56

JTEOOPEB SILBEY.

H.— 6c.

327. Have you any reason to suppose there was more than once ?—I understand that on one occasion they came up for more tucker. I know nothing at all about the fish. 328. Why do you imagine this ? —On one occasion they came up and rushed the deck for more tucker. 329. Who told you ?—I saw them run up myself. 330. Now, suppose I told you what occurred was this : chat two Australians brought up a tin of fish, that when I had inquired into the fish business I asked if there was a man from either of the New Zealand regiments who had anything to say, and that then a man from one of the regiments did say they would like more food ?—Yes, sir. 331. So that actually both things were dealt with at the same time—both the fish and the quantity of food? —Well, that is what I noticed. I only know about the quantity of food. The two cases may have been one. 332. You say you are perfectly certain that the boilers were not scrubbed out after meat was cooked and before tea was put in ?—Yes. 333. If I tell you that I had been in the galley several times myself with the purser and the chief steward, and" have asked those cooks whether the boilers were scrubbed, and they assured me they were, you mean to say that those cooks were liars ?—No, I would not say they were liars ; I would say they told an untruth. 334. You do not think the meat was sufficient? —No. 335. You say that because you saw the mess orderly with a mess-tin with a certain amount of meat? —Yes. 336. How much, at a guess, would you say that meat was enough lor—say there were sixteen at a mess-table ?—Some tables did not have sixteen. I should say it would not be enough for sixteen men. 337. Would it be enough for fourteen ?—Twelve or thirteen. 338. What table was this particular dish for ?—I could not say what particular table it was for. 339. You never heard what table it was for ?—No. 340. You do not know whether it was for a table of sixteen or ten ?—He told me it was for a table of sixteen. 341. Otherwise you know nothing about it ?—No, not that. 342. You say you handed in your blankecs to Quartermaster-Sergeant McDonnell ?—The first night I kept my blankets, and gave them in next morning. " 343. Why did you hand them in?—l said, " Take these blankets, they are not wanted." 344. Did you give any reason ?—No. 345. You did not tell him anything about their being lousy ?—No. 346. You did not tell any officer ?—No. 347. You did not make any complaint ?—No ; just gave them back again. 348. And said nothing at all ? —Yes. 349. Why did you not want them ?—Because I did not want to get vermin. 350. And" how were you going to avoid getting vermin ?—I had my own blankets. 351. You brought them on board ? —Yes, sir. 352. Although you knew that there were strict orders issued in Africa that they were not to be brought on board ?—That was the order, sir; but a lot were brought on board. The NewZealanders' blankets were allowed to be brought on board, not the Government blankets. 353. Then, you handed your blankets back knowing them to be lousy, and went to sleep somewhere else in other blankets?— Yes ; I went to sleep in my own blankets. 354. And did you suppose from the fact of your blankets being lousy that the other men's were lousy ?—Yes, I suppose, because they all chatted about them and said, "My blankets is 355. Can you tell me of any man who reported to any non-commissioned officer ?—No, I could not. . 356. Can you tell me the name of a single man who reported on the ship ! —JNo, 1 could 357. Did you say that you saw Surgeon-Major Pearless at the butcher's shop inspecting an issue of meat?—No ; I saw him at the galley. 358. Captain Lcwin.] You say that the meat that was given into the officers galley was quite 359. You say, also, the meat going into the troopers' galley was blue ?—Not all of it—on two or three occasions. 360. Who do you consider responsible for drafting that meat, so that the bad meat went to the troopers and the good meat to the officers?—l should say the quartermaster. 361. You hold me responsible, then, for sorting that meat out and sending the good meat into the officers' galley ?—No, I would not say that —not the sorting it out. 362. Are you aware the meat was inspected by a veterinary surgeon ?—No, I am not. 363. You say about the latrines that they were in a bad state at night?— Yes, sir. 364. Do you know Sergeant Henderson ? —Yes, by sight. 365. Do you know what his duties were ?—To look after the latrines. 366. Did"he keep them clean ?—They were very clean in the daytime. 367. And the lavatories also? —Oh, yes. 368. How do you account for them getting into this state? —I could not say. They overflowed. 369. Do you belong to D squadron ?-- Yes, sir. 370. The same as Corporal Moore ?—Yes, sir. 371. Captain Cameron's squadron?— Yes, sir.