TRENTHAM CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 3 August 1915, Page 8

TRENTHAM CAMP.

CU.UiIIi;SiO.N UF E.NQUiU'. By Telegraph.—Press Association. ■Wellington, Yesterday. Kxpclt CUdl'llCC r.;'.l Itli LI" UIC hill* liu:i;ts was ;:ivi'u before 111';' 'ln iithaia Ciiinp Commission to-day by ' liobb, architect. Witness detailed Hi;? experience of hutments in .South Alru'a, New Zealand, and elsewhere. 'J his h'd him to believe ill." use ni iron was not economical, as it intensify the temperalure, and In render the lints comiorlaide and healthy it was neee = .r.ary to line them with some noi!-comiucior---.!sbcsius, c.mvas, oi' wood. The huts at the Lioer concentration camps at Piclcnnaribdmrg were of canvas, boiii;; so as the result of experience at T.ndv.sinilh, where there was much illness ;is' 1 lie result of living in milincd tin lints. Temporary hospituls erected in Knghuid were lined mid ceiled with asbestos, and he believed tliey were of wood and iron. Kushmou and navvies in New Zealand preiVvrcd cannis nr wooden Inus or tents to imlined iron lulls, which t'nev would not sleep ill. At Marit/bui'i; Hie huts were of canvis on wood frames, wooden door on ~iles. iron lean-to r„«i. with felt underneath. The ;-pa.c between the rn>rs was about Wt., with ttWul 30ft. between the huts. They were about rjOft. by 12l't. iliii., in two coinpartmcnK accommodating not more than four i>eo. pie in each, jjy request, witness visited the Trentham camp on Friday July 23. There were pool? and mud even-where, even under some ei the buildings. There wr,= no etVcctive surface drainage near headquarters. 'I here was some congestion and disorder' in the disposition of the tents, some being only three or four feet a.part. 'J hi re was ample space between tile blocks of hutments, but only ISft. between the huts. The site for the camp was 100 tlat: the soil and sul>=oil, thoun-h naturally porous, n-.-i'lit -become clofficred with fine matevial', owing to the traffic. The liniments vcre too close together to allow ci sufficient air space and ventilation. Oil the present, or even the former, prkes the huts could have been constructed more cheaply of iion-conductina- materials than of iron. Tic recommended >-id.sro ventilation, which would provide for the escape of impure air. The Army Council recommended caves, or ridge ventilation, but the former applied to liuildins's erected at the -plate level, or with outlets in the ridcrcs. fister Alice Pa vain said she was at from June 2 to July 17. She assisted in'attendance on Foi'dhan and Pollard. Pollard arrived with a temperature of lfU .K. and had a rouifli. Fui'dhant told her later that it had been suecested that he should £0 to the Wellington Hospital, but lie had preferred to stay at Bcrhanipore. Pollard's temperature rose after four day c . 1-ord-ham did not appear .-o ill as Pollard. He developed a temperature about Hit same time as the other patient. To Pr. Martin: Witness could not say why an exception to the rule of sending seriously ill patients to Welli igton was made in the case of Pollard, Dr. .Martin: Do you think a. pneumonia patient could gel a 1! good treatment at lYrhampore'? Yo doubt, pneumonin could be better treated at tin' eeueral hospital. Pr. Martin: And you do not know why Pe-llard was not moved? Witnes.s: No. It was not mentioned to me.

Sister Frtvam. continuing, s.iid that when the ho-pilnl was being vacated she a-ked whether paper s , etc.. were to lie sent down to the Department. She was (old to dtstroy wliat, was in the wards, folhird's and Fovdharn's charts were among these papers.

Dr. Martin: On what dale were you fold to desfrov these charts?

Witness; After the patients bad kTt. She rang up the Stores Department, lint could not. sav who gave her the in-strn.-iions. Oharls were not specially mentioned. She iuquiricd because s,!ie thnueht. it undesirable to send papers which might carry infection.