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68. Have you seen any other girl's ears boxed? —Yes; F B , in the schoolroom. 69. Who boxed them?— The Matron. 70. How does she box them—lightly or how? —As if she meant, it. 71. Is there any other matter you want to mention? Is there any complaint you have to make about your treatment here? —No. 72. Mr. Russell.] When was it the Matron said you acted like beasts, or that you were beasts? —At the prayer-time, when the girls were running away. 73. How long ago?— When F B ran away. 74. What led up to that remark?--We asked her about F , and she said she came home, and was a dirty filthy beast. 75. Did she not say she had acted like a beast?— No. 76. She did not say you were all beasts? —Oh no. 77. Where had F B been? She had absconded had she not? —Yes. 78. Do you know what she had been doing while away —living with a man ?—I was not with her to see if she did do it. 79. But it. was with regard to that girl only that the words were used? —Yes; and when other girls ran away she said the same. 80. But on that occasion a few months ago it was in reference to what F B had been doing?— Yes. 81. And on other occasions when girls who had absconded came back the Matron said they had been acting like beasts? —Yes. 82. You know what the Matron meant by that?— She meant they were beasts. 83. You really have no complaint against the Home?— No. 84. You are well looked after here and well fed? —Yes; I get enough to eat, 85. Well housed and good beds?— Yes. 86. You are taught in school every day, and they are doing the best they can for you?- —Yes. 87. And really you have nothing to say against the Home or the Matron. You are friendly with the Matron ?—Yes. 88. And you have nothing to say against her or the Home? —Nothing, except what I have said here. 89. That you do not like chopping wood?— Yes. 90. And what else? —And going about in bare feet and catching colds. 91. In the winter time? —Every time. We have to go in the dormitories in bare feet. I think we ought to have slippers. 92. You say when you have to scrub you have taken hot water from the tap?— Yes. 93. You were not frightened you would be punished for it, were you?—No; I just took it. 94. The other girls could have taken it?— They say they would get reported. I was never told I would be reported, so I just took it. 95. Was this girl A M under medical treatment for her throat?— No. 96. Did she get all right?—l. do not know. She died after leaving here. 97. How long after leaving here was it before she died? —I do not know. Not more than three months. 98. Mr. Hunt.] You say you went up the trees?— Yes. 99. Did you offer to go up?— Yes. 100. They asked who would go up?— Yes, and I said I would. 101. And Mr. Bone was always there?— Yes. 102. Did you ever ask for sugar in your tea?— Yes; I asked the Matron, and was told it was already there. 103. You have seen sugar go into it?— Yes, but we have never been able to taste it. 104. When first you came to the Home you girls had slippers?—l do not know. 105. Did you have slippers?—l never had. 106. The boots you wear are rather heavy?--Yes. they are strong. 107. They would not do to walk about on boards with?— No. 108. The attendants are never two hours away for supper?—l do not know. Sometimes we hear them down long enough, talking. 109. But you are never left alone for two hours?—l do not know. 110. You are perfectly friendly with Miss Hunt and the other attendants?— Yes. 111. You have no complaint against them at all? —No. 112. Were you present when the girl's hand was put in hot water?— Yes. 113. Did you see Miss Hunt put her hand in?—l put my own hand in just before. 114. Was it too hot?—No; it was just right for my hand. Miss Hunt told me and E C to feel it. 115. Did you see Miss Hunt put her own hand in and hold T 's hand in?— Yes. 116. Mr. Salter.] Was it before C T 's hand was put in that yours was in?— Yes, not a second before. 117. When you said you offered to go up the trees, was it necessary for one of the girls to go up?— Yes. 118. Did Mr. Bone ever say he would go up?—l never heard him say it. 119. One of the girls was expected to go up?— Yes. 120. And you said you would go?—We all offered to go. We used to fight to get up the trees. 121. Why?— Because we used to like it. 122. But you did not like splitting and cross-cutting?—We climbed for bird-nesting for our own amusement, 123. Th<e Commissioner.] Have you ever been strapped? —Not in the last two years,

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