M. DAVIS.]

95

H.—3lb.

Ponsonby. She said it did not matter, I could not come in till I started to be bad. The consequence was that I got into the tram, and my child was nearly born there. When I got out of the tram I collapsed outside the fire station, and the nurses had to come and pick me up. The motorman stopped the car to permit me to get out. I was partly carried into the home. There they stated that the rule was to put me into a bath. I said, " Don't put me into a bath." When I got into the bathroom doorway I collapsed on the floor, and my baby was born in the doorway. I was lifted from there on to a board in the corner of the bathroom. It was a plain wooden board covered with a blanket. The door and the window from the bottom were open —opposite to each other. I was asked as to my husband's wages. I was told that if they averaged over £1 ss. per week that I could not come in. I was admitted. My husband was not working at the time. I got no instructions from the Matron as to the Medical Officer. I left on the thirteenth day after my confinement. I was then as well as could be expected. I w 7 ould never go into St. Helens again. Cross-examined by Mr. Mays.] I am certain that I was told that if my husband was earning more than £1 ss. per week I could not be admitted. At that time w 7 e had no home. We were in rooms. I did not know that I could have remained in the house as an outpatient at a cost of £1. We got a house a fortnight before I went into St. Helens. . To the Commissioner.] I was twelve or thirteen days in the home. It cost me £3. I told the Matron when I expected to be confined within a few days of the date. Ido not know the name of the Matron. [Mrs. Nicol says that she has no further witnesses to call. Mrs. Nicol states that she does not wish to give any evidence on oath on her own behalf. Mr. Mays states that he has no further evidence.] Cornelius Little (called at the request of Mrs. Nicol), on his oath, saith. I am an undertaker, carrying on business in Hobson Street, Auckland. I know St. Helens Maternity Home. I hold no contract for the interment of the dead from St. Helens either from the Government or the Public Health officials. I have had some interments from St. Helens. Relatives ask me to carry out interments, and Ido so. From memory, I should say I have had but four interments of adults during the last six years. There may possibly have been more, but Ido not remember. Three years ago there were two, and two within the last two years. I cannot say as to the deaths of infants. I should say I have had about a dozen interments of still-born children during the six years. For my own protection, I always inquire what the deceased have died of. lam not too sure that I remember Mrs. Chamberlain's case—if it is the case I think of I embalmed her. She appeared to have all the symptoms of kidney-disease. The husband told me she had been treated for kidney-disease. In embalming I open an artery. I cannot say from memory if the body was swollen. I form an opinion as to the cause of death for my own use. lam aware that it is of no use here. I buried Mrs. Catchpole. The cause of her death was delirium tremens. Dr. Maguire, at the General Hospital, signed the death certificate. To the Commissioner.] I cannot say now who authorized me to remove the body of Mrs. Chamberlain from the isolation ward at St. Helens. No objection at all was made to my removing it. I would not be certain if I went there myself or sent a man. I know the isolation ward. I have been in there twice. I did not know at the time that she was supposed to have died from puerperal septicaemia. To Mrs. Nicol.] My custom is to remove the body in a shell to my place, then remove it from the shell and embalm it, and if the proper coffin were finished in time to place the body in it for the relatives to see it. [Re Mrs. Catchpole, Mrs. Nicol states that she wishes to formulate a complaint against the administration with reference to this woman. She states that she has not formulated it before because she has not had an opportunity. Mr. Mays hands in document dated 3rd March, 1913, from Ann Coombe, mother of Mrs. Catchpole, objecting to her daughter's case being inquired into. [Exhibit No. 24.] Commissioner informs Mrs. Nicol that if she will formulate her complaint as to Mrs. Catchpole, and call her witnesses, the matter will be investigated. Mrs. Nicol states that she will not formulate a complaint. Mrs. Nicol again states that she does not wish to call any further witnesses on this inquiry. Mrs. Nicol again states that she does not wish to give any evidence herself. Commissioner hands to Mrs. Nicol a copy of the evidence, which she undertakes to return to Mr. Skelton on demand.] Adjourned to 7th March, at 10 a.m.

Friday, 7th March, 1913. Tracy Russell Inglis (recalled by Mr. Mays), saith. I recollect the incident referred to by Dr. Keller in connection with Dr. Scott. At that time I was president of the Auckland Branch of the British Medical Association. Dr. Scott rang me up before the time fixed for the set operation. He asked me for my ruling on a particular case. He then detailed the circumstances, and said that he had been asked to assist Dr. Keller at an operation that morning. I told him that seeing it was an urgent case, and Dr. Keller first approached him, he undoubtedly should go, but.if so many hours had elapsed, and Dr. Keller had fixed an hour for the operation later on in the morning, in my opinion it then ceased to be an urgent case. [At this stage of the proceedings Mrs. Nicol hands in a further complaint re Mrs. Amelia Catchpole. Mr. Mays protests against the complaint being admitted, on the ground that Mrs. Nicol has not the consent of any person on behalf of the relatives of Mrs. Catchpole.] To the Commissioner.] I have read the complaint. Mrs. Catchpole was a maternity case. She was not suffering from the complaint mentioned wffien I sent her to the Hospital on or about the 4th February, 1913. I saw the patient at her private house. She was being nursed by St. Helens nurses for her confinement. She had just been confined at her own house. She was confined on the night