H.—6c.

54

(teoopeb silbey.

226. Were they generally dirty or clean? —Generally clean. 227. Was the water constantly in the latrines of a night? —Yes, of a night-time. 228. Was it the latrines overflowed—or where did the water come from ?—They overflowed. I could not say where the water came from that made them overflow. 229. They were flooded at night ?—Yes, sir. 230. Constantly ?—Yes. 231. Mr. Millar.} You were in the saloon galley I think you said ?—Yes. 232. How often did you attend the butcher's shop when he was giving out meat ?—On very few occasions. I used to be there getting vegetables at the time the butcher would be serving out. 233. Did you ever yourself see any of that blue meat issued out ? —I did. 234. Did you ever see any of the blue meat go into the saloon galley ?—lnto the troopers' galley. 235. None into the saloon ?—No, sir. 236. Do you think you would have seen it had it gone in ? Meat in a different condition was issued to the troopers from that issued to the saloon mess ?—That I could not say. 238. You stated just now that you saw, yourself, meat which was blue issued from the butcher's shop?— Yes; for the troopers' galley. 239. Did it appear blue after it was cooked ?—lt appeared black after it was cooked. 240. When did it have the blue appearance?— When it was fresh. 241. It was at the butcher's shop you saw it issued to the troopers—you saw the meat at the troopers' galley ?—Yes. 242. Did you never see any meat of the same class ever given to the saloon galley ?—No, sir. 243. Was it always good ?—Yes. 244. Do you think that meat which shows blue or green on the outside could be good in the inside? —No ; I could not say. I have not sufficient knowledge. 245. Then, in reply to the Chairman, you said that the cooks kept the money which they received for the tea and sandwiches : how do you know ? —I know for a fact; I saw them divide it. 246. They were not serving the stores on behalf of the ship?—No; on behalf of themselves. 247. Be those men that used to lie down 'tween decks who could not get hammock accommodation : did they lie on the bare boards ?—They laid their hammocks down and put their blankets on top. 248. Did they prefer that to a hammock?—l could not say whether they preferred that for choice. Some of them slept on deck. 249. You were not down there much yourself ?—I was always down of an evening with the boys. 250. You were not down after the men turned in?— Yes. 251. You were not in the habit of remaining there altogether?— Not altogether. 252. What time would you leave ?—About 8 o'clock. 253. Mr. McNab.] You were in the saloon galley coming back in the steamer ?—Yes. 254. And previous to that you were in the officers' mess ? —Yes. 255. In South Africa?— Yes. 256. When were you taken on in the officers' mess?— From Durban. 257. You were one day with the troop ?—Yes. » 258. And you went out in the Eighth in what vessel ? —The " Surrey." 259. Were you ever in the Volunteers before that?— Yes, sir. 260. How long?— For two years. 261. So that while you were on active service you were in the troop going out in the " Surrey," and one day in South Africa, and then you had a position in the officers' mess, and subsequently in the saloon galley?—l was in the baker's shop going across in the " Surrey." 262. The whole way? —From Wellington to Albany, and at Albany I went back into my troop. 263. You were only attached to your troop from Albany to Durban and one day afterwards ? —Yes. 264. Your occupation, you say, was a waiter, and subsequently on the stage?— Yes, sir. 265. For how long have you followed these two occupations ?—I could not say, because I have been off and on. I have been in the Union Company for two years and a half. 266. Have you ever followed outdoor life : have you ever camped out ?—Yes, I have camped out in the bush for a holiday for about a week. 267. I understood you to say that you saw the food issued from the galley to the men?— Yes. 268. How many galleys were there on board ?—Two galleys. 269. Were they far from one another ?—Quite close. 270. The men's food was issued from the troopers' galley, was it?— Yes. 271. You were employed in the saloon galley ?—Yes. 272. How could you see the actual stores that were supplied to the men ?—When sitting down peeling potatoes ; they would come and show me. 273. You saw this food that was thrown overboard a week after you left Durban ?—Yes. 274. Did I understand you to say that that food when thrown over was unfit for human consumption? —It was all soft—rotten. 275. It was not food that should be given to the men ?—Oh, no^ 276. There was only a week that the vessel had been at sea? —One week. 277. So that if the ship's company had decided to use that food they had only a week to use it immediately before it was unfit to be used ?—They had a fortnight.