MONDAY, JANUARY 27.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXIV, Issue 3318, 5 March 1868, Page 4

MONDAY, J ANUARY 27.

Committee meb pursuant to notice. PPresentt t Mr, Clark, Mr. Creighton, Mr. Gilfillan; Dr. Nicholson in. the chair. . Minutes of former meeting read and confirmed, Mr, Punch in attendance and examined. By the Chairman : I was formerly manager of the soup kitchen. 1 was appointed in July, 1866, by Mr. Hazelden. I wai to make ft aertain quantity of soup for a certain number of persons. There was a ■ book given to mo with a certain number of namer, and I had to make soup accordingly, With regard to tht soup, I had to issue it in accordance with printed instructions. At the end of every month the book was sent to the Superintendent's offloe, and made up by Mr. Hazelden. I was instructed to give . soup and bread at my disoretion to those who in my opinion were distressed. A oan was sent to the soup kitchen daily from the Superintendent's office by a messenger, who said it was for Mr. Brown. The can would hold two quarts, and it was generally tent half full, together with some bread. I got no written authority for issuing the soup to the Superintendent's office. Thin oommenced at nearly the opening of the soup kitchen, and continued to the olosinst of it. Mr. Haielden was the first who instructed me to send it to the Superintendent's office, Mr. i Haselden had the ordering of supplies from the contractors. I never ordered any bread without the knowledge of Mr, Hazelden. I have told you, to the bout of my knowledge, what I know. Latterly the supplies were greatly in excess of the requirements. 1 gave the surplus supplies, bread, Ao. t withont entering the issue in the book. With reference to the extra meat, I pvit it all in the soup, which made it so much stronger, I had soup left sometimes. It stood as long as I thought people might, come for it ; afterwards I gave it to my pigs, of which X Jtept two. The soup kitchen was closed in August, and then there was a surplus of vegetable!, bread, Ac, and [ used them. I bad no authority but my o,wn for doing so, and I felt myself fully justified in acting as I did. The soup book was prooured and shown to the witness. Some of the entries are in my handwriting, and tome in th^t of a young man nam<*l Johns, f put " No , name " when I gave soup fc » people according to instructions above referred to, " Office, 2," refers to the Superintendent's office, and the number of rations sent to it. One pound of bread and. a quart of soup I consider a ration. I used to lend two rations to the Superintendent's office. I helped myself to the bread after the soup kitchen olosad for perhaps a week or a fortnight, and I con* tiriued drawing bread at the contract price after it was stopped at the d«-pot, and paid f«r it. ' here was a man named Jnhus at the depot, He w» about 20 years Old, He was, I think, tmployed by Mr. Hazelden, but whilst in the depot he did nothing. I supplied him with soup on Mr. Hazel* den's ocder. By Mr, Creighton : I lived at a cottage above the depot. lam a married man, and we have four ohiidren. I received £1 a week. I took bread and soup for my own family when they wanted it. I took a bit of meat sometimes. If a witness stated to ttie committee that supplies of bre*d and meat from the soup kitchen were taken for my family, it Wool tbe incorrect. My family waa as nearly maintained as p s«ible from the soup kitchen. I killed the pigs I kept and ate them, I did not think they ought to hcive been accounted for to the Government, Mr. Hazelden invariably gave me at the end of one month, for the ensuing month, a \ut of names for rations. The number of rations issued each month always exceed that amount. When I exercised my own discretion in issuing rations it was the excei tion to the rule. I have drawn supplies without an, order from Mr. Hazelden, but I have generally acquainted him with the fact afterwards. When I drew supplies thus it was because I could not see Mr. Hazelden. Mr Kilfoyle gave the order for meat when, Mr. Haaleden left. I never ordered anything except a few vegetables, and then to no great extent. I gave bread away to distressed applicants without ente-ing the issues in the books. This was just before the kitchen closed. For about a month or six weeks before the kitohen olosed there were about 25 loaves and 151b. of meat in excess of requirements dai'y. It was given away, for anything that I know. I would not have done it. It was given to those in the depot and the distressed. I was in charge of the depot before Mr. Hazelden came. I was not responsible, and was appointed by Mr. Graham before Mr. Hazelden came, and got my orders from Mr. Lusk, I issued soup to the Superintendent's office by order. Ido not remember whether I mentioned to Mr. Hazelden that Johns was not a fit object for oharity. Mr. Hazelden used to put up his horse and trap at the depot ; I have seen his horse eat, but .do not know where the forage came from. Private supplies have come for Mr. Hazelden to the depot from different quarter?. There was no difference between myself and Mr. Hazelden about the supplies. In issuing supplies without authority I judged from the appearance of the applicants, and from their statements, whether they were fit objects for charity. } think, if 30 rations were issued in a day without authority, it would be excessive. I have never issued more than 14 or 15. The book contains, as far as I know, a complete aocount of all rations issued. I cannot account for the excess of payments to contractors for supplies to the soup kitchen over the. issue as recorded in the book, Mr. Punoh withdrew. Mr. Ring, Relieving Officer, produoed returns, dec,, which were ordered to be appended to the proceedings, By Mr. Creighton : The can used for the soup taken to the Superintendent's Office is at present in my possession, and has been measure! by me in presenoe of the messenger in the Superintendent's Office, and contains 3 quarts and 1 pint, equal to 7 rations. The proper soup ration wai 1 pint of ioup and lib of bread. Mr. King withdrew. Mr. Kilfoyle in attendance, and examined. By the Chairman : I wis assistant relieving officer under Mr Hazelden. I held that office for about 2 years. My duties were to issue orders for rations in Mr. Hazelden s absence. It was when the soup kitchen was in operation j at that time Mr. Haz-4-den always ordered the ratioos from the contractors. I know that orders were issued, and on examination of the book, after Mr. Hazelden left, I found that a great many rations had been issued without orders. I know that wup rations were delivered at the Superintendent's Oflfce. Mr. Brown, sen., Mr, Brown, jun., and Mr. Rice, were the recipients. Mr. Brown, s«n., was clerk in the Superi t<-ndent's Office, Mr. Bice, clerk to the Superintendent, and Mr. Brown, jun . clerk in the Post-office. The soup and bread ration came daily for the whole time the kitchen was in existence. The messenger of the Superintendent's Office, David Smith, brought the rations, rle is, I believe, at present on the West Coast. Mr. Rice is in the Superintendent's Office. I believe the present form of relief, a*, carried oui. by Mr King, is as good a system as could be adopted. When people came to me in Mr. Hazelden's absence, £ gave them orders on the contractors in town, on the application of the recipients. This was the system from the time when Mr. Nauehton ceased to administer the relief fund until Mr. King was appointed. Formerly applications were made to the Superintendent, who referred them to Mr. Commissioner Naughton, on whose report relief was afforded. Since then relief has been granted on presentation of a letter of recommendation from any respectable person. That system ceased with the appointment of Mr. King. By Mr. Clark : Ido not think it would be advisable to re-establish the soup kitchen. I think it, would be very difficult to manage it economically. Mr. Kilfoyle, having been thanked by the committee, withdrew. Mr. Patrick O'Kane in attendance, and examined. By the Chairman : I have been in charge of the depot in Official Bay since Punch left. I was theie chiefly at night, simply as an inmate, on the recommendation of Mr. Hazelden. I did not draw rations. My sister did for h»r two children. I took charge on the Ist October, 1867. The soup kitchen had been ■topped about two months. I was an inmate all the time. There was a small surplus quantity of vegetables at the time the soup kitchen was shut. I Jhaye seen Mr. Hazelden take soup there enoe or twice ; every time I had an opportunity of being there in the middle of the day, T saw Mr. Hazelden there. > Whenever I saw him there in the middle of the day, he was taking soup. The spoons I took charge of were banded over by Mr. King, who got them from Mr. Punch. By Mr. Creighton : I saw surplus soup and potatoes taken foi ; Mr. Punch's pigs ; this was waste j sometimes the half of the potatoes went. The potatoes were unfit for use. Mr. Hazelden stabled his al*£, pofc A m * n n * med Bullock erectei the«table. > He.was an inmate of th. depot before. I believe he did not draw rations. The corrugated iron wed in erecting the stable was got on the

