Papers Past | Parliamentary Papers | Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives | 1901 Session I | NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF).

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1901. NEW ZEALAND.

NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF).

Presented to both Houses of the General Assembly by Command of His Excellency.

ORDER. By order of the Hon. the Defence Minister, a Committee of inquiry will assemble at the Officers' Room, Wellington Drill-hall, at 11 a.m. on Monday, the sth instant, to inquire and report upon : — 1. Whether due and proper arrangements were made for the comfort, housing, and victualling of the men at Newtown Park Camp and Volunteer billets between the 15th and 22nd June. 2. The alleged deficiency and bad quality and bad cooking of the rations at the camp at Newtown Park and in the various Volunteer billets from the 15th to the 22nd June. 3. To inquire into complaints, if any, at the time or since, as 1.0 the housing, victualling, and discomforts of the officers and men. 4. The supply of forage and foraging for horses. 5. The discipline and management generally of the camp. 6. The alleged breach of discipline committed by Volunteers in taking part in a procession through the streets of Wellington on the evening of the 19th June. The Committee to consist of Hon. Lieut.-Colonel A. Pitt, M.L.C., (President) ; Lieut.-Colonel Davis, C.8.; and Major Hawkins. A. P. Penton, Colonel, 3rd August, 1901. Commanding New Zealand Forces.

Sir, — Wellington, 26th August, 1901. I have the honour to forward herewith, for the information of the Right Hon. the Defence Minister, report and proceedings of Committee of inquiry re Newtown Park Camp. I have, &c, Albert Pitt, Lieut.-Colonel, The Commandant of the Forces, Wellington. President.

BEPOET.

Wellington, 26th August, 1901. We, the undersigned members of a Committee of inquiry, assembled by order of the Right Hon. the Defence Minister, and pursuant to the orders of the Commandant of the Forces of the 3rd August, 1901, having met and taken evidence pursuant to such orders, have now the honour to report upon the various matters into and upon which we were by the said orders directed to inquire and report, as follows : — It appears from the evidence given before us that Newtown Park was decided upon as the site for the mounted rifles camp in June last, as the result of conversation in the month of the preceding April between the Commandant of the Forces and Lieut.-Colonel Stuart I—H, 19a,

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Newall, C.B. (commanding the Wellington District), and of consultations later between Lieut.-Colonel Newall and Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville, who ultimately had command of the camp. The camp at Newtown Park was pitched by a party of the Permanent Artillery according to a plan forwarded by Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville. The greatest number of mounted men in the camp between the 15th and 22nd days of June last was 727, and of horses 729. A large number of infantry and other Volunteers were during the same period billeted in various buildings in the City of Wellington. The Officer Commanding the Wellington District, after calling for tenders by advertisement, entered into a contract with a contractor (the only tenderer), who engaged to supply during the period above mentioned cooked rations as specified for all the officers and men camped at Newtown Park, and for those billeted in buildings in Wellington. A contract was, after public tender called by advertisement, let to another contractor for supplying all forage required for the horses and straw for the tents and billets. In our opinion the ration contracted to be supplied was a liberal one if properly supplied, and the price agreed to be paid for it was a good one; and the evidence satisfies us that the wishes and orders of the Right Hon. the Defence Minister were that the men and horses were to be properly accommodated and rationed. Some difference of opinion existed between Lieut.-Colonel Newall and Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville as to the mode of rationing the officers and men at the camp, Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville contending that it would be more satisfactory for the rations to be supplied by the contractor to each company, and to allow each company to do the necessary cooking for themselves. However, upon Lieut.-Colonel Newall's representations that the several companies had not sufficient cooking utensils, Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville ultimately acquiesced that the arrangements proposed by Lieut.-Colonel Newall for rationing the troops would be the best under the circumstances. Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville arrived at the camp after it was fully pitched and when all camp arrangements had been made. He was not present during, and did not in any way personally superintend, the pitching of the camp, beyond supplying a plan. A list of the various witnesses examined by us and full notes of their evidence are hereto attached. After full consideration of such evidence we have the honour to report our opinion thereon as follows : — " 1. Whether due and proper arrangements were made for the comfort, housing, and victualling of the men at Newtown Park Camp and Volunteer billets between the 15th and 22nd June." Report. —We are of opinion that the locality of Newtown Park was wholly unsuitable for an encampment of mounted men at the time of year at which the encampment was held— (a) On account of the known soft nature of the soil there and insufficient drainage, and (b) because the space available was quite inadequate for the accommodation of the number of men and horses expected to be encamped, and which were encamped there. The Officer Commanding the Wellington District did not, nor did any other staff officer at any time either immediately before or during the encampment, inspect the site of the camp or the arrangements made for the comfort and convenience of the men and horses camped there. Lieut.-Colonel Newall attended a church parade there on the 16th June, when he made a casual observation of such arrangements. It appears to us that securing the proper rationing and comfort of men and horses to be encamped in the open in winter-time required and deserved more attention than the inspection of the schoolhouses and sheds wherein the dismounted men and infantry were billeted. Although the discomforts to which the men and horses would be and were subjected were plainly evident during the first and second days of the encampment, Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville —beyond telephoning to Lieut.-Colonel Newall, the Officer Commanding the District, informing him in a very mild way of the condition of things at the camp, and complaining to the contractor as to the insufficient cooking of the rations—took no sufficient measures to secure the proper cooking of rations for the officers and men in camp. In our opinion Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville should have required the contractor to erect proper shelter at the camp kitchens, and to put on a sufficient number of cooks. Failing compliance by the contractor with these requisitions, the officer commanding the camp should have applied to the proper quarter for the necessary authority to at once obtain material for and to erect such shelter, and should have erected it by a fatigue party from his men in

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camp, and from the force in camp should have supplied the necessary cooks. Had these things been done we are satisfied that further discontent by the officers and men on account of their rations would have been avoided. The tent accommodation, so far as space was concerned, appears to have been generally sufficient, though there was overcrowding in some instances. The straw allowed at first—one bundle and a half per tent—was insufficient ; afterwards more straw was obtained by Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville. It appears, however, that the ground was in such a saturated state of wet that no amount of straw would have remedied the discomfort of the men in the tents. In our opinion the camp should have been broken up altogether on Monday, the 17th June, and the men put under cover in Wellington, and the horses properly provided for elsewhere than at the camp. Beyond allowing some corps to shift their tents and horses (at their own risk) to the cover of the trees on the hillsides at Newtown Park, getting more straw, and allowing men to leave camp and to shift for themselves, the officer in command of the camp did nothing to mitigate the discomfort of the men and horses until the forenoon of Wednesday, the 19th June, when he brought the whole state of things existing at the camp to "the notice of the Commandant of the Forces, and through him to that of the Right Hon. the Defence Minister, who at once gave Colonel Sommerville instructions, through the Commandant, to break up the camp forthwith, and to make the best arrangements he could for the comfort of the men and horses elsewhere. There seems to have been some delay in these orders reaching the camp, according to the evidence of Captain Dunk and of Captain Watt. " 2. The alleged deficiency and bad quality and bad cooking of the rations at the camp at Newtown Park, and in the various Volunteer billets, from the 15th to the 22nd June." Report. —Owing to the absence of anything like proper discipline and organization for the issue of rations at Newtown Park Camp, it is impossible to say definitely whether there was any deficiency in quantity of rations supplied by the contractor. There seems to have been wholly insufficient supervision by officers of the day, or other orderly officers, of the issue of the cooked rations at the camp kitchens, some corps getting at times much more than they were entitled to, whilst others got much less than they were entitled to, and at some meals whole corps getting hardly any. The arrangements made for cooking the officers' and men's rations at Newtown Park Camp were inadequate. We consider that sufficient covering should have been provided for the protection of the fires at the camp kitchens, and of the cooks from the weather. The result of such precautions being disregarded was that the meat—apparently of good quality—was so insufficiently cooked as to be unfit for consumption. The tea and coffee supplied to the men were in many cases quite unfit to drink. The vegetables in a number of instances were improperly cooked, and thereby rendered unfit to be eaten. The evidence shows that an insufficient number of cooks were employed. The consequence of all this was that many men got their meals out of camp at their own expense. In the other billets, with the exception of one case at the X shed—where some meat was on one occasion cooked which was unfit for food, having gone bad (apparently from a faulty manner of keeping it), and which was duly reported—it appears that there were no complaints. The provisions supplied to the Volunteers were sufficient in quantity, of good quality, and properly cooked. The arrangements for the supply of water at Newtown Park Camp were insufficient and defective. " 3. To inquire into complaints, if any, at the time or since, as to the housing, victualling, and discomforts of the officers and men." Report. —-Complaints appear to have been made by the Volunteers in Newtown Park Camp to their officers of the discomforts to which they were subjected there, and as to the improper and insufficient manner in which the meat was cooked, as to the shortness of vegetables, and as to the bad quality of the tea and coffee. These complaints were laid before Colonel Sommerville, but beyond his telephoning to Colonel Newall and his speaking to the contractor and the cook nothing effectual appears to have been clone to remedy the existing state of things. Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville appears to have thought that after Tuesday, the 18th of June, the cooking gradually improved, so as not to justify complaint. The evidence of the bulk of the witnesses called before us does not support such a view. "4. The supply of forage and foraging for horses."

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Report. —With the exception of one occasion upon which the contractor delivered oats (some twenty bags) short of the proper quantity, there appears to have been plenty of forage for the horses, though some of the chaff was not good. Owing to some of the men having taken a quantity of hay for their tents in the absence of straw, and owing also to the want of anything like an efficient quartermaster's staff in the camp, it is impossible for us to say whether the full quantity of forage contracted to be supplied for the horses was actually delivered or not. The evidence shows that the carts were sometimes practically rushed at the gates, and no supervision exercised over the quantity taken. The evidence satisfies us that many of the horses in camp suffered considerably from the exposure to which they were subjected there. " 5. The discipline and management generally of the camp." Report. —The camp organization and routine seems to have been very imperfect, though the several battalion commanders and their officers were willing and anxious to carry out their several duties. No sufficient brigade staff was appointed by the officer commanding the camp. He appointed a comparatively inexperienced lieutenant of the New Zealand Militia as staff officer, who was, according to the evidence, sometimes in mufti, but who was supposed to be carrying out the duties usually performed by a brigade major. Another officer—Lieutenant Blair—was put in orders as a staff officer, but we could not ascertain that he did any duty. The only additional staff officer was Lieutenant Thurston (U.A.L.), who was appointed in orders camp quartermaster, a position he had never occupied before, and who stated that he did not know what his duties were, and that they were not explained to him. Surgeon-Captain De Lisle was present in camp with his corps, and was the only medical officer present. He was not assigned any position in orders. Comparatively few orders were issued, and those in no systematic manner, and in some instances were not carried out. No order-book was kept in the Brigade Office, nor by some of the battalions, and the constitution of the brigade staff, such as it was, did not appear to be generally known even to the commanding officers of the several battalions in camp. There were seventeen corps in camp, divided into four battalions. The commands of these battalions were assigned in orders to four officers by the officer commanding the camp, and by his orders each of such battalion commanders was supposed to appoint his own battalion staff. The defective nature of the camp organization may be judged to some extent from the fact that only one officer-of-the-day's report was sent in to the Brigade Office, and only one guard report. But, even if the camp organization and staff had been in every way perfect, they could not have brought the discomfort of the officers, men, and horses, and the inadequate cooking arrangements and bad cooking, more prominently under the notice of the officer commanding the camp than they were; and we consider that Colonel Sommerville did not represent matters forcibly enough to Colonel Newall as the officer commanding the district. Subject to the matters hereafter mentioned, we have every reason to believe that the officers and men in camp carried out most of the orders issued to them, so far as they knew them, and allowing for their inexperience, and that there was no want of the spirit of discipline on their part. In fact, they suffered much inconvenience and discomfort comparatively uncomplainingly. Many of the officers in camp were quite inexperienced, and only ten out of forty-five of them had even passed their examination. " 6. The alleged breach of discipline committed by Volunteers in taking part in a procession through the streets of Wellington on the evening of the 19th June." Report. —lt appears that a procession of some Volunteers in uniform paraded some streets of Wellington on the afternoon of Wednesday, the 19th June, carrying with them a long stick or pole with a board attached, and displaying some undercooked meat and a bottle of tea, and which were referred to as a sample of the rations at the camp. We could not ascertain where the procession started from, but different witnesses before us saw it in Cuba Street, Manners Street, Willis Street, Lambton Quay, and the several streets surrounding Government House. Those in the procession were singing and generally making a noise as they marched along. Staff Sergeant-Major Healey and Colour-Sergeant Redmond in their evidence before us mention the part taken by Sergeant Rankin, of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles,in this procession. The evidence of these witnesses, in our opinion, justifies further inquiry being made by the

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proper Defence authorities into the conduct of Sergeant Rankin on that occasion. It seems to us, however, proper to point out that at the time Sergeant Rankin fully believed that he was not a member of the New Zealand Defence Forces ; and in this connection we would call attention to the circumstances under which Sergeant Rankin came to Wellington and went to Christchurch in connection with the assembling of Volunteers there in June last, as detailed in his evidence and that of Captain Dunk and Quartermaster Palmer, of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. It appears from the evidence before us that on Tuesday, the 18th, or Wednesday, the 19th June, but prior to the " procession " referred to, a somewhat similar demonstration took place in the camp at Newtown Park, certain provisions being hung on a line, as mentioned in the evidence of Lieutenant Thurston, Captain Watt, and Private Sheehan. Had this first demonstration been officially reported to and firmly dealt with by the officer commanding the camp, we believe the second and public demonstration would not have taken place. Although the demonstration in the camp can not in any way be justified, being a breach of discipline, yet it might be urged by the men in extenuation that the proper complaints of themselves and the reports of their officers had wholly failed to obtain any redress of their undoubted grievances. Such neglect of the men's legitimate complaints tends to incite breaches of discipline, and in some of the best disciplined regiments of the British army very serious breaches of discipline and strong demonstrations on the part of the men have occurred owing to the non-redress of injustices to which they have been subjected on the part of their officers or other superior authority. Although the address of the Commandant of the Forces to the officers and men in the camp at Newtown Park on Thursday, the 20th June, formed no part of our official inquiry, yet it had necessarily to be mentioned in the conduct of our investigations. We have to call attention to practically unanimous opinions of all the officers, non-commissioned officers, and men who gave evidence before us on the matter, that in their opinion the reference by the Commandant to " cowardly curs " applied only to those present, if any, who had taken part in the procession, and who, by their silence, were allowing a stigma to rest on their innocent comrades. The evidence appears perfectly clear to us upon this matter. In conclusion, we venture to make the following suggestions for consideration by the Defence authorities : — 1. That a full battalion staff should be appointed for each battalion of mounted rifles as soon as possible. 2. That sufficient proper cooking utensils should be issued to every country corps, and that in future at all encampments the rations should be issued uncooked to battalions and companies. 3. That greater attention should be given to the training of officers of Volunteers in staff duties, especially in those known as " B " duties, or the quartermaster's department. 4. That in future all large camps should be officially inspected by an officer of the Permanent Staff, with a view to insuring that all proper arrangements are made in connection with the camp prior to the occupation thereof by the troops intended to be encamped. Albert Pitt, Lieut.-Colonel, President. R. H. Davies, Lieut.-Colonel,),, . T t-i tt ~ . rMembers. J no, L. Hawkins, Major, ) To the Commandant of the Forces, Defence Office, Wellington.

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MINUTES OF PROCEEDINGS.

Monday, sth August, 1901. The Committee met at the Drill-hall, Wellington, on Monday, the sth August, at 11 a.m. Present: Lieut.-Colonel the Hon. A. Pitt, M.L.C. (President), Lieut.-Colonel R. H. Davies, C.8., and Major J. E. Hawkins. The order authorising the Committee to assemble was read. The Committee, having arranged preliminaries, adjourned to the Government Buildings for the purpose of taking evidence. The following officers were examined, their evidence being taken down by a shorthandwriter : Lieut.-Colonel Newall, C.8., Officer Commanding the Wellington Militia and Volunteer District; Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville, Officer Commanding the Wellingon District Mounted Rifles. The Committee adjourned at 4 p.m. until 10 a.m. next day.

Tuesday, 6th August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville attended, and requested that he and Lieut.-Colonel Newall might have an opportunity of remarking upon any evidence tendered specially affecting them. He was informed that his request would be acceded to. The following witnesses attended and were examined : Arthur Pole Penton, local Colonel, and Lieut.-Colonel of the Royal Artillery, Commanding the New Zealand Forces; David William Healy, Staff Sergeant-Major and Drill-instructor, stationed at Nelson ; Henry Redmond, ColourSergeant of D Company, First Wellington Rifles; Frederick Samuel Parkes, Sergeant Major, Wairoa Mounted Rifles ; Alfred Robert Bryce, Sergeant, Alexandra Mounted Rifles ; George Ward, Corpora], Hawera Mounted Rifles. The Committee adjourned at 4 p.m.

Wednesday, 7th August, 1901. . The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present : All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following witnesses attended and were examined: Charles Dunk, Captain Commanding the Manawatu Mounted Rifles ; Edwin Bartlett, Captain Commanding the Hawera Mounted Rifles ; George Howie, Captain Commanding the Wairoa Mounted Rifles ; Charles Thomas Tatum, Captain Commanding the Otaki Mounted Rifles. The Committee adjourned at 4 p.m.

Thursday, Bth August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following witnesses attended and were examined : Lieutenant Norman Fitzherbert, New Zealand Militia, late of the Third New Zealand Contingent; Francis McParland, J.P., contractor for the supply of rations for New Zealand Volunteer Forces in Wellington during the Royal visit; Captain Henry Alfred Lomax, Staff Adjutant, Wellington District. The Committee adjourned until next morning at 10 a.m.

Friday, 9th August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following witnesses attended and gave evidence: James O'Sullivan, Storekeeper for the New Zealand Defence Forces; Sergeant William Rankin, Manawatu Mounted Rifles; SergeantMajor William George Ashworth, Hunterville Mounted Rifles; Sergeant James Gentles, Permanent Artillery; Private Arthur W. Henley, Hawera Mounted Rifles; Lance-Corporal Scully, Westport Rifles ; Staff Sergeant-Major Healy, Drill-instructor, Nelson District; Captain Julius Llewellyn Dove, Hunterville Mounted Rifles; Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville, Wellington District Mounted Rifles; Captain Julius Sandtmann, Ahuriri Mounted Rifles; Private Joseph Charles Ruston, Ahuriri Mounted Rifles. The Committee adjourned at 5 p.m. until 10 a.m. next day.

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Saturday, lOth August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Captain G. J. Winter, East Coast Mounted Rifles, attended and was examined. The Committee adjourned until 10 a.m. on Monday next.

Monday, 12th August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following witnesses attended and gave evidence : Colonel Newall, C.B. (recalled) ; Private Wilfred Grimsdale, Hurumoa Mounted Rifles ; Bugler John Scott, Hurumoa Mounted Rifles ; Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, P.C., Premier and Minister of Defence. The Committee adjourned until 10 a.m. next day.

Tuesday, 13th August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: All the members. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. The following witnesses attended and gave evidence: —Lieutenant John William Thurston, Unattached Active List; Private William Smith, Manawatu Mounted Rifles; QuartermasterSergeant Harry Palmer, Manawatu Mounted Rifles; Colour-Sergeant Redmond (recalled) ; Lieutenant Charles Higgins, Eketahuua Mounted Rifles. The Committee adjourned until 10 a.m. on Thursday, the 15th.

Thursday, 15th August, 1901. The Committee met at 10 a.m. Present: Colonel the Hon. A. Pitt (President) and Colonel Davies, C.B. The minutes of the previous meeting were read and confirmed. Captain J. P. Watt, Commanding the Alexandra Mounted Rifles, attended and was examined. At 7.30 p.m. the Committee again met, and examined Patrick Sheehan, Private of the Wairoa Mounted Rifles. This concluded the taking of evidence. The Committee adjourned until the draft report was prepared.

MINUTES OF EVIDENCE.

