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Samuel Fluellyn examined on oath. 1. Mr. Russell.] Ypu are police officer, stationed at Richmond? —Yes. I have been there thirteen years, and in performance of my duties 1 have very often to come here at all hours of the day and at night too. 2. I suppose your visits are mostly surprise ones?— Often. Sometimes I tell the Matron lam coming. 3. Have you had any opportunities to speak to the girls at any time? —Not unless to absconders. 1 have several times brought absconders home. 4. Generally, did these girls seem glad to get back or sorry ?—Sorry. They did not want to come back, and sometimes I had difficulty in getting them here. 5. When you have been here, have you had any opportunity of seeing the girls at work or play?— Several times. 6. And generally, from what you saw, would you judge them to be happy or unhappy? —I consider they were happy. 7. Did it strike you the work they did outside was too heavy for them?—l consider it a sort pf pastime for them, and I think they regard it the same way. They were usually laughing and joking over it. 8. Mr. Salter.] Did these absconders over give you any reason for being sorry to come back? —I cannot remember if they did. 9. The Commissioner.] Did they ever make any complaints about the Home? —No. 10. From your long experience in the district, and your knowledge of the girls generally, and your possible contact with some of them in after life, do you consider this institution is carrying opt its reformatory work in a satisfactory way? —I think the effect of it is good. The girls are improving. 11. You know some of the girls who come here are very hard cases? —Yes. 12. Do you see a difference afterwards in them? —I do so. 13. You think the Home has a refining tendency to a certain extent? —Yes. 14. You know- some of the girls never will reform?— That is so. In my opinion, punishment is absolutely necessary in some cases, although I do not approve of the strap myself. Friday, 20th March, 1908. Charles Chaplin examined on oath. 1. Mr. Russell.] What is your occupation?—l am a bee expert, so far as this institution is concerned. 2. Are you here very often in connection with the hives?—l have been occasionally visiting here for some years, through being asked to assist with the bees and give the girls some instructions, as the Matron was anxious they should get some honey for the institution. I may say that at first I had a prejudice against the institution, in consequence of a paper read by two ladies, and I was inquisitive enough to wish to see the institution, and after 1 did so I quite changed my views. 3. You did not come so much to look after the bees as to look into the institution?—Oh, yes; but since I have come in perhaps once a year because I was inquisitive in regard to the institution, and my excuse was that I wished to see the bees. Everything I have seen here has caused me to think very highly of the institution. 4. What opinions did you form from these papers ?—lt was a paper read in the early days, very strongly criticizing the institution. 5. From what you have seen, do you think the children are well looked after?— Yes. Indeed, I believe it is beyond what ninety out of every hundred people outside the institution, could provide for their own. 6. The children appeared to be happy? —Without a doubt. I have worked with them, and the Matron or attendant would be watching them from the path, so the girls could have said anything they liked to me for several days. 7. Did they complain to you about anything?— No. They were rollicking and jolly. 8. Did they appear healthy? —Some of them, I think, were stronger than me. 9. Did you see them chopping wood at any time? —Yes. 10. Was there any hard work about that as they did it? —Only fine exercise. 11. Do you think there is any ground for any one to say this Home is not well conducted?— There was nothing I could see, and I came here critically, and I think Mr. Salter knows me enough to know I am a bit of a critic. 12. So far as you could see, the children had no complaint to make at all? —Not in the least. Two cases come to my memory. When I came here one of the girls was dressed in a bi-coloured garment, and I was told it was because she had run away. This was one of the girls who was assisting me, and she had no enmity towards the Matron for this. We were working about the hives, and the Matron had gone to the telephone, I think, when this girl's apron-string broke, and she ran into the house to get something with which to repair it. At that moment the Matron returned, and, seeing the apron lying on the bank, ran away into the paddock shouting for the o-irl. The other girls said the Matron thought she had run away. When the girl returned and learnt this she ran after the Matron into the lupins, and seemed to be in as great a state of consternation about the Matron as the Matron was about her. The two came back together laughing, and treating the thing as a joke. I have always found Mrs. Branting quite as willing to show

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