounds for suggesting that fruil and vegetables sent to the camp as gifts had not readied the men. Captain McCristell, recalled, was asked if he had seen statements in the Press that men had lain in tents, neglected.

Witness said that some of the statements were true, but they were not true as to sick men lying in the tents. The only men he knew to be lying in tents were those who had been given what was known as light duty. R. W. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief of the Public Works Department, said that up tr> the present he had had nothing to do with the erection of the hutments. On Tuesday last he was asked to take charge of all the work. He considered th~e hutments fairly satisfactory. They would be rather cold on frosty nights, and some attention would have to bo given to ventilation. With regard to sanitation, he considered tho collection of sewage was satisfactory, but the disposal after collection provided greater difficulties, in view of the* ground possibly becoming clogged with. particles of solid matter. He had under consideration means for dealing with this. Improvements at the camp wero to bo at a cost approximately of £28,000. He considered the site a very suitnblo one for the canip. ■ Major James O'Sullivan, AssistantQuartermastei -General, said that tihe Department let a contract for 2250 pairs of boots per month, R. Hannah and Co., Wellington, and O'Brien and Co., Christclrarch, being the contractors. The difficulty commenced when in addition to the 1700 men originally provided for, tho authorities put in tlw Trentham Regiment, Field Artillery, Base Hospitals, ami other troops. His Honour • What we want to know is whether there was sufficient activity displayed in getting .loots. As a matter cf fact you don't get enough now? Witness: *N% we do not. He added that efforts were made at once to increase tho 'supply. Other boot manufacturers wero invited to supply at the contract price.