Monday, sth August, 1901. Lieut.-Colonel Newall examined. (No. 1.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your name and rank?—Lieut.-Colonel Stuart Newall, C.B. 2. You are the Officer Commanding the Wellington District under the Defence Act? —Yes. 3. You were Officer Commanding the District at the time of the Royal visit to Wellington in June last?— Yes. 4. You remember the mounted camp being held at Newtown Park?— Yes. 5. Who ordered that camp, and can you produce the orders referring to it?— Yes. I produce a memo, of the 16th April, 1901, signed by Major Owen, as follows : " Memo, re assembly of troops in June next. —Please ascertain how many men from your district, both mounted and dismounted, are likely to come into Wellington for the Royal visit. They should assemble in Wellington the day before arrival of H.R.H the Duke of Cornwall, and leave either the day of His Royal Highness's departure or the following day. As the weather will probably be wet and cold, you had better see what arrangements can be made for putting the men in halls." 6. Are those the only orders you received in reference to the camp?—ln writing, yes. 7. Who ordered the encampment at Newtown?—After receiving the order just read I saw Colonel Penton, who asked me where I was going to put all those fellows, and I said that is what is worrying me. He said, in the first place, you have not got tents enough ; and, in the second place, if you had enough you would not have space to pitch them in. I said we could put the dismounted men on the hills; but we must have room for the mounted men, on account of the horses, on the flat, and that we were likely to have bad weather. I suggested that we should use the land about the Manawatu Railway-station, which would be a very convenient place for guards of honour to be located. Colonel Penton replied that he was afraid I would find that it had been built on since I had been away to South Africa. We afterwards saw it, and I found that much of it had been built over, but thought there was sufficient space to camp a portion of the mounted men. At that time I did not think they would come in such large numbers, owing to the distance and the difficulty of bringing their horses down from northern parts by train. We called on Mr. Hannay, the manager of the Manawatu Railway Company, and told him shortly what our wishes

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and intentions were, and we asked him for authority to see all the spare ground about the station. His reply was that he would do all in his power to give us the spare places at his disposal, but remarked that it was nothing like what it used to be. Colonel Penton and myself left him, and conversed on the matter. Colonel Penton said, " Newall, it is not big enough " ; and I said, " No, lam afraid it is not." He said, "What is the next thing"; and I said, "There is no next in the matter except Newtown Park, and that will do very well if the weather is dry." Colonel Penton said, " Yes ; it is Newtown Park—there is nothing else for it," or words to that effect. 8. Was it then decided that the camp should be at Newtown Park ?—lt was tacitly decided between us, as there was no other place; and as Newtown Park had been previously occupied by the contingents, and was suited for the purpose", I felt glad to have it, but dreaded it, as the basin is made ground, and there is no drainage. The small drain running round the foot of the terrace is the only drain there. 9. Do you agree with Colonel Penton as to having Newtown Park ?—We were both of the same opinion. I think I did say-, " There is Karori, but that is a long way off; and we might get Miramar, but that is still further away. If the weather is good, Newtown Park would be as good as either of them, and if the weather is bad it would be better." 10. What is the largest number of any contingent that camped at Newtown Park ? —Six hundred. 11. Did you issue any orders in reference to the mounted men camping at Newtown Park?— Yes. 12. When were the six hundred men of the contingent located there ?—During the month of March, 1901. The Fifth Contingent contained five hundred men, and sixty-nine reserve men, and there were a large number of men who were discarded, so that there must have been over six hundred men in the camp at that time. 13. Who was in command of the camp when that contingent was there in March ?—Colonel Sommerville, I think. 14. Were the horses there also ?-—Yes, six hundred men and horses ; but there would not be six hundred horses. Roughly, there would be about five hundred and fifty horses. 15. Do you know what the area of the basin in Newtown Park is ?—I should say about 5 acres on the flat—it might be 6. I called Colonel Sommerville, and took him into my counsels as to placing the mounted people there in June last. After talking the matter over I said, " You have been put in charge of that camp, and you must make your dispositions for horse-lines, and so forth, as you think fit." I told him I had arranged to get railway sleepers for posts and picketing-lines, and would make arrangements for the rations, and so on. 16. Had he any written orders about the camp ?—No; they were verbal, the same as I give to any officer. 17. Did you give any written orders about that camp ?—No. 18. In your opinion, how many mounted men and horses is there room for at Newtown Park, say, in fine weather ?—I should say, occupying the whole of the flat, there would be room at close intervals for a thousand men and horses ; but the tents would have to be pitched on the rdad and on the hills amongst the trees. 19. Who pitched the camp ?—Colonel Sommerville, with the assistance of members of the Permanent Artillery. 20. Did you visit the camp when it was pitched?—l went up once. 21. Did you go after it was pitched ?—No; I was too busy with the schools, where the infantry were located. 22. Do you know what arrangements were made for the cooking in the camp ?—The first step was to make preliminary arrangements for feeding the men. I produce the contract for cooked rations. [Contract put in.] 23. These are the orders you issued for rations on the 17th May ? —Yes. 24. Do you know of your own knowledge whether the rations were cooked in camp ?—Yes. 25. What was the method adopted for cooking?—l must refer you to the officer-in-command of the camp for that information. 26. Can you tell us the number of tents pitched in the camp?— No. 27. Do you know how many men were in camp there?—l can get it from the file in my office. Colonel Sommerville has the strength in the book. • 28. Did you visit the camp while it was pitched?—l do not think I did. 29. Not during the Royal visit ?—I visited it on the Sunday before the Royal party arrived. 30. That would be the 16th June ?—Yes; and I saw Colonel Sommerville there. 31. That was a wet day, was it not ? —Yes ; it was the beginning of the wet weather. 32. Did you inspect the arrangements for the camp ? —Yes; I walked down the lines and said I thought he had made the best arrangements he could. He said there was still more troops to come in, but provision had to be made for them. 33. I suppose there was straw in the tents ?—Yes, in bundles, some loose, and some not. 34. Did you inspect the cooking arrangements on the Sunday?—l think I formally walked round as any visiting officer would do with a company with the officer in charge. 35. Were there any kitchens ?—No, I provided some iron rails for the purpose of cooking. 36. Were there any covers for the kitchens?—No, I think not. 37. Who provided the cooks? —The contractor. 38. Did you let a contract in pursuance of the advertisement produced?—l did. 39. Who to ?—F. McParland. There were two contracts —one for food, and one for fodder and straw. I produce the only tender I received for the food contract. 40. You accepted that tender ?—Yes, because it was the only one I had—unfortunately, perhaps. I need hardly tell you that at the time people were on the gui vive for enjoyment,

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and probably did not care to have the trouble of a contract at that time. At any rate, that was the only tender I received for rations. I got five or six tenders for forage. 41. What was the amount of the bond?— The bond was never entered into. I had many things to attend to, which prevented me from executing that bond. 42. Had you any complaints made to you in reference to the accommodation of the men during the camp ?—I had many complaints as to the terrible state of the ground. 43. I mean official complaints ?—I had verbal complaints about the state of the ground. 44. How soon after the men went into camp ?—I think it was about Tuesday. 45. That was the day of the arrival of the Royal party ?—I think it was Tuesday night that I was telephoned to by Colonel Sommerville to the effect that " the ground is in a devil of a mess, and the rain is pouring down as I speak. I am afraid you will be frightened at the quantity of straw lam using, as I have had to order more to keep the men out of the mud." My reply was, " Hang the straw —get whatever you require to keep the men out of the mud. That is a small matter." Those are the exact words as near as I can recollect them. That complaint was from Colonel Sommerville. He also said, " The contractor is not doing any too well, but he is terribly handicapped owing to the bad weather." I think he made the last complaint the same day. 46. What date did the contract commence for the contractor to supply the cooked rations ?— I think it commenced on the Saturday, because some of the troops came in early. 47. And when was it finished? —When the camp was broken up by the Commandant. That was on the Thursday, I think. The second complaint from Colonel Sommerville was when the catering contractor was not doing too well, and Colonel Sommerville added " but he is terribly handicapped with the bad weather, but he will stagger through, I think." I replied that "If any one can stagger through under difficulties, you are the man." 48. Are those the only complaints you had ?—Those are the only complaints on that particular night. 49. Had you other complaints afterwards ?—I had complaints the following morning with reference to the rations. There was one lot of meat that had not been properly cooked. That was again from Colonel Sommerville, who said he had seen to it and that it would be all right, but the men had had to wait for their food. 50. Who had to provide the camp utensils?— The Government. It was arranged that the Defence Store would lend what utensils were available. I endeavoured to be very careful in the wording of that condition in calling for tenders. 51. I notice in the terms that the contracter is required to erect temporary cooking-houses in Newtown Park: was that done?—lt was, so far as the school-buildings are concerned, for which I had made arrangements, and they were under my special charge. I had five schools to look after in which the men were located. 52. Did you see them when you went to the camp on the Sunday?—l have no distinct recollection of seeing any covering over the fires. There were temporary kitchens at all the schools. 53. Were there any other complaints made about Newtown Park ?—Colonel Sommerville's complaint when I said, " You will stagger through," was, I think, the last I got. 54. In your opinion, was there sufficient tent accommodation ?—- Yes, there was enough. There was no complaint made on that head. 55. Do you know how many were put in a tent ?—No. 56. Had you any complaint as to the fodder for the horses?— None. 57. Do you know whether the horses had rugs on or not? —No. The men were ordered to bring their own rugs. On the evening of Wednesday, the 19th June, Colonel Penton rang up the telephone at my private house, and said, " Newall, there is a devil of a row by fellows who are marching in a procession with a shank-bone, saying that that is the kind of tucker they are getting." I said, " Are there many in it ? " He said, " I do not know. The Premier is furious. lam going up there to-morrow morning to give them beans." I said, " What does Sommerville say?" He said, " Sommerville did not know anything about it until we told him from here"— meaning in the city. I rang up Colonel Sommerville in the camp then, and asked him what it. was all about. He said, " I have only just been informed myself. Some of the men are making fools of themselves in town," or words to that effect. 58. Did you take any action in the matter?—No; I thought it was for the Commandant to do that. 59. Had you any complaints about the food supplied at the camp at Newtown ?—No, only what I have stated. 60. Had you any complaints as to the rations supplied at the other billets in town ?—Yes, one from the Nelson Volunteers at X shed. There was a report by Major Wolfe to that effect. I think it referred to a portion of the meat rations having gone bad. 61. It was not a question of deficiency ? —I do not think so ; but I will look up my report. 62. Did you visit the other billets at the schoolrooms?— Yes. 63. How were the men accommodated there?— The whole of the desks and forms were removed from the rooms and put in one room, and the floors of the empty rooms covered with straw. 64. In your opinion were the men reasonably comfortable?—l made inquiries, and the invariable answer was that things were going on very well, with the exception of X shed. 65. So far as accommodation was concerned, you had no complaints from any of the schools ?— Absolutely none. 66. And in your opinion the accommodation was reasonably good under the circumstances ?— I think more reasonable than we could expect. 67. The only one complaint was in reference to the food ?—With that exception, I do not know of any. I had no complaints from any of the other officers in charge. 2—H. 19a.

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68. What is your opinion as to this mode of rationing troops—having cooked rations in preference to letting the men cook for themselves ?—I have tried both, and I think the system we had here is the best, more especially for mounted men. We had no expectation of being more than three or four days in camp. 69. How many mounted men did you expect ?—About a thousand. Eight hundred came down. There would have been more had it not been for some of the companies going up north, where the Natives were. 70. Had you any complaints about the quality or quantity of the rations besides what you have mentioned ?—None. 71. Did you see anything of this alleged breach of discipline?—Nc; it was communicated to me by the Commandant through the telephone on the evening of the reception in the Parliamentary Buildings. 72. Did you make any inquiries about it ?—I rang up Colonel Sommerville, and he said he knew no more than I did; but the Commandant was going up in the morning in reference to it. 73. Did you visit the camp after it was broken up?—lt was broken up on the morning after the trouble—on the Thursday. 74. Did you see it after it was broken up?— Not until after I came back from Christchurch. I went to Christchurch on the Friday, and came back on the following Tuesday. I went up to the park on that or the following day. 75. Have you any report about it ?—Yes. It is in reference to putting the park in repairs. 76. What was the condition of it then ?—lt was in a very bad condition. 77. What kind of weather was it during the month of June in Wellington ?—From the Sunday before the Duke arrived until I left for Christchurch it was about as bad as I have ever seen it. 78. Is that the normal state of the weather in that month of the year?— June, July, and August are about the worst months in the year. 79. Do you generally look for bad weather in the month of June?—l should look for wet weather. It is winter. 80. Colonel Davies.] The camp was broken up after the procession referred to ?—Yes ; but I did not know that until Colonel Penton informed me of it. 81. Do you know what became of the men and horses afterwards ?—Yes. Some went home. Some of the horses were taken out to the Huct, Miramar, and other places, and paddocked, and the men came to town and made the best of it by getting food wherever they could. That was on the Thursday. 82. Do you not think that at the contract price the men ought to have been remarkably well fed ?—lt is a very liberal ration ; but I think the price tendered is remarkably reasonable considering the time. Everybody connected with the hotels and restaurants was busily engaged preparing for the thousands of visitors expected. 83. The Chairman.] What do you pay generally for the rations at the Easter camps?—l think Is. 7d., Is. 9d., and 2s. in the city. I say, after considerable experience, that the ration is an exceedingly liberal one, and the price is remarkably reasonable. 84. You do not know whether they got that ration or not?—l have no reason to doubt it. 85. You never had a direct complaint that the men were not getting that ration ?—No. At the several schools there were no complaints, and they said they were getting on first-rate when I inquired. 86. Major Hawkins.] What was the amount of deposit asked for from the tenderer ? —£lo. 87. What was the amount of the bond?—£lo for every 100 men, but it was never executed. Lieut.-Colonel Sommerville examined. (No. 2.) 88. The Chairman.] What is your name, rank, and official position?— Joe Reginald Sommerville, Lieut.-Colonel commanding the Wellington District Mounted Rifles. 89. You were in command of the mounted rifles in camp at Newtown Park during the Royal visit?— Yes. ° J 90. Who pitched the camp ? —lt was pitched by the Permanent Force. 91. Under your supervision?— Not under my supervision exactly, but under a plan I sent down to them. 92. Where is that plan ?—lt would be in charge of Sergeant Gentles, of the Permanent Force. 93. Had you anything to do with choosing the site of the camp ?—Yes ; I had an alternative put before me as to whether I would take Newtown Park for the camp or a place down near the Manawatu Railway line, and I had no hesitation in accepting the lesser of the two evils. I took the camp at Newtown Park. 94. What was the objection to the site near the Manawatu Railway line ?—lt was too contracted, and there was no possibility of getting away to a better place if the weather was bad. 95. Do you think the chance of getting away was better at Newtown ?—I thought I could, if necessary, put the horses among the trees ; and there were also.the hills at the back. 96. When did you enter upon your duties in camp?—On Friday, the 14th June. 97. When was the camp completely pitched?— When I went into the camp it was ready. 98. What arrangements were made for cooking in camp?— When I went there was a little shed, perhaps 14 ft. or 15 ft. long—it might have been more—and a small trench dug along for a considerable distance, with iron rails laid down. 99. What was the shed for?—lt was for what they looked upon as artistic cooking. 100. It was a cooking-place ?—Yes. 101. Were you satisfied with the arrangements made for the cooking?— When I first went there I was satisfied with it, so far as I could see, but I pointed out to the contractor or his son that in the event of bad weather it would not be suitable.

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102. Did it happen that the trenches got full of water ?—Not exactly ; but in many cases the fires were put out by the rain, and the men were standing up to the boot-tops in mud. 103. There was no protection for the men ?—None, except what the shed I spoke of gave, and a little place for storing the bread and meat, &c. 104. How many men had you in camp ?—-A total of 727. 105. And how many horses?— Two horses in excess of that number. I have the return here —forty-five officers, 682 men ; a total of 727, with two extra horses, making a total of 729 horses. 106. What camp staff did you appoint?— Lieutenant Thurston as quartermaster, Lieutenant Fitzherbert—l think he came in on the Friday night—and on Sunday I had another assistant on my staff—Lieutenant Blair, of the Second New Zealand Contingent. 107. What were their official positions?— Merely those of staff officers. 108. Were any quartermaster-sergeants appointed ?—Yes. 109. How many?—l produce the orders from day to day. 110. How many battalions had you ?—Four. 111. Who were in command of them ?—Captain Watt, of No. 1; Captain Dunk, No. 2 ; Captain Howie, No. 3 ; and Captain Winter in charge of No. 4. 112. And your orders were that they were to have an orderly officer each day to see to the cooking, &c. ?—Yes. 113. In addition to that, you appointed officers of the day?— Yes. 114. Who were they ?—Lieutenant Miller and Lieutenant Whitehorn for Saturday, the 15th June. After that they arranged matters within themselves. 115. Did you appoint a brigade officer of the day ?—No ; there was none. My staff officers did the whole of that work. 116. Do you know of your own knowledge whether the battalions appointed an officer of the day and a subaltern ?—Yes. 117. Did you get reports sent to your Brigade Office from those officers of the day?— The only report I have is the one from the officer of the day. Ido not know what my staff officers got. 118. Did you have an orderly-room each day ?—Yes. 119. Were there any reports handed in ?—There were no reports. 120. You have none in your possession ?—No. 121. And you have not seen any? —No. The surroundings of the camp were such that you could not get to the tent without getting into the mud up to the knees, and the work was not carried on in the way it might have been had the whole of the circumstances been different. 122. Had you a guard mounted? —Yes. 123. Was there a guard report each day ?—I could not say each day. We have one guard report. 124. You say you have no orderly officer's report?—l have one from Captain Tatum, which I produce: " Newtown Park Camp, 15th June, 190l.—Officer of the Day's report.—Visited men's mess. Men complain about to-day's rations. Previous rations insufficient and of poor quality. Visited latrines. Found men's latrines in good order. Found officer's latrines very dirty; evidently used by some of men in camp. Excrement on the seats. Visited tents. Found bedding in men's tents in a very wretched state—in some cases very wet and muddy, and not enough straw, Found troopers suffering from bad colds through lying on wet bedding. Trooper Tees invalided : bad case influenza. Twenty-four bales straw urgently required.—Chas. T. Tatum, Captain of Day." 125. When did you get that report? —On that evening. 126. Did you do anything in consequence?— Yes ; I got the straw at once. I think on that day the men were shifted from the lower part of the camp to the trees, and did the best they could for themselves. 127. Did you get any other report or complaint about the state of the camp?—l had no official report. I knew what it was myself. 128. Did you make any report about it ?—Every morning I communicated with Colonel Newall by telephone, at 8 o'clock. 129. Did you make a complaint?—l said the contractor was not doing so well as he ought to do, but that I did not see how, under the circumstances, it could be altered or remedied. I could do no better and he could do no better. 130. Had you inspected the water-supply before the men went into camp ? —No; I did not know anything about it until after I went into camp. 131. I understand you to say the water-supply was insufficient ?—There was no water during the day time. 132. What was the mode adopted to get water?— When the pressure was taken off in town in the evening we got it. The water was greatly used at the time of the Royal visit in the town, and only a little dribble reached the camp. We had to fill up the tank at night. 133. How were the horses watered ?—Some were watered by means of a trough, and the remainder were watered in a little pond alongside the gully on the other side of the bush. 134. You went into camp on the Saturday ?—No ; on the Friday. 135. When did you first have rain after you went in ?—lt rained on Thursday night, and cleared up again. Friday was a good day. It rained on Friday night, and then it appeared to be raining always after that. 136. When did the ground get cut up?—On Sunday afternoon. 137. And when did it become seriously bad?—On the Monday. 138. Did it then get worse and worse ?—Yes. I told the officers they could take the horses from the picket-lines. 139. How many were removed ?—I think two battalions went away on the Monday—Captain Winter's battalion, or some of them, and Captain Dunk's battalion.

