H.—l9b.

56

[j. P. EBENGLEY.

183. Will you find out if there was a case at Masterton amongst the soldiers I—l1 —I will. 184. You told us that in cerebro-spinal meningitis the organism micrococcus will die very easily under exposure away from the human, body I —Yes. 185. And that there is a difficulty in bringing the swabs from the nose and throat to a laboratory ? —Yes. 186. And difficulty in making a culture ? —Yes. 187. There was a difficulty in bringing those swabs from Trentham Camp to a laboratory in Wellington ?—Precautions have to be taken. There is a difficulty. 188. And elaborate precautions have to be taken ? —I take it that putting it into a Thermos flask will keep it just warm enough. 189. Do you think a laboratory should be established at Trentham to overcome the trouble ? —I hardly think so, because of the delay of getting it going. It would be better to improve the present arrangements. 190. You do not think it is necessary ? —I do not think so. A motor-oar would run at a quicker speed and meet all the difficulties practically. 191. Measles is not a notifiable disease now ? —No. 192. Cerebro-spinal meningitis is ? —Yes. 193. Pneumonia is not ? —No. 194. If in any community there is an outbreak of measles, does the Health Department take any action ?—We control the measles only in so far as school attendances arc concerned. We have regulations advising the schoolmaster not to allow a child back to school from an infected house, and there is under the Education Act power given to the schoolmaster making it lawful for him to prevent the attendance of any child likely to convey any contagious disease to any other child. " Contagious " includes " infectious," and measles are dealt with under that. 195. If there is an epidemic of measles followed by pneumonia, would you take any action ?—We would take action, but we have no legal authority to do it. We would deal with it as a special epidemic of disease. 196. Supposing in a town in New Zealand, say, Masterton, there is an epidemic of measles followed by pneumonia in which there is a high death-rate, would the Health Department, as at present constituted, take any action ?■• -We would certainly if we were cognisant of it. 197. What would you do ? —We would adopt such precautions as in the case of diphtheria, and isolate them. 198. Much the same as in. regard to pneumonia ? -Yes. 199. When the Health Department heard of the outbreak of measles followed by irritant pneumonia, did they take any action ?—No. 200. When did the Health Department know that virulent measles had broken out at Trentham ? —We knew there was measles amongst tho troopers when the first troops left for the front, in October, 1914. 201. The Chairman.] It was an epidemic then ?—lt was amongst the troops. It had broken, out on the ships. 202. Had it broken out on land before they went ? —Yes. 203. Dr. Martin!] You are aware that a very virulent outbreak of measles broke out at Trentham followed by pneumonia ? —Yes. 204. The Health Department know that ? —Yes. 205. Was any action taken by the Health Department to cope with it ?—The whole matter is in the hands of the Defence Department. 206. You took no action ? —No. While the Chief Health Officer was away I was Acting Chief Health Officer for New Zealand, and I offered the services of myself and every officer of the staff to the Defence Department —to the Commandant. 207. What date was that ? —I will get you the letter. 208. And what reply did you get to that offer ? —They thanked me for the offer, and said that our services would be used, if found necessary. 209. Therefore the Health Department is in this position : they recognize that a very grave epidemic is going on at Trentham, but their hands are tied, and they could not take any action at all ? —That is so; we were outside. 210. The Health Department were willing to help and anxious to do so, but they could not come in ? —Yes. 211. Owing to the fact that the illness was amongst men serving under the colours ? —Yes, that is so. Denis Hann_.n sworn and examined. (No. 11.) 1. The Chairman.] You are a clerk in the Defence Stores at Wellington ? —Yes. 2. You produce a list of boots that have been received into store since the Ist April up to the 19th July?— Yes. 3. I see you produce requisitions that came in on the 25th May, and in regard to the order for the extra 4,000 pairs of boots the Commission would like to know what special measures you took to obtain them? —The requisitions illustrate the manner in which they are dealt with. [Witness explained the requisitions and papers attached.] 4. AYe come now to the deliveries in May. I understand that in April there was a requisition for 2,200 boots. What date did you get the requisition to supply? —On the 21st April the order was written for 2,000 pairs of boots.