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,')63. The Chairman.] They would not be waterproof?— That is so. 3G4. Mr. Salmond.] Then you said the men had two uniforms ; did you mean two khaki uniforms.—One khaki and one denim uniform. 365. If they got their khaki uniform wet, would they not have to wear it?— But they do not wear their khaki uniform when training. 366. They are in denims all the time they are training: if they get those wet ?—They would be allowed to wear their khaki. We use denims because they will stand plenty of hard wear. •'167. If he got, his denims wet would you allow him to wear his khaki uniform?— Yes, certainly. 368. No objection would be raised?— That, is so. 369. So that there are two uniforms they could use alternately if one got wet?— Yes. 370. Mr. Ferguson.] But certain men on orderly duty would wear their khaki continually. —That is so—the police. 371. The Chairman.] Then in rainy weather they have overcoats: they all have overcoats? —Yes, sir. 372. Are they all served out to the men? —Yes, on the first day. 373. There has been no shortage of them?— That is so. 374. Mr. Salmond.] How would they dry their clothes outside : are there any lines to hang I hem on?-—The most, of them constructed pieces of lines, and there are also wire fences which can be used for the purpose. The Trentham Regiments hung their clothes from the huts. The most of them spread out their clothes on their oil sheet to dry. 375. Have you never heard complaints that soldiers had to sleep on wet blankets or wet, mattresses?—l have not. .'.76. The Chairman!] That is, were complaints ever made to you or reported to you?—l have had no complaints' either made or reported to me. 377. Mr. Salmond.] Do you think the braziers are an improvement for drying clothes?-—Yes, they are a success for drying clothes. * 378. And boots?— Yes. 379. Is it usual in camps to have any drying-appliances? —They have never had them in New Zealand as far as I know. 380. The Chairman.] Is it prescribed by the Military Regulations?—l do not remember anything being laid down in them. 381. Dr. Martin.] Y7ou have a marquee with a brazier now ?—Yes. 382. That is like what they have in France? —I believe so. Tt is also used by the Imperial Army. It was adopted here by my own. Quartermaster, who was in the Camerons. 383. Is it referred to in the instructions about camps?—l do not remember seeing it. 384. The Chairman.] In regard to the boots, over what period did the shortage of boots for these 2,200 men exist: how long were they without the second pair?— From memory, I think it would be about three or four weeks. 385. There was a period of wet weather? —That was the wet-weather period. 386. Mr. Salmond,.] About the 'accommodation for the troops : the buildings in which they .slept and fed up till recently —I understand they had only tents? —That is so. 387. Up to what time was that—in other words, when were the huts first oocupied?—About the beginning of June. 388. So that from October till the beginning of June the whole, of the camp was in tents-?— Yes —under canvas. 389. HoW many men in a tent?—We only put, eight men; the Imperial Army has sixteen. We only put half the number in a tent that they put in at Home. 390. And the tent is the same size?— Yes; it is a military tent —13 ft. in diameter. 391. Did that system prove unsatisfactory? —No; that system answered very well. 392. Why, then, were the huts substituted? —Personally I am not in favour of the huts. I am in favour of tents with wooden floors; but the New Zealand winters are severe, and I presume that the powers that be thought it advisable to put the men into huts. 393. Do you know which the men prefer? —I can only go by the Sixth Reinforcements : they have asked to be allowed to remain in the tents, and not be put in the huts. 394. The Chairman.] It seems that the epidemic began on the 11th June, and the movement into the huts took place at the beginning of June. After the huts were occupied the epidemic began? —The Seventh Mounted and Trentham Regiments were put direct into the huts. 395. Mr. Salmond.] How many of these huts are there, and how many men do they accommodate? —There are supposed to be fifty-five huts when they are all completed. There are now about forty-five or forty-six completed. They house 100 men each —that would be 4,600 men. 396. Is that system used in the British Army?— Well, I cannot say myself personally what is the difference in the huts. These huts were designed here. 397. Mr. Ferguson.] By whom, the military?—By a committee consisting of Mr. Morton, the City Engineer; Dr. Frengley, the Health Officer; Mr. Campbell, the Government Architect; Major Robinson, Assistant Quartermaster-General, Headquarters. I think that was the composition of the committee, but I am not. certain. 398. Mr. Salmond.] Have any complaints been made about the huts?— Yes, there have been complaints about the.huts. 399. In what respect?— That they are too draughty. 400. Is that the only complaint? —That is the only one I have had. 4-01. The Chairman.] They are not lined inside?—No, they are not. 402. They have a galvanized-iron roof? —A galvanized-iron roof over malthoid : that is to keep the moisture from dripping. I understand.