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140. Had the horses rugs ?—Yes, covers. 141. Had the men waterproof sheets ?—Very few of them. 142. Had they overcoats ? —No, not of any kind. 143. With regard to the rations, when did you first have a complaint about them? —On the Saturday. 144. What was the complaint ?—That there was an insufficiency of rations on that day. 145. Had you any complaint about the cooking of them ?—Not on that day. 146. What did you do on receiving the complaint ?—I went at once to the cook and asked how it had occurred, and he explained that. an infantry corps had been sent up when he was not prepared for them, and that they took the rations. The Dannevirke corps complained that they could not get anything to eat; but that was not so, because when I went up there was any quantity of food. 147. What was the next complaint?— When the orderly officers came up and said the meat was badly cooked. 148. Did you see the meat ?—Yes. 149. Was it badly cooked ?—Yes, it was raw and not fit to eat. 150. What did you do on receiving that complaint ?—I spoke to the contractor's son, as I could not get at the contractor, and ha explained to me that the men would not wait until it was cooked. It was impossible to roast the meat owing to the absence of ovens, but it could be boiled all right. The men had boiled meat every meal after that. 151. Were those the only complaints ? —-Yes. 152. Was there any complaint as to the quality or quantity of the rations ?—There was a general complaint that the men had not sufficient to eat.. 153. Did you see your quartermaster about it ?—Yes. He said he was doing the best he could in the matter. He said he could not tell the weight of the meat, because it was a cooked ration, and he did not know whether the bones had been included. 154. Do you know whether the tender said that the ration was to be free of bone?—l could not say that. I could not get a paper at the time. 155. Was any complaint made by the contractor that he had not sufficient cooking utensils ?—- I had nothing to do with that at all. His contract was with the Defence Department, which was to supply cooking utensils. 156. Had he sufficient ?—I think he had. He never complained to me about not having sufficient. 157. How was the tea distributed?—lt was very bad, and there were not sufficient utensils. We were using buckets at first. The cook told me that was all he had. I communicated by telephone with the Defence Department, and was told it was Mr. McParland's place to see about that. After a good deal of trouble I said I must have them from the Defence Stores, and got them. 158. Was there plenty of forage for the horses, or was there any complaint about that ?— There was a complaint one morning that there were no oats for the morning feed, which was caused by the contractor delivering only forty sacks instead of sixty. Some companies had drawn more than their proper quantity, but there was plenty of chaff and hay. 159. Was one load of straw all you got ?—No ; I had four times the quantity of straw Colonel Newall allotted to me. 160. What was the state of the mud at the camp?—lt was such that you could not go anywhere without getting into it up to the top of your boots. 161. I believe that you complained to the Premier about it ?—I did not complain. I represented the matter to Colonel Newall at a certain stage, and said that the horses would have to be taken away altogether from the place. 162. When was that ?—On the Wednesday morning. We had received unofficial instructions that we were likely to go next day. 163. Did not Colonel Newall say you were to do the best you could?-—Yes; that was on the Wednesday. We got instructions to proceed to Christchurch, and the officers commanding the companies could not say whether they would go or not until they could get places for their horses. I represented the matter to the Commander of the Forces on the morning that the medals were issued here, and he said he could not do anything, but that we would have to wait until after the show was over. He and I went to the Premier afterwards. I went down to the Manawatu line, and when I got there I found there were no orderly officers in the camp. I came back to Searl's Hotel, and the horses were sent away. The horses were put all over the place to enable the men to go down to Christchurch dismounted. 164. Was that in view of the camp breaking up ?—Yes. 165. Supposing the camp had not broken up, what would have happened ? —The horses would have gone up into the hills. 166. And what about the men ?—The bulk of the men went away. On the Monday they had instructions to leave camp and go wherever they liked. 167. So far as the men were concerned, were they fairly dry ?—Yes. 168. What about Captain Dunk's men ?—He told me they were better off than the others, because they were on higher ground. 169. Had you sufficient accommodation in the tents? —Yes; there were eight men in a tent. 170. Looking back, do you think by the light of your experience that Newtown Park is a proper place to camp 727 men and 729 horses?—No; it is always a place which is likely to get boggy, because it is all made ground. 171. You did not represent that to Colonel Newall, or to Colonel Penton ?—lt was spoken of to Colonel Newall when we went there before. 172 What did you tell him about Newtown Park ? —I told him that if rain came on, Newtown

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Park would be boggy. He said we had no option, and if rain did come we should have to go up among the trees. 173. Did you see anything of the procession complained of ? —Nothing whatever. I did not know anything about it until Colonel Penton telephoned up to me. 174. It did not start from the camp? —I think not. It certainly did not leave the camp while I was there. 175. Did you yourself make any inquiry about it?— Yes; I made inquiries amongst the officers and some of the men. Colonel Penton said that the men engaged in the procession wore red puggarees round their hats; but there were three companies that had red puggarees round their hats. 176. Have you any complaint to make personally as to the arrangements about the camp ?—I have no complaint to make at all, except that if the water had been laid on with larger piping, there would not have been so much trouble. 177. Did the men get their meals in camp, or did they go out for them ?—The men had their meals regularly, but under the adverse circumstances I issued instructions that the men could leave the camp up to 10 o'clock at night. 178. Did the men sleep out of camp ?—Not to my knowledge. 179. Was guard mounted every night ?—-Yes, a sergeant's guard —-twelve men at night, and six in the day-time. 180. Colonel Davies.] You had four battalions in camp ?—Yes. 181. Has anything been done with regard to a battalion staff?—We have no battalion staff. Each battalion had a quartermaster. 182. You had a brigade there practically. Were any written orders ever issued detailing how they were to get the battalions into order ? Did you detail so-and-so commanding a battalion, and did each battalion appoint its own quartermaster ?—Yes. Each battalion had to appoint one sergeant and three men. The officers commanding battalions came to me, and I gave them instructions and left them to do what they thought was necessary. They all had their own quartermaster. Each company even had its own quartermaster-sergeant. I cannot say who they were, but I know they did appoint quartermasters. Captain Winter showed me his battalion orders he was sending out on two or three occasions, and he kept his book in very good order. 183. Did each company have its own orderly officer ?—Yes. 184. And there were extra officers?— Yes. They were there to see that the men were looked after properly. 185. Did not the extra officers clash with the others?—No; they did not seem to. 186. Were there any special orders about guards and horse-pickets issued ?—Yes ; they furnished their own picket- and line-sentries 187. Was there a surgeon? —He was not actually appointed, but he took the duties—Dr. De Lisle. 188. Was he the only one in camp ?—I was informed by the Defence Department that Dr. Mackenzie would attend to any of our wants, but we never wanted him. 189. Was Dr. De Lisle in attendance every day?— Yes. 190. Did he complain about anything ? —He complained that the tents were wet on the Monday ; and after that the men were allowed to go anywhere they liked. 191. Were you ever asked anything about this matter of catering ?—Yes. 192. By whom?—By Colonel Newall. It was in reference to the regimental system of cooking, which, in my opinion, has never been a success in any part of this Island. I object to it very strongly. I made a report to the Officer Commanding the Forces on the 28th June, which was received by the Defence Office on the Ist July. I wrote on the 15th May to Colonel Newall re the cooking for mounted men at Newtown Park. This was a month before the assembly of the troops. I wrote again a few days after the receipt of Colonel Newall's answer, making further objection to the catering system. 193. When you heard about this procession what steps did you take to find out the cause of the trouble ?—I only heard about it through the telephone in the evening, and at the same time Colonel Penton told me to have a parade ready for him next morning at 10 o'clock. I did nothing in the matter until Colonel Penton explained it to me. 194. What time of the day did the procession take place ?—Some time in the evening, I believe. 195. Until what time was leave given ?—Generally leave was given up to 10 o'clock. 196. Did you have a parade the next morning ?—Yes, at 10 o'clock. 197. Did Colonel Penton go to the camp ?—Yes. 198. Was the whole of the brigade there ? —Yes. 199. Can you tell us what steps the Commander of the Forces took ?—The Commander of the Forces used fairly strong language to the men, and said that four of them were acting a very cowardly part, for if they had any courage they would stand out, and take the blame off the remainder of the men. He blamed the officers as well, and I detailed them off to find out what they could about the matter. Later on, Colonel Penton told me that he had discovered that the men who had been engaged in the procession wore red puggarees. 200. You say he said they were cowardly : who did he refer to ?—He was referring to the four men in the brigade. He said that they had done a disgraceful thing, and that they were cowards and curs for not coming forward to take the blame themselves, and allowing the blame to be placed on the whole of the men. 201. Zou say it was brought down to men that wore red puggarees? —Yes; but there were three companies that wore red puggarees—the Hunterville, Hawera, and Alexandra mounted men.

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202. Major Hawkins.] Have you seen the contract for the rations ?—Yes. 203. Was there any deficiency?— There was not the deficiency that you could get at. It was very hard to say whether there was a deficiency or not, because you could not weigh the meat. The quality of the food, so far as my experience goes—and I examined it every day—was very good. It was simply the cooking that was wrong. 204. In taking command of the camp from Colonel Newall, did you understand that you were to take the camp as it stood ?—Yes. 205. You had not power to make certain things complete that were not complete ?—J had power, but there was nothing there that I could remedy. I had an officer almost continually engaged looking after the piping. 206. At the start you took exception to the method adopted for the construction of the kitchens ?—I said that, looking at it as it was, it did not appear to be comfortable for the cooks, but there were plenty of utensils at the time. 207. Did you consider you were running a risk in not completing arrangements that would meet any emergency ?—No, I could not say we were running a risk in that case. 208. If sufficient shelter-sheds had been put up for the cooks, would this not have been more satisfactory ?—Yes ; but I had no power to make the contractor put up a shelter-shed. That would have been a solution of the difficulty if good shelter-sheds had been put up. 209. Roughly, what would be the length and breadth of that shed ?—lt would not be less than 50 yards long, judging from the rails put down. 210. The setting-up of the camp was in the hands of the Permanent Artillery?— Yes, but under my instructions. I arranged the plan for laying off the camp. It was different from what it was before, when the contingents were there, because at that time it was very awkward. 211. Do you know who laid the water-pipes? —No, I could not tell you that. 212. Who was sent up to repair them? —Captain Tatum had charge of that. We had to get the plumbers up even on Sunday. 213. What do you understand that the complaint was that the men made about the food— what was it that induced them to have the procession ?—The complaint was that the meat was not sufficiently cooked. 214. It was not about the quantity ?—No; neither the quantity nor quality. There was one occasion when there was not sufficient, but that was remedied. But there was a general feeling that there was not enough. 215. Do you think you are in a position to say that the men had plenty of food, and good food ? —No ; in the Wellington camps the cooking has never been good, nor has the quality been so good as it might be. 216. But in this case had you sufficient knowledge of the camp to say whether the men had sufficient food, and if that food was good? —For the last three days of the camp I am prepared to say they had sufficient food, and that it was good. 217. But up to the Wednesday?—On Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday the rations were as good as could be required. During the last three days everything was all right. It was the first two days when the trouble arose. 218. You say that at the time the alleged procession took place the sole complaint was that the food was not sufficiently cooked ?—Yes. 219. And you say that it could have been remedied if proper cook-houses had been provided ? —Certainly. 220. You think also that, so far as the housing and accommodation of the men in the tents is concerned, there was. no room for complaint in that respect?— There was room for complaint, because the men had not oiled sheets. I think Colonel Newall said we had a bale or a bale and a half of straw for each tent; but I said that was ridiculous, and that we must have five bales for each tent, and we got more. 221. It is alleged that the men were lying in the wet straw?—l do not think the straw was actually wet. There might have been some cases where it was, but it was only a matter of asking for straw, and they got it. 222. Was not the condition of the camp bad enough, in your opinion, to call for the striking of the camp, or pitching it somewhere else ?—There was no room to do that. There was no room where we could go. .223. Could you not have gone to the Mount Cook Barracks?—No ; the other Volunteers in town had all the available places. They had the schools and X shed. We had to get under the trees. 224. Colonel Davies.] You say in your report that the men went through all that without complaint or growling, and yet there were a good many things that were not up to the mark?— Yes ; I think the men behaved very well. 225. Do you think the officers took sufficient means to see that the just complaints of the men were properly represented, because, you know, there is a difficulty to get officers to go into details with their men ?—I think the officers did their work very well. 226. If the officers do not look after the men, the men will break the laws: do you think think there was anything of that sort ?—No, Ido not, I think the officers were very attentive, and looked after the men. The only official complaint I had was when the orderly officer brought up a sergeant and two men to complain that the meat was not in a proper condition. 227. What officer was that ?—I think he belonged to the Ruahine Corps. 228. He should have gone to the battalion commander?— Yes; but he came to me. I did not really ask him if he had been to the battalion commander. 229. The Chairman.] You say you think the officers did their duty efficiently. If that is so, how is it that you have only one report from an orderly officer for the whole time the men were in

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camp ?—1 do not know. I have not seen Captain Fitzherbert since, and he may have other papers now. 230. Colonel Davies.] Do you know how many cooks there were in the camp ? —There were six on one occasion. Three left and three others came on, still making six ; and on the last two days I think two more came on. 231. The Chairman.] Do you think eight cooks were sufficient in number?— Not under the circumstances. For dry weather eight would have been enough. 232. Could you not have detailed some of the men to assist ?—I could, but I did not think it was absolutely necessary, and the work about the place was so bad that I did not think it was worth while putting the men at it. There was not any reason for it, because after the first two days there were sufficient. 233. Had you a brigade-major?—No ;we were short of officers of all kinds. 234. Who signed the orders ?—I did. They are all in my handwriting. 235. Did the orderly sergeants come to the Brigade Office every night ?—Yes, and took the orders. There was no camp adjutant. 236. Were there any crimes reported ? —No ; it was a very good camp indeed.

Tuesday, 9th August, 1901. Arthur Pole Penton examined. (No. 3.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your name, rank, and official position?— Arthur Pole Penton, local Colonel and Lieut.-Colonel of the Royal Artillery, Commanding the New Zealand Forces. 2. You are Commandant of the New Zealand Defence Force? —Yes. 3. And were so in the month of June last during the Royal visit ?—Yes. 4. You are aware that a mounted camp was formed at Newtown Park?— Yes. 5. Will you tell the Board how the camp came to be fixed there ?—Tnat I cannot tell you, because I was away ; but before I left Wellington, about the middle of April, when the Government told me they were going to have a camp, I took Lieut.-Colonel Newall with me to look for a site near the Manawatu Railway-station, and we went into the whole matter. Of course, we did not know what troops were coming down then. That we could only guess at. • 6. How many did you anticipate would come ?—We could not say, because there were so many new corps. I thought with that ground we might be able to scrape through with seven or eight hundred men. 7. In your opinion was that a suitable place?—lt would have been cramped. 8. But so far as weather is concerned?—lt would have been better than Newtown Park. There might have been sanitary difficulties. 9. What about the water iying there ?—We would have drainage there. 10. What was decided then ? —My idea, was to have the camp on the Manawatu ground. Then I went away to Australia, and when I got back two or three days before the Duke arrived, I found that everything was settled, and the men were arriving at Newtown Park. 11. Did you think it necessary at all to inspect Newtown Park ?—I did not have time. 12. As a matter of fact, you did not?— No. 13. What was your objection to Newtown Park in the first place ?—I knew what a bad place it was in rainy weather. The ground gets so terribly muddy, and there is no drainage there. It is surface drainage. 14. Were you informed at all in reference to the cooking in the camp ?—No. 15. Were you consulted about the commissariat arrangements there ?—No ; it was all settled by the District Commanding Officer. 16. Did any complaints reach you as to the accommodation the men had at the Park, or for the horses? —No. The only complaint that reached me was on the morning of the 19th June, just after the Duke had given away the medals. Colonel Sommerville came to me and said that, owing to the weather and the mud, the people at the park were very uncomfortable, and the horses particularly so, and he wanted permission to make any arrangements he could for dispersing the camp. I gave him instructions then that he might break camp at once. That was about half-past 11 on the same day. 17. Did any complaint or report reach you in reference to the rations at the camp or at any of the billets ?—None. All the rationing and forage matters are left in the hands of the commanding officer of the district. 18. No complaints reached you officially ?—No. 19. You have heard about the demonstration by the men in the streets ?—Yes. I was rung up by the Premier about a quarter to 7 on the 19th June, and he told me that some of the Volunteers were parading the streets with an old shin-bone and portions of the rations on sticks. I did not know this myself at the time, and I told the Premier that I would inquire into the matter thoroughly the next morning. 20. Was any official report made to you about that ?—There was no official report made at all. I then rang up Colonel Newall and Colonel Sommerville, and tried to make arrangements for the men to be housed at the Drill-hall, or wherever we could put them ; but, as a matter of fact, it was too late to get at anybody. 21. What did you do in reference to that procession ?—I went down to the camp next morning. I first of all sent for all the officers and asked them about it. I told them I did not think anything of that sort could go on without the officers being very much to blame; and then I told them to go all round their companies and try and find out who had been creating the disturbance. So far as

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I could see, the officers went down the ranks and questioned each man, and they all came and reported to me that none of their men were present the night before in the streets m the 22. You gathered from that that they alleged it was no one from that camp? —They said that none of their men were in the procession. 23. You failed to get any satisfaction or any information about it at all ?—I got no information about it at all. 24 Was anything further done ?—No ; the matter got into the papers, and, as 1 was verymuch abused and accused, I left it entirely in the hands of the Defence Minister, asking him to have an independent inquiry about it. 25. And this inquiry is the result of your representation ?—Yes. 26 You received this report from Colonel Sommerville on the camp [report produced] ?— Yes. I wrote and asked for reports. I recommended a Court of inquiry on receiving that report. 27, Since the camp broke up has any one made any official report to you as to the quality or quantity of the provisions supplied to the troops?— No. _ 28. Were you aware of a report made by Major Wolfe, Commander of the Nelson District, as to some of the provisions supplied to the Nelson men?— No. 29 Generally, you had no report as to the quality or quantity of the provisions ?—No. Ine only thing that was reported to me was by Dr. Mason, the Health Officer, who stated that, while he was out inspecting some piggeries somewhere, he found that a man, who was also contractor for the removal of the stuff at the camp, had been living, with his wife and children, on the food the contractor had been taking away from the park. He rang me up, and said he thought I ought to 30. Colonel Davies.] All arrangements concerning the camp would be made by the Officer Commanding the District in which the camp happened to be?— Yes. 31. Is there any sort of battalion organization about them ?—We are just waiting to form battalions. There is no staff yet gazetted. ~■.„'„", ,vr n • v 32 Are there any officers trained in any of the forces in B duties ?—Colonel Newall is really the head of that department. He was appointed A.A.G.B. temporarily in March last, and now draws the salary for the position. 33. Then, there is practically nobody who understands anything about the quartermaster department ?—No, there is no one trained. I got sanction last year for officers to take over the D \ A G.B. district work, but have no one so far. 34. Ought not all the reports to come to you through the Officer Commanding the District in matters like this ?—Yes. In this case I wrote for the report direct. 35 Colonel Sommerville told us yesterday, with reference to the procession, that, although the officers'in camp found there were none of their men in it, you found out that the men who were engaged in it wore red puggaries ?—I heard that there were men with red puggarees m the procession. I was told by those who saw the procession. • 36 You say you paraded the whole camp—can you tell us what happened then ! —JNext mornin" when the officers came and reported to me that none of their men were present in the procession the preceding night, I had all the officers and men fallen in, and I spoke to them freely. I told them that up to the preceding day they had behaved themselves extremely well and had stuck to their work although the surroundings were very wretched and miserable, but that a few of them had disgraced their uniforms by joining in a procession in the streets the night before, and that this was the more regrettable on account of the son of our King being present in the city. I stated that those men had not got the pluck to come out when called upon and own up to what they had done ; that they must be infernal curs and cowards to allow a stigma of that sort to rest on their comrades ; and that I was extremely sorry anything of the sort had happened. That was the worst I said to them. Before the men were paraded I cleared everybody off the parade-ground except the soldiers. I said, " This is a private parade. lam talking to my men as soldiers, and I want no one else here," and the parade-ground was cleared. After I had been speaking for a short time I turned round and found a reporter there who had sneaked in, and I sent him away. After the parade I told him that he had no business where he was ; that it was entirely a private parade and that I did not want the matter reported. He said he was in the hands of his editor, but that if he put it to his editor in that way he was quite sure nothing would be reported ol the matter. David William Healy, examined. 37. The Chairman.] What is your name and rank?— David W. Healy, Staff Sergeant-Major and Drill Instructor, stationed at Nelson. ,".'''-.,'„ ,•-. n v 38. Were you present with the Nelson troops in Wellington during the Royal visit /—Yes. 39. Where were the troops quartered ?—ln X shed. 40. Who was in command of them ?—Major Wolfe. 41. Who was medical officer?—Surgeon-Major Pearless. 42. How many men were there from Nelson, including mounted and dismounted men ?—936 men altogether from the whole district. _ 43. Where were they quartered ?—There was one company in a school up Molesworth btreet— the Stoke Rifles—and the other in X shed. 44. Had you a quartermaster with you?— Yes, Quartermaster Coleman. 45. He belongs to the Nelson District ?—Yes. 46 Was the battalion staff detailed for that battalion ? —Yes. 47. How were the rations supplied ?—They were cooked rations issued every morning and supplied by the contractor.

