E.—4a

6

aggravated by scrubbing. Mrs. Belcher told me that she did not like her boy having so much work to do. I have never complained to Mr. Van Asch on the subject. Children are taken out of the school to do domestic work. They have had to wash clothes, clean the buggy, drive cows, and for a few minutes other odd jobs. I consider the school-work affected by it seriously. I think that the catering for the children took up much of Mr. Van Asch's time. I have seen in two cases children suffering from over-chastisement—one, McWatters, and the other was Williams (Alfred). I saw McWatters after he had been chastised : his arm was swollen ; he could not lift it. His hand was also bruised; he carried it inside his coat for two days. I saw Miss Van Asch box McWatters's ears, but not severely. McWatters ran away in June ; I found him on board the steamer, and brought him back. McWatters is troublesome at times. I have complained to Mr. Van Asch about the conduct of McWatters. Once this year Mr. Van Asch punished him. I have complained about several boys to Mr. Van Asch. Some boys in the institution are treated differently from others ; they do not have the same work to do. I allude to G. Simpson and Frank Bradly—that is all. Salt mutton was used last year in February, March, and the beginning of April. There were plenty of potatoes, but, as a rule, no other vegetables. Sometimes we had rice. Nearly all the children were suffering from breaking-out at that time. I made no complaint about the food to Mr. Van Asch. The food is all right now. I consider the department has been put to unnecessary expense in sending children backwards and forwards to their homes. Persons have been sent when I could have taken them myself. I have twice travelled in the same train with the children when others have been in charge of them. I have never been allowed the privilege of learning drawing and painting. Louisa Ellen Kay, sworn, saith : I was assistant mistress to this institution from August, 1884 to August, 1886. I used to think some of the children were overworked. Esther Hay was ill, I believe from too much scrubbing. I told Mr. Van Asch, but it made no difference. I saw the boy Ford's ears were skinned and bleeding from the results of punishment he had received from Mr. Van Asch. I was in the next room, and heard the punishment given, but I did not see it. The children were not all treated alike. There was no religious instruction given in the institution while I was there. Mr. Van Asch was not in constant attendance at the school; he was very often away— frequently hours during the day. lam now teaching a deaf-mute. By Mr. Van Asch : I have taught in several schools before I came to you. I had not had training as a teacher of deaf-mutes. I first came to Beach Glen. The girls were residing there. I had the full charge of the girls at night. The girl Jones was there. I remember punishing Jones. I slapped her face. The mother came up afterwards. Mrs. Van Asch was there. Mrs. Jones was excited. Ford's punishment was at Beach Glen. Mr. Crofts has asked me to give evidence. John Bone, sworn, saith :lam a deaf-mute (not in the institution at present). I first came to the school in 1880. I left in 1887. I had much work to do here. I worked in the garden, and drove to town every Monday and Friday. I scrubbed the floors on a Saturday. I sometimes went out of school to do work, such as cutting the grass for the hay, fetching the horse in, grooming it, and getting it ready for Mr. Van Asch to go to town. Mr. Van Asch has whipped me very much when I was a little boy, at Beach Glen, when he thought I was lazy. He whipped me on my bottom ; he kicked it. I saw him hurt other boys —one Dow, and Fortune—by hitting on his ears till the blood came out. That was Fortune. He beat Irving. Ido not remember any other. By Mr. Van Asch : I liked cutting the grass for hay. lam glad now that I can cut grass. lam glad that I know something about horses and traps now. It is useful for me to know about work in the garden. I wrote to my father and mother when I was at Beach Glen. I did not tell my father and mother that Mr. Van Asch was a bad man. I think he is bad to the deaf-and-dumb, because he whips them too much. lam glad I can talk now. lam thankful to Mr. Van Asch that he taught me. I was bad-tempered sometimes when I was at Beach Glen. You whipped Dow because he stole some things. I talked to Mr. Crofts last night. Mr. Crofts did not tell me to tell the Commission that Mr. Van Asch was a bad man. Charles Ilorton, a deaf-mute, saith : I lived here last year. Mr. Van Asch lived here from February to July. After July he lived at the house near the beach. I slept upstairs here. I went to Auckland in December to ask my father to allow me to sleep at the Boys' Home. I was wrong to tell Mr. Crofts that Miss Van Asch stopped at my bedroom-door for a long time. I think she wanted a candle. Ido not know how many times Miss Van Asch stopped at my bedroom-door. Neither Miss Van Asch nor Miss Katie ever teased me —they were making fun. The reason I asked my father to let me go to the Boys' Home was because I was foolish. I did not tell my father that Miss Van Asch or Miss Katie teased me. Mr. Van Asch asked me about this yesterday. Robert McWatters, a deaf-mute, saith : Miss Van Asch shook my ears ; it hurt me. She knocked my head at the wall. She kicked me because I talked badly. The reason I ran away was because I thought Mr. Van Asch would have whipped me. Mr. Van Asch had whipped me much before. Mr. Van Asch whipped me because I talked badly when I was reading a newspaper. Mr. Van Asch hurt my arm once last year. I did not put the coal in the washhouse, and Mr. Van Asch whipped me hard. By Mr. Van Asch : I ran away on the Ist of July. Mr. Stevens brought me back about 4 o'clock. I did not see you come here that same evening. I remember you coining here on the Ist July after tea. You talked to me when you came here. We talked in this room. Miss Buckingham was present. You said I must not run away. You did not whip me when I was in this room