THURSDAY, JANUARY 30.

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

THURSDAY, JANUARY 30.

Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: Mr. Clark, Mr. Creighton j Dr. Nicholion in the ohair. Minutes of former meeting read and confirmed. Mr, Brown, senior, in attendance. Certain portions of the evidence having been read to Mr. Brown by the Chairman, Mr. Brown explained as follows : Shortly after the soup kitchen was opened, owing to complaints made by recipients of soup, Mr. Hazelden requested Punch to send up a sample of the soup to the Superintendent's office, and asked me at the same time to act with him in testing the quality of the soup every day. I agreed to do so, and some soup was every day^ sent up for that purpose. Mr. Bice was in the habit of lunching with me and with my rod • and when the soup came we sometimes partook of it, and sometimes it was sent away untasted, Other persons partook of it, I stating that it was soup from the kitchen. The spoons, plates, and can were ordered by Mr. Hazel* den, I Delieve, and were delivered by Punch to King. I think about a quart of soup was sent up daily. During the time of the contracts the contractor offered to supply me with bread at the contract price. I accepted the offer. This was for three months. It wns about one penny or three half-pence per loaf lens than I was in the habit of paying. Ihe contractor said, "34r. Brown, if you want a loaf of bread at any time for lunch, send down to my t-hop in Shortland-street." T think the offer w»s mode because T was a good customer. I wax taking about ?6 or 28 loave* per week. The following extract from Mr. Rale's evidence, was read to Mr. Brown by the Chairman :—": — " With regard to this contract, I have been unfortunate The particulars of it for the last quarter of 1867 were not stated in the advertisement calling for tenders. I went to Mr. Brown, the chief clerk alluded to, and inquired of whnt a ration constated be told me of lib. of bread and £lb. of meat. I lost three-farthings on every ration issued. I was going to write to the Superintendent for permission to to amend my tender, but was told in Mr. Brown's office that some arrangement would be made without an application. Tn consequence of this I did not write to his Honor the Superintendent, and I have not received a farthing of compensation." Mr. Brown continued: I do not think such a statement could have been made. If Mr, Hale had lost, as he states, on the contract, his course would have been to write to the Superintendent. I could have had nothing to do in the matter. Mr. Brown was thanked by the committee and withdrew. Mr. Brown, junior, in attendance. Certain portions of the evidence having been read to him, he stated : I have not received rations from the soup kitchen. I have occasionally partaken of the soup, but as a rule certainly not. I very often go to lunch with my father. I was not aware that bread was supplied to the Superintendent's office from Mr, Bale's, in Shortland-street. Mr. Brown was thanked by the committee and withdrew. Mr. Bice, after hearing portions of evidence, explained as follows : I can only say that the soup and bread did come daily, with few exceptions, to the Superintendent's office from the soup kitchen, as stated by Mr. King and Mr. Kilfoyle. I partook of them. With regard to Mr. King's statement, that it was a species of relief solicited by and afforded to the olerkn under the Provincial Government, I can state that it was not solicited by myself, and at the time when I joined the service of the Government it had already become a practice. I was given to understand that it was sent up to the office by direction of Mr. Hazelden, the administrator of the fund, for his daily inspection and approval as to quality ; and Mr. Hazelden occasionally partook of it himself, and permitted us to do the same ; and the supply continued after Mr. King took office, and continued until the closing of the kitchen. The reason why I took the soup myself was because it was the most convenient mode of obtaining luncheon, and obviated the neceasity of my leaving the office, when, as was frequently the case, I could not he spared. Ido not believe, and certainly never supposed, that Mr. Punch or Mr. Hazelden considered it to be an actual issue of so many rations, but that it was sent to enable Mr, Hazelden to test the quality of the soup prepared by Mr. Punch. Had I considered it to have been an issue for tbe purpose of relief, I should have declined it, as I was not in such a position as to require aid. 1 also partook of the bread supplied, as stated, by Mr. Hale. As a rule, Mr. Brown, senior, and Mr. Brown, junior, partook of the bread and soup. Mr. Bice was thanked and withdrew. Committee adjourned until Tuesday, at 11 o'clock.