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48. Was there any complaint as to the rations ?—On the first morning—the Monday—there was a complaint. 49. What was the matter?— The rations were not properly cooked. The meat was underdone, and we could not eat it. 50. Was there any other complaint ?—That was the only complaint as regards the meat. At dinner-time there was a complaint that some of the meat issued to one of the companies in X shed was putrid. 51. Did Surgeon-Major Pearless inspect that?— Yes, he went down and condemned it. 52. Did Major Wolfe make a report in -reference to it ?—Yes. 53. So far as the quantity of the provisions is concerned, was there sufficient ?—There was sufficient in quantity for every one, but it was not properly cooked. 54. Was it improperly cooked on more than one occasion ?—Only on one occasion. 55. Can you account for that in any way ?—The only way I can account for it is that the men employed as cooks were not used to the business. 56. Were those men perfectly sober ? —Yes, perfectly sober. 57. Were there sufficient cooks ?—Yes. 58. You think they did not understand their work ?—Yes. 59. Was the meat that Surgeon-Major Pearless reported upon as putrid the only instance of bad provisions being supplied ?—Yes, the only instance. 60. Can you account in any way for that happening ?—Perhaps the meat had been lying in the cookhouse and the heat of the fire had turned it bad. That is the only way I can account for it. 61. Is there any reason why it was not discovered before the meat was cooked ?—There should be no reason, but the quartermaster could not stand and watch every piece of meat that was put into the pots. 62. Did the quartermaster attend to the issue of the rations daily?— Yes. 63. On other occasions was there any reason for complaint as to the rations supplied?— No. 64. How was the accommodation ?—Quite sufficient for the number of men there. There was no crowding and there was sufficient straw, but the light in the shed was very poor at night. 65. I understand you saw something of the procession in the streets?— Yes, I stopped it on Lambton Quay, on Wednesday afternoon, the 19th June, between 2 and 2.15 p.m. I was in Messrs. Littlejohn and Son's jewellers' shop when I heard cheering going on outside and went to the door to see what it was about. I saw a body of men in uniform in the middle of the road with a pole about 6 ft. or 7 ft. long, with a board on it and a piece of beef. I think the inscription on the board was, " These are our rations." 66. Who was carrying the board ?—A Volunteer. 67. Was he in uniform ? —Yes. 68. Which direction were the men going in ?—Down Lambton Quay towards the Exchange Hall. They had passed the Government Buildings and were going through the town. 69. How many men were there in uniform ?—Twenty or thirty were in the crowd, besides the drunken civilians who were round them. 70. Were those twenty or thirty men taking part in the procession, or were they merely onlookers for the most part ?—They were taking part in it. 71. Were they in any kind of formation ? —No, in straggling order. 72. Did they say anything ?—They were singing and shouting. 73. Singing songs, or what ?—I believe they were singing songs. 74. What did you do ? —I went out into the road and halted the men. 75. Were you in uniform ?—Yes. I asked them what was the meaning of going on like that in the public streets. The reply 1 got was that the rations were bad, that they had made complaints to their officers, and no one had taken any notice o£ them. I told them that it was no matter whether their complaints had been recognised by their officers or not, that was not the way to conduct themselves in uniform. I took the pole and the meat from the man who was carrying it, and took the meat into a passage between Littlejohn's and Holliday's stationer's shop, and gave it to a man and asked him to destroy the stuff. 76. What did you do with the pole?— The pole went in there too. 77. Did the men then disperse?—l told the men when I took the pole away from them that the best thing they could do was to get on the footpath and go quietly away. 78. And did they do so ?—After coming out of the passage-way I stood to see if the men carried the order out. Colour-Sergeant Redmond, of the Civil Service Rifles, who was standing close to me, said "Sergeant-Major, there is the ringleader," and he pointed to a sergeant. I asked the man his name and he told me he was Sergeant Rankin, of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. 79. What uniform was he dressed in?—A mounted uniform with an overcoat on. 80. Had he any badges?—No; but I could identify him again. While I was in the passageway disposing of the meat this Sergeant Rankin incited the men to come and bring the meat out again. I happened to turn round very quickly when talking to Redmond, and I found a boy about sixteen or seventeen years of age standing on the kerb with the meat in his hand. I took it away from the boy, and took it back to the passage and asked a man to kindly burn it or get rid of it. He said it was rather hard lines. He said, "If you put it down I will dispose of it," but I said, " I want to see it disposed of here." 81. Did the men go away?— Yes. 82. Do you know any of the other men there ?—No, I have only got the ringleader. 83. Do you know what corps the men belonged to ?—No. 84. Rankin was pointed out to you as the ringleader, and you say that in your presence he incited the men, after you had told them to disperse, to get the meat again ?—Yes, 3—H. 19a.

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85. Could you say whether they were mounted men or infantry? —There was a mixture. There were both mounted men and infantry. 86. They were amenable to discipline ?—Yes; when I commanded them to halt they immediately did so. They were perfectly under discipline. 87. Can you tell us anything further with regard to the rations or the accommodation? Were the Stoke Rifles all right in their billet?— Yes; they had good accommodation, and the rations were first class and well served up. There was not the slightest complaint of any description. I was there when the rations were served up, and was down in the X shed too. The Stoke Rifles had tables to sit down to, but in the X shed the men were in the straw. 88. Colonel Davies.] How long is it since you landed in the colony?—I arrived on the 28th March, 1891. 89. You have been here about ten years?— Yes. 90. What was your regiment at Home ?—The Ist North Lancashires. I was colour-sergeant No. 1 in that regiment. 91. I suppose you have been in camp with your regiment often enough ?—Yes; and I marched with the regiment in India. I was also in camp with them in the Turkey Expedition in 1884. 92. What is your opinion of the way in which the men were fed here, taking into consideration the bad weather, in comparison with the way in which the men are fed in the army out in camp or on the march ? —I should say the men were fed a great deal better here than in the regiment I was in when on the march. There was a greater supply of food. 93. You do not know anything about the feeding in Newtown Park ? —I was not up there. 94. Do you know anything about the proportion of cooks to men in the regiment or district to which you were attached in Wellington?— There would be about five cooks between five and six hundred men in the X shed. 95. Was the cooking done under cover ?—Yes. 96. In the sheds ?—Yes ; covered with corrugated iron. 97. You say that in this procession some of the men were infantry and some mounted men ? —Yes. 98. Have you any idea of the proportion ?—No ; but there were twenty or thirty men altogether in the procession. 99. Could you identify any of the other men if you saw them ?—No, I could not. 100. In the Nelson District you say you have a quartermaster?— Yes. 101. I suppose, to constantly go into camp with the Volunteers ?—Yes. 102. Do you not find that is generally a weak point—that the Volunteer officers are not properly trained and do not look after their men properly ?—That never happens in our district. 103. You have big camps ?—Yes ; and the work is carried out without any trouble. The officers look after it. 104. What I mean is that many Volunteer officers, and the Volunteers generally, have a notion that every one who is a soldier goes out to knock people's heads off, and do not realise that there is other work to do? —I do not know that. 105. Major Hawkins.] Sergeant Rankin, you say, incited the men to carry on this procession ? —He incited the men to go into the passage where I was and bring the meat out again. 106. Did you have any altercation with him ?—No ; I simply asked the man for his name, and took it, and walked straight out again. 107. After you had taken his name did he then incite the men ? —Yes; I had taken his name, and he afterwards incited the men to carry on the procession. 108. From your knowledge of mounted men can you say who were associated with the several corps at the schoolhouses ?—There were no mounted men at the schoolhouses, only the officers of the mounted corps of the battalion. 109. From your knowledge of the men do you know whether they came from Newtown Park or from those schoolhouses ? Were they here in the capacity of mounted men, or were they only temporary associated with the infantry ? —I could not say. 110. You do not know any of the men individually ? —No. Sergeant Bankin was a mounted man ; there is no doubt at all about that. 111. The Chairman.] Did you notice what puggarees the mounted men had on who were in that procession ? —No ; I did not take much notice of the men, because there was a mass of drunken civilians with them, and I did not want to have any unseemly brawl in the street. One man wished to interfere, and I thought the best thing was to get the meat away and let the men go quietly. The civilian swore at me, and said he was not a soldier, and could say what he liked ; and I replied that nobody ever took him for a soldier, and walked away. 112. Major Haiokins.] This happened about 2 o'clock in the afternoon?— Yes, from 2 o'clock to 2.15. 113. What were the luncheon-hours at your camp?—We had dinner at 12 o'clock. 114. That would give these men ample time to make a parade in the street at the time mentioned ?—Yes. 115. The Chairman.] What day was it when the complaint was made about the rations in X shed? —I am not sure whether it was Monday or Tuesday, but I think it was Tuesday. 116. What was done about the meat that day ?—lt was destroyed. 117. Is there anything else you can tell us about it?— That is all, sir. Henry Redmond examined. (No. 5.) 118. The Chairman.] What are you ? —Colour-Sergeant of D Company, Ist Wellington Rifles. 119. How long have you been in that corps ? —Since it started about four years ago.

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120. Were you on duty on the 19th June last, the day after the Duke's arrival here?—l was not on duty. 121. On the afternoon of that day were you on Lambton Quay?— Yes. 122. Did you see a procession of Volunteers carrying provisions that day ?—Yes, somewhere about 3 o'clock in the afternoon. 123. Whereabouts were you at that time ? Martin's Fountain, opposite the Bank of New South Wales. 124. Do you know Sergeant-Major Healy, of the Nelson District ?—Yes. 125. Did you see him that afternoon ?—I saw him later, after I first saw the procession. I followed the procession, and thought the fellows would stop it, and on my way I saw SergeantMajor Healy. 126. Where did you first see the procession?—l met it outside the Bank of New South Wales, coming towards the Government Buildings along Lambton Quay. 127. Which way did it go then? —Along the Quay, up Bowen Street into Museum Street, down Sydney Street, and again into Lambton Quay. 128. Where were you all this time ?—On the footpath ?—I followed the procession to see if any officer or policeman would stop it. 129. Did it pass any Volunteer officers on the way ?—Yes, several. I saw it pass several officers in uniform. 130. Do you know any of those officers ?—-No. 131. The officers did not interfere with the procession?— No. 132. What was the procession composed of?—lt was formed principally of mounted men carrying a pole with a board on it, on which were the words " Newtown Park Rations," and suspended from the pole by a wire were a bottle and some pieces of stinking meat and some bread. 133. Where did you see the last of the procession ?—Outside Messrs. Hill and Co.'s hatfactory. 134. What happened there?—Sergeant-Major Healy went out and halted it. 135. Did you know any of the men taking part in the procession ?—I noticed one man particularly all the way round the streets. He seemed to be the chief instigator of it, and was calling on other mounted men to join it. 136. Who was he ?—I do not know his name. He was a member of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles, and was dressed in khaki, with dark plum-coloured facings. He was a sergeant in the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. 137. Was he in uniform ?—Yes. Sergeant Healy stopped the men, and spoke to them about disgracing their uniform. He started to argue with them, and told them that was not the way to get redress for their grievances. He took the meat from them, and took it down a passage at the back of Holliday's stationer's shop. Shortly after he bad come out he found that they had gone in and again taken the meat, and were reforming the procession. He again went to them, and after a lot of argument got them to disperse. 138. Did you know any of the other men in uniform there ?—No; they were mostly men from the country, and were strangers to me. I looked to see if there were any of my own battalion there, but did not see any. 139. You say you do not know the name of the sergeant who was instigating the men?— No. 140. Would you know it if you heard it ?—Yes. Sergeant-Major Healy asked him for his name, and he told him. 141. Sergeant Rankin : is that the name?— Yes. 142. Did you hear him give his name to Sergeant-Major Healy?—Yes. He was a man with a sandy moustache, and was about 6 ft. high. 143. What were the men doing in this procession besides carrying the things ?—They were singing and shouting, and when they got up and went round Government House they groaned. They were singing " Soldiers of the Queen," and pointing to the food and the board, and tapping with their sticks. They were creating general rowdyism along the streets. 144. Can you say how many officers were passed by the procession while you saw it ?—I can say at least half a dozen ; and when the procession was halted by Sergeant-Major Healy there were two officers standing watching the procession, and seeming to enjoy it. Sergeant-Major Healy spoke to them in a casual way when they asked him what was wrong. 145. The procession dispersed then ?—Yes. 146. Were you billeted anywhere, or were you living at home on that day ?—Living at home. 147. Did you visit any of the schools or buildings where the men were billeted ?—I visited Mount Cook School to see my brother one day. 148. Do you know how the rations were there ?—I had no personal experience of them. The men seemed to be well satisfied. 149. Did you visit the camp at Newtown? —No; I know nothing about that. 150. How long have you been colour-sergeant ?—Two years now. 151. Major Haivkins.] —Is your brother a Volunteer ?— 7 Yes; he is a lieutenant in the Wanganui Rifles. 152. Did he make any remark to you about the rations that were served out to the men?— He told me that the rations were very good, but that the quartermaster did not know, the first day they were in Mount Cook School, very much about working the men, and went home. My brotherwas appointed quartermaster by Lieut.-Colonel Watt, and once the quartermaster was appointed to look after the food everything went on satisfactorily, and there were no complaints all the time they were there. 153. How long has your brother been in the Volunteer Force ?—Fifteen or sixteen years, I think.

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154. Did he rise from the ranks ?—Yes. He was first in the old Torpedo Corps, when he went volunteering. Frederick Samuel Parkes examined. (No. 6.) 155. The Chairman.] What is your name, rank, and corps ?—Frederick Samuel Parkes, Sergeant-Major, Wairoa Mounted Rifles. 156. Were you encamped with your corps at Newtown Park during the Royal visit? —Yes. 157. When did you go into camp?—On Friday morning. We came down by the Thursday night's train. 158. When did you leave camp? —We left for Christchurch on the following Thursday evening. 159. Did you remain in camp while you were here ? —Yes, except when on leave. 160. Was the tent accommodation sufficient for the members of your corps ?—-Yes, I think so. 161. What about the straw ?—lt was rather short at first, but we got it made up. 162. Had you any complaints from the men about the accommodation?— No. 163. Had the horses sufficient fodder ?—Not all the time. There would be sufficient some days and a shortage at other times. 164. Are you speaking of your own corps and horses?— Yes. 165. If you made application for more fodder did you get it?— Yes. 166. How were the rations for your corps ? —They were rather short. 167. How were they as to quality ?—The quality of the food was good enough, but it was not properly cooked. 168. The meat was served up underdone ?—Yes, and the vegetables uncooked. 169. Had you plenty of water?— The men used to go to the dam to wash, but it got rather dirty because the horses were taken there as well to water. There were troughs provided at the beginning, but the water was stopped, and the place got so muddy on account of the horses there that the men could not get near them. 170 What was the condition of the mud in the camp?—lt was dreadful. 171. How deep?— Over your boot-tops. 172. Did you see the cooking arrangements there?— Yes. So far as I could see, there was simply a trench dug in the ground and bars placed across for the pots in the open. 173. There was a small building there for cooking, was there not ?—Yes, but the cooking did not actually take place in the building. 174. What was the building for, then?— For cutting up and serving out the rations. 175. A distributing-place, and not for cooking ?—Yes. 176. Did your men complain about the shortness of food ?—-A good many of my corps did. 177. Did you hear complaints made from members of other corps? —There were several complaints made by individuals. 178. So far as your corps is concerned, what were the arrangements made for getting the rations from the cookhouse ?—There were orderlies told off for it. 179. How many?— Six, I think. 180. How many tents have you for your own corps? —Eight. 181. You had less than one man per tent was that enough? —They managed all right. 182. On how many occasions did complaints about the meat not being cooked occur?— Three or four different times. 183. Can you tell us on what day or days ?—I could not say for certain. 184. Was it before the Duke arrived, or afterwards ? —Before he arrived. 185. Did you see anything of the disturbance down town on Wednesday afternoon ?—I did not see anything of it. 186. Do you know any one who was concerned in it ?—No ; I was at the camp at the time. 187. Have you any complaint to make about the arrangements of the camp there, excepting as to the shortness of food and it being insufficiently cooked ?—No, I have no personal complaint to make at all. 188. Can you tell me anything that was wrong about the camp, or was wanting ?—I think not. A great deal of the discomfort was due to the state of the weather. If the weather had been better everything would have been different. It was very hard to cook under the circumstances, especially outside in the wet. 189. Colonel Davies.] Did you see the forage issued out to the corps ?—The quartermaster issued the forage. 190. What quartermaster—the battalion or brigade ?—The brigade. 191. Was it issued at regular hours?— Yes, by bugle.call every morning. 192. Were the rations regularly issued?— Yes, everything went by bugle. 193. Were officers there inspecting the issue of rations ?—Yes. 194. Did you have company orderly officers or battalion orderly officers ? —Battalion orderly officers. 195. Was he there every day ?—He was supposed to be. Ido not know that he was there always. 196. Did any instance come under your notice of men complaining to their officers about the food ?—No. 197. Your men were not satisfied : what steps did they take to put matters right?— They took no steps at all. 198. Did they know the proper course ?—Yes ; to complain to their own officers. 199. Did not the orderly officer go round and. inspect the tents and see if there were any complaints ?—Yes; they were round several times—not every day.

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200. When the men complained did they go round ? —Yes. 201. What happened after that?— The things never seemed to improve very much. 202. You never heard of the complaints going any further ? —I believe some of them spoke to Colonel Sommerville. 203. Do you know that they did?— Yes, officers did. 204. Did they put it in their daily reports ? —I do not know. 205. Can you tell us of any orderly officers that you remember going round to any of the tents and having complaints made to them ?—No, I cannot remember any particular man complaining to any officer. 206. What officers do you remember going round to visit the men ?—Lieutenant Riddle. 207. Were you with him when he was going round ?—Yes. 208. Did you hear complaints made to him about the food ? —Not direct complaints. I heard remarks made when he was inspecting. They were not direct complaints, but grumbling. 209. Is that not equivalent to making a complaint ?—I suppose it is. 210. You mean that it was not done formally?— Yes. 211. Do you remember what the men said to him? —-They said the meat was not properly cooked, and was partially raw. 212. That was when he was round inspecting?—-Yes. They did not seem satisfied with it. 213. You do not know what became of those complaints ?—No. 214. Major Hawkins.] Was this your first experience in battalion or brigade camps ?—No; I was at the Easter encampment at Wanganui last year. 215. Had you an orderly sergeant and corporal ever) day ?—Yes. 216. Did they carry out their duties as non-commissioned officers ? —Yes, as far as I know. 217. Do you know whether any quartermaster signed requisition forms as to the quality and quantities of food, and so on ? —I believe so. 218. You do not know of your own knowledge ?— No. Corporal George Ward examined. (No. 7.) 219. The Chairman.] What corps do you belong to?— The Hawera Mounted Rifles. 220. Were you in camp at Newtown Park during the Royal visit ?—Yes ; part of the time. 221. When did your corps go into camp there ?—We arrived here on Sunday night, and went straight into camp. 222. You remained in camp until when? —Till the morning of the 18th. 223. Were you not in camp after that day?—No ; I was taken ill. 224. Did you leave the camp then ? —Yes. 225. Up to the time you left how were the rations that were supplied to you ?—They were short, and dirty, and burned. 226. What food are you speaking of?— The meat, potatoes, and generally the food we had. The bread looked as if it had fallen out of the baskets. 227. When it was clean was it right? —Yes. 228. Was the butter good ?—Yes. 229. How often did you have potatoes ? —Every meal. 230. Were they good ?—Yes. They were not washed too clean. 231. What was the condition of the meat served out to you ?—One side was underdone, and the other side burned. 232. Was the meat itself good ?—lt was good meat spoiled in the cooking. 233. How about the forage for your horses?— Our horses fared well. They could not have fared better. 234. How about your tent accommodation?— There was a scarcity of bedding the first night, but afterwards it was all right. 235. Were you in the muddy part of the camp ?—-Yes. 236. Was there much mud ? —A good bit. There were from 2 in. to 4 in. of mud. 237. Could anything have been done to remedy that state of things?— There was nothing done with us as regards the mud until some of the corps started shifting. We were ordered by Captain Bartlett to shift up to the trees. 238. How long were you ill ?—I was in bed on the 18th, and nearly all of the 19th. 239. How many tents were allotted to your corps ?—Eight. 240. How many men were there in a tent? —Six in seven of them. 241. How many orderlies did your corps provide for the rations per tent?— One man per tent. 242. Did you see the cooking-kitchen?— Yes. 243. What was it like ? —lt had a corrugated roof, with wooden sides and an open front. 244. Did you see any cooking done there?— Yes; I saw the chops, steak, and sausages cooked on the bars alongside. It was not exactly underneath, but close by. 245. Did your men get chops, steaks, and sausages?— Yes. 246. How often ?—They had them several times while I was in camp. 247. Were they cooked all right? —No; they were similar to the beef. 248. Did you notice the cooking arrangements outside that cookhouse?— No. 249. Was there plenty of latrine accommodation ?—Yes. 250. Did an officer visit the tents during meal-times ?—Our sergeant-major visited the tents. 251. Not an officer ?—Yes ; Lieutenant Matthews. 252. Were any complaints made to Lieutenant Matthews ?—Yes ; in addition to the provisions not being cooked properly, they were not washed well, and the bread was dirty. 253. How often did you hear complaints made to him of that nature ? —Only once. 254. Can you tell me what date that was ?—No.

