TROOPER P. T. BRADLEY.]

91

H. — 6C.

841. Were those the only complaints you heard ?—Yes. 842. Mr. Millar.] In your opinion, did the officers and non-commissioned officers pay sufficient attention to the men throughout the voyage ?—Yes ; I think the officers attended to us as much as they could. Ido not think they could alter matters very well. 843. So far as the officers were concerned, you do not think they could do much more than they did ?—No, sir. 844. You have nothing to say against their treatment at all ? —No. 845. Did you ever see any signs of drunkenness in any part of the ship ? —No, except when we came off from leave at Albany. 846. Outside that did you see any case of drunkenness ?—No. 847. So that if the statement was made that drunkenness was rampant throughout the ship it would not be correct ?—No. 848. Colonel Davies.\ Are you certain that the enlargement of the hospital took place before we reached Melbourne ?—Yes. 849. Suppose I told you as a positive fact that it took place after, what would you say ?—That I was wrong. 850. As a matter of fact, it took place after twenty Australians who occupied the same deck in which the enlargement was made had landed: is not that the case ?—Yes. 851. If they took away a table to make the enlargement of the hospital, would not the men have extra space through* the twenty Australians leaving that deck? Is it not a fact that at Melbourne twenty Australians went out of that part of the ship ? —Yes. 852. Therefore there were twenty less men in that part of the ship from Melbourne to here than there were before ?—Yes; but th§y put up the enlargement of the hospital, and that took away the other two tables. 853. You admit that twenty men went away from that.part of the ship?— Yes. 854. Therefore there was the space previously occupied by these twenty men who left that part of the ship occupied by the increased hospital accommodation ? —Yes; but when the twenty Australians left us we did not get the space. 855. Not you personally, but some of the men on the deck did ?—Perhaps so. 856. Did the twenty Australians go out of the same deck in which the increased hospital accommodation was made? —Yes. 857. Mr. McNab.] You stated in your evidence that they extended the hospital 20 ft. and jammed you into the balance ? —Yes. 858. From what you said to Colonel Davies, you were really jammed in the balance, but there were twenty men less ?—Yes, sir. Trooper Paul Thomas Bkadley examined on oath. (No. 29.) 859. Mr. McNab.] What is your rank ?—Trooper. 860. In what squadron ?—H squadron of the Eighth Contingent. 861. You are anxious to give evidence before the Commission regarding the food and accommodation generally on board the " Britannic." The Commission will be pleased to hear what you have to say, and perhaps may ask you some questions. Will you please state shortly what you wish to say ?—The sleeping-accommodation was not sufficient for the number of men on board, and the food sometimes was not properly cooked. 862. When you say that the sleeping-accommodation was not sufficient, will you explain the disadvantages? —There were sixteen men at our table, and only nine pegs to hang the hammocks on, so that four or five men had to sleep on the floor or on the table. 863. When the nine men were in their hammocks they covered all over the table : did they extend into the passage ?—Yes. 864. How many were there over the passage ? —About two. 865. Then, there were seven over the table and two over the passage ?—Yes. 866. How did the others do? —Some slept on the floor and some on the table. 867. Was there any room to put in fresh hooks if you had the hooks ?—I do not think there was space. Ido not think any more could be put in. 868. So that if you had made any complaint about it your own officers could not remedy it ? — I do not think so. 869. Therefore you are not blaming your officers?—No, sir. 870. Do you remember how far apart the hooks were ?—About 18 in. apart. 871. You say that at 18in. apart there was not room right across the deck to hold more?— No. 872. Then, regarding the cooking of the food, was it often badly cooked ?—Very often. Sometimes it looked cooked on the outside, but it was raw in the middle. 873. Was the meat wholesome meat?— Two or three times we could not eat it because it was bad. 874. Do you remember whether that was before you got to Albany or afterwards ?—I think it was before we got there. 875. After you got to Albany do you recollect any case of the meat being bad ?—I do not recollect any. 876. Were you in the upper 'tween decks or in the lower? —In the lower. 877. What was the condition of the ventilation there ?—There was a windsail coming down. 878. Did it keep the atmosphere clear?—lt was very hot at night. 879. 1 suppose you would find it close in the morning?— Yes.