T. MCCRISTELL.]

33

H.—l9b.

223. Have any complaints been made, to your knowledge, by the troops?— Yes, complaints have been made by the troops. Once or twice they wanted more fresh vegetables. They get them when we can procure them. 224. There is a dietary ?—Yes. 225. Does it include vegetables?— Whenever we can obtain them. It says potatoes also. 226. Cabbages are only supplied as you can get them?— That is so. 227. But you can always get them? —No. Lieutenant Petty will explain that. 228. Then you are satisfied that in all respects the troops are sufficiently supplied with good food?— Yes; as a matter of fact, 1 have been compelled to reduce the supply of butter and jam because of the wilful waste that was going on. I make an occasional descent upon the cookhouses, and the last time 1 did so T found—it was in the early part of last month—l found three-quarters of a carbide-tin full of butter thrown away. I then reduced the supply per man. 229. How do the men get their meals: do they go for them to the cookhouse? —Yes; each tent consists of eight men, and two of those are appointed mess orderlies. They parade and get the food from the cookhouse, bring it to the tents, and divide it up amongst the men. After the meal is finished they gather up the scraps and wash up. 230. Whatever they 7 do not use is thrown away?— No. Each platoon has a store in which they keep their surplus food. After each meal the unused food is brought back and placed in boxes in this store. 231. Then they do not get all their food from the cookhouse?—No; their dry rations are issued and stored in the food-tent at the end of the lines. 232. The Chairman.] Do you know of the complaints about the tea?— Yes, I have had occasional complaints about the tea, but it is not the tea itself which causes the complaints. I investigated the complaints, and found it originated from the cooker in use. They are boilers on either side of tlie fireplace. AVhen you draw off the water from the boilers there is always about 3 in. left in the bottom, because you cannot empty the boiler of all the water. 233. The defect in the tea was due, then, to the fact that the tap was too high above the bottom of the boiler?— Yes, sir; there is always a certain amount of water left. 234. Has the defect been remedied ?—T have sent a memorandum to Ihe Chief of Staff about il. 235. It has been stated that the tea was very nasty?—Y'es. We thought of boiling the water outside, but in wet weather you could not boil sufficient outside. 236. Mr. Ferguson.] Is the tea placed in those boilers? —No; but the water is drawn from them to make the tea. They are 20-gallon boilers. 237. Mr. Salmond.] AA 7 ho attends to the cooking of the food?—I supervise all that, lint the company cooks attend to it. 238. Are these company cooks soldiers? —Yes. 239. I understand that you have one civilian cook and the others are soldiers?— Yes, 240. You are satisfied with their efficiency?— Yes. 241. Going back for a moment to tlie question of equipment, when a new draft comes into camp they have to get their equipment at once : is it a fact that sometimes they have been kept late at night waiting for their equipment? —Yes. On one occasion I received 1.757 men in one day. I did not get a start on them until 11 a.m., and by the time they were fitted out it, was very late. We can fit out about a bundled an hour. If I found I could not get through them all that night I would issue, blankets in bulk, and complete the issue of their equipment next morning. 242. What is the latest time that men have been kept waiting for their equipment?— About 9.30 or 10 p.m. But I have had men coming in at 3 a.m. 243. Did they come into camp at 3 in the morning?— Yes. 244. Where did they come from?— There was one batch came down from Gisborne: they came down by way of AVoodville with horses. 245. Have there been any cases where men have arrived in camp, say, in the evening, and have had to wait until 2 a.m. for blankets? —No. 24-6. AVell, till 12 o'clock at night?—No; I think perhaps 10 p.m., apart from those men who were delayed on the line and did not get into camp till early morning. 247. But'when it. has been necessary you supply them with blankets in bulk, leaving the issue of the rest of the equipment till next day?— Yes. 248. Mr. Gray.] You went into the camp in October, I understand? —Yes. 249. Did you erect any buildings before the Public AA 7 oi-ks Department?—A T es. 250. With your own staff?— Yes. 251. You have carpenters? —Yes. 252. Who installed the water-supply?—Tt was done under my supervision. 253. You had plumbers there?— Yes. 254. And when the Public AA T orks Department took in hand the erection of the huts did you assist them? —Yes, we worked with them. 255. Did you provide them with some men? —Yes. 256. For what purpose?— First of all. Mr. Scott, who had charge of the plumbing, came to me and said he could not get plumbers. I got them, and had the water laid on for them. We also lent them plasterers and bricklayers. 257. You had a staff of your own?— Yes. 258. And you lent them?-—Yes, we did everything we could to help the Public Works Department in the work .... 259. The Chairman.] In connection with the case of a man who takes sick in camp, how does the news of that sickness reach the proper quarter ?—The orderly-sergeant makes out the sickreport for the Medical Officer.

5_H. 19b.