57

H.—l9a

could only get two dishes for my company, and when the orderlies went for the rations they simply helped themselves, and those who were last got none at all. 32. I want to know whether or not it was necessary, in your opinion, that those trenches or rails should be covered in any way ?—Certainly. I got Mr. McParland into my own part of the camp and talked with him for an hour about these things. I told him the number of flies and ridge-poles he wanted, and he copied them into into his list. I said, "If wet weather comes on, how can you expect your cooks to work? " He promised faithfully that he would have it done. 33. In your opinion, the kitchens should have been covered over ? —Certainly they should. I told him exactly what he should send up to have it done. 34. You say the meat was not sufficiently cooked : what was the state of it ?—Simply raw. There were two joints one day —I think, on the Saturday—that were simply raw. The orderlies, at my request, put it on one side so that I could keep it and show the condition of the meat. 35. Was there any improvement in the cooking after that ?—No. The cook was a first-class man, but he could not get sufficient assistance. The greatest number he had was six, and at one time that got down to four. Another difficulty was the water, which was cut off during the day, so that the cooks could not get any. I agreed with Mr. McParland that he should send up orderlies for the officers, but not a man came up. He promised me also that he would always have a representative in the camp, so that I should always have the information I wanted, but he was never there the whole time. 36. Did you make any formal complaints about these things?— Yes; to the commander, Colonel Sommerville. 37. How often did you complain? —Every day. 38. What steps did he take to remedy these matters ? —On the Saturday afternoon, I think, he telephoned to the Defence Department asking that these things might be rectified ; and I know also that he telephoned to Mr. McParland. He also telephoned for more straw. 39. Do you know when he telephoned for more straw ?—No. 40. Do you know whether he complained on more than those two occasions ? —I cannot say. 41. He may have done so without your knowing ? —Yes. 42. You were commanding one of the battalions, were you not?— Yes ; No. 4. 43. Did you appoint staff?—l appointed a quartermaster only. 44. You did not appoint an adjutant ? —Yes ; I had Lieutenant Colbourne. 45. Was there any brigade staff? —The only brigade staff were the commissariat officers, Lieutenants Thurston and Fitzherbert. I believe there was a brigade sergeant-major appointed, but I never saw him come on duty. 46. Did you get your orders regularly from the Brigade Office ?—On three occasions we had brigade orders, and from those I compiled my battalion orders after receiving them. 47. What was the condition of the camp as to mud ?—I may safely say it was all over your boots in mud, and very, very wet. 48. Looking back, do you consider it was a fit place in which to hold a camp?—lt was in no fit state for any one to be in ; certainly not for that number of horses, even in the summer-time. There was no drainage, and there was 3 in. of water in my tent. 49. Did the men have overcoats ? —Some had, and some had none at all. 50. Had the members of your company waterproof sheets ? —I think so. 51. What was done to remedy the discomfort to the horses and men, apart from the provisions ?—I think it was on the Tuesday, after we had returned from the review, that the majority of the men moved their horses up on the hill amongst the trees. The colonel said he would not allow them to go up on the hill at first, because it would break up the lines, but permission was afterwards given to move the horses where they liked. 52. We were told that Colonel Sommerville said at one time that they could go on the hills at their own risk?— Yes. 53. What do you think should have been done when things got so bad ?—They should have been removed up on the hills at once. 54. Was there room to accommodate them on the hills ?—Yes, but not in lines. 55. I mean in regular formation ? —Yes. 56. You say you did not see any definite brigade orders about the brigade staff, and so on ? — Yes, the first night. 57. Colonel Davies.] You say one was Lieutenant Fitzherbert ?—Yes. 58. Was he not in uniform ? —No. I addressed him as captain, and he said he was not a captain yet. He was in plain clothes. You could not tell he was on the staff at all. 59. Did you not get brigade orders every night ?—No ; only three brigade orders were issued. 60. Were there not orders about guards ? —The first night we got orders as to the time the guards should be mounted and relieved. It said at the bottom, " These orders stand good until further orders are issued." 61. Was it not stated every night who was to furnish the guard of the battalion ? —No. I furnished the guard right through the first night. I said it was somebody else's turn then, and that I was not going to do the whole duty. Once my men had to do second guard. 62. It practically amounted to your passing it along to each other as you thought fit?— Yes. 63. Do you know whether there was any proper supervision for the issue of rations to the men? —Yes. After we found the men could not get the proper quantity it was determined that an officer from each company should attend the issue of rations, and when the orderly got sufficient the officer would see that he moved off at once. I never saw more than five or six officers for the sixteen or seventeen companies, and there was very little control. 64. There was no one to supervise all those officers : was the camp quartermaster there, for B—H. 19a.