THE TRENTHAM INQUIRY.

Gisborne Times, Volume XLV, Issue 4004, 10 August 1915, Page 6

THE TRENTHAM INQUIRY.

YESTERDAY’S PROCEEDINGS. (Pr-oss Association Telegram..) WELLINGTON, Aug. 9. Tin? Trchtliani Camp Inquiry was continued to-day. "TJie Solicitor-General (Mr. J. W. . Salmond, K.G.) said he would put in two Defence files regarding tlio hutments and Die camp hospital. Mr Justice Husking remarked that the first reference to liutmonte was at the end of December and tenders were not called until the end of March. . The Solicitor-General: If it ns suggested that there was any unreasonable delay, I suggest that the matter should be more fully investigated, as it appears to me, from the file, that there was no delay. Mr-Ferguson said that when the first contingent went away in October it was seen that the supply of tents would be depleted and that some oilier provision would be necessary. His Honor said the hutments were for the accommodation, not of the extra 2000 men, but of the 4000 who would be a permanent body at the camp. Lieut.-Colonel Morice said he was appointed principal medical officer of Trout-ham camp about 29th June, his jurisdiction extending over the camp and'hospital. When he. went to Trentham lie found an increasing number of patients at the racecourse buildings. The cases were mostly influenza and measles. The two were kept separate so far as possible, hut measles in the catarrhal stage remained with the influenza until they could he diagnosed by the appearance of the rash. Then they were removed. At the beginning of July, the minds of the medical men were exorcised by the symptoms in some of t-lie cases. .These were at first thought to be a malignant form of measles and were kept under special ■ observation. On July 7 they sought special advice, ■with the result that the camp was removed. When witness first took charge lie noticed that- some of the hutments were overcrowded and he discussed tho matter with the Camp Commandant. Steps were taken to reduce the number. The camp was being partially depleted each day by transfers to the hospital. On the removal of the camp the hutments were cleaned out and disinfected and left vacant for at least a week. The men left in camp were the Gth reinforcements and men returned from sick leave. Among these there had been a low proportion of sickness. Colonel Morice outlined the measures taken to treat cerebro-,spinal- - meningitis cases and chock the spread of tlio disease. Colonel Yalintine said if was not proposed to erect an expensive disinfecting plant at the racecourse until they knew whether they could contiiiuo to uso the buildings. Ho awaited the Commission’s decision on. that point. His Honor remarked that it did not ■ seem necessary that anything shoulc Jiang on the decision of the Commix- , sion. The camp was being nsec again; hutments were being eroctet and a medical board had given its decision as to tho site. Colonel Yalintine: Then T take i • that we may proceed with improve . ments and alterations at tho racecourse? His Honor: Oh. I don’t sav that iv all.

Regarding correspondence and communications with relatives, witness said there was some little difficulty in the rush until until a special Record Officer was brought out to take charge of that branch. Many medical men were working long hours, hut they could not very well have been relieved without- confusion. They never complained of excessive work. In reply to Dr Marlin. Colonel Morice said that there had been three cases of measles in three weeks and he considered the camp now free from influenza. When men with measles came from a hutment, no steps were taken to disinfect the hut or isolate the rest of the occupants. Such a course would have been impracticable, since men were coming from every hut. After the men left, tlio huts were cleaned with disinfectant. The camp at this time was practically under quarantine. His Honor said it seemed doiibtHU whether the suitability of Trentham came within the scope of the Commission. However, ho asked witness whether, in view of the record of the

camp in the past- and its recent history as lie himself knew it, and tho criticisms levelled at the hutmemw, etc., in which he concurred, he would say that it was safe to bring troops back in large numbers? Colonel Morice said it was a difficult question to answer. The improvements which were being carried out, and which, he Imped, would be completed beforo tlio large body of men came in, he thought, would make it a safe camp. Dr Hardwick Smith, formerly Superintendent of the Wellington Hospital, explained that lie had a verbal arrangement with Dr Purdy to take in as many military patients as ho could, up to fifty. He could notsay exactly when the conversation took place. 'this was apart from measles. If Colonel Purdy thought that they could provide accommodation for fifty cases of measles apart from other cases he must have been mistaken.

Further evidence was given by Dr Valintine in regard to the conclusions tome to by tiro Medical Board appointed to report to the. Minister for Defence on the future use of the camp. The Board reported that, provided ordinary precautions wore taken to prevent the spread of disease, and that the general sanitation was put in order, there was no reason why 2000 men of the Sixth Reinforcements should not occupy the camp. On August 8, further, the Board reported that there was no objection to the camp being occupied hv 4000 men, provided the following important details were attended to: Thorough disinfecting of the whole camp, not more than 30 men to each hut, provision for messing accommodation, the provision of stretchers, the improvement of the hutsas regards the exclusion of draughts, etc., the improvement or the roads, the improvement of the surface drainage, and the improvement of the sanitary arrangements. The Board decided further, witness went on to relate, that, provided there was no case of cerobro-spinal-menin-gitis for 14 days prior to embarkation, there was no reason to delay the departure of the Sixth Reinforcements and, prior to departure, a very strict inspection was made of all the men concurred. In all these recommendations the Board were absolutely unanimous. Since the distribution of the camp, there had been one case of cercbro-spinal-meningitis, and that case had not been absolutely verified. A man belonging to the Seventh had died at Dannevirke under suspicion. Another case with the Sixth had not been verified, and the medical officers generally believed it was not a true ease. The man was now finite well. Colonel Purdy then gave further evidence. He said, with regard to the criticism about sanitation,. that the methods adopted were in accordance with the latest manuals. Dry earth at the latrines had been discarded in favor of creosote. Dr <ie Lautour had quoted no text book later than 1880. In the Field Service Regulations of 1904 it was laid down that, in a standing camp, tents should be struck periodically, but “tents should never be pitched for occupation in the intervals.” He submitted that the camp had never been overcrowded. They 'had never had 80 tents to the acre. The criticism about 600 men to the acre fell to the ground, as there were never more than 400 to the acre. A camp destructor had been applied for to go•> rid of all refuse, witness being strongly opposed to the idea of kitchen remnants being sent to a nig farm. The Commission adjourned till to- J morrow.