H.—l9b.
268
IP. G. MOBGAN. L ._
20. 1 do not think there are any dairy-farms in the locality, but would there be any risk of anything within a mile of the camp being infected. 'li. The Chairman.] That would be in the direction of the fall? —In the south-west direction, towards the gorge. 1 think farms a mile away would be quite safe. Medical men should be able to speak more authoritatively on that point. 22. Mr. Gray.] You do not profess te be an authority on sanitation : you ate a geologist?— That is so. 23. Supposing the method of getting rid of the camp water intercepts all solid matter, you think there is no risk?—ln my opinion there is no risk at a distance of more than half a mile from the camp. I refer to well-water. 24. There would be uo risk?—l think that with a good system of sanitation -good septic tanks and so on —there ought to be no risk. 25. Mr. Cray.] I refer to the present system. Supposing that no solids are allowed to go into the soak-pits but only fluids, I think you have already said there is no present danger? 26. The Chairman.] It is not only what may be called bad stuff that may get down, but it is any organic matter which closes up the openings and so prevents drainage?—As long as there was no epidemic in the camp 1 should think there would be no danger. If there was typhoid fever 1 would get nervous and would avoid the well-water. 27. There is nothing you wish to add to that report of yours, is there, that we have not asked you about?—No, there is nothing that 1 wish to add. 28. Mr. Ferguson.] Have you a plan of the district?— This plan was supplied to me by the Defence Department [produced]; and there is also this map which 1 got from the Defence Department [produced]. I will leave them if you desire them. The Chairman: Thank you; they will be useful. CiiAiti-i-s; William Hundukson sworn and examined. (No. 77.) 1. Mr. Skerrett!] What are you?—A. private in the A. Company of the Ist Battalion, Trentham Regiment. 2. What are you in civil life?—An engine-driver. 3. Residing, I think you said, near Christchurch? —Just outside Christchurch. 4. When did you enlist? —I arrived in camp on the 29th May. 5. Did you get your equipment at once?—No; the equipment was not there to get. 6. Just tell us what took place when you came to camp?—We were taken out on to the parade-ground, and were kept there for several hours, being drafted into different lots. Most of us had no overcoats on, and a few slight showers of rain fell. We did not get very wet, but other divisions which followed got wet, to the skin. It came ou to rain very heavily, and we were taken in and had tea. We came out afterwards and were sworn in. From 8 o'clock 1 had to wait till 11 in the mud, and it was freezing hard. 1 had to stand outside the Quartermaster's tent. Some of them waited till 12 o'clock, and some till 2in the morning. 7. The Chairman.] How do you know that?— They told me. I saw the men standing behind me there. 8. At 2 o'clock in the morning?—At 11 o'clock that night. There were several hundreds of them there then. 9. Mr. Skerrett.] What equipment did you get?—We were given a suit of dungaree clothes, a pair of boots, an overcoat, a cap, a shirt, a pair of under-pants, an under-shirt, and a jersey. Some of the men had to wait about a week before they got a pair of boots. 10. Mr. Ferguson.] Did j 7 ou get blankets? —Yes, three blankets. 11. Mr. Skerrett.] When did you get your change of under-linen? —1 got mine in a month's time. I had a top shirt in .five weeks' time. I have not got an extra pair of boots yet. 12. Have you made any application to your immediately superior officer for the extra pair of boots? —Yes. We were told to go round to the Quartermaster's office one night and get our extra boots, but when we got there the boots were not there. There were a few pairs, but my size was not there. So 1 left, my size-number, and lam supposed to get them when Igo back to the camp. I might have got them sooner if we had stayed at Trentham, but shifting has upset, things. 13. The Chairman.] You have not an unusual-sized foot?—No; mine was a very 7 common size, and that is why it had run out. 14. Have you been ill? —Yes; I took ill almost, immediately I wont into camp, and went into hospital in ten day 7 s' time. 15. Mr. Skerrett.] Which hospital?— First of all I went into the tent —the camp hospital. 16. On what day did you go into the camp hospital?—l think it was the 7th June. It, was on a Wednesday. 17. Was that the Wednesday after you came info camp?—No, the second Wednesday. 18. You came into camp ?—On the 29th May. 19. And you went into the camp hospital on the second Wednesday after that? —Yes. 20. The Chairman.] That would be the 9th June?— Yes. 21. How long were you in the camp hospital?— From the Wednesday 7 till the Sunday 7 afternoon. . 22. What were you suffering from? —I had influenza. 23. Not complicated by 7 measles or anything of that, kind?— No. 24. Have you anything to say about, your treatment in the camp hospital?— There was an insufficiency of beds.
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.