51

E.—3b

156. How often did you have a bath in winter up there ?—We had one the day before the visitors came—on the Monday—in the washhouse. 157. When did you have any bath before that in the washhouse ?—Never before in the winter. 158. Have you had once since ?—Yes ; one. We have only had two. 159. Mr. Bush.] These are the only baths you had in the washhouse in the winter time ? —Yes. 160. Mr. Harley.] There is a bathing-hole there ? —Yes. We bathe there in the summer, but not in the winter. 161. How do you manage for a wash in the winter time ? —We never had one. We only washed our faces in the lavatory, and our legs, up to our knees, in the creek. 162. But you had a bath the day before the visitors came ? Did you get anything else ?—Yes ; we got new shirts, and some of them got new braces. 163. What clothes did you wear on the visitors' day?— Picnic clothes. 164. Were you told visitors were coming?— Yes; we were told the night before they were coming. 165. Had you brushes and combs ?—No. 166. Mr. Wardell.] How did you brush your hair ?—I did not brush it at all. It was always cut short by Brother Finian. 167. Mr. Harley.] Do you know a boy there named McKay? —Yes. 168. Did you see him thrashed ?—No; I saw him stripped when he was going for a bathe about March. I saw six or seven marks on him. 169. Mr. Bush.] Where ? On his back ?—Some on his back, and some on his legs. 170. Mr. Harley.] What were you doing ?—Picking hops. 171. Tell us shortly what you got up there for breakfast?— Porridge, and a slice of bread every second day. Two slices of bread on other days, with dripping, and sometimes syrup and tea. - 172. Who cuts the bread? Have you seen it cut ?—I have seen it cut. 173. Is it new or stale ? —Sometimes stale. 174. Mr. Bush.] Was any of it hard like wood?— Sometimes pretty hard :so hard that you cannot eat it. 175. Mr. Harley.] The bread used, say, this morning for breakfast: is that cut this morning? —I think it is cut the day before. 176. Mr. Bush.] How often do they bake ? —About four times a week. 177. Mr. Harley.] What did you get for dinner?— Before the Charitable Aid Board came we got Irish stew every day. After that we got cooked meat by itself, and steamed potatoes; also, bread pudding and sago. 178. Mr. Wardell.] How long were you in the school after the Charitable Aid Board were there last ?—About a month. 178 a. Mr. Harley.] And for tea what did you get ?—Three slices of bread, sometimes two. 179. Mr. Bush.] How large were the slices ?—Sometimes half an inch thick, sometimes thicker —never thinner. They were the full size of a tinned loaf. Bach boy got that. 180. Mr. Harley.] Did you change your socks once a week ?—Yes; after the Charitable Aid Board came. 181. Mr. Wardell.] How often did you change them before?—We would have to wear them out. 182. Were they not washed at all ?—No. 183. Mr. Bush.] How long did the socks last ? —Sometimes three months. 184. Mr. Harley.] Did you wear the same socks every day ?—Yes. 185. What was done with them afterwards? —Threw them away. 186. Mr. Bush.] What was left after three months ?—Not much. They were full of holes. 187. Mr. Wardell.] After the Board went up you changed them—how often?— Once a week. 188. Mr. Harley.] How long did you wear your shirt before the Board went up ?—Once a week, and the same since. 189. Mr. Bush.] I suppose a great part of the time you were running about without boots and socks ? —Sometimes. 190. Mr. Harley.] When they got wood off the hill, was that easy ?—lt was hard. 191. How many times have you been up in one day?— Twice in the morning and twice in the afternoon. ■ 192. Mr. Wardell.] How often have you done that ? —A good few times. 193. Mr. Harley.] If you did not do it, what happened then?— You would get punished by Brother Cuthbert. 194. Mr. Bush.] What sort of punishment ?—With a supplejack on the hands. 195. Mr. Harley.] Was Brother Cuthbert the wood-carter?—No ;he would just mind us. 196. Mr. Bush.] Where did you go for the wood?—We went up to the top of the hill and down into a gully. 197. Were the posts green or dry? —Green. 198. Would you carry one right up ? —No; we would have to stop. Those in front might stop, as the Brothers were behind. 199. Mr. Harley.] You say Brother Cuthbert went up with you. Did he go up and down four times ? —He would stay at the top. Jack Dwyer would be at the bottom. 200. Mr. Bush.] Did Brother Cuthbert bring a post up the hill, or drag it down ?—No; sometimes he would help to drag one down.