V.D. CASES AT FEATHERSTON.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XL, Issue 1915, 14 December 1918, Page 3

V.D. CASES AT FEATHERSTON.

In the course of a statement made to a Daily Times reporter at Master! on, Mr J. T.'M. Hornsby, M.P., had something: very interesting' to say in connection, with,the bringing of a. number of Y.D. men to the Featherston camp. “Thirty-seven eases were brought up to Featherston by rail,” said Mr Hornsby. “I wish to emphatically contradict the wild statements that bad cases have been taken to Featherston. Nothing if the kind has been done. The cases sent to Fea-' therslon are not incurable. It is "an imperative necessity that the quarantine islands should be evacuated in order to make provision in case any of tjbe transports .returning to New Zealand should have an outbreak of an infections disease aboard, which is quite probable. If we have no quarantine stations to send the men to we may have other outbreaks. There will be no cases of consumption sent to Featherston. There has been an isolation camp for V.D.’s over since Featherston has been a camp, so (hat it is not anything new. of the awful cases will come to Featherston. The only place (hey will be removed to from where they are now is the grave. “I am, however,” said-Mr Hornsby, “exceedingly agitated at the callous and careless conduct of the author!!ies yesterday. Thirty-sev-en of the V.t). men broke guard and got drunk. Seventy-five per eent. of the men were under (he infinenee of liquor when they arrived at Featherston, where a .rather disgraceful scene look place. The SergeantMajor was in the same carriage as myself, and took not the slightest notice of anything that went on during the journey, and did not attempt in any way to control the men. The railway guard locked flic men in (he carriage, ami told the Sergeant-Major what lie thought of him, for which I commended (he guard. “I am now laying (he whole of the facts before the Defence Department,” said Mr Hornsby, in conclusion. “Bui 1 would urge the public not to raise any unnecessary objection to the bringing of Y.D. men and the German prisoners to Featherston, as it is being done under absolute necessity."