H.—2l.

E.T. BEANTING.]

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267. I suppose when they come in they are of the coarsest possible material? —Some of them are pretty coarse. 268. Do you keep in touch with all the girls you can after they leave here? —Yes, every girl. I have a large correspondence with them. 269. Are the letters which the Commissioner has seen letters written spontaneously?— Yes. 270. And do you generally find from their correspondence that they look back with a certain amount of affection to the time they stayed here? —The better class of girls do. 271. Can you recall any instances where girls after they have left here have absolutely refused to have anything to do with the Home or yourself?— One or two. 272. They nave never been near the Home nor written?— No. 273. Do you find that the girls' physical development improves while here? —Yes, at once. 274. Is there any feeling amongst them, so far as you can see, that they are outcasts, as Dr. Symes put it the other day?—No; rather that they are doing the Government a favour by coming here. 275. And generally are they happy and cheerful?— Yes; too noisy altogether. 276. Are your relations with the staff generally all right? —Yes; we always seem to get on very well together. 277. There are no exceptions at all? —Not that I know of. 278. If you can get some system of classification, will that help you very much? —Yes, a great deal. 279. Have you any suggestion to make in regard to the staff? Should their hours be shortened or their pay increased? —The Department from time to time increases their pay without solicitation. 280. With regard to this reception-room, may I ask if there is any examination made except an ocular examination? —No. 281. Is that merely for the purpose of seeing whether a girl requires the doctor or not?— That is so. 282. The Commissioner.} When is this examination made? —As soon after she comes in as possible. 283. In the case of every girl sent here?— Those who are committed or who have absconded. 284. Mr. Russell.] There is nothing further than that?— That is all. 285. And the moment you are satisfied on that point?— Nothing more is done. 286. The Commissioner.] I suppose you would prefer that examination to be made by a medical officer ?—Very much. 287. Have you ever suggested to the Department it should be? —No. 288. Why?—lt seemed to be part of my duty, and I have had a training as a nurse. It is not a pleasure. 289. Mr. Eussell.] Is it in order to try and economize you have never sent for the doctor?—l never thought about it. 290. Has any question been raised by the Department that an extra fee might be wanted for such work?—l never thought of that. 291. You might explain about the diluting of the syrup, and how that came about?—ln the first instance it happened that they were giving the girls a great deal of jam, and I said, " Why not give them golden syrup with their boiled rice?" Last winter we were very short of vegetables, and a good deal of rice was used, partly as a vegetable and partly for puddings. I said when I went to school we had boiled rice and treacle and water. I said the water would make the treacle run better, and it would be economical, and teach the girls economy. They then said they were going to give them some on their bread, and that it would not spread. I said to put a little water in it, that it would not hurt them, as they had food enough. I had no feeling in the matter. It was not done to economize and keep down the expense. 292. Have you ordered it to be discontinued now?—We have not used treacle for some months. 293. If you use it again it will not be diluted? —Certainly not. 294. Mr. Salter.] Are all punishments entered in the register on the day on which they are inflicted? —No; Ido not think they are. They are entered in a small book, and then transferred to the punishment register. The clerk should see to that. 295. Has this not been your practice : When punishments are inflicted they are entered on a rough sheet, and then that sheet is submitted to you once a month, and after you have revised it it is then copied into the punishment register? —No; I have never done that that I know of. 296. You swear that you have never had submitted to you by the clerk a list of punishments; that you have revised it, and then the list as revised has been entered in the register ?—Never, to my knowledge. 297. You know the regulation in regard to the register, which says, " In such book a record of all corporal punishment, all confinement in cells, of all continuous restriction of diet as is indicated in clauses (a) and (b) of regulation 122, and of an}' other punishment named in these regulations, shall be made on the day on which the punishment is inflicted." That has not been done? —No. 298. Are you prepared to swear positively that the list of punishments submitted to you for revision has never been in any way altered —that is to say, you would notice a girl put in the cell for a certain time for a certain offence, and would then say that the punishment was too great for the offence, and would then reduce the punishment to be entered? —No, never. 299. You swear that positively? —I am quite willing to swear that. 300. And you never gave any instructions to the clerk to have that done? —Not that I can ever remember. 301. And it was never done? —Not that I ever remember. 15-H. 21,