H.—l9b.

160

[W. C. POLLABD.

5. Perhaps you might read to the Commission the portions of the letter to which you wish to draw attention? —This is the first letter my sister received. It is not dated: ".lust a few lines to let you know that I am all right, although we are not quite settled yet. We had a, fine time up here, but has been raining since yesterday afternoon till dinner-time to-day. We went out for the first time this afternoon. We haven't started to drill yet. They had us carrying stones. Talk about mud ! nearly over our boot-tops. Wants stout boots here. Fred and me didn't get together nor any of the other mates: there were six of us that wanted to he as mates. We are all over the place. There were over eighty men sleeping in our hut last [night], packed in like sardines. The hut was only built for fifty." 6. What date was this? —That would be about the Ist or 2nd June. Then he goes on to say, "So you can just guess what it was like. 1 only dropped across Fred by accident yesterday afternoon." That was one of his mates that he wanted as a mate. "Would you mind getting a couple of Balaclava caps." 7. I want to hear what he says about his health? —He says further on, " I think I told you that we see each other every night. Thanks very much for the pasties : they were very acceptable. The tucker is not too good, The stuff is good enough, only its the way its conked —I think it is too much of a. muchness. I don't know [how] I should get on if it weren't for the canteen. lam afraid 2s. a day is little enough for spending. I very often do down and have a plate of curried oysters, and then have a cup of lea and cakes. ... 1 have a cough—in fact, everybody has one. It is just like a sanatorium, with all coughing one up against each other. It doesn't matter what time of night you wake up (here is always half a dozen going, for it. The draught in these huts is enough to feed a pig. I have emptied three bottles of peppermint cure, and also thai bottle I brought with me, besides lemons. 1 wonder if you mind getting them boots of mine mended and send (hem up here. 1 haven't got anything to go to Wellington with." 8. What is the date of that second letter? —Neither of them is dated. 9. Does he say anything in these letters about nut having boots?— No. 10. Did you get any letter from him after he went to the hospital? —Yes. This letter is not dated either, but it is post-marked " 28th June," and we do nut know whether it was written in Kaiwarra Hospital or at Berhampore, but we know it was written in one or the other : " You will be surprised to hear that 1 am in a measles hospital in Wellington, or just out of it. There is a terrible big crowd here, and they reckon we shall be here for three weeks, so you can just guess what sort of a time I shall have cooped up here. Well, old dear, 1 have had a bit of 'a tough time of it this last eight or nine days. J think I told you 1 had a cold. Well, Wednesday I went on sick-leave. 11. Was that the Wednesday that he got into camp?—No, he was in camp about a fortnight : "That night the officer came over and asked me if he should fetch the doctor, so I said 'No, I didn't think so, as 1 would be all right in' the morning.' Anyway, 1 went to see the doctor the next morning, and lie sent me to the hospital that night. My temperature was 103. I was crook, too, ami all they gave tne was three cups of milk-and-water—nothing to eal. The next, night 1 was up to 104, and the same the next night. By Christmas. I didn't half-sweat two nights! Anyway, my temperature came down to 98, and then they found 1 had got the measles." 12. He does not say what time elapsed between the temperatures, but 1 suppose we could find that from the chart?-—"So they sent me down here yesterday. 1 wasn't fit to travel, and I don't feel too good to-day." It was not right that such a man should have to gel up and dress and perhaps walk to the (rain. 13. Ido not think we can assume that?- —I think so, because I met a man who saw him. 14. He saw him going into Kaiwarra?—Yes, Private Greatbatch, of the 2nd Battalion of the Trenthams —the same regiment as my brother was in. I met him mi the boat on the Sunday morning. 15. Where was he going then?—He was going back to (he camp : he had been tiome on sickleave. 16. Greatbatch saw your brother at Kaiwarra? —Yes. 17. Then he was referring to the crowd: that would be at Trentham Hospital? —No, at Kaiwarra. I assume that his letter was written at Kaiwarra. He must have had to take his swag, but that can be found out. " I was not 100 lit to travel, and don't feel too good to-day. Oh, I suppose 1 will live to get over it, shant I 1 Tarn as giddy as a girl of sixteen, and as weak as a robin. Fancy a man catching the blanky measles! There is a terrible big crowd has got [them] though. Well, old . 1 think you had better come up here and nurse me. I think that is what I want more than anything." 18. Were there any other letters received from him? —No, I do not think so. 19. I believe that you made inquiries about your brother? —I did. 20. When was that?—On the Saturday before he died. I sent a wire to Solomon, asking him to let us know how my brother was. I got a reply. That letter came on the Tuesday, when I got the wire from Dr. Harrison, 21. When you sent that telegram on the 26th June had you any information that he was ill?—I had information that he had a cold. 22. In that letter that you have read already?—No; in a letter I got from another man. 23. Ts that why you telegraphed? —Yes. 24. Dr. Martin.] Did you get a reply to your wire?— Two days afterwards. This is a letter I got from Solomon : " Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting on all right. I am sorry to say that John is in the hospital with a very bad cold. It is not serious. He will be out again in a few days. 1 have been visiting him, and he wished me if T would write you a few lines to you just to let you know that he has got a cold. I have had a bad cold myself, but, it. is all right again now. There is a big crowd here to-day from Wellington."