The Drayton Grange.

Manawatu Herald, 21 August 1902, Page 2

The Drayton Grange.

At the inquiry at Sydney into the circumstances connected with the troopship Drayton Orange, the chief officer gave evidence to the effect that troopers prevented the putting up of berths intended . for the sick. They seized the timber and threatened to blanket him. He had the greatest difficulty in getting them to clean their quarters. Sometimes they were not touched for days, and the commanding officer’s aid had to be obtained. There was great lack of discipline, and the men used filthy and abusive language to the ships’s and their own officers. The chief steward’s accounts disclosed heavy consumption of liquor on the part of the officers. THE COMMANDING OFFICER’S STATEMENTS. Colonel Lyster, commanding officer on the Drayton Grange, gave evidence that the ship was -duly inspected when the troops were shipped by the transport authorities at Durban. He was not furnished with a report by the Examination Committee. He bad, be said, sufficient officers to maintain discipline, and they made every attempt to fulfil the regulations, but it was impossible to carry out all the details. Owing to exceptionally heavy weather for a yreek after leav- ‘ ... !■ I.

ing Durban, nearly all the were seasick, and be could aos ;| them to do regular duty. The rega- - lations were for fine weather, and not j for such as they had. - J| The witness considered, the. upper, ■ l l deck accommodation totally inade- ■' )| quate. Owing to the crowding, was impossible to keep the decks ■ t clean, or to properly exercise the' #S men. His unprofessional opinion $ was that a great amount of sickness i was due to measles being allowed aboard. Want of exercise and uncleanliness would probably conduce to the spread of sickness, but ho^ ; ;M 'could not say it had done so in this base. '■■■ ■ TESTIMONY OF A MEDICAL OFFICER. vg Dr Gillies, one of the medical 0 officers aboard the Drayton Grange, . ? stated in his evidence that the ■' r y| principal medical officer was only •, appointed on the night the ship sailed from Durban. Nobody had ' j any authority to do anything. Wit- ■ ness found a bare supply of medicine,. ,\J and the hospital accommodation was poor. Dr Gillies pointed matters out to the medical authorities at Durban, and requisitioned for v more. They replied that the . men :g|S; were all healthy, and would not require more. Wintess forced his de- '* mands. He refused to allow several men suffering from measles, wlio were passed by the embarking officer, to go aboard. He believed j the infection of measles and influenza was amongst the troops before they embarked, • id : : 1 ‘r-rrr-.- ..