TRENTHAM CAMP

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2533, 6 August 1915, Page 4

TRENTHAM CAMP

The decision of the Defence Department'to resume occupation of Trent-ham Camp irrespective of the findings of the Royal Commission has evoked a \eiy proper protest from Mr. Justice Hosking. The Commission was set up by the Governor on July 8, and among other things was to inquire "whether sufficient sanitary or other - reasons exist for the removal of the canjp from its.presjnt situation." It was also to' inquire and report uppn the general situation, equipment, and arrangement of the camp, the drainage, water supply, and sanitation, and tho suitability and sufficiency of the tents, huts, and other accommodation provided for tho troops. It now appears that while tho Commission has been sitting, work on the hutments and tho laying out of the camp has been proceeding without refercnco to it, and its findings may apparently come after the work is completed and it is too late to give effect to them. According to Dr. Valiktine's evidence on Wednesday, General Robin, three or four .days after* the lloyal Commission was' set up, requested immediate information as to whether the camp was to be reoccupiecl or not. It was no doubt highly important that tho Commandant and those responsible for . the laying out and administration of the new camps should know without delay whether to prepare for permanent or temporary occupation. The surprising thing is that this request was not referred for consideration to the body constituted to deal with exactly this point. Instead a special Board of medical men was appointed on July 13, without consultation with the Commission, and duly delivered a report which has been acted uppn without reference to the Commission. Finally tho SolicitorGeneral, with what authority we do r.ot know, yesterday informed the Commissioners that despite the explicit terms of their letters patent I "the question of removal from Trentharn was not now a question for consideration." It is quite possible that the course followed may have no prejudicial effects, but the method of procedure adopted by the Department has ken decidedly unusual and by no means complimentary to the Commissioners. The plea 1 of ; extreme urgency can doubtless be advanced, but it is difficult to see why the Commission Would not have been requested to supply an interim report oil those matters requiring early decision. Indeed, we thinlc the Commissioners could with advantage have acted in this respect on their own initiative some time back. The ■'evidence of Mr. Holmes, Engineer-in-Chief to the Public Works Department, given as long ago as July 19, indicated that, work on the hutments and laying out of the camp was still proceeding. The Commissioners must by this time have arrived at certain broad conclusions as to the suitability of the camp site, and the spacing and design of the hutments. An interim report would furnish valuable guidance, and possibly enable some improvements to be effected before the new men of the Eighth Reinforcements go_ into camp at Trentham a fortnight hence. * The essential thing is to get the necessary work done, _ and done quickly and well. In this, as in all matters connected with our war preparations, time is the essence of the contract, and we hope the Commissioners, having placed on record their protest, will not let the grass grow under their feet in making their views for the guidanco of those in authority.,