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necessities and needs at the hospital at Trentham. I also made it perfectly clear that it was to be a camp hospital, and not a base hospital. It was to be a small camp hospital built in such a way that in the future it might be used as a convalescent home, or something of that nature, for the benefit of the men returning from the war. Our plan also embodied a small isolation hospital, which we also wanted, and the plans were afterwards properly prepared by a draughtsman, and they were sent then to the Board consisting of Dr. Frengley, Mr. Morton, and Mr. Campbell—a doctor, an engineer, and an architect. When I had that conversation with General Robin about the money and the indefinite position we were in in regard to the Medical Association he said that something must be done to straighten the matter out, and he wrote that note and said to me, "Can you get answers to those questions? " I said "Yes," and he had it typewritten, and said, "When can you see Major Elliott about it?" I told him that we were having a meeting at Dr. MoGavin's house that afternoon, and that I would see Dr. Elliott there. Dr. McGavin was the P.M.O. for the district, and he had been on the original Board with Major Holmes and myself, who drew up the original plan. Colonel Robin said I had better take the letter with me and also the plans, and that was the first time 1 had seen the new plans of the proposed hospital. I said that this was very much more elaborate than we intended, but I quite approved of it, because all the block had been brought in together. Then I took it along, and after the Board meeting I said to the other doctors, " Wait a bit, here's a letter I would like you to discuss." I suggest that Dr. Elliott has forgotten that it had been made perfectly clear that the Medical Association had nothing whatever to do with the hospital—that the money they had collected was not for the hospital building at all, but for the equipment of it. 53. Then, do I understand from you that the real point in consulting the authorities of the British Medical Association was to find out about the money being available? —Ihat is so. 54. " Please state how much you have in hand to be expended on the buildings " : I thought the point was that they had not to put up any buildings, but only to provide for needs and necessities?— Quite so; they got rather mixed up about the whole affair. 55. Was that the real position, then, that none of this £1,800 or £2,000 was to be expended on the building? —It was to be understood that the Medical Association was not putting up the hospital. 56. Then the Government, after expending £2,000 on the hospital, might consider that they had that sum still available for needs and necessities, or equipment?— Yes; of course, the whole thing would cost between £4,000 and £5,000. The £1,700 provided by the Medical Association —or, rather, the North Island branches of the association, because the South Island would not give anything—would reduce the cost to about £2,000. 57. Then may we take it that there was no necessity to get the approval of the British Medical Association to the plans at all?— Well, they were approached originally in order to get the money. 58. Was the position the Government took up such that it was not necessary to get the consent to the plans on the part of the British Medical Association?— Quite so; it was out of courtesy that the plans were submitted to them. 59. Is it to be assumed that the British Medical Association's approval of the plans was not essential to the adoption ?—Quite so. 60. Did you see Dr. Elliott writing those marginal notes? —Well, sir, we were all sitting together. 61. Did he write them? —I cannot remember. Colonel McGavin was there and Major Elliott was there, but J could not say who wrote them. 62. Dr. Elliott says that those three questions are answered in his own handwriting : what about the " Yes "to the fourth? —I cannot say. 63. Do you know Dr. McGavin's handwriting? —Yes. I do not know if this is his. We were sitting there, and I think probably that when Dr. Elliott was going out it was then that it was put in. 64. Is the "Yes" to the fourth paragraph in your handwriting?—l do not know; but it has nothing to do with the matter. 65. It is assumed to be evidence of the consent of the British Medical Association?— The question simply says that the hospital to be erected is in accordance with the new plan attached, " which I think you will agree will be an improvement on the first proposal " —which undoubtedly it was; but I could not say who put in the " Yes." 66. Would not that "Yes" imply that it was so considered by the British Medical Association or by the person who wrote that "Yes"?—By the three of us. We were all prominent members of the British Medical Association—all ex-Chairmen. We had already discussed the position. 67. What became of that letter after the interview : did you return it to any one?— Yes, to the Adjutant-General; I just took it back. 68. Was the " Yes " there when you took it back?— Yes. 69. Then that " Yes " must have been put in either in the course of the interview at Dr. McGavin's house or afterwards, before it reached the Adjutant-General?—We were all there together. 70. Mr. Ferguson.] How do you know it was there?—l surmise it was there. 71. The Chairman.] Is there not a memorandum from you to the Adjutant-General, dated the same day ?—Yes, there is. 72. What date is that?— The 16th March. 73. That is the same date? —Yes. 74. Then you would return the letter with that? —Yes. [Letter read.] 75. It says nothing about the approval of the plans, but only in regard to the destination of the money?— Yes; question 4 does not ask for the approval of the plans.
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