H.—l9b.

XXVIII

of barrack huts built in England gave the size as 60 ft. by 20 ft., with an average height of 10 ft., to acommodate thirty men. This gives a floor-space of 40 ft. per man. We had evidence, however, that the huts erected recently on Salisbury Plain were occupied by about fifty men apiece. 116. A special Board was set up on the 3rd February, composed of Dr. Frengley, of the Flealth Department, the Government Architect, Mr. Campbell, and Major Morton, City Engineer, of Wellington. This Board considered the plan that had been approved by the Medical Board, and amended it by proposing to build a hutment divided centrally so as to hold two lots of fifty men. The inside height of the building was reduced to 7 ft. 6 in. at the eaves. The aspect was approved, leaving a distance between the huts of 50 ft. It was recommended that the walls should be made of galvanized iron with a view to economy in material and time of construction. It was provided that there should be a wooden floor on which the mattresses could be laid. The ventilation was considered, and provision made for a continuous space at the eaves. The iron of the roof was laid upon a non-conducting material, and ample windowspace was provided, each window being hinged at the top to open outwards. A central double door was provided at the front of each half-hutment, and the building was raised on piles so as to provide ample air-space underneath. 117. On the 23rd February, 1915, the Public Works Department were requested to proceed urgently with the erection of. sample huts, one for men and one for officers, in accordance Avith the approved plans, and with the preparation of specifications and the calling of tenders so soon as the sample huts had been erected and tested. These two sample huts were completed on or before the 19th March, and were approved subject to slight modifications by the military authorities, and instructions given on the 30th March to the District Engineer to call for tenders. The tenders received were all declined on the 15th April, and a commencement was made as soon as possible thereafter to proceed with the erection by day labour by the Public Works Department of thirty-two huts for men and eleven for officers, a number which was subsequently increased to fifty-one huts for men and fourteen for officers. In addition to these buildings, other structures were erected and work done by day labour under the supervision of the District Engineer of the Public Works Department at the same time. 118. Upon the evidence presented to us we consider that the hutments are susceptible of various improvements that would further the health and comfort of the troops, and to the extent to which they have lacked those improvements they must be deemed to be defective. 119. We are of opinion that if any more huts are erected at Trentham or elsewhere they should be built with an aspect nearly due north and south so as to obtain the maximum of sunlight on each side of the huts and on the spaces between them, and that the spaces Between the huts should be increased to 30 ft. In any new huts built, the inside height and the eaves should be increased to 9 ft. W T e approve of the system and amount of cave ventilation provided, but recommend that by means of an inclined board or other contrivance the incoming current of air be deflected upwards underneath the roof so that it will not immediately descend in contact with the wall. We advise that a system of ridge exhaust ventilation be adopted in addition to the eaves openings, but we do not approve the suggestion made by one expert witness that the rooms should be ceiled. We recommend that in new hutments the windows be of such number and be spaced so that the places for the beds lie between the windows and not under them. We approve of the system adopted of hinging the windows to open outwards. We recommend that in the present huts the number of men be reduced from fifty to thirty-two, and that in new huts there be provided a wall-space of not less than 4 ft. 6 in. per man, and in all cases that simple stretchers be provided on which the straw palliasses can be laid, obviating the necessity for placing the mattresses on the floor. We are strongly of opinion that the existing galvanized-iron walls should be lined inside with some suitable material of low conductivity, preferably with poilite, uralite, or other form of asbestos sheets presenting a smooth surface, and, failing this, with some close-jointed timber. We consider

Dealt with by special Board.

Course of erection.

Hutments defective.

Matters to be remedied.