H.—6c.

34

SBBG.-MAJ. H. COLLINS.

424. Wer.e there any windsails? —There were none on our deck. 425. Was there willingness on the part of the ship's officers to oblige in anything?—l think we had a difficulty in getting scrubbing-brushes for cleaning, and we had to scrub with the dustbrooms. 426. There were no applications for fresh means of ventilating ? —Not that I know of. 427. The beer was noc good ?—No, sir. 428. Was it bad in quality?—lt was very thick, and had not at all a nice taste. 429. Do you know the name of the maker?— Yes; Ind, Coope, and Co. 430. Are they a good firm of brewers ? —I believe they ai'e. 431. How much was issued to the men?— One pint. 432. Was there any drunkenness among the men ?—There was the first day it was issued. They did not know how strong it was. 433. Was there any means of obtaining spirits from the ship's stores ?—Not that I am awave of. 434. Did you purchase food from the stewards?—l did on several occasions. 435. How often did you buy food?— Twice on the voyage. 436. You knew there was an order against it?—l never heard of an order against it. 437. You only purchased food twice? —Yes. 438. Did you lose weight on the voyage ?—I never weighed myself; but I certainly never gained. I did on the troopship before. I put on 141b. 439. Mr. McNab.] When was it that you say the case of measles was reported and not taken direct to the hospital?—l could not tell you the date. 440. Was it near the end or the beginning of the voyage ? —lt was the latter part. 441. Between here and Albany ?—Yes, it was. 442. That was on your own deck ?—Yes, sir. 443. How many on that same deck took measles afterwards ?—I really do not remember ; I should say there were two or three. 444. Do you remember the names of those men ?—Yes; Purvis and Murphy were the men who had measles and were not admitted to the hospital at once. 445. And what were the names of the men who took measles after this incident ?—Nicholson was one. 446. How long afterwards was it that he took measles?— Well, as far as I remember, four or five days. 447. You do not suggest that Nicholson got the measles from these two men after they had been detected and before they had been put in the hospital ?—I could not say, sir. 448. It was only a matter of four or five days after? —To the best of my recollection. 449. And it was between here and Albany ?—Yes, sir. 450. Was it between here and Melbourne ? —I could not say. 451. The men were generally free from midday onwards?— Yes, sir. 452. Supposing, now, that I had been your squadron commander, and had wanted to turn out my squadron for an hour and a half for physical work in the afternoon, would the men have liked that, or rebelled at it ?—-I do not think so, sir. Ido not think you would have had room to give it them. 453. Would the men have kicked against it?—l am sure they would not. 454. Did you ever hear any expressed desire for it ? —No, sir. 455. What makes you think that the men would have welcomed it?—l speak for my own squadron ; they would have done it. 456. Then, you think if they had been given hard drill every afternoon they would, without any trouble, have done the work?—l think so, sir. 457. You understand that I mean hard physical work to keep them in condition?—l tHink they would have done it. 458. Mr. Millar.] What was the quality of the meals that were issued to you: were you satisfied with the quality ?—No ; and the men were not satisfied with it. 459. What did they object to? —-The quality of the meat. 460. Was it inferior ? —Very inferior, sir. 461. Of your own personal knowledge, do you know if the cases were reported to the officers? —It was reported repeatedly to the orderly officer when he came round. 462. When complaints were made were attempts made to rectify them?—l do not know whether attempts were made, but there was no improvement in the meat until after we left Albany. 463. What was the fault with the meat? —Well, it was bad. 464. And yet it was continually issued and no attempt was made to rectify it until after leaving Albany? —Yes, that is right, sir ; but it was not always bad. 465. In cases where bad meat was issued and the attention of the officer was drawn to it, did you get anything in substitution for it, or did you go without that meal ?—After we left Albany we got bully beef. 466. Prior to your arrival at Albany, when the meat was so bad that it could not be eaten, was anything substituted for it ?—Nothing was substituted. On rare occasions bully beef was issued. 467. Had men to go without meat on those occasions when it was too bad to be eaten ?—I believe so, sir. 468. Was the meat the same as supplied to the officers ?—I could not tell you that, sir. 469. Do you think it is likely that meat coming out of the same freezing-chamber day after day could be bad from one end of the ship to the other ? —I think it is quite possible that the men who were working the meat would know by its appearance, and could pick out a good piece if they liked,