35

H.—l9a

383. Had you had any experience in an infantry camp ?—Yes. 384. And how many men were there ?—2,500. Colonel Whitmore was in charge of the brigade. That was at New Plymouth. 385. Do you know if officers were detailed off to attend to the rations there. At Newtown Park we did not seem to get a chance of obtaining information with regard to what should be done. 386. When you were acting as officer of the day, did you see any fodder or forage going into the camp?—l did not notice any. 387. Did you on any occasion, during the camp, see men meeting the wagons on their way to the quartermaster's department and helping themselves to fodder?—No; I did not see that. At the time I was trying to do my work while ill, and had to lie down. That was on the Wednesday, after sending in my report. 388. Do you know anything about the procession that took place in town ?—No. After putting in my report I went home and went to bed. 389. The Chairman.] Do you know anything about orders being issued that a forage-tent would be provided for each company ?—No. 390. Did you furnish a daily sheet showing what officers, men, and horses were drawing rations ?—Yes. 391. Each day?— Yes. 392. Why did you do that: had you any orders to do it?—At the time I did not get any personal orders, but the quartermaster brought the papers to me to sign. 393. Do you know why he did that ?—No. 394. You say you were in the camp at New Plymouth : when was that ?—About fourteen years ago. 395. In that camp the same system of contracting for the supply of rations for the whole of the men was adopted as here, and there was also a procession of the men there ?—Yes. 396. The catering was bad there, and there was a disturbance in the camp there?— Yes. It would be very much better to my mind if the companies could be allowed to cook for themselves. The catering system is a very wasteful system. I would like to say that my tent was just close to the telephone room, and morning and night Colonel Sommerville seemed to be ringing up and worrying round there trying to do the best he could, and I frequently heard it said, " Our colonel sticks to us all right" ; hut no staff officers went near them, and the men felt that they were left out in the cold. Colonel Davies: They had no reason to go there. The colonel in charge ought not to be interfered with. 397. Major Hawkins.] From your impression of Colonel Sommerville you consider that he was doing everything practically in the camp, and taking up pretty well all the duties—attending to complaints, Defence arrangements, and so on?—-Yes. It was remarked by the officers there that the " old man" was " barracking " for us, and doing what he could to help us.

Thursday, Bth August, 1901. Lieutenant Norman Fitzherbert examined. (No. 13.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your name and rank?— Norman Fitzherbert, Lieutenant in the New Zealand Militia, late of the Third New Zealand Contingent. 2. You are on the Militia list ? —Yes. 3. You attended the mounted rifles camp at Newtown Park in June last?— Yes., 4. In what capacity ? —Colonel Sommerville asked me to come down and give him a hand. I suppose I was acting as staff officer to him. 5. Did he assign you any position in the camp ?—I was to help him generally in connection with the parade states, and to warn each battalion to detail a guard every night. 6. He took you on as staff-officer without any fixed position ?—Yes. 7. Did you assist in the orderly-room or tent in any way ?—Yes. 8. Did you keep an order-book ?—No. 9. Did you get any reports from the officers of the day ?—I believe there was one sent in. 10. That was from Captain Tatum?—Yes. 11. How were the orders issued?— Colonel Sommerville wrote the orders every night about 7.30. and I went to his tent at certain times. The adjutant of each battalion was supposed to come to my tent to get orders. 12. Did the bugle sound for orders ?—lt did not every night, but it did as a rule. Every battalion was represented in the tent, either by an adjutant or orderly sergeant. I read the orders over to them, and they took them down in writing. 13. Who would perform the duties of quartermaster in the camp on the staff?— Lieutenant Thurston. 14. You say that each battalion had an adjutant ?—Yes. Colonel Sommerville's order was that each battalion commander was to appoint his own adjutant and sergeant-major. 15. Were these orders written or verbal?—-They were written and verbal. They were written first, and in my presence he told the battalion commanders to see to that. 16. You have seen these before [documents produced] ?—Yes. 17. Those were all the orders that were issued in writing ?—Yes, I believe so. 18. Were there any more than are there ?—No; those are the papers. I can tell you the adjutants' names who were appointed : Lieutenant Morgan, No. 1 Battalion ; Captain McDermott, No. 2 ; Sergeant-Major Slipper, No. 3; and Lieutenant Colbourne, No. 4.