H.—l9

10

infectious disease at the earliest possible moment. Inhaling-rooms have also been established at the larger camps, and also on the transports and hospital ships, with a view to the prevention and treatment of cerebro-spinal meningitis, influenza, and sore throat. These have been satisfactory, as no case of cerebro-spinal disease has occurred on any of the transports since their adoption. Isolation camps have also been established to which contacts in infectious disease are retained until they are proved free from infection. An Assistant Director Medical Services (Sanitary) has been added to the Staff of the DirectorGeneral Medical Services at Headquarters. His services have been of the greatest use in delivering lectures on sanitation in the camp and in generally supervising sanitary conditions. There was a good deal of influenza and measles in the camps last year, but these diseases are now in abeyance. There had been a certain amount of gastritis and stomachic disorders in Featherston Camp early last year, but thanks to the measures adopted by Professor Kirk in the destruction of flies these complaints have practically disappeared. There was a certain amount of cerebro-spinal meningitis in both Featherston and Trentham last year —twenty-one in Featherston and thirty cases in Trentham, of which sixteen and twentyone died—but the disease has now been in abeyance for four months. 22. New Zealand Army Nursing Service. The Matron-in-Chief, Miss H. Maclean, has staffed the hospitals at Trentham and Featherston, and also Rotorua, with a sufficient supply of Sisters and Staff Nurses, who have done most excellent work not only in treating the sick, but in training the orderlies for the Reinforcements in nursing duties. 23. Strength of the Forces. The strength of the New Zealand Defence Forces on the 30th April, 1917, was as under: — Territorial Force ... ... ... ... ... ... 22,174 Senior Cadets ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 29,832 Rifle Clubs . ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 7,975 The whole of the General Training Section has been posted to the Territorial Force. The figures quoted do not include any part of the Expeditionary Force Reinforcements under training in the Dominion. 24. Districts and Groups Organization. Under the Military Service Act, 1916, it became necessary to divide the whole of the Dominion into recruiting districts, and it was decided to make this division coincide with the existing county boundaries. The original organization of the Dominion into groups and areas under the Defence Act of 1909 had provided for the exemption of certain areas, in which training could not be economically carried out. As the latter organization could not be made to fit in with the requirements of the Military Service Act it was abandoned, and on the 25th September, 1916, the whole of the Dominion was divided into four districts and twenty-one groups, with the effect that each of the latter now corresponds to a recruiting district and embraces certain complete counties. The districts and groups staffs now consist almost entirely of Permanent and Territorial officers who are unfit for active service. Wherever suitable returned soldiers, non-commissioned officers, and men are appointed to such vacancies as occur from time to time in these staffs. The relief of fit officers for service abroad, and the setting-up of the machinery under the Military Service Act, has necessitated many changes. Notwithstanding this drawback, and despite the steadily increasing volume of administrative work due to the Military Service Act and the development of the war, the staffs in the districts and groups have dealt with their work in an increasingly efficient manner. 25. Changes in Organization of the Forces. The Department of the Adjutant-General to the Forces has been enormously affected by war conditions, particularly the branches dealing with recruiting, mobilization, discipline, records, casualties, discharges, care and disposal of returned sick and wounded, war pensions, general correspondence. In order to cope with the new conditions it was found necessary to reorganize this Department. The appointments of Assistant Adjutant-General and Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General at Headquarters were abolished, and the War Office system of directorates substituted. The Department now consists of six directorates—namely, those of the Director-General Medical Services, the Director of Personal Services, the Director of Organization, the Director of Recruiting, the Director of Base Records, and the Director Dental Services. This organization is elastic, and has already proved a very sound innovation, and is on the lines indicated by the Inspector-General Oversea Forces on his visit to the Dominion in 1914. 26. LEGISLATION. During the year the following Acts affecting this Department were brought into operation : — The Military Service Act, providing for the raising and maintenance of Expeditionary Forces during the present war : The War Pensions Amendment Act, amending the W T ar Pensions Act, 1915,