H.—l9b.

196

[E. A. VINCENT.

102. Did you explain that you had been suffering from rheumatic fever and wanted an extension of leave?— Yes. 103. And the answer you got was that you must report yourself at Trentham? —Yes, to be medically examined; but I was only asked two or three questions, and not examined at all. 104. Mr. Gray.] Did you ask any of the nurses at the hospital to write home for you?— No. 105. That could have been done?—l dare say it could. 1 never thought of it at the time.

Thuhsoay, 29th July, 1.915. William Lanqston Newnitam further examined. (No. 47.) 1. The Chairman.] You were going to give us some information regarding the area of land at the camp?— The total area of Government land is about 1,260 acres. 2. Mr. Ferguson.] Including flat lands?— The area of the flat ground is about 400 acres. 3. The Chairman.] There is 400 acres of Hat and 860 acres of hill land?— Yes. 4. Most of that 400 acres of flat land is usable?—l should say most of it .is; a small part of it is swampy, and could not be used. You also wanted some information about the area occupied by the tents. I made measurements in different parts of the camp, and found there were eighty tents to the acre. 5. Mr. Ferguson.] That is exclusive of roads? —Yes. 6. That is in the tent area? —Yes. Then there was a question as to the date when the buildings of the Rifle Association were pulled down. I saw Captain McCristell, and he said they were pulled down either late in October or early in November. One of those plans which 1 put in yesterday shows that the latrines were within the tent area, but he says that no tents were actually pitched on the site of the latrines. He was careful to see to that. 7. The Chairman.] We can get that confirmed by Captain McCristell? —Yes. Public Works Department, Wellington, N.Z., 17th August, 1915. Memorandum for the Secretary, Trentham Camp Commission, Wellington. Deah Sib, —In reply to a request from the Commission for information regarding the privies and urinals marked "A" and "B" respectively on the large plan put in by me, I have to state that those marked "A " were partly erected during the construction of the new hutments. They were never completed or used, and when it was decided to build further hutments they were pulled down. They should have been marked "New latrines" on the plan instead of " Privies " and " Urinals." The privies and urinals marked "B " were those used by the Rifle Association. No hutments are being built on these sites.—Yours faithfully, W. L. Newnham, Assistant Engineer. Dr. Henut Thomas John Thackek sworn and examined. (No. 48.) 1. The Cliairman.] You are a member of Parliament? —Yes. 2. And you desire to give us some evidence? —I intend to do so if I may. 3. Upon what points? —There are many points. 4. Is this from your personal knowledge? —Yes, from what I have seen myself. I want to say, first of all, that I am not a layman as far as this matter is concerned : I am a SurgeonCaptain in the New Zealand Territorials, on the Reserve. 5. You are a medical practitioner?— Yes. 6. And Surgeon-Captain in the Territorials : with any experience in applying your knowledge to military life? —Not on active service. 7. But in camp?— Yes; I have taught ambulance-work. I got my surgeon-captaincy in Christchurch for teaching ambulance-work, and also as a medical student in Edinburgh I went in for ambulance-work. I have always taken an interest in military medicine, which includes medicine and surgery. I first of all want to substantiate statements that I made that I consider that Trentham was not suitable as a site, both geologically and geographically, for this camp. In the first instance, Lord Kitchener advised our authorities that they should have a permanent Territorial camp in New Zealand, where there should be every facility to train an army in all its branches, and the site that he picked was the Waimarino Plains. 8. Whereabouts is that?—ln the centre of the North Island. 9. Near Taupo?—Yes; the land there is thoroughly hygienic. But, when the war broke out the military authorities went in for local camps; and 1 want to show that this matter has not been jumped upon the military authorities here. 10. What matter? —This epidemic, or scandal, or muddle that has taken place. They had had previous experience of an outbreak. At the commencement of the war last August there was a camp at Christchurch, at the show-grounds on the Lincoln Road, and it got into a great mess, as Trentham has. 11. Who was in charge?— Colonel Chaffey. An epidemic threatened there of typhoid fever and measles; but when the Colonel was advised of that he struck the camp at twelve hours' notice, root and branch, and shifted it to the Canterbury Park, some five miles away, and the epidemic absolutely subsided, and everything went well.