H.—6c.

[TROOPER C. H. DAVIS.

706. Would not their fellows be trying to rush them on ? —No; they would be trying to get their hands in at the same time. 707. Was there room on deck to make the wash-house larger ?—Not as far as I could see. 708. You had not too much room on deck as it was?— There was very little room to take any exercise. 709. And the wash-houses were taking up some of that space ? —Yes. 710. About this question of the hospital, you say the hospital accommodation was all right, and the attendants were all right, but there were not sufficient orderlies : at what period of the voyage was that ? Do you mean that there were more men in the hospital than men to look after them ?—Yes.' 711. When was that ?—Eight from the start. 712. How many men were in the hospital between Durban and Albany ?—lt was full all the time. 713. That is thirty-two men ?—Yes. 714. How many orderlies ?—There were three, as far as I know. 715. Were you in the hospital yourself?— No. 716. Did you hear the men in the hospital complain about this ? —Yes. 717. Did they make any complaint about it ?—I do not know. 718. Any complaint to the officers ?—I could not say. 719. Do you think the doctor could see, himself, that he had not sufficient men ?—Be could have had more men, I should think. 720. What I want to get at is this : Do you think that the doctor with the number of patients he had should have seen that he had not enough attendants, and should have requisitioned for more ? —Yes, certainly. 721. Then, in your opinion, the doctor did not take sufficient care of his patients? —No. 722. You do not know of any complaint having been made ?—No. 723. Mr. McNab.] You were not in the hospital yourself ?—No. 724. What you have stated to the Commission is what you have heard others say about the hospital?— Yes. 725. I suppose you have heard other men speaking very well of the hospital?—On some occasions I have. 726. If a man who was in the hospital came before the Commission for the one purpose of thanking the doctors for the attention they paid to him in the hospital, would you still think the doctors did not treat their patients well ?—Not as far as lam concerned I would not. 727. You admit you know nothing about it? —I know nothing about it myself. 728. You say the water was put on at 6 and remained on till 8 ?—Yes. 729. If a trooper from B squadron comes here and tells the Commission that the water was put on for only three-quarters of an hour he was stating what was not true ?—I should think he was. 730. In fact, you know he was ?—Yes. 731. Supposing there was a basin about 16 in. in diameter, and fitted with a plug so that it could be emptied at once, how many men could wash their face and hands in it in one hour—l do not mean stand there and complete their toilet, but go in, have a wash, and go out and dry themselves ?—I think a whole squadron would get through like that iv an hour. 732. Mr. Millar.] In furtherance of this hospital-orderly question you stated, in reply to Mr. McNab, that if a hospital patient said certain things it would not alter your opinion ?—No, it would not alter my opinion. 733. This is a very serious matter. Can you give us the name of the man who made the complaint? —There is only one man that I know of, and he is dead. 734. You cannot give the name of another man who can substantiate the charge ?—No. 735. So that we are in the unfortunate position that you make a charge and we cannot get the proof which is necessary to go on. You cannot give the name of a man in your squadron who made the charge?—l do not think I can. 736. Was the man in the hospital who complained to you?— Yes. 737. Is his name Grubb?—No ; Nicholson. 738. The Chairman.] What was his complaint: what did he say ?—That there was not sufficient attendants to attend on the patients. That is the only complaint he made. 739. Did he complain to the doctor ?—I could not say. 740. The only complaint was that there was not enough attendants? —Yes. 741. Was it before you got to Albany or Melbourne? —It was after we had left Melbourne for New Zealand. 742. Surgeon-Major Pearless.] You say he only complained about the number of hospital orderlies? —As far as I know. 743. What number would be sufficient ?—I should think six. 744. As I happened to have fifteen, do you think that would be enough ?—That would be enough. 745. Colonel Davies.] You say that it was only two or three days before you got to New Zealand that you could get water to wash your clothes ? —Yes. 746. Did you ever ask for it ?—Yes. 747. Who did you ask? —The sergeant-major. 748. Who was he?—Sergeant-Major Collins. 749. Can you remember when?—l could not recall it. 750. You are quite sure you asked for water to wash clothes ?—Yes. 751. Did he say to you that he would do what he could ?—Yes.

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