TRENTHAM CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 19 July 1915, Page 4

TRENTHAM CAMP.

THE COMMISSION OP INQUIRY,

iSATI.'KiDAVS EVIDENCE.

By Telegraph—Press Asaociaic-n Wellington, Yesterday

At the Trenthmu camp inquiry yesterday, Joint D. Louch, district engineer of the Public Works Department for Wellington, said lie had been in charge of the. work undertaken by his Department at Ti'enthani ramp. The Department was ilirsfc asked to erect two sample hutment's at the end of February. That was done immediately, and the design was ultimately approved, with modifications. The engineer-in-chi< f was not consulted. An advisory l>o*rd made the modifications, and witness received hi* instructions from thu Under-Secre-tary for Public Works. The modifications were in regard to lessening the draught under the eaves and at the bottom of the walls. He would not Bay that there ivas too much air space, but the trouble was that the men were sleeping on the floor. On March 30, they -wore instructed to invite tenders for the construction of the huts. Tenders were received oil April 8, and de» (•lined, it being decided to do tile wortc by day labor. As Boon as this decision was come to, material was secured, and the work ,put in band. At first, one hutment was erected every two days, j By July 8, forty-four had been eomplet- ! ed.

Captain Thomas McOristell (camp quartermaster at Trentham). said that his Department attended to the equipment and feeding of the men in camp, nndi also the camp sanitation. Regarding the shortage of boots, witness said then- had been no difficulty in the issuo of the (first pairs o£ hoots, exeent when an extraordinary "12" or "IS" wag «'ant"il. as in the 3rd Reinforcements, but. there had been delay at times in issuine the second pair. The 2nd Rein-Vircen-ents eamo in on six weeks' notice, but there was ilelav in obtaining the second Issue of boots, which, though requisitioned for. had nrit come to hand. His Honor asked witness to obtain the exact dates on which he requisitioned for s<»-cs, and on which date they came to hand. . Captain McCristell stated that tile ' nc, t of the second lot of boots for the 2200 i«"n came to hand on July 8. His Honor: Are there any other stores tint, have not come to hand?

Witness; Yps, the blankets for the biff body did pot pn>tin. Wp m (infixed to °""t over the difficulty by getting t\e blniikr'tn frr>m town. ' Asked bv his Honor whether thfi drai"ape tj-bs satisfactory witness pointed in «pvprti' defects. Ti,pvp was a prent dps] of mud. and silt sot into the various manholes. (<rpn«e and silt also escaped the cages, and got into th«" soakpit. It Avas found eventually what <'onld not 'hp foreseen—that tile soakpit was not adequate for the purpose, and a new one had to be construe" ted. Ocase trapx should have been constructed at a sufficient distance from the eooVhouses to allow the water to fool. One was in «mirsft of construetion when the eamip broke up. He bed complained veriiallv +o the commandant, and also to the "PuM-n Works fin. whowas opening un the drains. Each set of huts or cookhouse- should Vavo hart its own soakage. H e considered the soil all round was (rood for (iralnaee, with splendid grav<* There were soakpits in imp now wh-' h had been in use in October. They -rcre covered by manuka fascines, so thnt they could be icsmected frrnn titap to time, and had proved quite satisfactory. ■ After some examination bv Dr. Tf-"-r,-it noa , aaid that lie had never marfa ft report in writing of the defects in the drainage, but ho had mentioned the matters to Colonel Moriec and Dr. Finch, and a Ist) to Mr. Ferguson, At ordinary times, his staif was sufficient for the work. No request of his for assistance had been refused. TV) Dr. MatftTn: He had not inspected the drainage system in company with the medical officer. At first witneg* used to go the round with the sanita* tion officer, but it took him five honiw and be had' to send the quartermaster* serueant.

To Mr. Grays Everything went all right in connection with sanitation up to May 2n, when defects came raider Us notiee. He mentioned them to the medical officers.

Captain McChriateH said that then was a sufficient supply of clothing, ap&rft from (boots, in Jhe early davs of tba camp. The construction of the boots was unsatisfactory, but that had been remedied. On one occasion, 600 uriforrts, issued through the stores department, wero returned to him bv tbe'Mttcer commanding the Trcutham Regiment, The stores department stated that the uniforms were all right, except ng to sizo v. The majority of the uniform* were subsequently reissued to the unit. Lieutenant Philip X. Petty, supply and transport officer, stated that the quality of food was good, and any individual complaint of shortage was generally found to be due to a mistake. There was no ground for the suggestion that fruit and vegetables sent to camp as gifts had not reached the men. Captain McCristell, recalled, was asked if he had seen statements in the that jnen had laid within tents neglected. Witness said that some of the statements were true, but they were not true as to sick imen lying in the. tents, the only men he knew tp 'Bo lying in tents being 1 those who had -been given what was known as light dutv. The Commission adjourned till 10 a.m. on Mondav.