26

[q.m. w. clouston.

H.—6c.

95. When bad meat was served out were the men compelled to eat it or go without ?—They had either to eat it or go witiiout at first. We did not get bully beef until we got to Albany. 96. How about the quality of the bully beef ? —lt was very good indeed. 97. And the biscuits ?—Very good, sir. 98. Had you enough ?—Plenty, sir. 99. Did you ever get puddings ?—Yes, they were very fair. 100. How often did you get puddings ?—Twice a week ; Thursdays and Saturdays, I think. In the sergeants' mess we got puddings every day. 101. And the cooking—how was that?— Not the best in the world, sir. 102. Was the food properly cooked? —No, sir, it was not. 103. In what way did it fall short ?—We had to send it back almost every day, as being raw. 104. Were complaints made about that ?—To the orderly officer, yes. 105. Was any notice taken of it ? —They used to cook it over again, but not always. 106. How often did this meat come cooked raw?—lt was nearly a daily occurrence. 107. Was it underbaked, or underboiled? —Underbaked. 108. And did all the men find it too undercooked ?—Yes, sir. There might have been a few who did not, as the meat on one side might be well done, but the majority complained. 109. Have you any other complaint to make about the food generally ?—Well, it was far from being what we should have got. We could have got better had they liked to give it to us. Every morning we had simply potatoes and water—they called it stew. 110. Was there no meat in it? —Very little. 111. And every morning you got the same thing?— Yes. 112. Complaints were made about the cooking, and I did not quite follow you whether notice was taken of the complaint or not? —It was reported, very often, and there seemed to be no change. 113. Do you think there was an attempt made on the part of the authorities to remedy the defects or not ?—lt did not look like it, sir. 114. You think not?—l think not, sir. 115. About the drinking-water, was that good?— Very good. 116. Did you have plenty ?—Plenty of it, sir. 117. Did you have sufficient water for washing?—We could not get enough of that—it was turned off too quickly. Later on they gave us another half-hour. 118. How many basins were there ?—About twenty, I think. 119. Did the men ever try to get buckets or anything of that sort to wash in ?—There were no more on board, sir, excepting those used for washing-up, &c, and they could not take those. 120. Was there enough water for washing?— Plenty of water aboard the boat, but we did not get it. 121. Why did you not get it ? —Because it was turned off too early. 122. You mean that men could not wash before half-past eight ? —Well, they could, but those that came first got a wash ; but the water was turned off before they were all finished washing. 123. Were you ever in hospital ?—No. 124. You do not know anything about the hospital?— No. 125. Had you to buy food coming across ?—I bought some, sir. 126. Was not an order issued against it ?—There was not an order. I did not see it, but I believe it was stated that there was a verbal order. 127. You are a non-commissioned officer? —Yes. 128. Did you carry out the verbal order ? —I did not hear of it. 129. You did not think it your duty to help in carrying that order out ?—No. 130. Where did you get the food from? —The cook. 131. How much did you pay ?—ls. 132. What did you get for this? —Saloon food, sir. 133. You paid for each meal as you received it ?—Yes. I did not buy three meals a day all the way over. 134. What conditions were the latrines in ?—Very good and clean indeed, sir. 135. Were they sufficient ?—Yes, sufficient. 136. Did the officers go round at every meal-time ?—The orderly officer did. 137. One of the officers for each regiment, or one for the whole ship ?—One for each regiment. 138. Did they appear to take any interest in the food of the men ? —Yes, sir, I think so. 139. Then, do you think that they tried to improve the meals of the men or not ?—I think they did what they had power to do. 140. Which other contingent were you in ? —The Second. 141. What troopship did you come back in ?—The " Tongariro." 142. Were you more comfortable there ?—Yes, a lot, sir. 143. How many men were on board ?—About eleven hundred, I think ; Australians and NewZealanders. 144. Was the food much better? —Yes, much better indeed, sir. 145. Better in quality or better cooked ?—Better each way, sir. 146. Mr. McNab.] As quartermaster-sergeant, was it your duty to report whether the men were dissatisfied with their food ?—The senior man at the table had to report it to the orderly officer. 147. Had you any duties in the way of reporting the bad condition of the food ?—lf the men had reported to me I should have carried it further on. 148. If you saw it yourself, and the men did not report, would you send a report to your superior officer ?—Most decidedly, sir.