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255. Was there any improvement in the cooking before you were taken ill ?—Yes ; it was a little better the second day. 256. Colonel Davies.] You were taken ill in the camp ?—-Yes. 257. Was it caused by anything in the camp?—l had a mild form of dysentery. 258. Were you wet in the tent? —Yes. 259. Did you get wet yourself?—No ; in one tent alongside me I heard the remark that they had all got their bedding wet. 260. How did that camp compare with any other camp you have been in ?—I have never been in anything like it. The comfort of the other camps I have been in was marvellous as compared with that camp. 261. You were at the Waverley camp ? —No, I missed that. 262. Were you at the Brunswick camp?— Yes; that was my first camp. 263. Did you ever have any orders read to you in the camp ?—Yes, the orders for the rehearsal came in one evening. 264. Did you have orders read to you every day?— No. 265. Did you have any company orders ? —Yes. 266. Any battalion orders?—l went for orders at night for the procession next day. 267. Did you have any battalion orders read ?—No. 268. Did the doctor in the camp examine you and send you out?— No. I lodged a complaint with Captain Bartlett, and he ordered me to come to town. 269. He was in command of the corps ?—Yes. 270. When, complaints were being made about the food being insufficiently, cooked and so on, to your officers, do you know what steps they took ?—No. 271. Was there any improvement afterwards ?—Yes, there was an improvement. 272. Major Hawkins.] Do you know whether there were brigade, battalion, of company orderboards in the camp ?—No, I did not see any. 273. If a parade was going to take place, how did you know it?— The orders I heard read were by Sergeant Reeve the night previous to the rehearsal, and I went to the officers' tent for orders for the procession. Those were the only orders I read in the camp. 274. How did you read them in camp ? —I went to each tent and read them. 275. Each tent of your own corps ?—Yes. 276. The Chairman.] What guards were mounted in the camp : was there a quarter-guard mounted by any corps, or could the men go out and in any time they liked ?—One night the Stratfords were on guard. They had a tent just inside the enclosure. 277. Do you know how many men where mounted there?— No. 278. Did your corps furnish a guard ?—No. When I came back there was no guard when the Stratfords furnished it. 279. What time at night did you come back ? —I came back with the last 'bus—about 11 o'clock. 280. What night was it ?—I think it was at the latter end of the week. I came back and put a night in camp when I got well again. 281. You say there was no guard then?— The Stratfords had furnished a guard, but there was no one at the gate when we came back from town. 282. Was any one at the guard-tent? —No one challenged us when we came in. 283. There was no sentry, and no one in the guard-tent?—l did not see any one. 284. Was there any light there ?—I could not say. 285. Was that the only guard mounted—just inside the entrance ?—There was a guard mounted one night when I was out, but I cannot say what night it was. When we got there the guard challenged us, and told us to report ourselves at the guard-tent. 286. Was there any guard anywhere but at the entrance ?—We had a guard posted for onr horses. 287. How many men did you furnish for a guard ?—I forget how many men there were. 288. Had you charge of a guard ?—No. 289. Colonel Davies.] Did your corps parade every day?—We paraded for the rehearsal and the procession. Ido not know whether they paraded any more than that. 290. Were you acting-sergeant in the camp ?— Yes. 291. Did you ever take the duty of orderly sergeant for the company ?—One night I went and got orders from the officers' tent. 292. What were they?— The orders for the procession. That would be the night of the rehearsal. I never saw the usual orders. 293. Were the orders read, to any company?—l did not hear them. The orders were read by Sergeant Reeve. I did not hear them read, as I was out. I understand they were taken round when we first got into the tent. 294. Do you think the men knew the hours for everything without hearing the bugle ?—I had an idea that we always had the orders, although I did not hear them read. 295. For instance, how was leave granted ?—There was a leave one night which Sergeant Reeve read, and I wrote out the passes and Captain Bartlett signed them. There was general leave the last night. Alfred Robert Bryce examined. (No. 8.) 296. The Chairman.] You are a sergeant in what corps ?—The Alexandra Mounted Rifles. 297. Were you with your corps at Newtown Park during the Royal visit ?—Yes. 298. When did you go into camp there?—On Sunday. 299. How long did you remain there?— Until Friday. 300. Did you go to Christchurch ?—No. '.-..

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301. How many of your corps were in camp ?—We expected to muster fifty, and were one or two short. 302. Was the food you got sufficient in quantity?— There was plenty of it. 303. How was it as to quality ?—We did not eat much of it—we could not eat it. 304. Why not ?—lt was so badly cooked. 305. The provisions were wholesome in themselves, but badly cooked ? —Yes. It was good enough, but was spoiled in the cooking. 306. What are you speaking of ?—The bread and meat were good, and also the butter. 307. Were the vegetables good?—On only one occasion we drew potatoes. We had bread and meat. 308. How was it you only drew potatoes once? —We were told there were none. 309. Were those you got properly cooked ? —As far as I know they were. 310. How about the fodder for your horses ?—We were short. We missed two or three feeds throughout the camp. Several times we found there was no fodder to be got. 311. No oats or chaff ?— No fodder at all. 312. What did you do on those occasions ? —The horses went without. 313. You say that happened on how many occasions ? —Two or three. 314. Did that apply to the camp generally?—l am speaking of my own corps. 315. How were you off for tent accommodation ?—-We were well off. 316. Had you plenty of straw ?—Yes. 317. Did your straw get wet ? —No. 318. Had you waterproof sheets for your own corps ?—I had one myself. Some of the others had also, and some not. 319. Did any one in your corps or tent make complaints about the rations ?—Yes; I made a complaint myself. 320. To whom did you complain ?—Lieutenant Morgan, of my corps. 321. What complaint did you make ? —That the breakfast was not fit to eat; and I also complained to Captain Watt. 322. Did you complain to any one about the fodder for the horses being short ?—I do not think I did myself, but the complaint was forwarded, because I remember our own officers talking about it. 323. What condition was the camp in as regards mud? —Where we were it was quite dry. We were on the ridge. 324. Who was your captain?— Captain James Watt. 325. Where did you water the horses ?—We started on the flat, but something went wrong with the waterpipes and we had to take them to the dam. 326. Did you take notice of the cooking arrangements? —I was only down there once, and that was the morning we came away. Things were a bit disorganized, and the men had to go down and draw their rations themselves. The camp was breaking up then. 327. Was it in a bad condition that morning ?—lt was in a fearful mess. 328. What arrangements were there for cooking ?—Only a trench, and a place to put the meat on. It was very muddy about there. 329. Did you see anything of the disturbance down town on the Wednesday afternoon ?— No; I was not in town on the Wednesday afternoon. 330. Do you know anything about it ? —Only what everyone knows and about Colonel Penton coming up. 331. Did you know any one who took part in the procession ? —No. 332. Beyond what I have asked you about, do you know of any matter for complaint in the camp ?—No, I do not know of any. 333. Were the men visited at meal-times by an orderly officer?—l do not remember any officer visiting my own corps. 334. Where did the sergeants mess ?—ln their own tents. 335. Colonel Davies] You say you do not remember an orderly officer visiting the men's tents during meal-times ? —No. 336. Was an orderly officer detailed every day ?—Yes. 337. For the corps or battalion? —For the corps. There might have been one for the battalion as well. 338. How many officers were there in your corps ? —Captain Watt, Captain Sommerville, and Lieutenant Morgan. 339. How long have you been in the Alexandra Mounted Rifles ?—Since 1897, I think. 340. How do the rationing and foraging in the Newtown Park camp compare with that of other camps you have been in ? —Very badly. It was nothing like so good. 341. The rations were not so good and they were not so well cooked ? —No. 342. You said the rations were all right, but they were spoiled in the cooking?— That is practically what it was. 343. Do you know who was on the battalion staff in the camp ?—I know of one officer. 344. You were orderly sergeant ?—Yes, for two days. 345. Did you ever go for orders ?—No. 346. You never had to go for written orders, battalion or brigade orders ?—No. 347. The Chairman.] Did you never hear the bugle sounding for orders ? —I heard it once. The only orders I got when orderly sergeant was when Lieutenant Morgan put them into my hand. 348. As orderly sergeant you never saw any camp or battalion orders ? —No. 349. You do not know whether there was a camp adjutant or not ? —No, not officially. 350. If there had been any orders you would have gone to get them. You were never told that part of your duties as orderly sergeant was to get orders ?—No.

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351. Was there a camp sergeant-major ? —The sergeant-major of the Hawera Mounted Bifles was acting as battalion sergeant-major. 352. Was there a camp sergeant-major ?—Not to my knowledge. 353. Major Hawkins.] As orderly sergeant, and hearing the bugle sound for orders, where would you go for them ?—I suppose we would have been instructed before where to go when the bugle sounded. 354. Colonel Davies.] You never had any battalion orders at all?— No. 355. Or any orders of any description ?—Only our own company orders telling off the orderlies and picket for the horses. 356. Company orders by your own company commander ?—Yes. 357. The Chairman.] Did you get any orders about parades ? —No. The only time we knew a parade was coming off was when the bugle sounded and we fell in. 358. No order was issued for the next day ?—No.

Wednesday, 7th August, 1901. Captain Charles Dunk examined. (No. 9.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your name, rank, and corps ?—Charles Dunk, Captain Commanding the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. 2. How long have you been captain of that corps ? —Since June, 1891. 3. You and your corps were at the Newton Park camp in June last ?—Yes. 4. Do you remember the strength of your corps in camp on that occasion ?—Forty-seven horses and fifty-one men. 5. When did you go into camp?—On the night of the 13th June. 6. And remained in camp until when ? —Until the first batch of men went away in the s.s. "Flora" for Christchurch. 7. What tent accommodation was there in camp for the men ?—They were pretty closely packed. I think we had only four tents for the men, and one tent between the three officers. 8. Had the men plenty of straw ?—There was sufficient straw, because more was issued after the first night. 9. What have you to say with regard to the rations for the men? —So far as the quality is concerned, they were quite good—very good indeed. 10. And as to quantity ? —There was no complaint as to quantity. The only complaint was in reference to the cooking. Many times the meat was scarcely warmed through. On one or two occasions the men complained about it, and I informed Colonel Sommerville. We took a fair sample of the whole of the rations, and they were carried down for his inspection. 11. When was that? —-I think it was on the Monday morning. 12. What happened then? —-The reply was that he could do very little in the matter. 13. Do you know whether the contractor or quartermaster was interviewed about it?—At various times I heard the colonel speak to the contractor about it through the telephone. 14. Did it improve in any way ?—Right through to the end the meat was not cooked. On many occasions there was absolutely no tea at all. 15. That was for your men? —Yes. 16. Can you speak as to other corps ?—Only those I was temporarily put in charge of. 17. Which were they?— The Manawatu, Awanui, Otaki, and Hunterville corps. 18. Those corps at times had not tea at all?— Yes; and at other times it was very poor. It was caused by two reasons. In the first place the water ran out, and in the second place it was impossible to boil the water because there was no cover for the men— the weather was so bad. 19. After the tea was made what was the quality of it ? —Not too good. 20. As regards the rations, how were they as to quantity ?—I heard no complaints as to the quantity. My opinion is that if they had been properly cooked no complaints would have been heard. 21. Had you any sausages and other small things ? —Yes. 22. Were they properly cooked ? —Just warmed through, and sometimes they were just as bad as they could possibly be. One morning the whole of the breakfast was collected in pans, and one or two of them were taken to Colonel Sommerville for his inspection. The sausages were perfectly raw, and so was the beef. 23. How often did you complain to Colonel Sommerville about the rations not being cooked ? —Not more than once or twice. Colonel Sommerville told me he was powerless to do anything. 24. Did you inspect the cooking arrangements yourself ? —Yes. 25. What were they like ?—They were just as simple as they possibly could be. The cooks in cooking the men's rations had no cover at all. A trench was cut a few feet away from the foot of the ridge at Newtown Park, and after a fairly heavy shower of rain the water ran down from the road and filled the trench. 26. How long would it have taken a fatigue party to put up some corrugated iron as a protection ? —A very short time—sufficient to protect the cooks. There would only be a few hours' work. 27. Was that suggested by anybody ?—I do not know. I said to the cooks that it was hard lines that they should be left out in the wind and weather to cook the stuff. It was no usecom- - plaining to those men ; it was not their fault. 28. Supposing a covering had been put up, would there have been any difficulty in cooking the rations?— Not the least. There was plenty of good matai wood there.

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29. With regard to the horses, how were they off for forage? —There was any amount of forage. To a great extent it was " Go as you please, and take what you like." 30. Was it good ?—Yes. The only thing about the forage was this : I do not know who was in fault, but the contractors brought the hay, chaff, and oats, and dumped them down at the foot of the hills. I understood there were two large tents erected to put this stuff in, but on very few occasions were they used. The stuff was dumped down in the wet, and the horses would not eat the wet oats and chaff although it was good. 31. You say those tents were not used?—On one or two occasions I think they were used, but not always. 32. What was the state of the camp with regard to mud?—l do not think it could possibly be worse. I have seen many stock- and cattle-yards, but never saw anything like that. 33. How many picket-lines were there for the horses ?—Four, I think. The lines that were really the worst were those on the main entrance side of the Park, No. 1 Battalion, Captain Loveday's. That was the worst line, and ours was the next. 34. Was yours shifted at all ?—No. 35. Were any of the mounted rifles in camp shifted?— Yes; all the Wairarapa and Hawke's Bay men were shifted. That is to say, an application was made to the colonel, and he gave them permission to go at their own risk. He called the officers together and gave those instructions. 36. What day was that?—l think that was on the Monday. I am not quite certain as to the day. 37. It was after the Sunday ?—I think so. 38. What is your opinion as to the propriety of that place as a camp for mounted men ? —I should think it was about the worst place to put that quantity of men with horses in the wintertime. It is known to be a bad place in wet weather even for football. I had experience of it at the time of the Fifth Contingent, and knew it well. 39. Is that the place you would have selected for a camp ?—lt is just about the last place I should have put mounted men in in the winter-time. 40. You were in charge of a battalion ?—Yes. 41. What staff had you?—l had no officers under me. I did make Sergeant Pringle temporary adjutant. 42. That is all you appointed ?—I had to appoint my own battalion sergeant-major, and also my own quartermaster for the battalion 43. Who was quartermaster? —Palmer. 44. What brigade staff was appointed?— Captain McDermott was acting, I think. There was no staff, so far as I know. 45. What did you understand Captain McDermott was ?—He seemed to be filling a number of posts. 46. Was any staff ever appointed in brigade orders ?—I have no recollection of it. 47. Did you get any orders ? —Yes ; there were certain orders issued, but only as regards meals and parades, and that sort of thing. 48. Were there no other orders than those ?—I do not remember any. 49. That would be when you first went into camp ? —Yes. 50. Were no daily orders issued ? —The orders issued stood for the remainder of the camp, to the best of my knowledge. 51. Who was the quartermaster of the camp ? —Lieutenant Thurston. 52. Did you see any of your officers make any complaints to him at all?— Yes; he was often being rounded up and complained to about the wet forage, rations, and all kinds of things connected with his department. 53. Colonel Davies.] Did all the officers sleep in camp ?—No. 54. Were they allowed to sleep where they liked ?—I suppose so. 55. You have not any order-book ?—No. 56. You had nineteen corps altogether in the camp ?—Yes. 57. There were nineteen corps which were supposed to be put into four battalions : were there any orders issued as to who was to command the battalions, or what they were to be formed of, or what the staff was to consist of ? —I do not know. If there were they have quite slipped my memory. 58. There were no brigade orders issued to say that Captain Dunk, for instance, is in command of such-and-such a battalion ?—No. 59. And no brigade orders detailing the staff?— No. 60. You say there was Captain McDermott ?—He was adjutant, I think. He was so in Christchurch, and I think he was right through the piece. 61. At any rate, there was no one else ? —No. 62. What was Captain Winter?—He was in charge of the officers' mess, so far as I know. 63. There were no orders with regard to brigade or battalion ? —I will not say there were not, but I have no recollection of seeing them. 64. With regard to the forage, you say it was dumped down on the ground and left ?—That was the system, and, although there were tents for it, the men simply helped themselves; and, as I said, the forage was spoiled very much by the wet. 65. There were no orders issued as to leave for the officers to sleep outside camp?— Not that I know of. 66. Do you know anything about the disturbance that took place in the street?—No; I was away at the time. That was the day I obtained leave from the Defence Minister to remove the horses, and we left camp about 3 o'clock on our way to the Hutt with the battalion horses, so that we were absolutely clear of that affair, 4—H. 19a,

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67. Did all your men go too?— All, with the exception of a guard left at the gate. 68. Who were they?—A sergeant and two men. 69. Can you give me the sergeant's name? —It would be Sergeant Sorenson. 70. Had you only two sergeants ? —Yes, there are only two in the corps. 71. Who was Sergeant Rankin ?—He used to belong to the Manawatu Rifles, but left about six months ago. 72. When did he get his discharge?—At the time, or about the time. Colonel Penton questioned me about that on the morning he came to the camp to speak about the procession. He said Sergeant Rankin was there in uniform, and gave his name as a member of the Manawatu corps. I said he would not do that, because he left quite six or eight months ago. I think it is pretty well known how he was here, and why. 73. Can you tell us ?—He lent his horse to Major Hall, of the Palmerston North Rifles, and he came down to look after his own horse, coming, of course, in uniform to get a free ticket. 74. He came down here as a groom to Major Hall in a sergeant's uniform, which he had no right to wear?— Yes. That was mentioned on the morning of the parade after the procession, and Colonel Penton turned to Major Madocks and said, " You take a note of that." 75. Did you know he was travelling down to do this ? —No; I had no idea that Rankin was coming in uniform, and I do not know how he got it. 76. You had no knowledge until later that he travelled in uniform ?—-No ; he did not come down in the same train that we did. 77. When did you first hear about this ?—When Colonel Penton said that one of my men's names was taken as being in the procession. I immediately asked him the name, and he said he was a sergeant. I knew that was impossible, because I knew where my sergeants were. He then said it was Rankin, and I told him he had left the corps some months ago. 78. Where was Major Hall camped?—At Mount Cook School. 79. Was Rankin with you ?—No. 80. You did not see him in uniform at that time ?—No. 81. And never heard of it at the time? —No; I do not think any of our men knew he was down. We came into Wellington by an early train, and the others came down later. 82. Do you know that he travelled in uniform?—l am almost sure he did. He went through to Christchurch afterwards in uniform. 83. Did you see him in uniform in Christchurch ?—Yes; and he returned by the boat in uniform —I believe, in the saloon. . 84. The Chairman.] Did you not check him?— What could Ido ? He had no other clothes with him. It was too late then. 85. It was not too late to lay an information ?—After what Colonel Penton said I thought it was quite sufficient. Colonel Penton told Major Madocks to make inquiries as to whether this was so. 86. You know nothing more of that procession ? —No, I know nothing of that, because we were away from town. 87. Were you present next morning when Colonel Penton mustered the troops ?—Yes. 88. Can you tell us what happened ?—I do not exactly remember the words he used, but the report which appeared in the Evening Post was a correct one. The colonel ordered the reporter away after he had finished his remarks, but it was too late then. 89. It is stated that Colonel Penton called certain people cowardly ; whom did he refer to ?— He referred to those men who were guilty and would not own up. He did not refer to the whole of the men, but only to those who were shielding themselves at the expense of other people. I have not the slightest doubt of that —he did not refer to the whole of us. 90. Major Hawkins.] How many corps were there in camp when you arrived there with your company? —I think there were only two or three when we got in. 91. Then how do you account for the shortage of tents for your men? —The colonel informed me there would be a certain number of tents. I suppose he knew the number of men that were coming into camp and prepared accordingly. 92. Did you prepare a marching-instate?— Yes. 93. Was it raining then ?—No. 94. How long after you got into camp was it before it commenced to rain heavily ?—lt was showery immediately after we reached camp. On the Saturday there was a good deal of rain, I think. On Sunday morning it was very bad. 95. Do you think that if, immediately after your arrival at the camp, steps had been taken to put up fair shelter for the cooks, the cause for grumbling would have been very much minimised ? —Yes, undoubtedly. I think the cooks were doing their best. They were undermanned, but it was mainly caused by the men being exposed to the weather. It was simply impossible to cook there. 96. On arrival in camp did you make yourself conversant with the arrangements by getting a copy of the orders ? —I did, as far as I possibly could. There were no copies to be obtained at that time. Certain orders came out, but Ido not remember what they were. There were orders, but they were not very clear. 97. Were you in charge of that battalion of four companies temporarily, or had you any right to be in charge ?—I have no right, but lam the senior. 98. Therefore, you are the next for appointment as commanding officer to that particular battalion ?—The battalion is formed, but no appointment has been made yet. 99. Have those corps been long enough in existence to have the staff appointed?— Yes, they have all earned last year's capitation, I understand. Of course, I had nothing to do with them until I reached camp that night. I was only appointed temporarily for this particular camp.

