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21. It would be an increasing number?— Exactly. 22. Dr. Martin.] You say the report states that there were no pneumonia cases in the Expeditionary Forces up to the I7th February?— Yes. 23. AVell, there was a large number of deaths from pneumonia in the British Army, and the point is that they have not been reported?—lt is quite likely. What I was looking at was that they have got returns of other diseases, and one would expect to get all the returns up to that date. One would know, of course, that in the stress of war the returns would be very imperfect. 24. The Chairman.] At all events, we have it, that since 1907 -the improvements effected in consequence of the experience gained from those two camps you have named have caused a great diminution in the amount of sickness and death ?—Yes. 25. Mr. Skerrett.] Is there anything you would like to add upon this topic? —Merely in this respect: there is a very interesting report on the Hampshire manoeuvres. Ido not know exactly how many thousand men there were, but, 1 would assume from fifteen thousand to twenty thousand men in the manoeuvres, which lasted six weeks, and the report says that there were practically no cases of preventable diseases whatever. The report reads, " The troops were practically free from preventable diseases. There were two outbreaks of diarrhoea and colic, due to food —in one case large quantities of unripe plums (stewed), and in the other an inferior oil in which fish had been fried. The outbreaks were in two different regiments and at different times; they were confined to those regiments. The onset was sudden and general; early colic was the predominant symptom, and no further cases occurred when the offending food was stopped — i.e., on the next day. There was one case of diphtheria, which occurred at the commencement of the training. The disease was contracted at the main station. The bacillus was grown in my field laboratory. The man was sent to an infectious hospital, contacts were isolated, and no subsequent case occurred." 26. The Chairman.] What time of the year was that? —Summer. It took place between the 6th August and the 6th September, 1907. 27. Mr. Skerrett.] Do you know of anything at the commencement of tlie period of undertaking the military encampment why as satisfactory results could not have been produced in New Zealand as in England? —Only the want of a trained Medical Officer. 28. But there is no teal reason why with proper organization the same satisfactory results could not be produced here?— New Zealand is a more healthy country and less populated. 29. Is there anything in the climate or in the conditions pertaining to the Trentham Camp before its establishment which would prevent a satisfactory system of hygiene being established? —Nothing to prevent it. It is a very good climate. 30. At the outset, in your opinion, ought there to have been any serious outbreak of preventable disease or any serious epidemic in the encampments at Trentham or elsewhere?— Due to local conditions ? 31. Yes?— No. 32. The Chairman.] By "local" you mean arising from the conditions of the camp?— The general configuration and climatic conditions. 33. Not arising from the state of the camp?— No. 34. You mean the situation of the camp?— The situation of the camp. Of course, in considering those matters the Medical Officer has to consider and be guided by the military conditions. He has to work with a system. If the military conditions are such that it is very necessary to have the camp in any particular place, then the Medical Officer has to assist tlie military authorities to the best of his ability, and point out the advantages or disadvantages, if any, and take special precautions. There are many more suitable places than Trentham, but, under proper conditions the training should have been conducted at Trentham perfectly well. It an old river-bed, and, as we learn from Mr. Bates, the water-level is about 15 ft, down, so that it would keep it pretty cool. Wells draw 7 water at 15 ft. Being an old river-bed, that not always advisable. As to the constitution of the soil, there is about 18 in. of black, sandy, light, porous soil mixed with stones, and beneath that there is an impervious yellow clay of about 18 in., which is not always a healthy subsoil. Below that again there are large stones which go down I do not know how deep, but, at any rate, to the water-level. 35. Is that soil a suitable soil for a camp ?—You have to regard that impervious yellow clay as a sort of danger, and have to be guarded against it. 36. Mr. Skerrett.] Assuming it was desirable to establish a camp at Trentham, were the conditions of the soil or local conditions calculated to prevent a hygienic camp being established there? There is nothing to prevent, it under proper conditions and regulations. 37. The Chairman!] Having regard to the layer of 18 in. of clay?— That would constitute a special source of danger. 38. Mr. Skerrett.] They would have to be mindful of that condition?—Yes'. 39. Would you under normal conditions and the proper establishment and regulation of a camp have expected to find a number of preventable cases of disease occurring?—lt should not occur. . .... , ~ 40. I am referring to the Trentham site? —There is nothing m the site to cause preventable diseases. . , , 41. Would you have expected under normal conditions and proper organization of the camp an epidemic? —No; there should not have been, under normal conditions. 42 Could you give the Commissioners an idea of what, you would have expected the deathrate to' be in a proper camp at Trentham. with a population ranging from three thousand to seven thousand?—l should have expected it not to have exceeded the mortality rate of the whole civil population of New Zealand—in fact, less, because they are selected, picked, and specially examined young men.