H.—6c.

60

[teoopee muib.

knowledge, and what you can swear to on oath, and that you will be cross-examined on? —Then, as for the tucker on board the ship, to my own knowledge it was quite green. I saw it three or four times. And on another two occasions the soup was made of salt water. And then the overcrowding—the hammocks—there was not nearly enough hooks for the hammocks for the men. The hammocks were always swinging, rubbing against each side, and you could not possibly sleep. There were also men lying on tables and forms, and others slept on the floor. And, also, there was some of them preferred to hang their hammocks on the top deck. That is about all. 507. In regard to the food, was meat ever supplied to you that was not green?— Yes, sir. 508. Did you make a complaint to a non-commissioned officer or to an officer ?—I never, sir. 509. Daily there were appointed officers and non-commissioned officers to take complaints, were there not ?—Yes, sir. 510. You never complained to them ? —I never. 511. Did you ever make a complaint in regard to the soup?—l never, sir; but there were complaints made. 512. In regard to the overcrowding, did you make any complaint?—No, sir. 513. Is the Commission to understand, in regard to the complaints you now make, that when on board the troopship you did not make these complaints to a con-commissioned officer or to a commissioned officer ?—No, sir, I made no complaint. 514. There were non-commissioned officers and officers appointed by the officer commanding to receive complaints ?—Yes, sir. 515. The men on board the ship knew who were appointed officers for the day, and who their non-commissioned officers were, did they not? —Yes. 516. So that you do not suggest that the complaints were not made because you did not know who to complain to ?—I never made any complaint, but others did. 517. You are speaking for yourself?— Yes, sir. 518. Mr. Millar.'] As far as the overcrowding was concerned, it would be no use making complaint to an officer, because she was full ?—Yes, sir, she was. 519. You say you got bad meat yourself ? —Yes, sir. 520. On many occasions ? —About three or four occasions. 521. Did you hear much complaining among the men as to the quality and quantity of the food ?—Yes, sir pretty well all over our troop-deck. On one occasion we paraded the saloon-deck with fish. 522. That was the only occasion on which you know they brought the matter before the notice of the officer commanding?-—Yes, only that, sir. 523. Did the non-commissioned officers move round and make any attempt to look after the cleanliness or comfort of the troopers under them ? —To a certain extent they did. 524. So you have no complaint to make against any of them ?—Not against any non-commis-sioned officer. 525. They looked after you as much as they could? —Yes. 526. Did the officers look after you ?—Not as regards food. 527. You think the officers could have done more than they did in connection with looking after your food: the quality or quantity, or both ?—Both. 528. Do you know the names of any in your own troop who did complain to the orderly of the day ? —Yes ; I recollect there was Trooper Mulhern. 529. Do you know what he complained about ? Did you hear him make a complaint ? —He was on one side of the mess-room and we were on the other. 530. Do you know what he complained about ?—lt was just about the food. 531. How was the ventilation down below ?—Very poor. 532. Did you find it high at any time ?—Very high. 533. Did you sleep in a hammock or on deck?—l had a hammock, but I preferred to lie on the table. On one occasion there was one of our squadron—a sergeant—had a very bad cold, and he was always lying on the table, or else the form, or else the floor, so I gave him my hammock and I slept on the floor. I took his place on the floor. 534. Did you find it colder on the floor than in the hammock ?—Yes, sir. 535. A hammock is a pretty warm thing to sleep in ? —lt was warm down below. 536. Do you think the ventilation could have been improved by having more windsails ?— Oh, yes. 537. Were there any hatchways that could have been utilised to ventilate the holds?— Well, there was just like one hatchway. 538. Where did they come down ?—Down at the end of the troop-deck. 539. What ventilation did they have at the other end ?—There were just the portholes, and most of the voyage we could not open them. 540. Was it on the lower deck or 'tween-decks?—Yes, 'tween-decks. 541. That was the upper troop-deck?— Yes. 542. There was just the one windsail ?—Yes ; it went below us. 543. You had just the hatchway ?—Yes. 544. Did you have any electric fans ?—No, sir. 545. Was the whole supply of pure air obtained through the hatchway.—Yes, sir. 546. Did you ever see any of the officers go through these 'tween-decks at night-time when the men were asleep ?—No, sir, never. 547. Do you know if they did ?—I never heard of any one. 548. So far as you know, the officers had no knowledge of your condition below there, from your personal observation ? —From personal observation, yes; they came round in the day-time when the decks were at their best, because they had just been cleaned up in the morning.