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seemed to work themselves into a state of constipation, and would wait until night-time and then sneak from their beds. We were faced with a great difficulty in that at night-time it was impossible to tell those men, and it was found better to encourage them to get up in the early hours of the day when the sun was shining. 6. The medical men were aware of what you are telling us? —Yes, there was nothing kept from them in any way. I may say that I have had experience of hospitals very much alongsimilar lines, where there has been congestion, and I say this fearlessly 7: that the efforts made to cope with the sudden inrush of patients was as ample at Trentham as I have seen anywhere. I would say further, fearlessly, if I saw anything which I thought should be exposed I would expose it at once. It is quite easy for any one who has any idea in his mind of modern hospital management to go out to Trentham and to see the muddy surroundings, and to say that those conditions were not hygienic; but one has to be seised of the actual facts of the case to realize the stupendous task it was to keep the buildings clean, with men walking about all the time. Then one's mind would be disabused of the idea that it was possible to keep those hospital arrangements in as good a condition as is done with the polished floors of modern hospitals. Then, I desire to say that 85 per cent, of the men who were admitted to the hospital simply had colds. My opinion is based upon the observation of those cards that they were measles and influenza cases. It was very difficult also to get convalescent men in the hospital to help one another. On several occasions I have tried to get such men who were perfectly able to do a little light work, and it was wonderful to see that those men would rather do nothing than assist to keep the place clean. That was a noticeable fact, and I am sorry to have to refer to it. 7. AVhat was the reluctance due to —a fear of contagion or something of that sort?—l cannot tell you that. It seemed to me a spirit of laziness indigenous to influenza or something of that kind. It was very hard to get men to do anything. AYe were face to face with this difficulty :we would get a fatigue party, and we would have attached to the hospital so-many 7 orderlies. These orderlies wore the Red Cross and were classified as orderlies. Their duties consisted in attending to the patients as much as possible with the small amount of knowledge that they had, and they 7 had to take their instructions from the nurses. AYe also had a supply of what were called " fatigue-men." Those fatigue-men would be men sent from the various companies to do requisite work about the hospital. I might say that my criticism of some of those men is summed up in two lines, which I composed at Trentham : " The orderly by his red cross is clear; the fatigueman is known every afternoon to disappear." Still, we got, good men at times, while others would simply get away to the latrines, and the other men would have to do their work. I would like to say here that I never saw a man come to the hospital with a wet overcoat or wet clothes, except on two occasions, when men came in with wet dungarees, and 1 made a particular note of that. I was very careful to observe the condition in which men came to the hospital, because there was often a tendency for men to hop into bed with wet things on, and 1 made it a point to see whether their feet were wet by turning down the bedclothes. Many of us were, working eighteen hours a day, and made no complaint, and would do it again if necessary. Whenever there was any suggestion of a necessary improvement made to Dr. Valintine or Dr. Moriee there was a speedy remedy provided. The next point is that with a certain number of patients there was a reluctance to come forward with complaints or report themselves sick, even if they had any 7 to make. 8. Was that during your time? —Before my time. I want to make a comparison. 9. You were told about them? —Yes. This is borne out by 7 evidence as much as anything in regard to which evidence has been produced. After a certain time at the kiosk it was found necessary to send certain men to convalescent homes, such as Heretaunga Golf-links, and it was found convenient also to have other men sent to their homes. AA 7 hen it became known in the lines that some men were being sent home on sick-leave that reluctance to report sickness suddenly vanished. Men came along with temperatures of 98 or 1)9, practically normal. I have also seen men whom it was almost impossible to keep in their beds. A man would say the next day, "I am all right"; and it was plain that there were a great many cases of malingering; but the precautions were being taken in order to fake no risks, and men were sent at once to the hospital. I noticed in the papers with regard to my evidence it is stated that 1 saw nol aspirin tablets being given to patients. I did not wish to convey that impression. What I meant to say 7 was that there was no systematic giving of aspirin tablets at every meal. I could not deny that aspirin tablets were given, but the suggestion was put, to me that two tablets were regularly given with each meal for the purpose of keeping down the temperature. 10. Mr. Gray.] You saw nothing of that?—No, absolutely nothing; and it could not have taken place without my knowing it. IT. The Chairman.] And the ward nurse would also know about it?— Yes. When the nurses came to take charge each nurse was allocated a certain section of the hospital, and was given so-many patients under her care. When the Medical Officer had gone round in the morning he would give certain instructions, and she would follow up with a tray containing medicines of various kinds, and atomizers for spraying the throat, and she would do for the patient what was directed by the Medical Officer. I saw that being done every day myself. Regarding the supply of food, for the first ten days I took my food almost wholly at the hospital, taking exactly what the patients took, and I saw no food ill cooked or that was not in a wholesome state. The beef-tea provided was of a nourishing character, as opposed to the ordinary beef-tea. It contained crushed cereals, and seemed to be nourishing. All that 1 tasted was good and wholesome, and liberal in supply, and I invariably made it my duty to walk round and ask if every man had enough. Tf any man said he would like more he was supplied with it. There is another point I would like to refer to : I notice in the papers what might, be regarded as a reflection on some officer at Trentham. It appears in regard to my references to the record of patients enter-