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341. Do you know whether, besides throat-brushes, anything else was used in infectious cases, for the throat-swabs or forceps, for instance? —No, I never saw them used. Every 7 one of these cases yielded to glycerine and tannic acid. 342. The Chairman.] What was done with the swabs?— There were no swabs taken. That would be the doctors' place to take the swabs. 343. Do you know of any case of a man being neglected for want of medical attention? — No, sir. 344. Or did you ever hear a complaint of that character? —No, sir. As regards tho sickparade, when the Thirds first came into camp there was a man in the lines there who would not come over on the sick-parade. I had him carried over, and when the doctor saw him there was nothing the matter with him at all. 345. Mr. Gray.] He was malingering?— Yes, sir. 346. Mr. Skerrett.] Do you suggest that the purchases made by Major Fyffe were unnecessary—T 7 mean those made with the money 7 subscribed by the Petone residents?—l do not say they 7 wore actually unnecessary, but they have not been used much, 347. What proportion of them -were in use?— The pannikins; we got plenty of them. 348. Do you really 7 suggest that in the main Major Fyffe expended that ,£lO in the purchase of unnecessary articles'?— Yes. Sergeant Edwards spent it. 349. But under Major Fyffe's directions?— Sergeant Edwards drew up a list of what was required. 350. But Major Fyffe was responsible?— Yes. 351. It is rather curious, is it not, that Major Fyffe's successor, Captain McGuire, made purchases with money also contributed by Petone residents?— That is so. 352. Were his purchases unnecessary?— No. 353. They were useful purchases? —Yes. 354. Why should not you have obtained them in Ihe usual way 7 by requisition?— Most, of the money was spent on filters. 355. Any 7 shortage in equipment was due to the fault of the Medical Officers?— Yes, sir. If they had approached Colonel Purdy they would have got it. 356. Would you explain how it was that in March Major Fyffe took the representatives of the Petone residents who raised the subscriptions into the hospital and showed them the indifferent mattresses and sheets, and so on : how do you account for that ?—The first lot sent to us were good sheets and pillow-slips. In the second lot, there was a bundle wrapped up and marked on the outside " Sheets." When it was undone it was found that the inside paper was marked " Old linen." It contained a bolster-cover and also a patchwork thing. I honestly believe that these were sent out as old linen, and were not intended to be used as sheets. 357. Those were the sheets which, according to Mr. Robertson, were in actual use?—They 7 were brought by Sergeant Edwards and shown to Mr. Robertson. 358. Then Major Fyffe was wrong in showing them to Mr. Robertson as being sheets in actual use? —No. I think it, was a mistake on the part of the Patriotic, Society. The word " sheets " was, I think, put on the parcel by mistake. 359. I understand that you were about nine months in camp?— Yes, sir. 360. Can you now, on reflection, think of any objection to the adequacy of the medical or ambulance arrangements?— There were lots of things which the doctors should have got, I think, but if I had started to order these things they would have considered it interference. 361. Can you give me any answer to my question : can you, on reflection, think of any substantial alteration that ought, fairly to have been made as regards accommodation, better equipment, or better arrangements?—We might have had a wooden building erected. 362. Is that all?— That is all. 363. I want to get this from you : do you say that the arrangements made for coping with the sickness in the camp during the period you were there were adequate?— For ordinary 7 sickness, I think so; but for other sickness I cannot say. 364. You will not express any opinion?—l do not think I am in a position to do so. I would like to make one or two remarks about other things. In regard to the evidence which has been given here respecting the carrying of bread in blankets, there is a definite camp order that this is not to be done, and any breach of a camp order should be punished by the O.C. 365. The, Chairman.] What means are there for carrying bread?—They 7 could get, scrim— there is any amount of it. 366. Is it, there for that purpose?—lt was always used by 7 the Third and Fourth Reinforcements. I saw bread being carried in blankets when the Seconds were in camp, and T said to Major McKillop that it ought not to be done, and Colonel Potter had it put in camp orders— no bedclothes were to be used for that, purpose. 367. We were told that it was carried in sheets and blankets?— That was a breach of camp orders. 368. That being the case, then how were they to carry it?—lf a man could not carry it in a blanket, he should find some other way. 369. Are there such things as contrivances for carrying bread—light barrows or tins?— There were hand-barrows there, but they were only used between the Quartermaster's camp and the different units. 370. Mr. Gray.] Did other men use scrim?— Yes, sir. Then I want to say that we never had any trouble in getting beds', or blankets, or mattresses if we required them for the hospital. When we sent in a requisition it would be got. Tf T handed it to Captain McCristell he would put it through. 371. The Chairman.] You are not, saying whether they were wanted or not, but you had no trouble as regards the supply of the articles if they were requisitioned for?— That is so. We put up a record by getting beds, mattresses, and pillows- within fourteen hours.

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