C. MILLS.]
79
H.—2l.
5. You are all cordial to each other? —Yes. 6. And all co-operate to promote the common good ?•—Yes. 7. Apart from your salary, do you take an interest in the work here, as a woman?— Yes, I do. 8. What are the relations between the staff and the Matron? —Very cordial. She is very good to the staff. 9. Are you holding anything back? Are you friendly with the Matron yourself?— Yes. 10. Generally, in your opinion, have the girls any legitimate cause of complaint as to the way they are treated here? —So far as I know, they have none. 11. Are the girls happy here?— They always seem happy enough. 12. Are they depressed or lively?-—I have never seen them depressed. They are generally lively. 13. Have they any fear of the staff, or do they take a joke with them?— They joke with the staff. They are in no fear of them. 14. So long as the girls behave well, is the discipline very severe upon them here? No. 15. Have they much freedom?— Yes, as much as we can allow them. 16. Do they have plenty of games and recreation? —Yes, they have three afternoons a week, and they play tennis and croquet in the summer. They have music and singing, and they do fancy work. 17. So long as they do not attempt to get away, and conform to the rules, is there any difference between this Home and any other private home ?—I do not think so. 18. Is there anything of a prison about it, barring the fact that the girls are not allowed to go away?— That is the only thing—the doors being locked. 19. Is there any alteration you could suggest in regard to the Matron's method of dealing with the girls? Ts she naturally a good tempered woman?— Yes. I have never seen her in a bad temper. 20. And yet firm, I think, when necessity arises?— Yes. The moment the Matron appears on the scene the girls are around her hanging on. 21. With regard to wood-chopping, from, what you can see, are the girls sad at having to do that? —They never struck me as being sad. They do not do a great deal of it. They take their time. 22. When they come back, do they appear to be gloomy and depressed?—No ; they are always, cheerful to me. 23. Have you seen them racing back from the wood-chopping?—No; they just quietly walk back. They might race amongst themselves, but I never take any notice of that, They are always up to fun of some sort. 24. When they are out there, are they driven at all?—I never drive them, and I have never known anybody else to drive them. I have been out with them two years. 25. Do you consider the food they get sufficient in quantity?— Yes. I often wonder how they can eat as much as they do. 26. Sometimes the jam is not as thick as it might be?—l never noticed it. 27. Who is responsible for that? —That is done in the kitchen. I never go into the kitchen. 28. Of course you get some complaints from the girls about the food ?—At times we hear them grumbling, but they are always grumbling a little about something or other. I have never taken any notice of it, 29. Somebody reads at meal-times?— Yes, except when I take meals, and then I tell a story. 30. If a girl talks, is she sent out of the room?— Yes, and her meal is sent out with her. 31. The suggestion is that the girls are deprived of their meal: is that true?— No. 32. Are the girls here punished at any time unduly?—l do not think so. I have never seen a girl punished unduly. 33. Do you consider yourself that the girls are better after being here?—l think so. 34. Have you any doubt upon that, point? —No doubt whatever. 35. That the moral influence of this Home helps their morals?— Yes. 36. Have you ever seen girls suffering from signs of overwork outside?— Never. 37. Have you ever seen the Matron box a girl's ears?— Never. 38. Have the girls complained of it?—l have heard of it, but I have never seen it. 39. If the girls make a complaint, does the Matron judicially consider it?— Yes, always. 40. And in punishing, does she punish at once, or take time to deal with the girls in severe oases?— She does not beat them directly. I think she leaves that for a day. 41. What is the punishment given for small offences against order?— Getting dry bread: and for calling the staff names, which is a very common occurrence, and for insubordination, they are put in the cell. 42. Is that reported to the Matron?— The moment a girl is put in the cell it is reported to Matron. Very often the staff go to the Matron and report they can do nothing with a girl, and the Matron puts her in the cell. 43. When girls are placed in the cell, are they visited between meal-hours?—So far as I know. I have been out all day for two years. When I have been inside I have visited the girls regularly »very two hours and sometimes oftener. 44. The office is just opposite the cell?— Yes. 45. If a girl is in the cell and the office-window is open, could she be heard in the office, or could she knock on the door?— Yes. 46. The distance from the cell-door to the office-window is not much wider than this room?— No. 47. So far as you know whenever you have put a girl in you have looked after her every two hours?—lf I have been inside. 48. It is said you put a girl in once and forgot all about her all day?—l put a girl in twice because she would not eat dry bread for breakfast. On the following Saturday she was very
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