H.—6c.

100

[TEOOPEE FAIiEOW.

331. When did you first of all notice that cold wind on the deck ? —The whole way from Africa—as soon as we left Durban. Two days out we got a cold wind. 332. Did the men ever complain about going from the close hold down below out on to the deck ?—They complained amongst themselves, never to any officers. 333. Do you think you would have liked to go in a big open bath on the deck after coming from the hold ?—Yes if they had kept it up. I myself like cold water, and I would have bathed the whole way through. 334. Did you have a bath every day it was there ?—Yes, sir. 335. When it was taken away you did not complain to any of the officers '? —No, sir. 336. Did any man of your squadron by any means communicate through an officer, or through anybody, with Colonel Davies that he wanted the bath kept up on the deck ?—No, I never heard of it, sir. 337. Was there gambling in your own squadron?—lt was in all squadrons. 338. And your own had a share in it ?—Yes ; but it was a very small share that it had. 339. Was it extensive on the vessel ?—lt was extensive in the fore part of the ship. It was always done on deck. I did not take much notice who was gambling. 340. Do you suggest to the Commission that men would lose large sums of money by the gambling, or that it was simply a matter of a few shillings ?—Only a matter of a few shillings. . 341. There was no extensive gambling that would resolve itself into practically robbing the men of their earnings ?—No, sir. 342. You knew that Colonel Davies had issued strict orders forbidding it. The order is as follows : " Bth July.—Gambling in any form is forbidden, and steps must be taken by officers commanding units to see that this order is strictly enforced "?—Yes, sir. 343. You were all Canterbury men in the B squadron ?—Yes, sir. 344. And all the officers that were put over you were Canterbury men ?—Yes, sir. 345. There were no strangers brought in ?—No, sir. 346. And you have no complaints to make against your officers'?—No, sir. 347. Colonel Davies.] You say that there was a bath the first two days out from Durban V— Yes, sir. 348. And after that there was no bath ?—Yes, sir. 349. Did you ever look for the bath ?—Yes; for the first day or two. 350. You went and had a bath for two days? —Yes. 351. And then you went and looked?—I looked next day, and then I went up about a week afterwards. 352. Supposing I tell you that that bath was taken away on account of the rough weather after a couple of days and that it was put back again afterwards, would you believe it ?—No, sir. 353. If I tell you that I have seen that bath there since full of water —that is, since the first week out from Durban ?—I do not believe it. I would not disbelieve you, sir, but I did not see it full of water again on the voyage after two days out. 354. Well, I tell you now very positively that I have seen it after the first week out: do you think lam mistaken, or do you think lam telling a lie ?—I must be mistaken. 355. Did you ever hear of a man applying for a bath and not getting it ?—No, sir. 356. Did you ever hear of the arrangement that my staff officer had made with the chief officer of the ship that the men could get that bath whenever they liked by giving an hour's notice? —I did not. 357. That was the arrangement I made with the ship, and therefore if a man had applied for that bath he could have got it ?—Yes, sir. 358. Captain Lewin.] Did that vessel roll much ? —Yes, sir. 359. And where that bath was it was pretty cold and bleak?—-Yes, sir, it was. 360. We wanted all the space we could for shelter for the men ?—Yes, sir. 361. Do you think, now, if the bath had been put there that with the rolling of the vessel it would have been safe for a man to bathe in ?—Yes, some days. 362. I mean in the bad weather?—No, not in the bad weather. 363. You are a shepherd, are you?— Yes, sir. 364. Have you ever been mustering ? —Yes, sir. 365. Eeen with a mustering gang ?—Yes, sir. 366. Did those musterers ever sleep in a whare together ?—No, sir. 367. They slept outside ?—Yes, sir. 368. Have you ever slept in a room in which several people slept at the same time ?—Yes, sir. 369. Did you find that room stuffy ?—Yes, sir. 370. Do you think it would be possible to find any room you can think of in which you could put the same number of men in that were sleeping down on your deck and it would not be rather stuffy in the morning?—No, sir. 371. Well, taking into consideration the number of men down there, and the windsails and air-exhausts, do you not think that that deck might have been a great deal worse than it was ?—lt might have been worse. We had no windsail of any sort on our deck. 372. You were on the upper deck ?—Yes. 373. The 'tween deck ?—Yes. 374. Do you know that there were air-exhausts working down below so that the hot air should not rise up to your deck ? —No, sir. 375. Do you know there was a windsail taken through your deck to the lower deck ? Yes, sir. 376. Do you not think that the very fact of that being brought down to that lower deck would improve the conditions of your deck?—lt would only send the hot air up. 377. It would bring down cool air, would it not ?—Yes, sir.