__£—_«

146

447. Will you say why you express that opinion ?—Dp till three months ago I was still oi that opinion. I have made observations just in a casual way, and people went in and out of the hotel up till three months ago. 448. Inspector Pender.] Are not the drinking habits of the people very much on the decrease ? —I cannot make any statements as to that. 449. Prohibition has been advancing?— J hope so. 450. Are not the young people growing up more temperate in their habits ?—-I cannot say. 451. The number of hotels are not increasing?— No. 452. And the population is rapidly increasing?— Yes. 453. Mr. Taylor.] "What day were you at the Cricketers' Arms Hotel ? —On Sunday, 7th May, 1893. 454. Was the information collected by a similar arrangement for the Prohibitionist ? —Yes. 455. Where is the Cricketers' Arms Hotel?—At the corner of Ingestre Street and Tory Street. 456. What was the result of your observation there?— There were 211 visitors from 7 am., until 5.30 p.m. 457. The Chairman.] Was that your own observation?—-Yes. 458. Mr. Taylor.] Did a number of the visitors carry bottles and kits, and so on?— Yes. 459. Any of them under the influence of liquor during the day ?—-Yes. 460. Did your experience there vary much from that at the Eoyal Tiger?— No. 461. There were more "returners" who came back several times?— One man was there five times with a kit. 462. Any children go there that day?— Yes. 463. Did they carry kits?— Yes. That particular man who went in so often was working for a brothel not far away. 464. Colonel Pitt.] How did you know that ?—I knew that for a certainty. 465. Mr. Taylor.] You know the locality well ? —Yes. 466. I suppose as a citizen you can pretty well tell a prostitute from her costume as a policeman from his uniform ; she advertises her trade ?—Yes. 467. Mr. Tunbridge.] Will you kindly give me the address of the brothel you speak of ? —Cuba Street. 468. Mr. Taylor.] Is it still used for that purpose?— They have left there. 469. Mr. Tunbridge.] Do you know where the people are now? —No; the man is still here, because I saw him to-day. 470. The Chairman.] Do you remember the women by name?—l do not know his name even, but I know one of the women was his daughter. 471. Mr. Ticnbridge ] You were not with Mr. Denton watching the Albert Hotel ?—No. 472. Inspector Pender.] You were concealed when you watched ?—Yes. 473. From 7 in the morning ?—Yes. 473 a. And were you all the time in this house?— Yes ; we took our lunch with us. 474. And you were looking out through a window ? —Yes. 474 a. Had you a full view of the house ?—Of the main door. 475. Not of the bar door?—No ; of the side entrance. 476. And 211 went in?— Yes. 477. And did they all come out again?— Yes. 478. Did any of them go back in ?—Some. 479. Did you count in the total number each man every time he went in ?—Yes. 480. This one man went in five times ?—Yes. 481. You do not know whether they were strangers or boarders or what they were?—l knew several of them not to be boarders and not to be strangers. 482. You do not know whether they got any drink?— Well, in one instance a child went in with a kit, and when she came out she put the kit over her arm, and it contained something very much like a bottle; and then she began to count her change. 483. Where was this brothel ? —Near Evans's, Cuba Street, painters' shop. 484. How many women were there?—l cannot say. 485. Who were the owners of the house ?—I cannot say. Ebnbst Feasbk Jones was examined on oath. 486. The Chairman.] What is your occupation ?—A general printer. 487. Mr. Taylor.] Where do you live?— Donald McLean Street, Newtown. 488. Were you engaged in 1893 in collecting evidence to show whether the Sunday-trading clause of the Licensing Act was being observed? —Yes. 489. How many houses did you assist in getting information about, and the date ?—I cannot tell you exactly; it was in conjunction with Mr. Chisholm. 490. Were you at the Cricketers' Arms that Sunday ?—I think that was the name of the hotel at the corner of Tory and Ingestre Streets. 491. Have you a note there as to the total number of visitors to that house ?—Mr. Chisholm had the notes. 492. Did you see these notes being made?—l assisted in making them. 493. What is the total number of visitors as shown in the report that you and Mr. Chisholm made out ?—I did not count the total, because I left it to Mr. Chisholm. 494. Can you remember within a few how many there were ?—lt was somewhere about two hundred. 495. It was distinctly understood at the time that this information would not be used for the purpose of establishing prosecutions ? —lt was just understood to be a desire to get a general estimate of what was done on Sundays.