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100. As regards Sergeant Rankin, is it the rule in your corps to allow discharged men and non-commissioned officers to retain their uniforms ?—They return everything except their leggings and riding-breeches. 101. Do the men pay for their uniforms on joining—say, five guineas?— Yes, and if a man leaves he retains his breeches and leggings. 102. Can you account for Rankin having a uniform in his possession belonging to your corps ? —The only way that I can account for it is that he borrowed it. 103. Have you a storekeeper connected with your company?— Yes, the quartermaster-ser-geant. 104. He would have some record of it if Rankin's uniform had been returned to the corps?— Yes ; as a matter of fact, it was returned, I know. 105. You do not know of your own knowledge that this man actually borrowed the uniform from any man of your company ?—I simply know he must have borrowed one, because he could not have obtained it in any other way. 106. You are satisfied he was in a uniform of your corps?—l am quite sure that it is identical, so far as appearance went. He acknowledges it was. 107. Did you ask him on the steamer, or in Christchurch, how he came by the uniform?—l asked him, and he said he had borrowed it. I think that was his reply. 108. The Chairman.] Will you tell me his name ?—William Rankin. 109. Where does he live?—At Linton. As regards removing the horses, I would like to say that Colonel Penton gave me a slating for removing them. The fact was that the camp was in a terrible state, and the horses were suffering from exposure, and I rang up the heads of the department —Colonel Newall and Colonel Penton's offices —for some information or instruction, because the men said they would not leave their horses in the park at night, but would take them away. The men came to me repeatedly to know if anything could be done. As Colonel Sommerville was away in town, and as I could get no reply, I then telephoned the Defence Minister for permission to remove the horses. Colonel Penton charged me with complaining to the Defence Minister of the disgraceful state of the camp at Newtown Park, but I did not. I simply asked for permission to remove the horses to the paddocks I had obtained for them. 110. The Chairman.] From what you have told us, do you not think there was ground for complaining about the state of the camp at Newtown Park? —I do, decidedly. The Premier asked me as to the state of the camp, and I told him it was very bad. He asked me what I wanted, and I said I wanted to remove the horses to a paddock at the Hutt. He asked me if that was a proper thing to do, and I said I thought it was the best thing, and then he said, " Very well, you do it, if you think it is the best thing, and I will take the blame." 111. What were the arrangements for the officers' mess?— They had a little bit of shelter there. The chief cook had a few sheets of iron over him, and the cooking was, perhaps, not very good; but, considering the weather, it was fair. I think I had every meal in camp, and it was not so bad. 112. Was it that little building we have heard of, about 15ft. long?— Yes; it might be that, but not more than 15 ft. 113. Was the meat for the officers' mess properly cooked?— Yes ;it was not too good; it was rough. 114. Is there anything we have not asked you about this camp that you can tell us, and which you think we should know ?—I think not. 115. Colonel Davis.] Whom did you ask for permission to shift those horses?— The Defence Minister. 116. Why did you not ask the officer commanding the camp?—He was away. Compaintshad been made urging him to allow me to shift the horses, and he told me he would make it his business to go direct to Colonel Penton in town, and about 11 o'clock he would telephone me the the reply. That reply did not reach me, and I waited about until half-past 2. I tried to get information from Colonel Penton's and Colonel Newall's offices, and failed; and the only thing I could do, as the men were in a great state of mind, and went so far as to say they would not leave their horses in camp another day, was to ask the Defence Minister's permission. I had already got a paddock for them. 117. Why did you not get an answer from the officer commanding the camp ?—That I cannot say. 118. Was he in Wellington at the time ?—He was in the town. He said he would telephone me at 11 o'clock; but he did not, because I had a telephone orderly there the whole of the time. 119. Who do you think was the proper person to complain to ? —The Officer Commanding the District; but he was in town, away from camp. I informed the senior officer in camp that I had permission to remove the horses before doing so. 120. But you did not have permission from the officer commanding the camp ?—No. 121. Of course you know that no one could properly order anything except through the officer commanding the camp ?—Yes. 122. And no communication should have gone out to anybody else ?—I quite admit that. 123. The Chairman.] Was what was true of your horses true of other horses in the camp?— Yes, except the Alexandras, who were not in the mud at all. 124. Were not some of the horses shifted under the trees ?—Yes, pretty well all the East Coast horses were. 125. And when you shifted yours out to the Hutt what horses were left in the mud?— Very few indeed. I took the four companies of my battalion with me, and the Pahiatuas also. 126. Do you think the horses suffered much in condition from the exposure?— Yes, very much indeed, and some of them have not recovered yet. There is no question about that.

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Captain Edwin Bartlett examined. (No. 10.) 127. The Chairman.] What is your name, rank, and corps?— Edwin Bartlett, Captain Commanding the Hawera Mounted Rifles. 128. How long have you been in command of that corps ?—Since my return from Africa in March last. 129. How long have you been a member of the corps ?—Since 1895, I think it was. 130. Which contingent were you with in South Africa?— The first. 131. Did you go into camp in June last at Newtown Park with your corps ?—Yes. 132. How many strong were you ?—Forty-six. 133. How many tents had you?— Six, including the officers'. 134. Was the tent accommodation, in your opinion, sufficient ?—Yes, just about sufficient. 135. Had you plenty of straw ?—No. 136. Did you ask for more?— Yes. 137. Did you get it ?—Yes. 138. Had any of your men waterproof sheets ? —About two-thirds of them. 139. Were they their own property ?—Yes. 140. What about the rations for the men ? Have you anything to say about them ?—ln the first place I found they were not sufficient. When I arrived in camp at half-past Bon Sunday night tea was supposed to be provided for the men, and when I sent down to the galley for the meal I found there was no meat. In fact, there was only about two gallons of tea for the whole of the men. 141. There was no meat, or bread and butter? —No. I went along to the officers' tent and from there took sufficient bread, butter, and cheese, to give the men something to eat. 142. After that how were the rations?—At times they were fairly plentiful, and at other times there was little or nothing. 143. How was the cooking?— Very bad at times. It was a sort of "happy-go-lucky." Sometimes the food was cooked and sometimes not. 144. Were the sausages, chops, and other small things cooked?— Not always. 145. Did you make complaints to any one ? —Yes. 146. To whom ?—Twice to Colonel Sommerville, and twice to the contractor —or the representative of the contractor. On one occasion I saw the contractor himself personally, and told him if the thing occurred again I would have no alternative but to take the men out of the camp and feed them at his expense. He said he was very sorry, but would send up sufficient. He went down to the telephone to get his wife to send up some preserves, which she did. 147. How was the bread that was served out to the men? —Taking it right through, it was medium. It was patchy, and depended upon the way it was served out. When you happened to be a little late you had to take what you could get. 148. How about the potatoes ?—Sometimes we could not get them at all. 149. How about the forage for the horses ?—That was similar. On two days—or rather one day and part of the second day—there were no oats at all. One day we had chaff, and latterly a little hay. . , 150. How was it served out ?—ln a " happy-go-lucky " way. A wagon would come in with the forage, and in some cases never reach the marquee put there to receive it. It was met by members of the different corps and taken as they practically liked. 151. To your knowledge was it ever put in the marquees set aside for it?—l believe so, at times. 152. Was any one in charge of the forage?— Yes. 153. Who ?—I understand Quartermaster Thurston, of Wairoa. There was a guard of a sergeant and three men over the forage. That was in the tent. . 154. Were ration indents issued to you for rations or forage ?—No. 155. Who was in charge of your battalion ? —Captain Watt. 156. What staff was appointed for your battalion ?—Lieutenant Morgan was appointed actingadjutant, and there was a sergeant-major and quartermaster-sergeant appointed to the camp, and they collected the details, and number of men in camp, and issued orders. 157. Were you aware of any brigade staff being appointed?—No, I was not aware of any. Lieutenant Thurston, I understood, was appointed quartermaster of the camp. When I could not get .any forage I inquired who was quartermaster, and was told that Lieutenant Thurston was appointed. 158. Were no brigade orders reported to you through your lines ?—Yes, on two occasions I got brigade orders through our battalion commander, Captain Watt. They related to an officer who was to accompany each lot of men when they were serving out rations, and to see that the men got them. 159. Did you comply with the order as far as your company was concerned?'—Yes. 160. Do you know whether the order was complied with as regards other companies in your battalion ? —I could not say. 161. Do you not know that a battalion and a company orderly-sergeant should be appointed? — Yes, that was in.the orders. There was to be an orderly-sergeant and an orderly-corporal appointed for each of the battalions. . 162. Were they appointed?—l believe so. 163. Were any orders, issued either by the Brigade Office or from your own battalion commander, communicated to the officers and to the men from the companies from time to time ? —I can only speak for my own corps. The sergeant-major went along to the battalion commander's tent, and.received the orders from the . adjutant, and. he came down and made us acquainted with. the. orders, regularly. ... .... ... '~,.;„ ..".,'.-./."

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• 164. That is the orders issued by your own commander ?—Yes. 165. And as to orders from the commander of the camp, Colonel Sommerville, what did you get from him?— They would come through our battalion commander. 166. And whatever orders he issued you think you got?—l could not say. On several occasions we did not get orders until 9 o'clock in the morning, and then we had to send up for them. I have sent up at 10 o'clock at night and not got any, and next morning we would get orders at 9 o'clock. I know two occasions when that occurred. 167. Did you see the arrangements made for cooking in the camp?— Yes. 168. What were they like ?—To my mind they were worse than poor. 169. Just describe them? —The cooking was done in the open, along a trench, with iron bars for the pots. That seemed to be the cause of the trouble. 170. What would it have cost, and how long would it have taken, to make sufficient shelter for the cooks with a fatigue party from the camp ?—I should not think it would take long. The thing ought to have been done in a matter of a few hours. There were any amount of men there to do it. 171. When the meat was served up was it cooked?— Sometimes it was, and sometimes not. The trouble seemed to be, in most cases, due to the want of water. Sometimes at half-past 11 the cooks were not able to get a drop of water, and when the meat was cooked it seemed as though the water it had been cooked in had been dirty—that is to say, it had that appearance, because the meat was discoloured. 172. Do you know what arrangements were made for supplying the camp with water? —Yes; there were two half-inch pipes, and they passed the water through the troughs in which the horses were watered, so that it was cut off from the cooks when the horses were there. 173. You say, practically, that the supply was insufficient? —Yes. 174. Colonel Davies.] You never saw any regular brigade camp orders?— No. 175. I understand there were nineteen companies formed into four battalions? —Yes. 176. Did you ever see the officers commanding the battalions detailed in brigade orders ?— No. 177. You never saw any brigade orders such as you have been accustomed to see in South Africa during the last year or two ?—-No. 178. You say that your orderly-sergeant went up and got orders ? —Yes. Sometimes it would be 9 o'clock in the morning when we got them, and sometimes we would not get any. In the absence of any orders, the camp being in such a state, we were anxious to let the men out as soon as possible ; and when there were no orders issued that was our object in sending for them. 179. Where were the men, then, in the morning ?—ln camp. 180. What was the rule with regard to leave ? —I never let any of my men out of camp unless I got some definite information from the battalion commander. 181. You did not know when there was to be a parade ?—Sometimes we got orders the evening before that there was to be a parade in the morning. 182. You never saw even the officers commanding the battalions detailed for orders ?—I never saw any, and do not think any were circulated. I inquired, and was told that Captain Watt was commander for No. 1 Battalion, and Captain Howie, I think, for No. 3. 183. There were no orders with regard to leave, and, as far as you know, the officer commanding a company could do as he liked ?—Before I granted leave I communicated with the officer commanding the battalion. 184. About the forage : you say there was no system in issuing it ?—No. 185. It was practically rushed when it came in the gate?— Yes. 186. You say there was a guard over the forage marquee? —I passed through the forage marquee on three occasions, and on two of them it was absolutely empty. 187. Had your men any greatcoats?'—They all had covers of some kind. 188. Their own property ?—Yes. - 189. Your corps, then, has no greatcoats yet ? —No. 190. There were no military coats ?—I do not think so as a corps. No doubt there was a sprinkling of them. 191. What was the principal cause of the trouble with regard to the rations ; do you think it was due to cooking outside and the weather being so bad?— Not necessarily so. I have had experience of wet weather before, and had the rations done properly. I think the fault lies in the contract system. If the rations had been served out to cooks provided by the companies the thing could have been carried through with far better results, and with less expense. 192. What do you think about the price, 2s. Id. ?—When I heard about it, I thought we were going to live like fighting-cocks, but I was certainly disappointed in more ways than one. From what I have seen, both in our own camp and since, I think we could have lived far better for considerably less if we had gone to the expense of finding our own cooks. 193. But your own cooks would have put up shelter ?—Yes, that would be an advantage both for the men and the cooks. 194. Do you not think that having no shelter caused a great deal of the trouble ?—lt hampered the cooks undoubtedly, because everything was thrown practically on a couple of boards on the grass, although sometimes is was taken away to a little tent some distance away; but there was no general provision made. 195. You say it was a case of perhaps you got it, and perhaps you did not ?—Yes. . 196. Do you not think that system would have been improved if a proper staff had been detailed?— There is no doubt about that. There was no proper staff, and it was left to each officer commanding to do the best he could. It simply meant jumping off on the march when the bugle went, and if you were first you were fortunate, and, if last, unfortunate.

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197. In fact, there were nineteen corps without any organization at all, left to scramble for their food ? —I do not say they had to scramble for it, but those men who got there in time had it served out to them, and those who came a bit late had to get what they could. 198. There was no proper supervision over the rations?— No. I know that on the occasion when we had an officer present it was served out as well as it could be under the circumstances, but there was no proper indent signed and handed in to the cook-orderlies. 199. Did the D.A.A.G. (B.) supervise?—l did not see him on the occasions when I was there. On two or three occasions I went up to see how the boys were getting on, and I saw the quartermaster there on two occasions, 200. Have you gone up and found no one there ? —No officer. 201. On more than one occasion?—l could not say for certain. I only noticed one case. 202. Did you make a formal complaint about the bad food ?—Yes. 203. To whom ?—Colonel Sommerville. 204. Did you ever complain to the camp quartermaster, Lieutenant Thurston?- —Yes, I spoke to him on several occasions. 205. What did he say?—He said more forage had been ordered, and he could not understand it. He said more had been sent up than we were entitled to, and he was unable to account for the shortage. 206. Did you tell him the cause of it ?—I told him it never reached the tent, and was taken by the men as they liked. 207. There was no reason why the men could not get five or six bags at the gateway and another five or six bags at the tent ?—No. I was told on one occasion when there was no forage that it was coming up. I was waiting for a wagon to come in, but we got none of it because it was rushed ; and so was another wagon. There was no quartermaster or any one there to take charge of it. I told the men to take a number of bags, and on that particular occasion I got the oats I wanted, but the men had got no oats on the night previous. They had got bran, hay, and chaff. 208. You told the men what to do, because there was no one else in charge ?—Yes. 209. Much the same thing happened, I suppose, with the rations ?—That is how I think the thing did occur. It is possible that there might have been sufficient rations if they had been served out properly. 210. Did you ever complain of this want of supervision?—l complained to Colonel Sommerville of the way in which the rations were served up, and said that if any one came late they ran short. 211. Did he say he would remedy it ? —He said an officer was detailed to be present from the different corps to supervise it. 212. Did he say to supervise the brigade issue ?—I do not think there was any one. to look after that. Lieutenant Thurston practically took up the running of the forage, and his time was taken up with that. 213. Major Hawkins.] On arrival at camp on the Sunday to whom did you report yourself?— On that occasion to Colonel Sommerville. 214. Did he then give you any instructions ?—He told me where I would get forage, and the men could get tea and meat at the galley. 215. Later on you complained that there was no tea provided for your men?— Yes. 216. To whom ?—Colonel Sommerville. 217. What was his answer ?—He said that things were a bit mixed, as it were, and that it was rather unfortunate coming a bit late; that things were a bit upside-down, but they would right themselves. I naturally expected something of the kind, and was prepared for it. I did not expect everything to be in tip-top order. 218. Did Colonel Sommerville appear surprised that you had come? —No. I had wired him before I left home that I was coming with so many men. 219. And he must have known about your arrival ?—Yes. The staff sergeant-major was down at the train to meet us. 220. How long notice had he ?—I wired him on Saturday afternoon. 221. Did you ever see an officer at the serving of rations checking off the number of men per corps?—No ; I did not see him. 222. Say the men's dinner-call sounded, how did the ration-orderlies fall in ?—They each fell in and marched down to the galley, and the sergeant in charge of the cook-orderlies knew how many men he had to feed, and he simply gave that number to the cook. 223. On arrival at the cook's galley who fook charge of this ration party ?—I take it there would be one officer appointed each day to superintend this —not an officer from each corps. 224. The Chairman.] But was an officer appointed each day?—l do not know. All I know is, that I got notice that we were to appoint an officer of our corps for a particular day, and we did. 225. Major Haivkins.] For the whole battalion ?—He was practically appointed to take the place of the officer of the day, to superintend the issue of rations. But I took the order to be independent of the officer of the day. 226. Did ration parties fall in by battalion or by companies?—By companies. 227. Was there any order as to seniority or anything of the kind?—-No; as they came up to the galleys they simply fell-in. On one occasion, when I was passing, I noticed that they did not fall-in as though they were under control. They did not present themselves in the order in which they came —they practically formed a circle right round. It was impossible for the cook to see whom he was serving out to on that particular occasion. It was a general muddle. 228. It was a general muddle and scramble?— Yes. 229. What was your feeling about the whole matter?—My feeling was that I would very much

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have liked to leave the camp altogether. Not even on active service have I seen the thing in such a filthy state, and never in any camp in New Zealand before. 230. You have mentioned that Lieutenant Thurston was quartermaster. How did you know he was quartermaster?—By inquiring. When I could not get any forage I inquired who was quartermaster, and I was told that he was, and I went down to him. 231. You had young officers, who had had no previous experience of camps at all, in.the camp generally ?—Yes; there were a lot of officers who had had no experience of any camp at all. 232. You have had years of experience, and knew how to go about to get information? —Yes. 233. But young officers who had had no previous experience, acting as captain in command of a company, would not know who was quartermaster, and would have to go round to fossick for information ? —Yes. 234. There was no order paper ?—No. 235. There was generally a want of organization ?—That is what I took it to be all through. 236. The Chairman.] I see that in the list of rations milk was to be supplied ?—I never saw it. It was supplied to the officers. I know that on three different occasions I inspected the men when they were having their meals, and I never saw milk on any occasion in their tea or coffee. I cannot say there was none issued. 237. Was the food, attempted to be cooked, good ? —lt looked to me to be good. On one occasion I was short of food for the men, and I went up and found some cold meat. It did not look very inviting, but after I had got a knife and cut the outside off it looked very nice. 238. What is your opinion as to the suitability of Newtown Park as a place to camp mounted men on that occasion ?—I do not think, considering the season of the year, they could have got a worse place. There was no get-away for the water, and the natural formation of the ground led all the water into the place where the horses were. 239. We are told that it is made ground ?—I do not know that. 240. But if it is would you have chosen that place ?—No, the horses and men were bundled together. 241. You think it is not a proper place to camp, them ?—Certainly not. 242. Did the horses suffer much from being there ?—The horses in the picket-lines did. 243. Where were you camped: among the trees?— Yes. 244. What about those on the basin ?—We were all supposed to be in the basin, but the state of the ground was so bad that, in the absence of orders, our horses were shifted " on our own," because I could not allow them to remain as they were, and seeing the trees there, without making use of them. _ 245. We were told that one battalion was there on the afternoon of Wednesday : how about their horses ?—lf they were there the whole time I think they must have suffered terribly. 246. Seeing that the weather was so bad and the camp in such a state of mud, if you had been in command, of the camp what would you have done?— There are plenty of places about they could get; but, failing to get another place, they ought to have broken camp. After the first night I shifted my tent as well. There were three tents practically under water, and when I went next morning I saw everything in the tent and outside in a dreadful state. I told the men they could not stay there, and not to ask questions but to shift their tents up into the trees; and eventually the three others went. 247. Were there any orders issued that day?— No. 248. Colonel Davies.] You practically took the step because you could get no orders?— Yes. There were no orders, and I thought that if I removed without taking notice of any one it would not be noticed. 249. How were the guards found—did you see any?—l saw guards twice on the two occasions on which I went out and came back again. I presume there was a guard every night. 250. Did your corps ever furnish a guard ?—No, except a forage guard. 251. There were no orders about so-and-so furnishing a guard for to-morrow night ?—No. I would like to say that on one occasion I saw the coffee taken to the tent and looked at it, and the best way I can describe it is by saying it was muddy water; it smelt exactly like hay-tea. I called the sergeant-major and told him not to let the men drink it, and went and saw the whole of it thrown out. 252. Did that arise from taking the water from the muddy dam, or was it through using dirty vessels ?—I should say it was due to the water. 253. Do you think the water in the dam was fit for either cooking or drinking?— No. 254. Colonel Davies.] What did you do when you had this coffee emptied out—did you get any more?— No. 255. The men had to do without?— Yes. 256. Major Hawkins.] Do you remember an order being issued about dirty buckets ?—No. 257. Colonel Davies.] You know nothing about the procession of your own personal knowledge ? —No. I asked my men if they could recognise anybody in it. Two of them said they had seen it, but did not know until after they had passed what it was. 258. Were you in camp when Colonel Penton mustered the brigade the next morning ?—Yes. 259. Did you hear what he said? —Yes. 260. Can you tell us shortly what he said and the impression it left on your mind?— The impression left on my mind is that he was very much annoyed about the affair, and wanted to get at the culprits who started it; and, when he found he could not, he spoke very freely, and his remarks really only applied to those men who were in it. I think he said, " There must be some cowardly curs among you who are not manly enough to acknowledge your guilt and shift the onus from the whole corps." I think his remarks applied only to the men who took part in the affair.

