E.—4a. KSH23BIJ

with you and Miss Buckingham. You asked me if I would like to go home. I told you that I would like to stay at the school. This concludes the evidence on the charges against Mr. Van Asch. Frederick Becker, sworn, saith : I am a farmer, residing at Southbrook. I had a child in this institution. I never mortgaged any of my property to you. My son came to the institution about the year 1880. He was here for about four years. Ido not think my son was overworked while he was at school. I did not object to my son working in the garden, as I think it would do him good. I should not object to his cleaning boots for small deaf-mutes. I was quite satisfied with my son's education, and I saw no evidence of its having been neglected. I have known you for twelve years, and Ido not believe you would unduly punish a boy without reason. I have not received any complaints about the food from my son. The food has always been good, as far as I have seen. I never heard any complaints from Dow when he was at my place. Bone has frequently been at my place :he made no complaints. Tombs has been also at my place :he never made any complaints. He always spoke highly of you. Green has also been at my place :he never complained. Syme, a mute, has also been at my place :he never complained. I would not intrust a deaf child to the entire care and control of Mr. Crofts. By Mr. Crofts : My son was about eighteen when he came to this institution. He lodged with Mrs. Bule, and had his dinner and meals here. He used to tell me he used to do jobs at the institution. Mr. Van Asch never lent me any money. I should not object to my son doing work during school-hours unless he was kept away from school altogether. I have seen Mr. Van Asch teaching the children. I know you through a Mrs. McCregan, a friend of mine. She was attending your wife. She had difficulty in obtaining her money. I have seen you here scores of times, and I have seen you coming out of hotels in Christchurch. By Mr. Van Asch ; Once or twice I saw Mr. Crofts the worse of liquor. He was not clear. Robert K. Simpson, sworn, saith :lam a farmer, residing at Eangitikei. I have a son at school now. He has been here eight years. I do not think my son is overworked here. I have no objection'to my son feeding fowls or cleaning boots. I did not understand that he was corning to clean boots. I should think that certain kinds of work would be beneficial to deaf children. I could not say that my son's education had been neglected. I am very well satisfied with his education so far. My son has never complained, of his treatment. You are not a cruel person in my estimation. I have known you for eight years. My son has never complained of the food. The food, so far as I have seen, is good. By Mr. Crofts : I pay £40 a year for my sou. I would not like my son to scrub floors. I and Mr. Van Asch are fairly friendly. I should think it would scarcely be fair to let the children work in school-hours if it were an ordinary school, but I am not quite clear as to the mode of managing an institution of this kind. I see my sou once a year. Francis A. Fisher, sworn, saith: I had a child at school here. She was here about four years. There was no evidence of the child having been overworked. I knew she helped in the dairy. She also helped in the house. She liked to do it, and she never complained. I should object to a girl-child travelling with a single man. She always expressed affection for Mr. and Mrs. Van Asch. She never complained of the food. By Mr. Crofts : I never heard that my child was brought up different from any other children, I should not object to her scrubbing the floor, except as a general thing. If the children were engaged generally in scrubbing I should not have objected. I paid the full fees with my daughter. My daughter never expressed any disapproval of Mrs. Van Asch. My daughter had her Bible, and I suppose she had religious instruction. Elizabeth Johnston, sworn, saith : I had children at the school—two boys. They were here from about five or six to eight or nine years. I am perfectly satisfied with the education they received here. lam very grateful. They never complained of being overworked or unduly punished. I know they worked in the garden, and was pleased to learn it. The boys never complained of being taken out of school for work. Never complained of the food. They were always strong and healthy. I think it is a good thing for the children to do outside work. By Mr. Crofts : Ido not know if my fees are still in arrears, or what fees were paid. He has shed tears about leaving home, but not that he was coming here. lam grateful to you for teaching him mechanics. Elizabeth Payne, sworn, saith : I have two children at the school now ; they have been here seven years at Christmas. lam satisfied with the teaching they have had, and am very grateful. My boys never complained about overwork. I do not object to them brushing boots or doing garden work. They never complained about the food, or being subject to punishment. I should not care to intrust my children to Mr. Crofts. By Mr. Crofts ; lam not paying any fees now ; our circumstances are very bad. I only know what my boys have told me. If it w y as occasionally that my boys were engaged in school-hours I should not object. My boys do not speak so highly of you as they do of Mr. Van Asch. Katherine Van Asch, sworn, saith : I am the daughter of Mr. Van Asch. I know Charley Horton ;he has been living with us ever since we came to New Zealand. He was a very delicate boy; I always used to help him. I never tormented him at any time. I never went into his bedroom since he was a little boy. We have to be careful with the lights in this house; I often went into his bedroom to take the candle away when he was a little boy. I heard that he had written to his father. I never went into his bedroom two years ago ; it is three or four years since I have been into his bedroom. 1 have seen my mother go into the bedroom ; there was another

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