29

H.—l9a

• 164. That is the orders issued by your own commander ?—Yes. 165. And as to orders from the commander of the camp, Colonel Sommerville, what did you get from him?— They would come through our battalion commander. 166. And whatever orders he issued you think you got?—l could not say. On several occasions we did not get orders until 9 o'clock in the morning, and then we had to send up for them. I have sent up at 10 o'clock at night and not got any, and next morning we would get orders at 9 o'clock. I know two occasions when that occurred. 167. Did you see the arrangements made for cooking in the camp?— Yes. 168. What were they like ?—To my mind they were worse than poor. 169. Just describe them? —The cooking was done in the open, along a trench, with iron bars for the pots. That seemed to be the cause of the trouble. 170. What would it have cost, and how long would it have taken, to make sufficient shelter for the cooks with a fatigue party from the camp ?—I should not think it would take long. The thing ought to have been done in a matter of a few hours. There were any amount of men there to do it. 171. When the meat was served up was it cooked?— Sometimes it was, and sometimes not. The trouble seemed to be, in most cases, due to the want of water. Sometimes at half-past 11 the cooks were not able to get a drop of water, and when the meat was cooked it seemed as though the water it had been cooked in had been dirty—that is to say, it had that appearance, because the meat was discoloured. 172. Do you know what arrangements were made for supplying the camp with water? —Yes; there were two half-inch pipes, and they passed the water through the troughs in which the horses were watered, so that it was cut off from the cooks when the horses were there. 173. You say, practically, that the supply was insufficient? —Yes. 174. Colonel Davies.] You never saw any regular brigade camp orders?— No. 175. I understand there were nineteen companies formed into four battalions? —Yes. 176. Did you ever see the officers commanding the battalions detailed in brigade orders ?— No. 177. You never saw any brigade orders such as you have been accustomed to see in South Africa during the last year or two ?—-No. 178. You say that your orderly-sergeant went up and got orders ? —Yes. Sometimes it would be 9 o'clock in the morning when we got them, and sometimes we would not get any. In the absence of any orders, the camp being in such a state, we were anxious to let the men out as soon as possible ; and when there were no orders issued that was our object in sending for them. 179. Where were the men, then, in the morning ?—ln camp. 180. What was the rule with regard to leave ? —I never let any of my men out of camp unless I got some definite information from the battalion commander. 181. You did not know when there was to be a parade ?—Sometimes we got orders the evening before that there was to be a parade in the morning. 182. You never saw even the officers commanding the battalions detailed for orders ?—I never saw any, and do not think any were circulated. I inquired, and was told that Captain Watt was commander for No. 1 Battalion, and Captain Howie, I think, for No. 3. 183. There were no orders with regard to leave, and, as far as you know, the officer commanding a company could do as he liked ?—Before I granted leave I communicated with the officer commanding the battalion. 184. About the forage : you say there was no system in issuing it ?—No. 185. It was practically rushed when it came in the gate?— Yes. 186. You say there was a guard over the forage marquee? —I passed through the forage marquee on three occasions, and on two of them it was absolutely empty. 187. Had your men any greatcoats?'—They all had covers of some kind. 188. Their own property ?—Yes. - 189. Your corps, then, has no greatcoats yet ? —No. 190. There were no military coats ?—I do not think so as a corps. No doubt there was a sprinkling of them. 191. What was the principal cause of the trouble with regard to the rations ; do you think it was due to cooking outside and the weather being so bad?— Not necessarily so. I have had experience of wet weather before, and had the rations done properly. I think the fault lies in the contract system. If the rations had been served out to cooks provided by the companies the thing could have been carried through with far better results, and with less expense. 192. What do you think about the price, 2s. Id. ?—When I heard about it, I thought we were going to live like fighting-cocks, but I was certainly disappointed in more ways than one. From what I have seen, both in our own camp and since, I think we could have lived far better for considerably less if we had gone to the expense of finding our own cooks. 193. But your own cooks would have put up shelter ?—Yes, that would be an advantage both for the men and the cooks. 194. Do you not think that having no shelter caused a great deal of the trouble ?—lt hampered the cooks undoubtedly, because everything was thrown practically on a couple of boards on the grass, although sometimes is was taken away to a little tent some distance away; but there was no general provision made. 195. You say it was a case of perhaps you got it, and perhaps you did not ?—Yes. . 196. Do you not think that system would have been improved if a proper staff had been detailed?— There is no doubt about that. There was no proper staff, and it was left to each officer commanding to do the best he could. It simply meant jumping off on the march when the bugle went, and if you were first you were fortunate, and, if last, unfortunate.