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H. E. POTTEB.j

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Wellington Hospital?— Yes, he was' conveyed by the hospital motor-ambulance to Wellington, provided he was passed as fit for the hospital by the doctors. We would not detain any man in camp who was fit for the hospital. We would detain in the marquee any man who was ill temporarily for two or three days. 326. Dr. Martin.] Did you see any instance in the camp of any man suffering ill effects from overcrowding either in the tents or in the huts?— No. 327. You saw uo ill effects from overcrowding?— No. 328. Did you see any ill effects from exposure: 1 am asking you as a military officer, not as a doctor?—l have not, personally. 329. The C/iairman.] Was anything reported to you of that sort ?•—Nothing of the sort has been reported to me. 330. Mr. Salmond.] Did you have complaints brought to you of the men having wet clothes and wet feet for want of a place to dry their clothes or their boots? —No complaint has been brought to me, except for want of a change of boots. I have had that complaint. 331. No complaint on account of inability to dry clothes?—No; I have heard a great deal about it, but no complaints were brought to me. 332. None were made to you?—No, nor by the officers to me. although I knew that it existed during the wet weather. 333. You knew that the boot trouble existed during the wet weather?— Yes. 334. Apart from the question, of dry cloth.es and dry boots, were there other heads of complaint made to you with regard to what may be called the comfort and health of the men?—l have never received one such complaint. 335. Except on the question of boots?— That is so. 336. Any complaints in regard to matters respecting comfort or care of the men?—l have received no complaints. 337. Either directly or from your subordinate officers?— That is so. 338. Dr. Martin.] You have received no complaints from men having slept under wet blankets? —I have not. 339. Mr. Ferguson.] Is it, possible for an ordinary private to make a, direct complaint to you?— Yes; he can demand to be brought in front of me, and that has been told them in my own address, when I address them when they first, come into camp. He can demand to see me if he cannot get satisfaction otherwise. 340. The Gluvirman] And has that been taken advantage of?—lt has, in certain cases. Men who have, had no real complaint have approached me in regard to financial difficulties and other thing's. They have asked to see me, and the officers have brought them up. 341. It is rather done in regard to their own private affairs?— Yes. 342. Mr. Salmond.] I wish to ask you some further questions about this matter of dry clothing for the troops: you say that hitherto no arrangements have been made for drying clothes?— That is so. 343. Is it proposed to make such arrangements, or have any steps been taken for the purpose?— Yes, suggestions have been made, and we have already arranged for drying-marquees; that has been in operation for the last fortnight. 344. How many of them? —One to each company or squadron. Kadi marquee has a brazier in it. 345. It is a tent inside which is a brazier? —Yes, a drum which burns charcoal or coke— as a matter of fact, we are using coke. 346. Is there a man in charge of them?— Yes, a man appointed by the company to look after it. 347. Was that in active operation prior to the breaking-up of the camp?— Yes, it has been going for the last fortnight. 348. It was not, going before the epidemic broke out?—We had no facilities then. 349. Dr. Martin.] No facilities for drying clothes up till about three weeks ago?—Up till about two or three weeks ago. 350. So that a man could not dry his boots?— Unless he put them in the sun. 351. Mr. Salmond.] What proportion of the men had only one pair of boots?— The whole of the Seventh Reinforcements did not have their boots, and also the bigger proportion of the Trentham Regiments. I could not say definitely how many, but the greater proportion of 2,200. 352. Would you say that about four thousand men had only one pair of boots?— About three thousand altogether. 353. Mr. Ferguson.] In addition to what they had themselves?— Yes, they had their own civilian boots. 354. Where are those boots? —They are in the camp. We keep them because the men are only allowed to take away a certain weight. We collect them and forward them to their homes. 355. Mr. Salmond.] But when they are in camp?-—They have their own clothes. 356. So that they can put their own boots on :is that not contrary to regulations?— No. 357. Mr. Ferguson.] They could train in their own boots? —They could. 358. Are they allowed to train in their own boots? —Yes, if they had an excuse; and a wet boot would be a sufficient excuse. 359. And would that be recognized by all officers? —Yes. 360. The Chairman.] These extra clothes are available to them, while they are in camp?— Yes. 361. Why, then, should complaints be made because men have not two pairs of boots?— Two pairs' of official boots. 362. Mr. Ferguson.] Their own private boots are not suitable?— No. they are too light, for military work.

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