MADE ABROAD.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 3977, 9 July 1915, Page 4

MADE ABROAD.

HOSPITAL SHIP EQUIPMENT. ALLEGED TO COME FROM GERMANY. Bv Telegraph-—Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, July 8. A mild sensation was caused in the House this afternoon by a suggestion that a considerable portion of the equipment of the New Zealand Hos-pital-Ship was made in Germany. Mr IC Fletcher (Wellington Central) i asked whether it was a fact that some I of the bedding on the Maheno had j been made in Germany r—(Laughter.) He held lip a tag taken off one of the articles which, lie said, bore the inscription “Made abroad. ’ _ This, he said, was in accordance with the usual practice of German manufacturers. He contended that money donated by the people towards the equipment of the vessel should not have been spent on German goods. Mr Payne: Here is another tag. I took it off a blanket on the ship this morning. Hon. J. Alien, after examining one of the tags, said: “These tags are taken off quilts and we don’t make quilts in New Zealand. _ They were made in England. I think the honorable gentleman has been made the subject of a trick. As far as I know, everything on the ship that could be made in New Zealand has been made. Mr Payne: This is off colored blankets. SAMPLES OF BEDDING. INCIDENT IN THE HOUSE. Bv Telegraph —Special Correspondent WELLINGTON, July 8. A question arising out of a visitor inspection paid by Members oi Parliament to the hospital ship tlrs morning was asked in the Hon- • tins afternoon by Mr J. A. Young (Wni- ‘ kato). Mr Young asked the Prime Mm ster whether lie had any knowledge cf report that, during the visit of in tubers to the hospital ship, a M< mber of Parliament cut- open a portion of the bedding with a knife. he considered the report to be a grate reflection upon every member oi the House. Air Massey: T have no knowledge of the truth or .üb-w'.vwe of the ment. In can only express the hopt that no member of Parliament has so far forgotten himself when visiting the ship as to damage any part of the equipment. Sir Joseph _ AA'ard said that the* House should be told by the member for “Waikato the name of the member to whom ho was referring, as The stutment that ho had made was cashing an imputation upon every member of the House. Air Yeung said that the member referred to was at present- in the House, and it was only fair that he shoeV! leave it to that member to deeiu? whether he would speak for himself. (Opposition.members: “No, no, no!” If the member did not answer for himself he (Air A'oung) would take the responsibility of mentioning his name. Sir Joseph Ward: Has the member for Waikato followed the custom of intimating to the member concerned that he intended to bring this matter before the House ?

Air T. AY. Rhodes (Thames) : That was not done in regard to myself last session.—(Laughter.) Sir Joseph Ward The lion, member for Thames is one of the golden exceptions of the rules., Dr Thacker (Christchurch East): Seeing that the lion, member has not got the pluck Air Speaker: No member is in order in accusing another member of a want of pluck. That statement must be withdrawn.

Dr Thacker said that lie would! withdraw the statement. He was the member who had been accused, amt he was proud of it. He had been accused by the Minister for Public Health of “poking about.” Mr Speaker: You are going from the point now. Dr Thacker said that he considered it important that it should be ascertained whether the feathers and the liorse-hair in the pillows and mattresses on th«j ship 1 should be sterilisettf - He had opened tho ends of a pillow and of a mattress and had taken oiit samples, which lie intended' to submit to a bacteriological examination m order to ascertain whether they were infected with the microbes of any disease. That was his explanation and, if necessary, he would do it again.—(Applause .from Opposition members).