118

H. -21.

E. T. BBANTING.

443. And so you instructed the clerk to say something which was not true? —Yes, I told her to distribute it. 444. But that was not correct?—No, it was not. 445. Mr. Salter.] You admitted E S came back looking very thin? —Yes. 446. Yet within two days of her coming back you gave her this strapping? —Thinness is not illness. 447. You said she looked as though she had been starved? —Yes, but she said she had not been, and I ordered her on full diet on that account. 448. Did she sleep on the floor of the cell?— She had a mattress on the floor of the cell. 449. You were not very clear in regard to the ear-boxing. There has been a lot of evidence to show that you indulged in this practice. Do you say that that evidence is not correct?—l do on two occasions quite recently in which I was represented as boxing girls' ears. I distinctly remember never touching their ears. The girls seem to think you are boxing their ears if you touch them anywhere. 450. You admit hitting them on the head? —Yes. 451. When Miss Howden was ill, and the doctor said she had to have attention, you say you gave her diet which she refused : what did you give her ?—I told Miss Simpson to put her on milk diet and light puddings. She insisted upon having a chop, and it was given to her. She said she felt as though she must have it. When the doctor came he said it was all wrong. 452. The night she was ill, and required somebody to look after her, I believe you and Miss Hunt went to the theatre? —I should like to explain that. Some time previous an arrangement was made that I should go to a certain play—" Tannhauser " —because if I missed it then I should not see it again for a very long time. During that day we seemed to be exceptionally busy, and it required a very great effort to go at all, and I should have disappointed a good many people if I had not gone. So I told Miss Mills to take charge of Miss Howden until the night nurse came. When I came back from the theatre I went to see Miss Howden. 453. You say that after she recovered and came back you noticed a good deal of unrest amongst the girls ?—Yes. 454. How did they show this?—By impudence to the staff. I really thought I would have to turn the whole of the first into the second class. 455. Has that never happened before? —Nothing like that. They have all settled down, and they could not be better girls than they are now. 456. Did Miss Howden refuse to resign until her case had been heard? Was that not her ground of refusal? —No, she never mentioned any case. She said she would not until she had time to think it over. 457. Then her dismissal was effected without giving her any opportunity to make an explanation? —Mr. Pope was here on the 30th. Why did she not speak to him? 458. It is a fact that her side of the story has never been heard by the Department?— Yes, she wrote to the Department. 459. Explaining the whole matter? —I do not know what she explained. 460. Some of the attendants say they work for thirteen hours a day: is that so?— Yes. 461. Do you not think those hours are rather long?— That is for the Department to decide. Many times during the day they have short times off. 462. Do you consider half an hour for a meal is sufficient? —I think so. 463. The dressmaker told us she makes blouses and other things for you? —She made one. 464. Only that one?— She may have done other work. 465. Is she supjiosed to do that? —If necessary. As I give all my dresses and clothing into the institution before they are half worn out, it does not seem unreasonable she should turn up a blouse for me. 466. In regard to the discount of 10 per cent,, supposing there should be a balance in favour of the girls, how would you distribute that amongst them? —I remember at one time when there was a balance in their favour I used to buy them a bag of lollies, but lately there has never been a balance. 467. The Commissioner.] What is your practice in the matter of inflicting punishment for not knowing lessons?—lt does not often happen. 468. It has rather been made a point of. I know one instance where a girl was put in the cell for not knowing her catechism will not learn. 469. There is a line to be drawn between " will not " and " cannot," I only want to know how you deal with these cases?—We are very lenient with them when they first come in, and put a girl on to help them, and give them plenty of time; but they prefer playing to doing this. Then when they come to say their lessons to me on Sunday for a long time they never know them. Then I say, " Well, girls, if you do not say these lessons before Wednesday you will have to take punishment." They simply took no trouble, and would not learn. 470. I understand you positively- assert there was no connection between the illness of the S girl and the thrashing she got from you —that there was nothing in her physical condition to show she was unfit to be strapped ?—No. 471. You are quite clear about that? —Yes. 472. I want you to tell me something about the history of these receptacles you use for stores in the pantry? —I bought more than I wanted. They were new enamel ware, and we wanted something to put jam in, and I used them. 473. Did it not strike you as being rather out of place—that you were placing the people in connection with the institution on a rather low- standard by using such articles as these?— They use them in the asylum in the same way, and in many institutions. I should say, " Evil be to him who evil thinks."