H.—l9b.

148

E. YEATES.

4. What was your position in the stationary hospital?—l was Civil surgeon attached to R.A.M.C. 5. And afterwards Captain in the Cape Medical Staff? —Yes. 6. At any time in South Africa were you in charge of a stationary camp or stationary hospital?—Y'es, I was in charge of the whole of the Matabeleland South African Police for two years and a half. 7. What experience have you had of military camps?— The British South African Police. The other was all hospital experience. I had charge of certain camps on occasions while on duty in Cape Town. 8. Will you now please proceed in regard to Samoa? —1 volunteered for the Expeditionary Forces, and went to Samoa as Captain of the Medical Forces. 9. When did you go to Samoa?—On the 19th September, 1.914. 10. When did you return?—l got back to this country on the 9th November. 11. Had you any 7 reason to suppose that your services in Samoa were not completely satisfactory?—No; 7 on the contrary, Major Holmes gave me a report saying that my services had been so admirable that he wanted me back again. 12. Were you sent for from Samoa, or did you apply to be removed or transferred to New Zealand ?—Neither one nor the other —I was sent in charge of the sick. Some Medical Officer had to go, and they took me. 13. Will you tell us how you became acquainted with the Trentham Camp? —1 got an order from the P.M.0., Auckland, ordering me to report at Trentham Camp on the 28th December. 14. When did you accordingly report? —I did not report until the 29th, as I got into AVellington very late on the night of the 28th. 15. How long were you in Trentham Camp? —I was there until the 27th February, 1915. 16. AVeie you during the whole of that period engaged in work in Trentham Camp? — Not the whole period : part of the time I was at the Upper Hutt remount camp. 17. For what period of time was that? —Only about ten days. 18. Then, with the exception of ten days, you were from the 29th December until the 14th February engaged in the Trentham Camp ? —Yes. T9. In what capacity?—AVell, it is hard to say. 20. What was your nominal position? —My 7 nominal position was one of the Medical Officers. 21. Who were the medical staff at Trentham Camp at the time of your reporting there?— Major Holmes and Captain Fyffe. 22. What was Major Holmes? —I was told he was Administrative Medical Officer. There was also Captain McAra. 23. The Chairman.] AVere you told that officially? —No, unofficially. 24. You did not know who your commanding officers were? —Well, there was no other officer of superior rank than Major Holmes there. 25. Mr. Skerrett.] Shortly after your arrival at the camp did you form any opinion as to the characier of the camp?— Yes, I did. 26. AVill you state it?—Tt struck me as being improperly laid out, the tents very crowded together, and the general system absolutely undisciplined. I am speaking as regards the medical service. There was no system attached to it, and no regular way of canying on the work, particularly the sick-parades. 27. How long was Major Holmes in camp as Administrative Medical Officer before you reported at the camp?— One day, I think. I think he arrived on the 28th. 28. How long had McAra and Fyffe been there? —I understand they were there from the 13th December until the day I arrived. 29. Before dealing with the sick-parades, do 1 understand you complain that there was no system of performing the work attached to the camp? —If there was I never found it out. 30. Can you venture upon any detail illustrating exactly what you mean? —Well, for instance, take the sick-parade : as far as I know no one got any orders about how the sick-parades were to be carried out. There was a large marquee there, and when the sick men came there were three Medical Officers in the marquee to receive all the sick men. There were two orderlies supposed to take down what the sickness was on the sick-report, but it was impossible to conduct a sick-parade with three medical men all talking together and the sick men coming in without any proper sequence. That was altered to a slight extent afterwards. 31. The Chairman.] But did you not attend the sick-parades?— Yes; but I afterwards spoke to Major Holmes and told him it was impossible for three medical men in one marquee to have any idea of carrying out a sick-parade. 32. AVere you one of the three? —Yes; and I objected to it as being an impossible way to carry out a sick-parade. 33. Will y 7 ou tell us in what respect it was slightly altered?— With regard to the ambulance. Major Holmes recognized the fact of the ambulance being in the midst of the camp jammed up amongst the officers' quarters in a wrong place, and he ordered its removal, and put it across the road in another situation—that is, the whole ambulance. 34. You include in that the hospital marquee?— Yes, and everything. 35. Mr. Skerrett.] That removal was in consequence of orders given by 7 Major Holmes? —Yes. 36. Was the Administrative Medical Officer present as a rule at the sick-parades?—l never saw him but twice, and that was generally towards the end of the sick-parades. 37. Did you observe anything with; regard to tlie method or system of issuing drugs or dressings?— Yes; the drugs and dressings at first were in the same marquee as the sick-parade was conducted in; and the orderlies were not, as a rule, trained—there were one or two trained. The result was that there was great confusion in the issuing of drugs. Shortly afterwards another