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[O. GAIR.

70. And on the other side?—l do not think they had as many as we had. 71. Other huts were being built at the time?—ln our lines the huts were complete before we came away. The Public Works men had a full hutment, and half of our hutment, and that portion they had should have been used by our battalion. 72. Then there was not room at the camp?—As the Public Works built new- huts in another line they would put more men into them, and not shift the Public Works men out to let, us take our hut, 73. The Public Works men continued to occupy what should have, been your hutment till your departure ?—Yes. 74. You are now at Rangiotu?—Yes. 75. Do you like it better ?—Yes. 76. In your hut you stopped up the place where the draught came in ? —Yes, 77. Is it better?— Yes; but it, is not quite effective. 78. Did you tell others that?— Yes. 79. Did they follow your example?-—I could not, say. They could have got some paper and stuffed it in. 80. In regard to putting wet clothes on top of the blankets, as soon as the men complained to the company commander the complaint was remedied?— Yes; it. was only for a few days. 81. The Chairman.] What kind of sickness was it that the men from your hut suffered from? — I could not say. Some went out with measles —about half a dozen ; some would come in with influenza : just general complaints. 82. Mr. Ferguson.] Did any of the men from your hul die?—J have not heard of any. Ab'thuk lioww Blackman sworn and examined. (No. 52.) 1. The Chairman.] You are a sergeant?— Yes, in No. 1.5 platoon. 2. You occupied hut No. 38 at Trentham? —Yes, from the time the men came into camp till we shifted our camp to Rangiotu. 3. Were you in that hut all the time?—No; for the first week 1 was in hut No. 34. I had been in a tent the previous month, 4. Which did you prefer?— The tent. 5. Was your health better in the tent than in the hut?—l felt very much belter in the ten I ; but I did not have to report sick in the hut. 6. How many men were in hut No. 38?— We started with seventy-two; live were discharged as' being unfit, and when we left for Rangiotu there were twelve or thirteen in the hospital. 7. Then when you had fifty-four were you inconvenienced?— Yes. The number allowed was supposed to be fifty. The men were continually going and coming, and the numbers would go up and down. They would go to the hospital ami come buck again. Only those who went to the hospital went out of the hut, 8. We are told that there was nol enough room for sleeping-accommodation or for eating at, the tables? —That is so. The tables provided for forty-eight men — twelve at each table, and we had four tables. 9. As regards cold and heat, how did you find the huts for sleeping in?—lt was according to the weather. In cold weather they were very cold, and in close weather they got stuffy. You would notice it, when going in late that they were very stuffy, so I had the windows propped well open. You would notice it going in out of the open air. 10. You did not, close up the Open spaces round the eaves, did you? -No; they were kept clear all (he time. 11. As regards the bread, was it usually carried in a waterproof sheet? I did not have anything to do with that, but I overheard the remark. 12. Had 3'ou ever seen it? —No. 13. As regards the quantity of water available for washing and baths, what was the condition? —One day I heard of complaints: that was the day they were putting in a bigger main : the water was short that morning. 14. Are (he complaints to be made to you?— They arc made to me first, then to the platoon commander. 15. Do you remember tho occasion on which you had to keep your wet clothes off the shelves and put them on the oil-sheets?— Yes. 16. Do you know the cause of that?— The reason was for tidiness in the huts. With so many men in the huts they had to bring about a system. The shelves were for certain things, and the order came that the overcoats were to be placed on (lie bunks. A complaint was made and it was passed on, and I advised the men to put the oil-sheet down and the overcoat on lop. After the complaint we, were allowed to hang them on the rafters. 17. Tn regard to boots, what is your experience? -I had one pair on going into camp, and the next pair was issued just before we left, 18. You went, into camp when?—On the 29th April. 19. You were supposed to get a second pair within a fortnight?—l believe that is so. I never heard anything to that effect. We got the second pair a few days before we left—on the 9th July. 20. Mr. Ferguson.] You propped open the windows as you thought there was not enough ventilation? —Not, for (he number of men there. I thought it would be better Io have a draught through the huts. 1 asked the men if they had any objection, and (hey said they preferred il.