THE MEN AND THE MEASLES

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2505, 5 July 1915, Page 6

THE MEN AND THE MEASLES

. LESS-.SICKNESS AT TRENTHAM MINISTERIAL YISITS STATEMENT BY THE PRIME MINISTER Tli© Prime Minister (the Hon. W. F. Massey) made the following further statement regarding the Trentham camp yesterday afternoon:— "I have again visited the camp in company with' the Minister of Defence and the Minister of Public Health. I have spent tho greater part of the past two days at the camp, and I am able to report that- the conditions there are now very much' better - than' they have been since, the outbreak of sickness took place. The number of new cases of sickness admitted to the various hospitals to-day was less than one-half of the number admitted yesterday, be-, ing 48 to-day as against 100 yesterday. Quite a largo number of men have been discharged from the hospitals during the past few days and liavo been given leave of .absence to visit their homes. "Influenza Run Wicked." "The sickness is mostly influenza and measles. The influenza is of a very severe type—as one medical man put it: 'Influenza- run wicked.' The patients," added Mr. Massey, "are in very good hands, and have comfortable and suitable quarters, and have plenty of doctors and nurses. The whole of tho Wellington Racing Club's buildings, which adjoin the camp, have been taken over by the Publio Health Department for hospital purposes. I hare been all through, the hospital, and many of the men, although they admit that everything possible is'teing done for them, say that they see 110 reason why they, should be further detained. More Recruits than Equipment. •"One of our troubles now is that tho recruiting has really got ahead of the equipment. The cpnt-ractors _ are not able to supply boots and uniforms as fast as they are required. The 19,000 men who have gone away were each equipped with two pairs of boots, and five thousand of tho men. in camp havo also two pairs, but there are about two thousand who have only one _ pair. These are the recruits who have joined during the past three weeks. The extra boots must be found for these men, and they will be found immedi : ately. The fine weather of the past two days has niade a marked improvement in the appearance of the camp, and I believe also iii the health of the men. Forty of the hutments, each holding 100 men, are occupied, _ and 14 more are in course of construction. Wo intend to ereot another sixteen, making seventy in all. Some of the more experienced of the men prefer the tents to the huts. We intend to provide wooden floors in. all such cas^s.''-