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no opportunity of offering evidence in rebuttal. Perhaps it was a question of price. (h.) Drying Clothes. 129. No artificial provision for drying clothes or boots was made in the camp until the beginning of July, when marquees with braziers in them were utilized. Prior to that the men had to fix up lines outside the tents and dry their greatcoats, clothes, and stockings in the open air as well as they could. The marquees were erected on the suggestion of Colonel Valintine. The Camp Commandant informed us that he had never known before of drying-appliances being provided in camps, but admitted the advantage when it was pointed out to him. Captain D. P. Simson, who had recently returned from the Dardanelles, and who had experience of camp life on Salisbury Plain and at other places, informed the Commission that there were no drying-appliances there tip to the time of his departure, with the result that oftentimes men had to start the day with wet clothes and boots. The Chief of the Staff, Lieut.-Colonel Gibbon, stated that experience showed that there was no harm in wet clothes or boots so long as a man kept moving, but that wet things should be removed as soon as the men entered their tents. He was of opinion that drying appliances were an advantage, and that the medical men should have moved the Commandant as soon as they realized that the men's health might suffer from the want of them. 130. In the text-book called " The Royal Army Medical Corps Training," edition 1911, which is in possession of the General Staff, at page 77, the drying of clothes is recommended for the purpose of obviating personal discomfort, and simple means are indicated for the purpose. We think it has not been satisfactorily explained why this simple provision was not made earlier. (i.) Uniforms. 131. The case of a misfit through the collar being considere*d too loose in regard to a certain size was brought before us. It was stated that there were five hundred of these, but the contractor says he knows of only thirty-two, which he says he altered and returned. (j.) Baths. 132. A limited number of cold showers were provided during the summer. The necessity for further showers was not so imperative owing to the bi-weekly bathing parade in the river; but with the approach of winter the comfort of the troops would have been greatly enhanced by the introduction of a hot-water supply. This, we understand, is now being carried out, and further shower accommodation is being provided. . • (k.) Sick-parades. 133. Considerable evidence was given to the effect that when the number of the sick so greatly increased during the winter the parades at the camp hospital were very long, and the mfti were kept standing about on the wet ground, and sometimes in the rain, without shelter and without seats for the weak. It is said, on the one hand, that there were marquees there which might have been used by the men, but that they preferred to be outside. On the other hand, several men who gave evidence stated that they were not aware that such accommodation existed. On the 24th June, the day after he took charge, Colonel Valintine wrote to the Camp Commandant on the subject, and then other arrangements were made for an examination nearer the hospital and in one of the huts. It appears to us that, this was a matter in which the medical service failed by not realizing the position and asking for further accommodation earlier. (1.) Carriage of Sick. 134. In February Dr. Fyffe, who was then the senior Medical Officer at the camp, in a letter to the Director of Medical Services, suggested that a motor-ambulance for the conveyance of patients to Wellington should be

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