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I took no exception to them, and Ido not think any man in our corps did. The remarks were not at all too strong, and I do not think any one who was not implicated in the matter could take exception to them. 261. You considered that if the men were guilty they deserved that and more ?—Yes. 262. Do you think your impression was shared by the other officers in the camp, those you have conversed with on the matter ?—I have not communicated with many, but I believe those I have seen look upon it in the same way. Captain George Howie examined. (No. 11.) 263. The Chairman.] What is your name, and what corps do you command ?—George Howie, Captain Commanding the Wairoa Mounted Rifles. 264. How long have you been in command of the corps?— Between five and six years. 265. You were present with your corps in camp in Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 266. What day did you get in ? —We got into camp on the morning of Saturday. 267. How many strong were you?—We brought down fifty-four, including the quartermaster. 268. How many tents had you ?—Seven tents, including the officers'. 269. Had you sufficient room ?—-I did not hear any complaints. 270. What about straw ?—We were rather short of straw considering the state of the ground. 271. Was the ground wet? —Very wet. 272. Did you get more straw ?—After a few days I think we managed to get a little more. 273. What about the food supplied to the men?—lt was short, and very badly cooked. 274. Was it always short ?—Not for every meal, but for a great many meals it was short and badly cooked. 275. Was it always badly cooked ?—Taking it all round, it was. 276. What did the men do with it : did they eat it ?—Sometimes they could not eat it. 277. Then, what did they do?— They had to go down town and get a meal, and sometimes had to go without a meal at all. 278. What was the officers' mess like ?—There was plenty of food, but sometimes it was not cooked. 279. Did they have to eat it ?—They had either to eat it or go without. 280. Were the potatoes cooked?— Sometimes, and sometimes they were quite hard. The rice was all right when we had it. 2bl. What about the bread?— The bread was all right. 282. And how about the tea and coffee ?—They were very wishy-washy. 283. Any milk?— Yes, I think so. 284. Did you see whether the men had milk in their tea or coffee ?—I could not say. 285. How about the forage for the horses ?■—The quartermaster told us where the forage was, and it was very good, but sometimes there was not enough of it. One day they had no oats at all, and on two days they had no chaff. 286. Do you know what the regulations were with regard to serving out the horse-fodder? — A non-commissioned officer and two men were told-off each day to go and draw their allowance. 287. There was a marquee there for horse-fodder?— Yes. 288. Do you know whether the horse-fodder was always drawn from there ? —I could not say. 289. You were in command of No. 1 Battalion?— No. 3. 290. How many companies were in it ? —Only two companies really. There were supposed to be four, but the others did not come. 291. What were the two companies in your battalion ?—The Eketahuna and Wairarapa Companies. 292. The Heretaungas did not go into camp?— No. 293. And although you were placed in command of that battalion, I understand that you did not really have command ?—I was never on parade with them. I was put on to the Ist Battalion. 294. Captain Watt was in command of that?—He was taken off for some reason, and I had to take command of it. I had command of the Ist Battalion, consisting of the Alexandras, Wairoa, Hawera (Stratford), and Opunake (Egmont) Corps. 295. Did you work with the No. 1 Battalion in camp ?—No, I was practically acting for No. 3 when there was nothing to do in the camp. 296. That was the battalion with the two companies in it ? —Yes. As I belonged to No. 1 properly, they put me in charge of it. 297. In camp you were in charge of No. 3 and on parade No. 1 ?—Yes. I appointed an adjutant for No. 3, Captain Izard. 298. Is that all the staff you appointed ?—I appointed a quartermaster-sergeant. 299. Did you appoint any staff for No. 1 Battalion ? —No. 300. As an officer commanding a battalion, what brigade-staff did you know in the camp ? — There was Colonel Sommerville, and he had an adjutant, Lieutenant Fitzherbert. 301. Any other staff?— The quartermaster, Lieutenant Thurston. 302. How were the orders conveyed to the battalion commanders ?—Colonel Sommerville sent them by Lieutenant Fitzherbert. 303. Were they verbal or in writing ?—There were no written orders. 304. You did not send your battalion orderly-sergeant for them when the bugle sounded?— Yes. At times Lieutenant Fitzherbert brought them round. 305. Did you notice the cooking-place in the camp, and inspect it ?—Yes. 306. What was it like? —It was just the ordinary kind, with a trench dugout and the pots placed on top of railway iron. There was a shed there where they cut their meat.

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307. Did they do any cooking in the shed ?—No, they cooked outside. 308. Was there no covering for the kitchens outside?— No. 309. In your opinion was that sufficient for a regiment for cooking in weather like that which prevailed at the time ?—No. 310. What do you think should have been done?—l should have had tarpaulins rigged up to protect the fires. 311. Was there plenty of firewood?—As far as I could see, there was. 312. What was the state of the camp with regard to mud?—lt was a perfect sea of mud. It was like looking down on a lake almost. 313. How long were the horses and men kept there ?—To within three days before we left for Christchurch, and then the men shifted their tents as they thought fit. 314. How many days was that after you went in ?—We went in on the Saturday, and the men shifted their tents about Wednesday, I think, speaking from memory. 315. Do you think it was a proper thing to keep the men and horses on the flat there?—We shifted ours on to the hill. 316. Do you think it was a proper place to keep horses and men in ?—Certainly not. 317. What do you think should have been done?—l should have shifted them on to the hill, or on the drier ground, 318. Was there room?—By spreading them out there might have been. 319. Do you think Newtown Park is a proper place for a camp at all ?—lt is a rotten place at that time of the year. 320. Did you make any complaints to anybody about the rations, or the accommodation?— There was one continual growl ail the time. 321. Did you make any formal complaint ? —No. 322. Was the growling made to just one another, or to the commanding officer?— The commanding officer was among the men, and heard it all. 323. Colonel Davies.] You say that Captain Watt was away from No. 1 Battalion ?—He was not there all the time. I took his place in the Ist Battalion, because he had to take charge of his own company in the Royal procession. I was then put in charge of the 2nd Battalion in camp. 324. Did you see any brigade orders ? —Yes, when I was in command of No. 2. 325. Did you copy them into your order-book? —I do as a rule, but Ido not remember copying any at the camp. I saw the order in Colonel Sommerville's tent. 326. Do you think you would have seen it if you had not gone up to the tent ? —I do not know. I know it was sent up. 327. Was the orderly-sergeant sent for the brigade orders every day ?—We sent an orderlysergeant round to headquarters every day. 328. Did you always get them?—l think so. If anything was to be sent out Lieutenant Fitzherbert was sent out with them. 329. Did you get orders every day for the guard-parties, fatigue-parties, and so on ?—As far as I can remember I think so, but I would not swear to it. 330. You do not know who was camp-adjutant, or brigade-major?—No; I understood all along Lieutenant Fitzherbert was adjutant. 331. Did you ever get brigade orders in writing or signed by anybody ?—No. 332. Did you issue any orders appointing a battalion-staff when you had charge of it? — I did. 333. Were they kept in a book or loose ?—As soon as I was put on I went round and told the officers to act. 334. Major Haivkins.] Did you happen to be present on any occasion when rations were being issued ?—No. 335. Did you remain in camp all the time ?—I did. 336. Did you ever see ration-parties falling-in and marching off?—l had men belonging to my company told off to do that. 337. You do not know anything about the system adopted?— There was supposed to be an officer to go with each party. 338. Do you know whether there was an officer detailed from each company to attend at the issue of rations ? —They were supposed to go. 339. You understood there was to be an officer from each battalion present at the issue of rations ?■—Yes. 340. Have you ever seen that done before ? —No, and I have been in all the camps held in the Wellington Province, except two small ones. Captain Tatum examined. (No. 12.) 341. The Chairman.] What is your name and corps? —Charles Thomas Tatum, Captain Commanding the Otaki Mounted Rifles. 342. How long have you been in command? —Since last December. 343. Have you passed your examination ? —I hold a certificate under the Infantry Regulations, and have passed in mounted work. 344. Is your corps a new one?— Yes, established last year. 345. You and your corps attended the Newtown Park Camp held in June last ?—Yes. 346. What was your strength ? —Thirty-eight, including three officers. 347. How many tents had you ?—Five. 348. When did you get into camp ?—On Friday the 14th June, We landed at the camp at a quarter or half-past 7 at night. 5—H. 19a.

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349. Was there any food ready for you? —There was nothing there for us. 350. What did you do? — I found Colonel Sommerville and Captain Winter, and they did all they could for us. We could not find the cooks. After considerable worrying around we got some tea and bread, and we supplied some things from outside. 351. How was the straw inthe camp ?—There was plenty of straw, but the ground was wet and very bad, and the men could not walk on it where it was ploughed up and formed mud. After the second or third day the place was a sea of mud. 352. How about the rations supplied to the men ?—The meat was not sufficient, and was badly cooked. I saw the potatoes, and they were quite raw. Several times the men said there were only six potatoes to nine men. 353. Did the men not have enough meat ? —Not always. 354. Had they any other vegetables besides potatoes ?—I did not see any. 355. How was the bread ?—I think that was fairly well. The men did not get enough food the whole time, and yet there was a lot of waste. 356. What about the butter?— That was very good. 357. Was the food good at the officers' mess? —It was very coarse and rough. 358. Was it cooked?— No. The potatoes seemed as if they had just been dipped into hot water. 359. How about the puddings ?—They were like stickjaw. They were very " satisfying." 360. Have you anything to say about the forage ?—There was plenty of forage, and yet there was not. My company did very well, because I had a splendid quartermaster who looked well after the men. Some of the other companies were not so fortunate. 361. Do you know whether your quartermaster, got the forage from a tent or from a cart ?—I believe he got it from the tent. I had a severe cold at the time, and did not take so much interest in the work as I would have liked to do. 362. Were there any complaints made ?—I made a report of the condition of the tents and what I had seen there. 363. Did you see the cooking arrangements ?—Yes. 364. What were they ?—They seemed to be totally inadequate for the number of men there. 365. What convenience had the cooks to cook with ? —They were not suitable, although in the summer time they might have been all right. There was no shelter for the men. There was a half-inch pipe led off an inch pipe to supply the water, and the water got fouled and was used for cooking. 366. You think the cooking place should have been covered in?— Yes; and also a place for the meat. The meat was piled up on boards, and, as it sweats very quickly, it is liable to get sour. I think Colonel Sommerville came up on the Tuesday to look into matters, for there was a very great improvement, and the men cheerfully admitted that the food was very much better. The men in some cases had given up going for their rations, and supplied them themselves. 367. Do you think Newtown Park was a fit place to hold the camp in? —Not at that time of the year. 368. How long had you been in camp before the state of things became unbearable ?—The first night we got in the horses began to sink into the ground four or five inches ; and the next night the horses got away, and the whole of the ground began to work up until at last it became a liquid sea of mud. 369. Did you make any formal complaints to Captain Dunk about the state of things ?—Yes, more than once, and asked for permission to get my men's tents shifted. On the Wednesday, luckily before the heavy rain came on, I had had the tents shifted up among the trees. 370. Colonel Davies.] You say you were in Captain Dunk's battalion? —Yes. 371. Did you ever see any battalion orders detailing a staff? —There were written orders in Captain Winter's tent. 372. Were they brigade or battalion orders ?—They were orders relating to the procession, forming escorts, and that sort of thing. 373. Did you see any orders when you first went into camp stating that there would be four battalions, and detailing the brigade staff?—l cannot say that I did. I was bad with influenza at the time, and got my lieutenant to go out and see about things. 374. You did not copy any orders into a book ?—No. 375. You have never seen any orders yourself appointing a battalion staff? —There were orders, otherwise I would not have been appointed officer of the day. That was for the Wednesday, and was on paper. The second time, when we were removed to the X shed, it was by word of mouth. 376. You never saw the staff detailed and did not know who they were : who was brigademajor?—l could not tell you. 377. Do you know who was adjutant of your battalion ? —I do not think there was one appointed. 378. Maj r Haivkins.] On the day you were officer of the day, the 17th June, were you present at the issue of rations?— Yes. 379. Were any other officers there from other battalions ?—I do not remember. I confined myself to doing the best I could for my own battalion. 380. Will you tell us how the ration parties fell-in ? —There seemed to be no particular orders so far as falling-in was concerned. They just lined-up. I told the men to keep in line. 381. Did you s?e an officer there checking off the list of corps, aud, as each corps came, seeing that each got rations according to the number given, or how did they do it ?—The men were simply asked to line up. 382. Had you been in a mounted camp before ?—No.

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383. Had you had any experience in an infantry camp ?—Yes. 384. And how many men were there ?—2,500. Colonel Whitmore was in charge of the brigade. That was at New Plymouth. 385. Do you know if officers were detailed off to attend to the rations there. At Newtown Park we did not seem to get a chance of obtaining information with regard to what should be done. 386. When you were acting as officer of the day, did you see any fodder or forage going into the camp?—l did not notice any. 387. Did you on any occasion, during the camp, see men meeting the wagons on their way to the quartermaster's department and helping themselves to fodder?—No; I did not see that. At the time I was trying to do my work while ill, and had to lie down. That was on the Wednesday, after sending in my report. 388. Do you know anything about the procession that took place in town ?—No. After putting in my report I went home and went to bed. 389. The Chairman.] Do you know anything about orders being issued that a forage-tent would be provided for each company ?—No. 390. Did you furnish a daily sheet showing what officers, men, and horses were drawing rations ?—Yes. 391. Each day?— Yes. 392. Why did you do that: had you any orders to do it?—At the time I did not get any personal orders, but the quartermaster brought the papers to me to sign. 393. Do you know why he did that ?—No. 394. You say you were in the camp at New Plymouth : when was that ?—About fourteen years ago. 395. In that camp the same system of contracting for the supply of rations for the whole of the men was adopted as here, and there was also a procession of the men there ?—Yes. 396. The catering was bad there, and there was a disturbance in the camp there?— Yes. It would be very much better to my mind if the companies could be allowed to cook for themselves. The catering system is a very wasteful system. I would like to say that my tent was just close to the telephone room, and morning and night Colonel Sommerville seemed to be ringing up and worrying round there trying to do the best he could, and I frequently heard it said, " Our colonel sticks to us all right" ; hut no staff officers went near them, and the men felt that they were left out in the cold. Colonel Davies: They had no reason to go there. The colonel in charge ought not to be interfered with. 397. Major Hawkins.] From your impression of Colonel Sommerville you consider that he was doing everything practically in the camp, and taking up pretty well all the duties—attending to complaints, Defence arrangements, and so on?—-Yes. It was remarked by the officers there that the " old man" was " barracking " for us, and doing what he could to help us.

Thursday, Bth August, 1901. Lieutenant Norman Fitzherbert examined. (No. 13.) 1. The Chairman.] What is your name and rank?— Norman Fitzherbert, Lieutenant in the New Zealand Militia, late of the Third New Zealand Contingent. 2. You are on the Militia list ? —Yes. 3. You attended the mounted rifles camp at Newtown Park in June last?— Yes., 4. In what capacity ? —Colonel Sommerville asked me to come down and give him a hand. I suppose I was acting as staff officer to him. 5. Did he assign you any position in the camp ?—I was to help him generally in connection with the parade states, and to warn each battalion to detail a guard every night. 6. He took you on as staff-officer without any fixed position ?—Yes. 7. Did you assist in the orderly-room or tent in any way ?—Yes. 8. Did you keep an order-book ?—No. 9. Did you get any reports from the officers of the day ?—I believe there was one sent in. 10. That was from Captain Tatum?—Yes. 11. How were the orders issued?— Colonel Sommerville wrote the orders every night about 7.30. and I went to his tent at certain times. The adjutant of each battalion was supposed to come to my tent to get orders. 12. Did the bugle sound for orders ?—lt did not every night, but it did as a rule. Every battalion was represented in the tent, either by an adjutant or orderly sergeant. I read the orders over to them, and they took them down in writing. 13. Who would perform the duties of quartermaster in the camp on the staff?— Lieutenant Thurston. 14. You say that each battalion had an adjutant ?—Yes. Colonel Sommerville's order was that each battalion commander was to appoint his own adjutant and sergeant-major. 15. Were these orders written or verbal?—-They were written and verbal. They were written first, and in my presence he told the battalion commanders to see to that. 16. You have seen these before [documents produced] ?—Yes. 17. Those were all the orders that were issued in writing ?—Yes, I believe so. 18. Were there any more than are there ?—No; those are the papers. I can tell you the adjutants' names who were appointed : Lieutenant Morgan, No. 1 Battalion ; Captain McDermott, No. 2 ; Sergeant-Major Slipper, No. 3; and Lieutenant Colbourne, No. 4.

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19. What about the rations that were served to the men in the camp : were there many complaints from the officers of corps to the Brigade Office about the rations ?—There were complaints. 20. What particular complaint can you refer me to? —I cannot refer to any particular one. There were no complaints to me personally, but I heard them complaining to Colonel Sommerville. 21. When was the first complaint made that you remember ?—I should think it would be about Monday, but I do not know for certain. 22. What was the nature of the complaint?— That the men were short of food, and that it was badly cooked. 23. Did you see any of the meat that was said to be badly cooked ?—Yes. 24. And was it badly cooked?— Yes, it had been cooked too quickly. It was scorched on the outside and raw inside. The men brought a piece of the meat up to show us. 25. Did you notice the potatoes ?—No. 26. What about the bread ?—The bread was all right, and so was the butter. 27. What have you to say as to the tea and coffee?— They complained about the tea. 28. When was that?— That was about Monday. 29. When was the next complaint after that ? —I remember one of the complaints that were made. They said there was nothing for them to eat, but there was plenty of bread-and-butter and tea at the time. The corps were coming in day and night for about three days, and this disarranged matters somewhat. 30. Do you think the cooking arrangements were sufficient ?—lf they had had sufficient cooking utensils, I think they would have been all right. 31. What about the protection for the cooks, considering the state of the weather?—l have seen cooking done under worse conditions. The cooks had plenty of firewood and room to work in. All they wanted was more utensils, and I got them from the Defence Department. 32. When did you get them ?—I think it was on the Saturday. 33. How about the forage for the horses ?—That was short for two days. 34. Where was it issued from ?—From the forage-tent. 35. Did it always reach the forage-tent, or did the men intercept it before it got there ?—lt was taken to the forage-tent always, so far as I know. 36. You do not know of its having been intercepted before it arrived there?— No. 37. I notice in one of the orders issued by Colonel Sommerville that forage up to Is. 6d. per day could be issued for each horse, but the officers of the corps could draw more provided they paid for it : Now was that checked ?—By the quartermaster. Men were told off to do that work solely, and the quartermaster had control of it. 38. Had you any personal knowledge of how that was carried out ?—I saw them checking the quantities taken out in the forage-tent. 39. Do you know if the quartermaster lodged claims against any of the corps for excess of forage ?—No, but I know they were told that they could get more forage by paying for it. 40. What have you to say about the state of the mud in the camp?—lt was very bad. 41. When did that appear strongly in evidence ?—The camp was all right up to Thursday night, but it rained every night after that, and got gradually worse. Monday and Tuesday were really the worst days, for after Sunday it became very bad. 42. Was anything done to remedy the discomfort to men and horses ? —The horses were taken out and tethered among the trees, and certain lines were taken up the hillside. 43. Do you think Newtown Park was a proper place to camp men and horses ?—I should say it was a most improper place under the conditions and the time of the year, considering the number of men and horses that were there, especially as horses for the Imperial Government had been in camp there before we arrived. 44. How long before ?—They had just been taken away. I refer to the remounts. 45. When ? —I do not know exactly, but we could see their lines. The authorities did not know whether the weather was going to be fine or not. 46. Did you see anything of the disturbance down town on the Wednesday ?—Nothing at all. 47. Did you make any personal inquiries about it in camp ?—No. 48. You had no orders to ?—No. 49. Do you remember Colonel Penton going up the following day to the camp and addressing the troops ?—Yes. 50. You heard him using some rather strong language in reference to the matter?—l was not present officially. 51. Did you hear his remarks ?—I heard them, but I was in my tent at the time. 52. Did you form any opinion as to whom they referred : did he refer to the whole of the troops in camp, or only to the individuals taking part in the procession ?—Only to the four men who had been practically or partially identified. 53. Who identified the four ?—That I do not know. 54. Did you sleep in camp as a rule ? —Yes, with the exception of that night. 55. Do you know whether many of the officers slept out of camp ?—I do not. 56. Colonel Davies.] What brigade staff did Colonel Sommerville have ?—The staff consisted of myself. 57. And Lieutenant Thurston was camp quartermaster ?—Yes. 58. There was no detail laid down at the beginning for the formation of a brigade? You had nineteen corps dumped into Newtown Park that had never been in battalions before, and they were to be formed into four battalions ?—Yes. 59. How was that done ?—I do not know exactly how it was done. I had a list given me. I thought they had been formed into battalions before. I was told that certain corps were to form battalions, and that certain officers—Captains Watt, Izard, Dunk, and Winter—were to act as battalion commanders.

