W. F. SOLOMON.]

167

H.—l9b.

favour. I went to the orderly-room and told them I had received a wire from Mr. Pollard saying he was anxious to know about his brother, and would like to know how he was getting on, and what reply should I send back. He said, "If you wait, I will ring up the hospital." He was then at Kaiwarra. He went, in and came back and said, "I am sorry I cannot find out anything about Pollard—Captain Harrison is not here; can you come to-morrow? " 94. That was Saturday, the 26th?—Yes. 95. You were informed he was not, at the racecourse then, but at, Kaiwarra?—Yes. 96. You were told to come back on the Sunday?— Yes, and 1 did so. It, was then just 12 o'clock. 97. And what happened?— The same thing happened again. 'He told me he could not let me know as Captain Harrison was not there, and he said, " If you call up to-night I will let, you know for certain." I called again at night and the same thing happened again. 98. What was the name of the orderly?— Sergeant Montgomery. 99. The Chairman.] Is he in camp now?— Yes; he was in camp on the 10th July when I was there. He is orderly-sergeant at the hospital. 100. That is three times on the Sunday you went there and could not get any information? —Yes. 101. Mr. Salmond.] Did he suggest you should go on the Monday?— Yes. Before that I said, " If you cannot tell me where Private Pollard is and what is wrong with him I will wire back to his brother to that effect." He said, "You come back to-morrow after coming off parade and I will let you know for certain." 102. Did he say anything to you about the practice of the military authorities not giving information?— Yes; he said it was not the rule for the military authorities to let any one outside know the condition of any patient. He said it was the rule to let relatives know 7, but not outsiders. 103. Mr. Salmond.] You were an outsider? —I am not, any blood relation. 104. You were considered an outsider?— Yes. 105. Did you tell him j 7 ou were inquiring on behalf of Mr. Pollard? —Yes. 106. You went back on the Monday?— Yes. 107. And did you get any information?— Yes; I got information that, he -was in the Berhampore Hospital with pneumonia, but not serious. 108. Who told you that?— Sergeant Montgomery. 109. Do you remember whether you were told any 7 thing about his being at, Kaiwarra or not: you knew he had been removed from the racecourse?— When I went up to inquire for him first they told me he had been shifted from Trentham to Kaiwarra. 11.0. I presume you informed Mr. Pollard of what you found out?— Yes, I wired to Mr. Pollard, " J. Pollard in Berhampore Hospital with pneumonia—not serious." 111. Mr. Ferguson.] What time on the Monday did you wire?—l went straight from the hospital to the post-office. The post-office is open between 12 and 1, and I sent the telegram about 5 to 1. 112. Is that all you know about, Pollard's illness? —Yes. 113. T wish you now to tell the Commission about the camp. In the first place, what about the food—was it good?— Yes, fairly good, considering. 114. Enough of it?— Yes; y 7 ou could get plenty of it. 115. And properly cooked? —Sometimes it would be properly cooked and sometimes not. 116. Did you complain about it?—We all complained about the tea. 117. What was the matter with it?—We reckoned they 7 were putting salts in it. It had a peculiar taste. 118. The Chairman.] That was remedied, was it, not?— Yes, after we complained about it a few times. 119. Mr. Salmand.] Was sufficient, accommodation for washing supplied to the troops?— Not, to start with. 120. What, was wrong?—A scarcity of water. 121. You mean hot or cold? —Cold water for washing the face, and also a scarcity of water for washing the dishes and utensils. 122. But the water-supply was subsequently improved?— Yes, as time went on it was improved; but it was pretty "crook" during the first week. That, started from the 29th May. Of course, that is for the Trentham Regiment; I do not, know anything about outside that. 123. You are speaking of your personal experience of the Trentham Regiment?— Yes; I am not speaking of the whole camp. 124. Were there occasions on which you could not get clean water to wash yourself? —There were times when two or three men had to wash in the same water. 125. The Chairman.] Did the water not run in the pipes?— There was not, any to run through the pipes. 126. The main supply was short? —Yes. 127. Mr. Salmond.] Were you supplied with any hot water for washing or shaving?—No; we would just sneak a little out of the " dixie " when the man was bringing it up to wash the wishes. 128. What is the " dixie"? —The thing they bring the tea in from the kitchens or cookhouse; and every man dips his mug into the dixie. 129. Do you mean they put their mugs into the dixie from which they drink their tea?— Yes; all the men who came back from the hospital, no matter what they have been suffering from, dip their mugs into the dixie. 130. And if they want another cup of tea?— They go back and dip the mug into the dixie again. They do that at the present time.