STOKE ORPHANAGE INQUIRY.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXI, Issue 182, 2 August 1900, Page 3

STOKE ORPHANAGE INQUIRY.

(By Telegraph—Press Association.)

NELSON, Wednesday. The Stoke Orphanage inquiry was conto ued to-day.

Dr. Roberts, medical officer to the Institution, when called, eald there had only been trifling ailments at the school for two years. Considering the class of boys in the Institution, they were particularly healthy, and, as far as he saw, well nourished. The boys always spoke to him favourably of the institution. Mustard a>nd water was not his prescription, but It was better to use mustard, the action of which you knew, than patent medicines whose action no one knew. The results showed that no hurm came of the mustard and water. He could not say he had seeu anything to indicate that any boys suffered from ili-feediug or ill-clothing. A nervous boy would suk'er more thim others from solitary confineinetut. A lazy boy might enjoy solitary conilnement. As a general rule he would not recommend It. Brother Loetus said he had been director of the institution for eight and a-half years. Ihe Manst Brothers were a French order, who vowed celibacy and poverty. He admitted that errors and mistakes had been committed at Stoke, and welcomed the Commission as a great service to them. He wished the Institution to come under Government or district discipline. There had been a sameness in the food, but not to the extent stated. He never received a complafoit of insufficient food. He described the present bill of fare, winding up with rruit and pie in season. The scale had been *3ii en wea ,siuce the visit of the Charitable Aid Board. In six and a-half rears there had been no deaths and no pulmonary complaints, amd only four deaths, including one at the hospital, In eight and a-half years. All were buried In the public cemetery, adJf ce{ 1 M t0 the sellool. The boys regarded the hill work as a holiday. They were never sent more than twice a day. The stairs cell existed on his arrival, but the tower cell was constructed by one of the brothers, -the cells were removed after the Board's visit, as he wished to discontinue solitary confinement in deference to'public opinion. Confinement was the punishment lor absconding and insubordination. He gave the names of 1G boys who had been comttued. With the exception of Skelton, no boy had been confined more than three weeks. One boy was confined because he was a moral danger to the school. Some were taken out each day; others were not. Skelton was taken out pretty regularly lv the afternoon for field work. Witness did not think confinement affected the boys' health. Most of the boys preferred it to school work. He would prefer to have absconders punished by the police. The boy Owens complained of being struck on the eye by Brother Kllian. Witness spoke to Brother K'llian, who applied to be removed atChristmas, but he had not been removed, because the Brother Provincial had not always a qualified man to take his place. Witness was appointed director of the school by the Superior General, resident in France. He would accept a direction from Dean Mahoney, ■ the legal manager, as from a superior, but he did,not say that Dean Mahoney had the power of directing him. The Dean had no power to remove him. The Brother Provincial could remove every one of the brothers. No one In New Zealand had direct control over witness with respect to the school work. The Brother Provincial visited Stoke twice a year. Witness had no power to remove a brother. Dean Mahoney transacted the business with the Department, and received the money, which was the principal thing. The monsy -was handed to witness, and he operated on the banking account. He rendered no account to the Dean."l The profits were banked to meet contingencies, toterest, etc., and would be used to pay off the debt, which was at present £5000. The property belonged to the archdiocese. He did not think the Dean knew of the cells. He was responsible to the Brother Provincial. If the boy Lane was kicked on the'head, It must have been six years ago. ■,