TRENTHAM CAMP.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 11504, 28 September 1915, Page 5

TRENTHAM CAMP.

RESTRAINED CRITICS. WHAT .AUGHT HAVE BEEN" SAID*. i i (By Telegraph—Special to the Star. 1 ') J WELLINGTON, Last Night, i , Trent-ham night in the House puSHr*; ed a rather disappointing display all. The shadow of the National Cabi-, net .hung over the whole proceedings • and members for tho moat part con-' tented themselves with hinting at what they might have said bad it not _been for the circumstances, and for their desire to avoid embarrassing the Govern-, ment. -■*. After tlie Minister of Defence pn®* pared the way for the disoussion formally moving that the report of th<* Commissioners should be presented to the Governor, Dr Thaeker led off iii his own characteristic way, suggesting that a military man, Colonel Gbaifey for choice, should hare been chairman! of the Commission, and that the local evening journal, " a woivsery Toiy Conservative production," should be restrained from insulting; the intelligence of the people of Wellington by writing " cold feet piffle" about subjects it dial not understand. Having relieved hid feelings in this way, the dootor talkedl a lot of good common sense himself with less than his usual vigour, ( and! wound up by urging the Government! to appoint Dr Alica JMorland to th«, Pension® Board. 1 Dr Newman frankly confessed 1 himself disappointed with the report. Itl was remarkable chiefly for what it left? unsaid. It adroitly avoided the'mails issue, and blamedi no one for the v©r3\ grave mistakes that had been made* He was still unsatisfied with the camp. It had been infested from the first! by the microbe of delay. Delay, moPS! delay and still more delay was itsdrase. Lots of seemed to know what ought to be done, but none did it* Ho hoped that Surgeon-General Hem* derson would be able to put things iz4 order, but lie warncl the Minister ttuA even worse troubles might occur iw Samoa unless immediate attention given to the camp there. All- Pavne felt it his duty to speaV plainly about the special perils beset the young men in camp," and about the steps that should be takerf for their protection, and on the he discharged his duty very credits ably. The Minister might have been paas doned a little alarm when Mr Wifc ford rose with a huge sheaf of in his hand, but the member for Huts wished only to say that ho wasgoingj to reserve his criticism for a mope op-* portune occasion. For the tarn© the( National Cabinet had imposed a silence upon private members which he had! no intention and no inclination to break, but he wanted the Government to un* derstand that it had a really good man in Surgeon-General Hendiersoit, ami ill at it would be its duty to„ doi whatever lie recommended regardless! of expense. The health and the IjveS of the men were the first consideration, and if these were preserved the taat-< payor* would not complain. 1 In robust and unmistakable way, Mr Poole said dittoto Mr Wilford'a , sentiments. He did not wish to barrass the Government, but he reservjß ed the rirfit to sav later on what waH in his mind if the promises made jjSH regard to Trontham were not ofasedH Mr Field (Nelson) said a few obvim||fl things in a not very obvious way-, j|HH| Mr Parr, after chiding Dr some of his hard words, declared ih«|B report, was a record of official blnndiftß«9 ing and incompetency. "it 9 Pr Thaeker s services to tho and the Empire were- tho themos of a 3j vigqron? little speech by Mr Webt>, 9 and so the discussion ran on till the! i House hc.d heard all there was to hea<r* w about the Trent-ham scandal. i