premies ; the flooring aud atuda were sent by Mr. tiazelden. lie left the building standing when he went away. Bullook did not finish the stable ; it waa finished hy W. Furniss, a young nau who was living in the depot. Punch had a wife and four children. I have seen Punch fcnke aw&y bread to hii own house from the depot. He had an opportunity of taking the meat at his own house before it was delivered at the depot. I was under the imprei■ion he waa entitled to rations. Mr. Punch employed a man to out the firewood, and Mr. Hazelden paid him. At that time there were some young ablebodied men in the depot, fie might have employed them, but they expected payment. The firewood and coal were delivered at the depot. I sometimes saw Mr. Pnnoh take 6rewood to his own house. I believe he supplied his house altogether from this souroe. Mr. Punch kept pigs. He lulled three, and bought three others. He only liud these during my time. I think he sold some of the meat and consumed a portion. Johns was an able-bodied man, and had charge of Mr. Hazelden's horse. Johns was living at the depot and received rations at the time. I heard it said he had "out and in" rations. I reoeive Ss. per week and house room for looking after the depot. When I was appointed there was not much trouble ; now the numbers have increased, and more are coming. I account for the increase by the number dischatged from the hospital. There is an increase also from the general population, Mr. O'Kane was thanked, and withdrew. The clerk was directed to summon Messrs. Brown, senior and junior, andßioe,for 11.80 a.m. on Thus* day. Committe adjourned till Thursday, at 11.30.