H.—6C.

TEOOPEB G. WALDIE.]

59

would not be able to get a wash ?—I always got a wash immediately after I got up. I was up at a quarter-past 7 myself. 459. Do you want the Commission to understand this : that if a man got up when reveille went he was able to get a wash, and if he did not get up he would not get one ?—Yes, sir. 460. The Chairman.} It was a quarter-past 7 when you went to wash : how many men were as a rule waiting there ? —They were full to the doors. 461. How long did you wait ?—Quarter of an hour. I have never waited longer. 462. Did you ever get in at once at a quarter-past 7 ?—No, I never have. 463. On what days in a week did the men get boiled meat for dinner ?—I could not tell you. 464. Did they get the same dinner every day ? —Well, it was generally the same meat, but there were different puddings. 465. Was the meat boiled or stewed : what sort of dinners did you get as a rule ? —Generally boiled meat. 466. How often did you get roast meat ?—Not more than once a week. 467. Was she what is called a wet boat—the " Britannic " ? —Yes, a very wet boat. 468. How often did the seas come over to the lower deck ? —The second week we were out it came over a good few times. 469. Every day, or every other day, or what?— Sometimes it would be two or three days running, and then there would be a spell. 470. Did you get green seas, or only a spray '?—I suppose it was spray. 471. Did it flood the lower deck ?—No ; it just wet it over—gave it a good wash. 472. Do you think you got down a bucketful ?—Yes ; but when it spreads out it looks a lot. 473. How often would a bucketful come down ?—Two or three would come down before they would shut down the hatchway. 474. On how many days ?—I could not tell you ; I could not say how many. 475. There was no time to dry it up when it came 'down'? —The mess orderlies got a cloth and dried it up. 476. And did it run from end to end of the deck?— Well, it ran across the deck. 477. How often did it get down to run clean across the deck?—l could not tell you how many times. I was not always down below when the seas did come over. 478. Did you sleep below?— Yes, sir. 479. Did you sling your hammock ?—Yes ; I did not sling it for the first week, because I slept on the floor. 480. Why did you sleep on the floor?— Because I had no hook, and I had such a cold. 481. How many men were obliged to sleep on the deck out of your own squadron ? —[ could not tell you how many ; they were all over the place. 482. Were there hooks for all of them ?—No. 483. For three-quarters? —I should think so, sir. 484. How far apart were the hooks ? —Well, they would not be more than about 18 in. 485. What size was the electric fan : how broad was it ?—lt would be 2 ft. square. 486. Did it make a good current of air ?—No. 487. Would it have blown out a candle?— Yes. 488. How far off ?—I could not tell you that. 489. There was only one windsail ? —Yes. 490. In the lower deck ?—Yes. 491. Did a good current of air come down ?—lt would not be more than 18 in. across. 492. Do you know whether it was properly adjusted to the wind, or care taken about it? —The method was for it to go against the wind with the boat. 493. Do you know whether there was a fair current of air?—l could not tell you that. 494. How far was it from the hatchway? —It would be about sft. 495. How far from the electric fan ?—About 5 ft. or 6 ft. 496. Were you able to sleep at night ?—Not altogether, no. 497. Why not ?—Generally the early part of the evening it was warm, and until 12 o'clock, and then when we would wake in the morning it would be cold. 498. It was cold, as a rule, when you woke up every morning?— Not every morning, but some mornings colder than others. It all depended on the weather. 499. Generally, was it very hot below ?—Oh, no, not altogether very warm ; on some nights it was very stuffy. 500. Can you account for its being stuffy on some occasions and not on other nights ?—lt all depended on the weather. Some nights it was very calm, and it would get very close with so many below. 501. Did very many of the men go up on the deck at night ? —I do not know. Trooper Mum sworn and examined. (No. 16.) 502. Mr. McNab.] What is ycur name ?—Tjooper Muir. 503. What contingent did you belong to? —The Eighth. 504. You desire to give evidence before the Commission that is sitting to inquire into the transportation of the men on board the " Britannic." If you wish to make a statement, give your complaints, or otherwise, the Commission will be only too happy to hear? —I know very little about the hospital. There was one man troubled with lumbago or sciatica, and there were two men pulling this man about the deck, and they told me the authorities would not take him in. 505. Do you know of your own knowledge ? —No ; they told me that the hospital authorities would not take him in. 506. We would prefer that you would confine your evidence to what came within your own