J. P. FRENGLEY.]

65

H.--198.

5. Dr. Valintine, returned in February ? —Yes, sir. 6. Then, after that, were your services engaged in connection with camp matters ? —No, sir. Beyond my being a member of the special Board referred to previously, I have not acted in any capacity for the Defence Department in connection with the camp, nor been called upon. 7. Are you aware whether any officers of your Department have been referred to ? —No, sir, except the officer in Auckland, Dr. Makgill, who acted locally as an officer of the Defence Forces ; he was actually in camp and acted as Sanitary Officer as well as Medical Officer. You also asked me for particulars of the different scarlet-fever cases in Wellington, and I advised you that Dr. Goldstein was in charge of them.. The previous case was in charge of Captain Harrison ; and as I had no personal knowledge of these cases I respectfully suggest that Captain Harrison and Dr. Goldstein should answer the Commission's questions. 8. Dr. Martin.] But you will have the notification of scarlet fever ? —I have not. 9. Then there are two cases of scarlet fever in the Wellington District of which you have not received notification ? —I have not heard anything of the first one. The second one may be on its way— I have not seen the notification. Both occurred in patients actually in hospital. I was incorrect in stating that one was at Kaiwarra. 10. The Chairman.] Were they soldiers ?—Yes, from Trentham Camp. 1 I. Mr. Ferguson.] If they are in the Wellington Hospital, would not the Wellington Hospital authorities notify you : I understand that these men are under the civil doctors at Wellington Hospital, ? —No ; Captain Harrison would be in sole charge. 12. Even though they are in the infectious wards of the Wellington Hospital?— That is so; a special arrangement was made in connection with the matter. 13. Dr. Martin.] But if a civil practitioner did not notify any case of scarlet fever the Health Department would take action against him ?- -That is so. 14. Has the Health Department taken any action at all ? —I should like to qualify my remark by saying that lam not aware of any notification, but lam not the District Health. Officer. The notification may have gone, to Dr. Finch, the District Health Officer, in both cases. 15. It is not in your Department ? —No ; Ido not deal with the district work. Then, sir, you asked me regarding the camp hospital. On the 3rd March I received a communication from Colonel Robin, or rather the Quartermaster, forwarding the plans and specifications of the proposed military hospital at Trentham, and asking that the Board be called together to prepare a report on the proposed scheme, and submit suggestions on same if necessary. On tho Bth March I wrote to the Government Architect on the subject, so that between the 3rd and the Bth March I put together a sketch of what I thought was suitable, to save time. Then, between the Bth and the 16th March our report was drawn up and forwarded to Colonel Robin, and plans were being prepared. Then, on the 18th March a letter was written by Colonel Robin to the Chairman, Council of British Medical Association, regarding the camp hospital. [Letter read and put in.] That letter asked certain questions, which were replied to in Dr. Elliott's writing in the margin. 16. Can you say why the letter of the 21st January was not acted upon earlier : you got the reference somewhere about the beginning of March ?—On the 3rd March. I had no official knowledge of the matter before the 3rd March. 17. Somebody else may be able to tell us what was the cause of the interval: it may have required the whole time to deal with the subject ?—Yes. 18. This, then, was regarded as the approval by the Medical Association of the hospital ? —On the 17th March Colonel Robin wrote to the Minister of Defence submitting the correspondence with the Chairman of the Council of the British Medical Association, and stating that the association's monetary gift could be applied to the buildings and the equipment; that £1,680 was immediately available, and that this sum would reach £2,000 later; that the Medical Association agreed to the plan, and that the Director of Military Services also agreed with the report and plans. Colonel Robin adds, " I now recommend that the plan and report submitted by the Board, at an estimated cost of £2,454, be approved, and that the balance of £454, with any reasonable extras, will be a fair charge against the war vote or loan." This was approved by the Minister of Defence in the following minute : " The Commandant.—For action at once. What about drainage ? I await report re lighting and drainage. —J. Allen, 18th March, 1915." The specifications were then taken over by the Public, Works Department, tenders were called for, and the date of the acceptance of the contract is the 27th April, 1915. 19. In regard to the operating-room in that hospital at Trentham, is there any arrangement made for heating it ? —I understand that was to be done by electrical radiators, when the electric light was arranged for; that is my impression. 20. This is a quotation from Mr. Campbell's evidence : " There is no means arranged for heating the operating-room " ? —At that time the matter was under consideration as to the electric lighting and heating. 21. Have any means been provided now for heating the operating-room ? —I cannot say, sir. 22. That would be in the Public Works contract,? —I do not know. 23. Do you not think it is rather necessary to find out ? Here is a hospital operating-room and no arrangement for heating ? —Certainly. 24. Will you find that out ?—I will find out whether a heating-plug is proposed to be put into that room. 25. In regard to the drying-sheds at the camp, do you consider that drying sheds and marquees are necessary ? —Most certainly. 26. At Trentham the drying facilities have been provided only about three weeks ? —I do not know that of my own knowledge.

9—H. 19b.