H. B. POTTEE.J

7

H.—l9b.

193. The Chairman.] That would be in October?— Yes, in October. It was after that that we adopted these permanent latrines. I cannot give the exact date, but it would probably be at the end of December. 194. Mr. Ferguson.] What number of men would be in camp up to the time that the Second Reinforcements' went away?— Only about two thousand. 195. After that you >put in permanent latrines?— Yes. The reason for that was this: these field latrines were only used for a day, then covered up and a fresh one dug. With the limited area of the camp it was occupying too much ground. 196. Mr. Salmond.] What became of the nightsoil?—lt was covered over and buried. 197. Buried on the site of the camp?— Yes, where the latrines were. 198. Mr. Ferguson.] If you could get continuously fresh space that is the healthiest system to adopt—the field latrine?— Yes, except you had the water system. 199. Mr. Salmond.] How far is that site of the field latrines removed from the residential quarters of the camp?— Well, we have never encroached upon that; it is still the same. 200. The Chairman.] How far would the men have to go?— About 100 yards. 201. From any part of the camp?—We built the latrines about 100 yards from the tents. 202. Mr. Salmond!] Were they all in the same place, or scattered?— All in one place. 203. How far is that place now from the nearest tent or hut? —About 50 yards. 204. And the site of the old ones —are they a reasonable distance from the present tents and huts? —Yes, about 50 yards. 205. From the nearest place where the troops are living?— That is, the old latrines, which have not been used since December. That is approximately the distance. 206. As to the new system, what becomes of tho nightsoil?—The pans are emptied every night. 207. Where?—ln a paddock at the rear of the camp. 208. And buried there?— Yes, and buried there is deep trenches. 209. Covered over?— Covered over; it is buried in a field at the left rear of the camp. 210. Are these latrines properly equipped with all reasonable appliances: is a sufficient supply of sanitary paper provided?— Sanitary paper is not provided. 211. Any paper at all? —No, they get their own paper. 212. The Chairman.] The daily paper?— Yes, that is what they use. 213. Mr. Salmond.] Are not disinfectants supplied?— Yes; there are special sanitary police to look after that. Their duties are to clean out these latrines, and wash them down with disinfectants, while the men are out on parade every morning. They are washed down with disinfectant solution. 214. Has that always been so?— That has always been so with these new latrines. They are again done when the men go on parade at 2 o'clock. 215. Is there any system of drainage from them?— Yes; large pits are dug 20ft. deep and covered over with reinforced concrete. 216. Mr. Ferguson.] Are these connected with the urinals?— Yes, the urinals aro in these latrines. 217. Mr. Salmond.] How many horses are there in tho camp?— About four hundred and fifty. 218. Is that, about the average number?—lt depends on the size of the reinforcements : if we had a Field Artillery and Ammunition Column we would have more horses than if we only had Mounted Rifles. But with Mounted Rifles we would have four hundred horses and an extra fifty for the Army Service Corps. 219. Are they kept, in a particular part of the camp?— They are in a special paddock near the racecourse, right away from the main camp : that is on the other side of the road from the camp. The paddock belongs to the Racing Club. 220. And as to the proximity of these horses, is there not a danger to the sanitation of the camp ?—No, because it has nothing to do with the camp. There is a main road running between that paddock and our camp—a public road. 221. Are there not a number of tents close to those horses on the other side of the road?— Yes, there is the Field Artillery there when they are in camp; but they must "be 200 or 300 yards from the horse-lines. 222. What about flies? —We have not been troubled with flies to any extent. We used to spray with kerosene for flies in the summer; but we were not troubled with flies even during the summer. 223. Are there not open drains of any kind on the site of the camp in connection with the cooking buildings or for taking away water that has been used for washing dishes and so on? —That is run into pits, and these pits are covered over with tea-tree (manuka). 224. The Chairman.] That is ordinary waste water—washing-water ?—Yes, from the cookhouses; we have constructed grease-traps by which the grease goes on to the manuka. Then in the mornings the manuka is removed and burned, and a fresh supply put down to catch the grease. 225. Mr. Ferguson.] Is there only one set of latrines, or are there more?— There are three at the present time. 226. The Chairman.] Since when? —There have always been two since the Second Reinforcements, and the third was erected about the end of May, speaking from memory. 227. When the extra men came in? —Yes, it was rushed up for them. 228. Are there latrines in the horse-lines for the men attending to the horses?— They have temporary latrines over at the horse-lines—ordinary field latrines. 229. And for the Field Artillery?— They use the latrines at the back of their camp. 230. Or are supposed to. Were they in fact used, or is there a certain amount of freedom exercised by the men ? Do they use the latrines, or any convenient part of the camp ?—They use the latrines.