H.— 6c.

iOAPT. K. C. M. LEWIN.

566. Do you think that the cooks neglected their duty to the men generally for the sake of these meals ?—I do not think so, except at first; but it was very soon rectified. 567. Yon think that the selling of meals ceased ?—I think that from the officers' galley some of the men may have procured something, but I did not know anything of it. 568. Do you think there was any necessity for any man who was apt to be dainty to go and buy rations anywhere, or could he live on the food supplied to him ?—He certainly could live on ic. 569. Were the meat, and bread, and other things supplied to the officers different?—No; it was the same. 570. The bread good ?—Yes. 571. The biscuit good ?—Yes. 572. And you are sure it was the same as supplied to the men ?—Yes. 573. Was the water of good quality ?—Yes; they had condensed water and also fresh water. 574. Do you know whether the men were obliged to forego a wash because there was no water?—l had a corporal in charge of the water-supply. It was his duty every morning to pump up the water condensed the day before and give the men out from three to four hundred gallons to wash in every day. They could also have a salt-water bath. At first there was some difficulty, but I saw the chief officer of the ship and he said that they could have as much water as they chose. 575. Was the three or four hundred gallons in addition to what they had to drink ? —Yes. 576. Was there ever any complaint about a short supply of water? —No ; the only complaint was that it should be kept on longer. 577. Could the condensing-machinery have supplied more water, or was it used to its fullest extent? —The chief officer told me it was used to its fullest extent. 578. Do you know anything about the hospital arrangements ?—No ; it was not in my department. 579. Was the ship called upon through you to give extra luxuries to the hospital ?—No. 580. The communication was from the surgeon to the officers of the ship?— Yes. 581. Who inspected the rations when they were issued in the morning?—l did. 582. You were present at the issue of the raw meat? —It was inspected by the doctor and by Captain Young. 583. Then, was there a certain amount weighed out for each man? —The bread was issued to each squadron, and that was supervised by me and by my quartermaster-sergeant. The quarter-master-sergeant of each squadron came up and it was handed to him, and he issued it to his men. 584. At the serving-out of the rations was there ever any complaint as to the quality of the meat ?—Only on that one occasion, as far as I was concerned. 585. Were you satisfied with the way in which your subordinate officers did their duty ?—Yes, perfectly. 586. Were they keenly alive to the necessity of doing their duty?— Yes. 587. Mr. McNab.] You had nothing to do with the hospital ?—No. 588. Nothing to do with the hygienic arrangements?— No. 589. Mr. Millar.] You said you went through the decks at night-time after the men were below ?—I have had to go down once or twice. 590. Much room to walk about when the hammocks were swung?— No. 591. Was she carrying up to the full accommodation? —I think, if the hammocks had been systematically slung, she would, have carried more ; but that was a matter for the squadron officers to look after. I could only advise, and could not give any orders. 592. You had no control over that ? —No. 593. You believe she could have carried more if the hammocks were properly slung ?—I think so. 594. You think it would have been an improvement if there was another latrine ?—Yes. 595. Had not the ship wood on board?—lt was space that was the question. 596. Was the deck so lumbered up that there was no space?— There was no space. 597. She was, then, very bad in that i-espect ?—Yes. In bad weather the men were very cramped and could not get on deck. 598. Another latrine would have cramped the space ? —Yes. 599. It would not take up more than 12ft. by 3ft.? —Yes; but then you have to make a screen. 600. I am assuming that they had sufficient timber to make the whole thing without a screen ? —In the first place, there were no complaints. 601. But you have expressed your opinion that it would have been better if there had been another ? —Yes. 602. Whose duty was it to recommend that another should be put up ? —-Well, possibly mine. 603. lam not trying to put you in a hole, but I want to get at facts. You think possibly it might have been an improvement if there had been another latrine? —It was not thought of until these complaints came forward now. 604. How much bread was served out to each man ?—1 lb. a day, in addition to biscuit. 605. You said, also, the tea was as good as you could expect at sea : why not expect good tea at sea ?—Because I never tasted a good cup of tea at sea yet. 606. But there is nothing to prevent as good tea being put on board as you can get on shore ? —But it is in the making of it. It is not made in small quantities. 607. You concluded the tea was quite good ?—Yes. 608. Did they have condensed milk with the tea ? —I do not know whether it was condensed milk or frozen milk.

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