TRENTHAM CAMP.

Taranaki Daily News, 12 August 1915, Page 2

TRENTHAM CAMP.

COXTIXUATTOX OF IXQUIRY. Wellington, Tuesday" The Trentham Camp Cornraission of In. quiry continued its sittings this afternoon.

'Mr. 1!. W, Holmes, engineer-in-chief of tin' Public Works Department, said reading work to tile csunp and streets in the camp was about a third done, and would lie completed in throe weeks or a month. They, were making surface ti'od channels between the huts, and the Trentham Stream would be deepened to improve the drainage. Twelve new huts were being erected in wood, and also one liospital inspection hut, one hut for hospital quarters, and one small hut for orderlies attending on. infectious cases. A drying room, with which they were experimenting would be finished in a week. Ablution stands were also being erected, and one lumdred sliower baths would be built. Eaves ventilation space was being slightly reduced, vents in the ridge 'provided and single windows put in, so that a lied need not he placed directly under a window, Separate messing accommodation wna not. 'being provided.

His Honor remarked that this was Te commended by the dotors who approv ed a return to the camp. The Solicitor-General said the lm;pe rial Government did not consider mess ing accommodation was essential.

His Honor said that the arrangement did not appear sanitary. Mr. Holmes said that sewage drains within the living area were being piped and soakpits closed, new ones being opened at a greater distance. The soakpits now were not satisfactory, as they were coiithuuliy Hooded by title Tre'ntllam Stream, but the stream was now being deepened and this work would be completed in about two months if it were unsatisfactory. He saw no reason why the eaniip should be not reoceirpied bv 40(H) men.

Dr. Charles -Monro Hector considered the provision of nursing accommodation an important matter. A sum of £2OOO or .ra>fW would bo well spent in the provision of nursing- accommodation. Lining- for huts lie did riot consider ncecs-' .-ar.v. It would he dangerous to their health for them to have their dinner in the hut. because it would lead to ovc~ciowdi.ng and the contamination of the atmosphere. Sleeping accommodation ought to be reserved for that purpose. To put ,">0 or 70 ineu in a hut Was overcrowding. (-'•, 11, Ward, works manager for K. Hannah, and C0.,-boot contractors, stated that the substitution of cowhide meant an improvement. It was wrong to say that the leathers used were porous. They were the. same as had been adopted by -th<> -tiritisli War O/liee. •Private, itoy (Hen stated that he was a vacecoursc hospital patient on June 21. Two days later Private Badger became a patient. They wore afterwards at the kiosk, Ba.dgor toeing on the floor next to him. Witness and Badger had two aspcrin ta-blets after every incal for nine days. Witness had a high temperature with inllucnssM. He had to get up to go to tlie lavatory. ! Dr. Frengley explained various points in connection -with the hutments. He was in favor of the reduction of men per hut to SO, as sick men wanted more air space, than healthy men, and in view of what (had occurred it was a& well to treat them all as sick. If he had -hail his way he would have liad the accommodation the same as the open-air hospital at Camfoidge. He considered tnM. the samples of air which had been anai lysed had not been' obtained under fair I conditions. The Commission adjouraed,iine die.