PARLIAMENT

Taranaki Daily News, 9 July 1915, Page 8

PARLIAMENT

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. TKENTHAM CAMP DINOrSSED. By Telegraph.—Press Association. ■Wellington. Last Night. The House «f Representatives met at 2.30 p.m. Dr. Thackcr gave notice of his intention to introduce the .Military Camps Bill. 1 Sir Joseph Ward said it had been rumored that horses at Trentham camp were suffering from strangles and mud /ever. He desired to know if the Government had received any report on the subject. The "Hon. James Allen said no such report 'hail been received. The horse* Were all in exceedingly good condition. Sir Jo-:»ph Wan! .-aid he m)-;o desire 1 to ask lln: iiiive,nmi'iil whether ;n u opinion it was dcirabl- to have -inother camp apart from Trentham. There was considerable anxiety about the state of the health of the men in camp. Ui? opinion was that the camp should be shifted, and there should 'be a i -.nip for loth islands. The Hem. James Allen contended thai Trentliam was perfectly healthy, and that everything that could be dene was being done to check the ephh-mic. Sir Joseph Ward asked wh,- voluntary contributions which had been made towards a. hospital at Trentham had not been expended, and why a hospital ha 1 not been established? The Hon. dames Allen replied th.it the contract -for building a hospital had been let, and should have been finished on June "27. It had not 'been finished by the contractor, who was being fined for every day the building remained uncompleted. Ho was making inquiry whether it would not be advisable to take the, work out of the contractors hands, 'Mr. Masscv. speaking on the subject of the Trentham camp, sai l that anxiety was well known to exist, lint ! t was no doubt due to the spread oi disease, but when honorable members talked of

to take into consideration all the work that had been done there. Trentham was considered to he a healthy spot. It lias six feet of gravelly soil, making it particularly adaptable for drainage. It had been recommended and adopted as a\camp .site many ago, and no objections had been raised dur'ng all that time. Other sites would require to be roaded and drained. There were many excellent 'buildings there, and he wag informed that electric light was about to be install#d. As to mud, :-t was impossible to avoid it. It had no doubt contributed to the spread of disease, hut he 'was glad to say that'it was rapidly disappearing. The fir.-t consideration, however, was the health of the men. An inquiry would shortly be held'by a Eoyal Commission, an.l another inquiry was being held to-day to decide "whether Trentham should be letained as the site of the canio. If it was found desirable to shift the camp, that would 'be done at the moment, irrespective of cost. "With re gard to the Hoyal Commission, Uia order of reference would be made as wide a* possible. One. of the matters to lie inquired into would be the best means of preserving the health of the men in the camp, as well as the origin of the present epidemic. The inquiry Would be open to the press. THE HOSPITAL SHIP •Dr. Thacker asked upon what terms the hospital ship Mahcno had been ae' quired. The Hon. James Allen said that the ship had been hired from tho Union Co. on very favorable terms. Mr. Young asked if tliarc was my truth in the rumor about town that a member of 'Parliament had that morning cut open some bedding on th ™ hospital ship? There 'Were cries for the nam 1 of the honorable member, and, after a little interruption, Dr. Thacker admitted that during his inspection of the equipment of the ship he had opened a pillow ami mattress with the object of asc«iita :u----ing if the feathers and hair had been sterilised. He had secured a sample for that "purpose. He maintained that he was perfectly justified in c 1 t so ;n order to see that troops •*(•.:» having that measure of protection which they deserved.

GENERAL MATTER. 1 ?. A membdr asked if sick soldiers were allowed to communicate with their friends. The Hon. R. 11. Rhodes said that soldiers suffering from infectious disease were not allowed to send letters to friends, but he had arranged that, n man should specially he charged with the work of writing such communications. In reply to a question, the Prime Minister said he would be willing to give members a further opportunity of discussing the reports of the Foodstuffs Commission if so desired. The Moa County Bill was introduced by Hirte, and was read a first time. The War Pensions Bill and the Hutt Road Bill -were introduced by Governor's message, and were read a first time. The Hon. James Allen moved the second reading of the Education Amendment Bill, explaining that the measure was intended to remedy a technical error in the Act of 1914, by 'which the time for the election of parents of pupils to governing bodies could be extended from Julv to August of this year. The iTSill was put through all its stages without debate. The House went into committee on the T.oeal Authorities Empowering Bill. In reply to Mr. Hanan, the lion. \. L. Herdman said he could not accept any amendments empowering local authorities to embark on wider municipal enterprises than at present permitted by the Municipal Corporations Act. The Bill passed all its stages. The Arbitration Amendment Bill was reported from committee without amendment, and passed. The House adjourned at 4.4.5 p.m. till •2.30 p.m. to-morrow