H. B. POTTER.

19

H.—198.

618. In the way of tents? —It was something to have to prepare a camp for a big body like that. 619. Take them as a typical example?—We had to prepare their sanitary arrangements and accommodation in advance, and their equipment ready. 620. Was there anything else in which the camp was not, ready for them when they came?— No. 621. Then you had sufficient time in that case to prepare, as regards boots?— Yes. 622. Is there any other case in which you had to complain of the want of time?—l am not complaining of the time al all: it is having the men. bumped on to you at, short notice. There were the different bodies coming which I had to make provision for : it was upsetting the camp. 623. It upsets the general arrangement and strength of the various subordinate departments? —Yes, that is overtaxed. 624. You would want some new kitchens, and so on ? —Yes. 625. Well, seeing that the men. have, been raised in an emergency—a sudden call suddenly responded to—is there any remedy by which the inconvenience you speak of could be reduced? — None that I know of. They are emergency calls. 626. Dr. Martin.] You cannot suggest any means? —I cannot. 627. Not in the nature of a larger camp and increased equipment?—A large camp capable of taking up to any number of men ? 628. The Chairman.] For as many as the maximum you had —say, seven or eight thousand : you ought to have the camp for seven thousand at the start off?— That would have been the ideal. 629. You have reached your maximum now?— Yes; but what I have been trying to point out, is the difficulties we have had to contend with. 630. The camp was originally designed for two thousand men, then it was increased to four thousand, and then finally you had to provide for seven thousand? —Yes. 631. Mr. Ferguson.] What deficiencies were there at the present camp which have arisen out of the large increase of numbers? Do you know of any means how those deficiencies could have been better provided for?— Well, take the Trentham. Regiments: we might have been able to have provided for them if the huts had been ready and the whole of the facilities completed, but they were all delayed. 632. Who had charge of the building of the huts? —The Public Works Department. 633. That is not under the Defence Department in any way, except as regards the general supervision of the design?—l do not know. 634. Mr. Salmond.] In regard to the subsidiary hospitals, you have Mr. Izard's house, the golf-house at Heretaunga, Levin's wool-store at Kaiwarra, the Berhampore Hospital, the Victoria Wing of the Wellington Hospital, and the racecoiyse buildings at Trentham: are all these buildings under the control of the Defence Department, or under the Wellington Hospital?—l think they are all controlled by the Director of Military Hospitals, barring the Wellington Hospital. 635. We may take it that all these institutions are under the direct control of the Director of Military Hospitals?— That is so. 636. Are there responsible physicians there? —I do not know. 637. This book you have handed in is the one you referred to in your evidence?— Yes. 638. That is the Field Service Regulations, Part 11. You have also, I think, some manual of instructions in connection with camps?— Yes. the Elementary Military Hygiene. There is yet another book, but that is an Army medical book. 639. Have you got that?—lt is R.A.M.O. Field-notes—purely a medical manual, issued to Medical Officers. 640. The Chairman.] Have you had any complaints brought to your knowledge either directly or by reports from your officers that the sick have been neglected or. improperly treated?—l have not. 641. Have you had any brought to you by outside people?—l have only heard reports. 642. Have you got anything in writing in the shape of complaints?—No, I have not. 643. Have you had any complaints as to undue delay in the removal of the sick from the camp to a hospital?— Not officially, but only what has taken place lately in connection with the removal of measles cases—only what I have heard. 644. Are there any complaints which have come to your knowledge which you would like to say anything about —the delay in the removal of the sick, or other matters, although they have not come to you officially, but which you would like to make an explanation in regard to?— There is only the matter of the roading and draining at the camp, about which there has been such a lot of talk in the papers. T would like it understood that while you are trying to do that work out there you have these seven thousand men in occupation. 645. In respect to the members of the staff under you is there any inefficiency which you have reason to complain of? —No; T think the members of my staff are highly efficient.

Saturuay, 17th July, 1915. The Chair man : T wish to make one or iwo announcements. Tn the first place, the Commission wishes it to be clearly understood that these proceedings are quite open to the public, so that any one who chooses to come in and listen may do so freely. The next point, is that by law all witnesses attending and giving evidence before a Commission are entitled to the same privileges and immunities as a witness in a civil case in the Supreme Court. Further, all witnesses who attend under a subpoma issued b} r the Commission are entitled to their travelling-expenses and