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158. Mr. Ferguson.] That is, to finish the roads? —Yes, as laid down by the Engineer. 159. That is, two months more?—Y r es, to carry out the roads and drainage. 160. Two months to finish the roads and drains?— Yes. 161. That is, with two hundred men? —That is my opinion, but 1 am not an expert. Of course, the weather interfered with us. 162. Was there any reason why 'the drainage and roading should not have been put in working-order before then ?—I do not see how it could have been done owing to the terrible traffic, with the number of men employed about there, and the tremendous amount of timber lying about. 163. The Chairman.] That is, it could not have been done on account of the traffic, and the men building, and the material?— That is so. 164. Mr. Salmond.] What have you to say about the water-supply?— The water-supply is ample. 165. Where is it obtained from? —From a ravine overlooking the camp and the rifle range; it is brought down by pipes. This water has been analysed by the Analyst and tested by him. 166. Is it reticulated through the camp?—lt is laid on right through the camp. 167. When was that done?—ln a small way it has been done since the commencement of the camp, but owing to the increased numbers of men coming in we had to increase the water-supply, and that was done before the great bulk of the troops came in—the extra Trentham Regiment, for instance. 168. The Chairman.] That would be last year?—No, this year. 169. Mr. Salmond.] It has always been sufficient?— Yes. 170. The Chairman.] Have there been any complaints about the water-supply?— There have been one or two complaints about the frosts stopping up the pipes. 171. But not as to the quality of the water?— Not as to the quality of the water. 172. There have been complaints about the stoppage through frosts?— Yes, and the changing from one pipe to another when connecting temporary pipes. 173. Mr. Salmond.] Is there any other respect in which you think the site of tho camp is unsuitable, or in which you desire to criticize the site of the camp?— That question puts me in an awkward position, because it was selected by my superior officers. 174. The Chairman.] Is it, for instance, too far from or too near to the Town of Wellington? —I think it is very suitable in that respect. I cannot criticize my superior officers' at all in connection with the camp. 175. We are the superior officers for the time being, and what we want is your candid disclosure of what is in your mind?—ln my opinion, the camp is in every way suitable from every point of view, except that we might have some more training-ground area. 176. You mean, now the huts are there?— Yes; and with the reduced numbers of men it will be suitable in every way. 177. But it is really too small for seven thousand?— Yes, too small for seven thousand. But, as I say, it was only a temporary camp for the Trentham Regiment, consisting of 2,200 men, as it was intended that they would be there till August only. 178. It was the addition of the two new regiments which came in on the 29th and the 31st May which made it too small?— Yes, as a permanent camp. 179. Mr. Ferguson.] As a permanent camp it would be large enough for about four thousand, but it was not large enough for seven thousand ?—That is so. 180. It would have been large enough for the men there before?— That is so. 181. The Chairman.] Large enough for five thousand as a permanent camp?— Yes. 182. Now, when these extra 2,200 men came in at the end of May, what steps were taken for their accommodation, and the extra call that was made upon the camp's resources?— Well, we gave them the huts. 183. And turned out other men?—No, they were still in the tents. 184. Mr. Ferguson.] But some men besides the " Trents " went to the huts? —Yes. 185. The Chairman.] They (the huts) were put up in view of their coming?—No, they were built for the other men, but they were just finished, and they were given to the new regiments. 186. Mr. Salmond.] As to the system of sanitation adopted in the camp, what was done about the disposal of camp-refuse? —The surplus food was taken away two or three times a day by men who came there to use it for pigs. 187. The Chairman.] You disposed of it to consumers?— Yes. Other refuse was burned in an incinerator made out of sods. 188. There was no refuse left lying about? —No. Every company and squadron has its two permanent sanitary men appointed, and they are responsible for this work. 189. A. squadron consists of how many men?—A hundred—Mounted Rifles. 190. Mr. Ferguson.] That is, 2 per cent, of the men are set aside for this work? —Yes; but that does not apply to infantry, because there are two hundred in a company of infantry. The company commanders are responsible for their own particular lines, but there are two men appointed for the purposes besides them. In addition to that we have what we call a Camp Quartermaster's fatigue party appointed every day for general camp-cleaning. That attends to other places which are not in the company lines. 191. Mr. Salmond.] Is any refuse buried?—No, except it comes from the incinerators; nothing but what has been burned first. 192. As to the latrines, will you describe the arrangements?— For the initiation of the camp—that is, for the Second Reinforcements—we had the ordinary field latrines—a short latrine about 18 in. deep, called a "straddle," and about lft. wide and 3 ft. long. But after the Second Reinforcements we adopted the pan system and erected permanent latrines.

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