H.—l9b.

90

J. R. PURDY.

444. Have they been put up since? —They had three pans there before —the latrine system. 445. When was that change made? —Early in June. 446. After Dr. Valintine came on the scene? —Yes. We had been trying to get a watercloset jjiit in the main building for some weeks, and ultimately the City Engineer rang me up and asked me about it, and in twenty-four hours he had the closets established. The reason of that was that the man on one or two occasions failed to come and remove the pans, and we complained about it. 447. The Chairman!] I thought you told us the city was always ready to do anything at once: how long did it go on like that without, any attention? —The pan system was quite satisfactory. 448. Mr. Salmond.] You told us you tried to get a change made for some time? —I think you misunderstood me. I said I tried to get a closet put in the main building for some weeks from the Public Works Department. 449. Instead of a pan?—No, an additional one; and it was not done for various reasons. Then Mr. Morton asked me about it, lie thought it would not be a wise thing to put a closet in the main building. He said he wanted, if possible, to do away with the necessity of having the cart coming to Berhampore altogether, and he said he would put in three closets. 450. That was after you came back from Dunedin?—l really could not say. 451. You said "early in June" before?— Somewhere about that. I could not say exactly when it was. 452. Was any complaint made to you about the sanitary arrangements when you came back from Dunedin ?—No. Three pans for 104 people were not nearly enough. 453. And that was the only accommodation there was till the beginning of June?— Yes; but there was only that number there for one day. 454. The Chairman.] You had sixty or seventy or eighty there for several days? —Yes, about seventy; but there was quite sufficient accommodation for them, seeing that many of them were convalescent, 455. Mr. Salmond.] Did you regard that system as satisfactory up to the beginning of June? —Tt was the best we could do under the circumstances. 456. Why?— Well, what else could we do? 457. I suggest, what you did in June?— Put in closets. There was not very much difference between the closets and the dry-pan system. 458. I ask you if you were quite satisfied? —Yes, I always prefer the water drainage. 459. Still, you did not think there was any occasion till the beginning of June to make any alteration?— No. 460. Were any improvements made in the buildings at the beginning in order to make them fit for hospital purposes?— They were cleaned out and scrubbed down. There was no equipment, in at all—just, the shelter. 461. Had they been disused for a considerable time?— Yes, some time. 462. What sort of repair were the buildings in ?—Very good—wonderfully good. 463. Are the buildings connected with the main drainage system?— They are now. 464. But not then ?—Part of the building was. The houses were straggling. There is a caretaker's cottage down below. 465. But, was the main hospital connected with drainage?—l do not, think it was. 466. It has been connected since, I think?—T do not know. 467. You say you have water-closets in?— But they are not in the main hospital. 468. Where are they?— Down below. 469. In another building?— Yes. 470. You had a supply of the necessary equipment when the hospital opened?—Yes'. 471. Is the equipment satisfactory ?—Yes. 472. And always has been ?—Yes, always. I told them that whatever they wanted they were to have within reason. Everything possible was done for them in that way 7 in medicines and everything. 473. Did you obtain further equipment from time to time as the numbers grew?— Yes. 474. You have given us the names of three nurses', Sister Keith, Nurse Hannah, and Nurse Farron. Are they all in Wellington?—T believe so. 4-75. Have those nurses been there all the time?—No; the two first nurses went Home with the hundred nurses. 476. So y 7 ou originally had two and then you had three?— Yes. 477. How many man had you there as orderlies?—T think we had two, and then later four. 478. Can you give me their names?—l could not now. 479. Their names can be ascertained, I suppose?—Oh, yes. We appointed the wife of the caretaker as cook, and the caretaker himself an orderly. 480. AVho was then the person in charge of the hospital—Sister Keith?— Yes, latterly. 481. And before then? —One of the nurses —Sister Edie. 482. There never was a man in charge of the hospital?— No. 483. AVhy did you appoint, Sergeant Yallop ?—AVell, one of the principal reasons was that there had been trouble about the men's kits, and the camp authorities said that the ambulance people would have to be responsible for the men's kits—that if a kit was lost the ambulance people would have to make it good. I said, "In that case you must send an officer down." 484. No non-commissioned officer was there as orderly?— No. That is why 7 Sergeant, Yallop went down to take full military charge. 485. Had he anything to do with the nursing?— No. 486. That was after you returned from Dunedin ?—No, before I left.