H.—6c.

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Ttkooper fabbow.

246. Speaking for your own squadron, as far as you are acquainted with the officers, you have never known of any instances of their neglecting to look after proper complaints that were made ? —No, I have not, speaking for my own officers. lam positive on that point. 247. Those officers you know best?— Yes. I think that is the general opinion of the squadron. 248. You have never heard of your own squadron officers or anybody else making a complaint to any of my staff' officers that was not attended to ?—I could not say that I have. 249. Captain Lewin.] Had you any opportunity of observing in what state the men were when they came on board as regards lice? —Well, yes. I was travelling with them on the veldt. There was a certain amount lousy, and others were clean. I think I myself was clean, but I might have had one or two on me. A man will get them in five minutes and never know it. 250. Do you think the majority were lousy, more or less?—l would not say the majority of the men were lousy, because we had a certain time at Ivlsrksdorp and the men had a chance to get clean clothes. Some of the men did not change their clothes there. Some men would always be lousy. 251. There was an interchange of hammocks? —Oh, yes. 252. Men took any hammocks they chose ? —-Yes ; you would have your own one night and afterwards perhaps somebody-else's. 253. There were no complaints for the first few days about lice in blankets ?—I never heard any. 254. Mr. McNab.] You were an engine-driver ?—Yes, sir. Trooper Farkow sworn and examined. (No. 32.) 255. Mr. Millar.] What is your name ?—Harry Farrow. 256. What contingent did you belong to? —The Eighth. 257. What squardon?—E. 258. What rank did you hold ?—Trooper. 259. What were you before you joined the troop ?—Shepherd. 260. We understand that you desire to make some statement as to the general treatment on board the " Britannic." Will you tell us, please, what you have to complain about ?—The sleepingaccommodation was very bad. The blankets that were received at Durban were clean enough, but they had vermin in them. We had no place that we could use for a bath at all. We had no bath two days out from Durban till the time we reached New Zealand. The food was not very good. Frequent complaints were made, and they were not taken much notice of. 261. We want you to swear to what you yourself saw taking place ? —Yes, sir. 262. Is there anything else ?—No, sir. 263. You said complaints were frequently made: did you make any complaint ? —Yes, sir. 264. To whom ? —To the orderly officer. 265. What was the name of the orderly officer to whom you made complaint ? —I could not mention any orderly officer. 266. You say you yourself complained: could you identify an orderly officer to whom you made this complaint if you were shown his photograph?—l doubt whether I could, sir. I did not take much notice of the officers, except those of E squadron, and it was not any of them. 267. What was the nature of your complaint?—-It was the meat and the stew. We did not get a roast the whole time coming across. It was all boiled meat, and oftentimes it was not properly cooked. 268. Well, on this particular occasion when you yourself made a complaint, what was it about ?—The meat not being cooked. 269. Was any attempt made to rectify it ?—Yes; they went up to the cookhouse and they got another lot, just about the same, not cooked properly. 270. You consider this the fault of the cooks ?—Yes, sir. 271. Was there anything wrong with the meat beyond its being uncooked ?—No, sir. 272. As far as your own officers were concerned they endeavoured to rectify it by getting other stew in place of it ?—Yes, sir. 273. Do you remember any other occasion when you yourself made a complaint ?—I only made one complaint. Several complaints were made at the table coming across. 274. But not by yourself?—lt was the mess orderly's duty to make complaints always. 275. And when you complained to the mess orderly he was supposed to take it further on ?— Yes, sir. 276. Do you know of any case where a complaint was made to the mess orderly and he did not take it on to his superior officer ?—No, I do not. 277. When food was unfit to be eaten, ,do you know of any case where no notice was taken and they did not get it remedied ?—No, sir. 278. So far as you know, when complaint was made to the officers they endeavoured to get the ship's people to make it right ? —Yes, sir. 279. Do you think your officers could have done any more for you — I mean your own troop officers?— Well, yes ; the food, on a whole, coming across was not good. 280. Did your own officers try to improve it, or did they simply let it go along without making any attempt to better it?—l do not know. I could not say whether they tried to rectify it or not. 281. Do you know of any case where you were short of food and the matter was brought under the notice of the officers and you were never given any more food ?—No, sir. 282. Do you know any case where bad meat was given out and you were not given other meat in lieu of that bad meat ?—No, sir. 283. About the sleeping-accommodation, where there many men sleeping on deck or on the tables who could have slept in hammocks ? —Yes, sir.