35

B.—-3b

343. It was written while you were at the Moutere, to another boy at the Orphanage ?—Yes. [Letter read.] 344. You learnt to write at the Orphanage ? —Yes. 345. Mr. Harley.] That letter, of course, was the one that discovered you?— Yes. 346. Have you had any fires at all in the schoolroom this winter, morning or evening?— No. 347. Mr. Hogben.] You say you had some sago on some days during the last month or so. Do you remember whether it was made with milk or water?—l do not know. 348. Was it sweetened with sugar? —Yes. 349. Do you have milk with porridge?— Yes; for the last six months. Before that we had it when there was milk. That was not every day. 350. Since the last six months have you had it every day ?—No. 351. Do you have sugar in the porridge?—-Yes. 352. Do you put the sugar in yourself? —No. 353. Were you punished in any other way than by caning on the hands ?—No. 354. Did you ever see boys punished in any other way?— Yes, on the back; six years ago. 355. But not within the last two years ?—No. 356. Have you seen them punished in any other way ? —Yes, the other day; with a large, wide strap. 357. How long has the strap been in use? —Since you came up. 358. Who punished you ?—Brother Kilian. 359. Was there any other Brother there ?—No. 360. Do they tell you beforehand how many strokes you are going to have ?—No. 361. You were punished before I came? —Yes ; not since. 362. You were punished, before you ran away, with a supplejack?— Yes. 363. Did they tell you how many strokes you were to get in the schoolroom ? —lf you missed your lessons, you would know. The rule for that is three or four strokes. 364. Mr. Wardell.] Have you been punished since you came out of the cell?— No. 365. Mr. Hogben.] Did anybody tell you when you were put in the cell how many days you were going to be kept there ?—No. Albeet Jambs, examined on oath. . 366. Mr. Harley.] Are you in the Orphanage at Stoke ?—-Yes. 367. How old are you?— Fourteen years and nine months. 368. You went to Mrs. Drummond's with Maher, and she washed your shirt, and gave you another ?—Yes. 369. When you were brought to the Courthouse and ordered to be sent back to the Orphanage to be punished you asked to be punished by the police ?—Yes. 370. Mr. Wardell.] You asked the Magistrate to let you be punished by the police ?—Yes. 371. What did you do that for?— Because I knew that if I went up there I would get punished more than down here. 372. And the Magistrate declined ?—Yes. 373. You knew that if you were punished by the police you would still go back to the school ? —Yes. 374. Mr. Harley.] What was done to you when you went back ?—I went into the downstairs cell. 375. How many cells are there downstairs?— One, near the stairs. 376. How long were you kept in there ? —A week. 377. Was there any chair or form in it to sit on ?—No. 378. You had a bowl there, and bedding was put in at night ?—Yes. 379. Was there anything in the cell but bedding?— There was an overcoat, which one of the Brothers gave me to keep me warm. 380. Was the cell cold, then?— Yes, in the evening. 381. How many times were you let out during the eight days?— When the Board came up we were let out. I was free at 12 o'clock the next day. 382. Had you been let out during the week up till the time the Board came? —No. 383. Had you been there day and night ?—Yes. .384. Did any one sit with you, or be with you at night, or come to see you ?—No. 385. Mr. Wardell.] Did no one come to see you in the cell during the day ?—Only one, who brought my meals. 386. Mr. Harley.] How long would the Brother stay when he came with the meals ?—He would just put the meal in, lock the door, and go out again. 387. You went to mass, I suppose?— Yes, on Queen's Birthday and Sunday for half an hour. 388. Mr. Wardell.] Did you go back to the cell directly after mass ? —Yes. 389. Mr. Harley.] Were you caned ?—Yes ; three times —six strokes each time. 390. Mr. Bush.] Who caned you?— Brother Kilian, in the morning, after breakfast. 391. Mr. Harley.] Was it light in this place in the daytime?—lt was pretty light. 392. How high was the window or opening? —I could not tell. About 18in. long. 393. Was part of the window boarded up ? —Yes. 394. Mr. Wardell.] Were there bars?— Yes. 395. You could see out beyond the bars ?—Yes. 396. Mr. Bush.] Some glass has been boarded over?—-Yes. 397. Mr. Hariey.] Was the glass behind the bars?— Yes, I could look through the cracks. 398. Mr. Wardell.] Did you write something on the door ? —No. 399. You say the space of the window left was 18 in. long. Why could you not look through that instead of the cracks '! —l could look through that too.