87

E.—3b

130. Mr. Fell.] Did you ever see the cat-o'-nine-tails? —No ; I only know what Dwver told me. J 131. Mr. Bush.] Was Brother Loetus aware chat Brother Wibertus flogged the boys as you described ?—Yes; he knew. 132. Was he present?—l cannot say. 133. Did the other Brothers know ?—Yes. 134. Were they present ?—Sometimes they were. 135. When were the floggings administered?— Sometimes in the day, sometimes at night 136. Mr. Wardell] Where were the boys flogged ?—ln the lavatory. Alexandee Andbeson, examined on oath. 137. Mr. Harley.] You were formerly in the Stoke Orphanage. How long is it since you left ?— I was there between ten and thirteen yeare. I left between four and five years lam now working for Mr Branford, milkman, on the Maitai. 138. Mr. Wardell.] The records show that you left the school in April, 1895?— I do not think I have been out five years. I have worked at the school twice since I was first licensed out. I worked there for close on a year the first time, as licensed out to Brother Loetus. This was before I left the school at all. Mr. Pope : The first license expired in April, 1896; another license expired in 1897. 139. Mr. Harley.] When you were at the school as a licensed inmate, were you kept with the other boys, and did you have your food with them ? —Yes. 140. During the period you were licensed, what was the food like ?—lt was poor. It was not fit to do the work on that I was doing at that time. 141 Did you do any hill-work?— Not during this time; but I saw others doing it. 142. How many times did they go up ?—Pour times a day. 143. Was Miller there when you were licensed?— Yes. 144. Did you go about the building after you were licensed ?—I had to remain with the boys the first time. 145. Was Ryan there while you were there?— Yes ;heis a silly boy. 146. How was he treated ?—Very badly. I have seen him hit with a shovel by a workman named Michael Healy. I also used to see Healy push him and knock him about, and do as he liked with him. 147. Where did this take place?—l have seen it done near the stables. 148. How was Eyan treated by the Brothers ?—Badly. If he was not there in time he would have to go without his meals. Any little thing the poor fellow did not know he would be punished for. 149. Mr. Wardell.] How many times do you remember his being punished for being late for meals ?—Two or three times. 150. Mr. Bush.] Did you see any of the Brothers ill-treating Eyan ?—Only by making him go without his meals. Jambs O'Connell, examined on oath. 151. Mr. Harley.] You were formerly at the Stoke Orphanage. How long is it since you left ? —Three years and four months. 152. Where are you working now?—At Mr. Trask's, at Stoke. 153. Mr. Bush.] Are you discharged from the institution?— Yes. 154. Mr. Harley.] Were you thrashed within the last eighteen months before you left the school? —Yes; by Brother Wibertus, with a supplejack. 155. With your clothes on or off?— Off. My pants were down and my shirt up. I was thrashed across the behind while bending over a bench. 156. How many strokes did you get ? —I got ten. 157. Were these thrashings frequent in the same fashion?— Yes. 158. Who did it generally ? —Brother Wibertus. 159. Was it known by the other Brothers, and the boys at the school generally ?—Yes. 160. Mr. Bush.] How do you know it was known by the other Brothers ?—The Brothers could not help knowing it. 161. Mr. Wardell.] You assume they knew it ?—Yes. 162. Mr. Harley.] Did the boys scream under the punishment ?—Yes ; but if they screamed they would get more. 163. Have you seen marks on any of the boys after these thrashings ?—Yes, on Eichard Sheehan. 164. Mr. Bush.] Did you have any marks on yourself ?—Yes. When I went to bed the sores would stick to the sheet, and be very painful. It broke the skin. 165. Mr. Harley.] How long did the sores take to heal ?—About a week. 166. Was anything ever put on to heal them ?—No. 167. Did you do any hill-work during the last eighteen months you were there? Yes. 168. What sort of work was it to you ?—Very hard. 169. How many times a day did you go up ?—Four times. 170. What was the food like ?—lt was very bad. 171. Did you get plenty of it ?—No ;we were pretty well always short. 172. Did you get up from the table hungry?— Yes. 173. Why did you not ask for more ?—I did sometimes; sometimes I got it.