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60. Were those the orders given to you by Colonel Sommerville ?—Yes. 61. That those officers were to be battalion commanders ?—Yes. 62. That was never countermanded?—No; I understood they were battalions before they came into camp. The order in reference to Captain Howie was altered. Captain Izard was acting towards the end. Lieutenant Blair turned up late, at the time the work was pretty well over. 63. Do you think the officers knew who was who ?—Yes. 64. You think they all know who was the brigade staff?—' Certainly ; they all came to me if they wanted anything. Captain Izard was originally appointed adjutant for the second battalion, and I scratched his name out and appointed Captain McDermott. I went to each battalion commander to get him to appoint an adjutant and sergeant-major. 65. There was no order-book kept?— No. 66. Major Haiokins.] Previous to joining the Third Contingent, had you had any experience ? —None whatever. 67. In what capacity did you join the contingent? —I joined as a trooper, was appointed sergeant, and got my commission in Africa. 68. How long did you remain in Africa?— Six months. 69. Have you had any previous experience in Volunteer camps ?—None at all. 70. This was practically the first time you acted as brigade-major ?—Yes. 71. You say you kept a note-book, and when it was necessary to make a change you just scratched out the names of the officers? —Yes. 72. When you scratched off the names in your book, did you communicate the orders so that the whole of the officers in camp might know of the change ?—No, I do not think that was done. 73. Do you not think that was risky ? How would the officers of the several companies know who was who, unless those orders were issued?— When we first went into camp, Colonel Sommerville told each of the battalion commanders that he was to be responsible. At first Captain Izard was appointed battalion commander, and then Captain Howie. When the alteration was made Captain Izard took over the battalion and told me that Captain McDermott would be his adjutant. I do not see how it would affect the other battalions so long as the commander knew. 74. When there was a complaint about the shortage of camp utensils generally, I think you said you went to the Defence Department yourself ?—Yes. 75. And there was a quartermaster in the camp?—l cannot say whether there was or not. I was sent there, anyhow. 76. Who was the quartermaster?— Lieutenant Thurston, but he did not come down quite at first. But, whether he was there or not, I was ordered by Colonel Sommerville to go and find out about those things, and I went. 77. You were not sure that a quartermaster had been appointed ? —Not at that particular date, but I know the things were there and available as soon as Mr. McParland chose to send for them. 78. How did you get Captain Tatum's report as officer of the day, and why did he send that to you ?—I think at the time he must have been appointed before the details were complete. I think he was only orderly officer for his battalion. 79. How did it come to you ?—I do not think it came to me, but to Colonel Sommerville. 80. You say that none of the reports by officers of the day came to your office except that one ?-—Yes. The battalion orderly officers were very vague about that. 81. The battalion officers have initialled that order as seen ; do you remember being up there ? —Yes. 82. I notice one of the orders here is that an officer from each company was to be detailed daily to attend the cookhouse and see that the men got their rations as laid down in the scale as per tender: do you know if that was done ?—That order was not carried out. It was spoken about more than once. I told the quartermaster what the order was, and I reminded him that if each company did not furnish a subaltern to attend the issue of rations he was to report to me, but he did not attend to it as he should have done. I have myself seen men scrambling for food when an officer should have been there to attend to his company. 83. Colonel Davies.] A battalion commander told us yesterday that he understood Captain McDermott was camp adjutant: how do you account for that ?—I should say he was mistaken. 84. How did everything get so mixed?— They seemed to have very curious ideas about a lot of things. I cannot account for it at all. 85. Is there anything more that you would like to tell us about the camp ?—I think not; but I should like it to be recorded that I consider it was a most unsuitable place for a camp, to start with, and I think it was a mistake to allow the catering contract to go to one man. I consider it was impossible for one man, with the staff he had at his disposal, to cater for some four thousand men, distributed all over Wellington. 86. You say the meat was pretty well raw and not cooked through ?—Yes. 87. Do you not think the matter could have been remedied by additional cooks being told off by the companies, or additional sheds being erected for the cooking ?—I do not think that would have met the case under the contract. 88. Supposing the contractor was not carrying out his contract properly, would it not have been better to have told off so-many men to get the necessary utensils and shelter for the cookhouses ?—What I should have done was this : when the contractor failed to carry out his contract with regard to the rations I should have simply warned him, and then sent down for whatever was short, and charged him for it. 89. What would you have done with it when you had got it—l mean with regard to cooking it ? —I should have told off a number of men to do the cooking.

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90. Do you think it was practicable to cook for that number of men in camp with the appliances they had, and without the fire being sheltered ?—Yes, I do. I think the staff of men were sufficient —they had fourteen men there, I believe—if the thing had been better organized: but I think a mistake was made in letting the contract to one man to supply rations for the different buildings all over Wellington. Francis McParland examined. (No. 14.) 91. The Chairman.] What are you ?—-Baker and grocer. 92. You were the contractor for the supply of rations to the visiting Volunteers at Wellington during the Royal visit ? —Yes. 93. That is the advertisement on which you tendered [produced] ?—Yes. 94. And that is your tender [produced] ?—Yes. 95. One part of this tender states that the contractor will be required to erect temporary cookhouses. What cookhouses did you erect in Newtown Park?— The same sort as is used in every other place, and the same as was used for the seven contingents that went away from the colony. 96. Will you tell us the size of the covered cookhouse ? —lB ft. to 20 ft. long, with galvanisediron roof and sides. 97. What provision was made for the cooking ?—We had railway-bars raised over trenches, on which the boilers were placed. 98. The cooking was not done under cover, but in the open ? —lt had to be. We tried to put iron over the place, but the smoke from the fires would have blinded the cooks. 99. You say you used the same mode of cooking for the contingents?— Yes. 100. What was the largest number of men you had in a contingent?—l think seven hundred was the largest number, except the Sixth Contingent, when the number ran up to thirteen hundred. 101. You cooked for thirteen hundred at once then ? —Yes. 102. Was it satisfactory?— There was never a complaint. 103. Who erected the cookhouse at Newtown Park this time ?—I did. 104. Did you get any directions from anybody ? —Yes. Before I erected it I went to the department and got Colonel Newall to send Captain Lomax up. I said I would not erect the place until some staff officer came round and viewed the ground where I was to erect the buildings. The carpenter who works for me, Captain Lomax, and myself went round to see the places. I showed Captain Lomax the holes where the posts had been put down for the Seventh Contingent, and he said, " You know the position you took up for the Seventh Contingent ; that would be the best position." Afterwards I was told that the cooking-places were viewed by some of the staff officers. 105. After the camp started had you not complaints as to the way in which the provisions were being cooked ?—I never had a solitary complaint made. 106. During this camp ?—Yes. 107. Did not Colonel Sommerville complain to you ? —No. 108. Were you in the camp yourself every day ?—Yes, every day. There was a general complaint, but no direct complaint, such as "If you don't alter this I will alter it." The whole place was in such a state through the weather that it was almost impossible to do anything. 109. We were told that the meat was not cooked—that it was absolutely raw inside: was any complaint made to you about that ?—No; but on one or two occasions a downpour of rain came and actually put the fires out. That would account for the meat being cooked outside and not inside. 110. Did that not happen frequently ? —No; the fires were only put out once or twice. 111. But were you there every day to see?— Yes. When I was not there I gave special instructions to my head cook that complaints should be reported to me, and he ncer complained to me that there was anything wrong. 112. Did you not see Colonel Sommerville ?—Yes, he was there every day. 113. Did he not complain about the cooking?—He complained in a way ; but he said, "You are getting on very well. It is very hard under the circumstances to carry on the business of the camp on account of the weather." It had been raining continually. 114. Do I understand that you are only aware of the meat being underdone on one occasion ? —There was no complaint made to me about the meat, barring one occasion. 115. Did you complain to Colonel Sommerville as to their being insufficient cooking utensils? —No; I had plenty of cooking utensils. 116. We have heard that you were not in the camp, but had your son there to represent you ? —He was only employed in the capacity of carrying the provisions there. 117. You were not represented there, but there yourself?— Yes. I had a cab or express and went round the place every day. 118. And no formal complaints was made to you as to the manner in which the provisions were cooked ? —That is quite true. 119. Was any complaint made to you about the shortness of provisions ?—Yes. 120. By whom ?—Colonel Sommerville. He rang me up one day to send up more, and we replied that we had already sent the rations up that day for the morrow, and that we had sent up that day's rations the previous day. He said there were none in the camp—" Send them up at once." I said, "If we do, you will have to be responsible, because we have already sent them up." The provisions were sent up, and when Colonel Sommerville went to view the store the whole of the provisions for that day were found there. He had been misled by a person who told him there were no provisions in the camp. When my son showed him the provisions he admitted that he had been misled.

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121. Was there any application by you during the camp to the Defence Storekeeper for more utensils?— They were not for me. They were buckets for the horses. I had nothing to do with provisioning the horses at all. That was not in my contract. 122. We understand from you that, so far as the men were concerned, they had an ample supply of rations the whole time; that they had nothing to complain about in the cooking, except on one occasion, when the fires were put out owing to the wet weather ; and that, as to the alleged shortness of provisions, you say that the full quantity of rations had been delivered, and that was acknowledged to be so by Colonel Sommerville ?—Yes. 123. Colonel Davies.] Can you tell us how many cooks there were ? —I had ten. I had two head cooks, to whom I paid £1 a.day. The pay of the others ran from 15s. to 10s. 6d. a day. 124. You say you had a head man in charge ? —Yes. 125. Then, if Colonel Sommerville had any complaint to make, he was the man to go to?— Yes. 126. Did you see Colonel Sommerville every day you went there ?—Not every day, but several times. 127. And you say that he never made any definite complaint to you, except that the provisions were short one day, and then acknowledged he was mistaken?— Yes ; he rang me up about it. 128. Was milk supplied to the men ?—Yes, of course. 129. Major Hnvkius.] Do you know who was camp quartermaster? —No. 130. Apparently you only knew Colonel Sommerville in connection with the camp? —Yes. I knew several of the officers who were there, but not the quartermaster. I looked upon Colonel Sommerville as being the principal man in the camp. 131. The Chairman.] You heard of a complaint that was made about some meat that was bad having been cooked at X shed for the Nelson men ? —Yes. 132. Can you account for that happening? —The men were expected on Sunday, and I made arrangements for them. They did not come when expected, but were there for tea. On Monday morning, at 7 o'clock, I was up at the X shed when the men came and rushed the kitchen. I went for an officer to take charge of the men, but could not find one. Then I turned into the kitchen and found that the men had taken away all the milk that was supplied. I said, " Boys, help yourselves, but don't destroy anything. I will stay here and see that you get all that you require." When the breakfast was over I went down to the Murphy Street School and saw Captain Coleman. I said, " I want you to send two responsible men in future to attend when the rations are being served out. If you do not do that I shall shut up shop and report matters to headquarters." I had no more trouble with that shed, because two men were sent there. That same morning, while I was looking after an officer, there was a roll of beef of about 20 lb. weight thrown right down on to the floor. I asked the cook who did it, and he pointed out three Volunteers outside, and I attacked one, who happened to be the wrong man. The cook pointed out to me a man in his shirt-sleeves, and said he was one of the greatest scoundrels who ever put a coat on his back. 133. Do you know the man?— Yes. 134. Is he a Volunteer ?—Yes. 135. What is his name ? —I forget his name just now. 136. You know that the medical officer in charge of the X shed men reported that some meat that was cooked there was bad: what I want to know is how that bad meat came to be cooked for the men? —I have not had a report made to me about that. I heard that some of the men had made a demonstration about it, but there was never a report made to me about it. 137. Did you not hear about a complaint being made [report read] ?—I heard that there was a complaint. 138. How did that arise? Had you too much meat there, or was it all piled together?—lt was all piled together. We had no proper place to put the meat in owing to the number of men there. The meat was of the best quality, and had all come from the hands of the Government Veterinarian ; and, the weather being cold, I did not think anything would happen to it. Every bit of the meat was inspected before it went to any of the places where the men were. I might say that every defect was immediately rectified; there was no continuation of it. 139. Colonel Davies.] With reference to the water-supply at Newtown Park, did you find any difficulty about that? —Yes ; that was one of the greatest difficulties we had to contend with. We had surface-pipes that led up to the cookhouse. The horses must have damaged these pipes, and caused them to break on two occasions, and considerable delay took place in locating the damage. The result was that the water ran over the ground, and made the park like a quagmire. Then, the pressure of the water was insufficient, and caused a shortage. In fact, I had to put two men on to carry water. The quantity that came through the pipes was not sufficient to fill the tanks. 140. Where did your men carry the water from ?—From the top of the park, where the men got water for washing. 141. Was the pipe that carried the water to the kitchen the same that carried it to the horsetroughs ?—Yes. 142. And when the water was used for the horse-troughs it was cut off from the kitchen ?— Yes. But that was not material, because they always made provision for that at night or early in the morning. I might state, to show that there was not much wrong with the camp after all, so far as the cooking was concerned, that a comparatively large sum of money was subscribed by the men before the camp broke up and distributed amongst the cooks. 143. From what corps ? —There was a large number of corps which subscribed. A silver-mounted pipe was also presented, and the officers also subscribed. The larrikin element that took part in the procession in the street was a very small one indeed. I took it as a huge joke at the time, although it reflected somewhat on my character.

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144. You do not know who the men were ? —No; but I heard that very few took part in it at the start, and that they gathered strength as they went down town. 145. Can you tell us of any one who saw the procession start?—l might possibly be able to do so before the inquiry closes. I would like to say, as my character has been attacked, that I have had a pretty considerable experience with Volunteers. I have been a Volunteer myself for years. I organized a company once, and was a captain for two years. I had seven camps to attend to, and I was really surprised after the camp was over that there was so little complaint in connection with the last one, taking into consideration the amount of excitement at the time and the bad weather that prevailed. Captain Henry Alfred Lomax examined. (No. 15.) 146. The Chairman.] What' is your official position ?—Staff Adjutant of the Wellington District. 147. How long have you held that post? —From the 13th December of last year. 148. What had you to do with the pitching of the Newtown Park camp ?—Nothing. 149. You visited it ?—No, I never visited it during the the Duke of York's visit. I never went up to the camp. 150. Did you not visit it with Mr. McParland ?—No. I never went up to the camp while the Volunteers were there. 151. Then, I take it you never had any conversation with him about the construction of the kitchens ?—No. I never went to the Newtown Park camp at all. 152. What have you to say to Mr. MeParland's evidence [evidence read from shorthand notes taken at Mr. MeParland's examination] ?—I can only repeat that I did not go to the Newtown Park .camp. I think I can see where he has made a mistake. I was instructed by Colonel Newall to go round all the schools set aside for the reception of Volunteers with Mr. McParland, for the purpose of showing him where the cooking-places should be located, in order that there should be no danger from fire to the adjoining buildings. I think he has confused that with Newtown Park. 153. But the Seventh Contingent was never at any of the schools, and he mentions a conversation he had with you about the Seventh Contingent at the park ? —I think he is confounding the two. 154. Why did you not go to Newtown Park if you went to the other places ?—I was only instructed to go to the schools. 155. Colonel Davies.] You went round the schools to see that he did not put the cookingplaces where they might be dangerous?— Yes. 156. And you did not go to Newtown Park because there was no danger of any adjoining buildings catching fire ?—Yes. 157. Who do you think went with Mr. McParland?—l do not know who went with him, but I know that I did not. 158. Have you any knowledge of any staff officer going round Newtown Park ?—I have an idea that it was Colonel Newall himself. 159. You know nothing about the camp at Newtown Park at all?—No, I never was there. I had no time to go there. 160. Did you see the disturbance in town ?—JSTo. Staff Serjeant-Major Healy recalled. (No. 16.) 161. The Chairman.] When you saw the procession, did you observe any officers near it ?— On my left, as I stood facing the shops, there were two officers standing on the footpath. They seemed to be going towards the Government Buildings, meeting the procession as they were going up. 161. Did they do anything?— They seemed to stand and enjoy the proceedings. 163. Do you know either of the officers ?—No. One was a captain and the other a lieutenant. They had field-caps on, and khaki uniforms. 164. Major Hawkins.] Did you notice whether they had spurs on? —They were infantry officers. 165. The Chairman.] You do not know who they were, and you say they seemed to be enjoying the proceedings? —Yes, so far as I could see. 166. Colonel Davies.] Do you know any of the civilians who were taking part in the affair?— No. 167. Was Sergeant Rankin in uniform?— Yes ; his overcoat was open. 168. You do not know of any civilians being in uniform that day?—No; I did not see them.

Friday, 9th August, 1901. James O'Sullivan examined. (No. 17.) 1. The Chairman.] You are Storekeeper for the New Zealand Defence Forces ? —Yes. 2. And you were so in June last, at the time of the Royal visit to Wellington?— Yes. 3. Do you remember the camp being pitched at Newtown Park for the mounted men? — Yes. 4. What cooking and camp utensils did you lend for that camp ?—The conditions of the contract were laid down. 5. Yes; but you were to lend such utensils as were available ?—Yes. I made a scale out to see if I had sufficient for what was required, and interviewed Colonel Newall with reference to the cooking utensils, according to scale. 6. With what result ? —That I had plenty.

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7. Did you supply what was required according to that scale for the camp at Newtown Park? --No. 8. Why not?— Because the contractor did not ask for them. I have his requisitions here. 9. Did you supply him with what he asked for ?—Yes. 10. Was any further application made to you for cooking utensils, or any other camp material, after the camp commenced ?—Yes. The second day, or first day in camp, Colonel Sommerville rang me up on the telephone, and said he had not sufficient camp kettles and dishes in camp. 1 told him that I was dealing with the contractor, and had issued the supply applied for by him. Colonel Sommerville's reply was that he had not enough, and could not get them from the contractor. Then I replied that " I guarantee that you shall have them within half an hour." 11. When was that? —About the second day they were in camp. 12. Then, you supplied them with all they wanted? —Yes. 13. Was any requisition made to you at any time during the camp that was not complied with ! —No 14. Were you at the camp at all ?—After the men went to Christchurch, Colonel Messenger and I went up to it. 15. Do you know what the arrangements for cooking were ?—No. 16. Is there anything you wish to tell us that we have not asked you about ?—No. William Rankin examined. (No. 18.) 17. The Chairman,] You are a sergeant in the Manawatu Mounted Rifles? —I was formerly sergeant. , ', 18. You are now ?—I have not been discharged formally, but my discharge was accepted by my commanding officer. 19. Who is your captain ? —Captain Dunk. 20. You have not yet received your discharge from the Defence Office ?—No. 21. You came down with your corps to the camp at Newtown Park ?—I was not at Newtown Park. I came into Wellington. 22. With what corps ?—The Palmerston North Rifles. 23. In what capacity did you come with them ?—As orderly. 24. To whom?— Major Hall. 25. He belongs to the 2nd West Coast Infantry?— Yes. 26. You were not at Newtown Park at all, then ?—No ; I was quartered at the Mount Cook Girls' School. 27. Were you not up at Newtown Park at all? —I was up there once. 28. When was that ?—I think, on the Sunday. 29. You did not mess there ? —No. '30. You were in uniform ?—Yes. _ 31. What uniform had you?— The ordinary uniform of the Manawatu Mounted Kitles. 32. It was your own ?—lt was my own. 33. No one had lent it to you?— No. _ _ 34 Are you prepared to tell us anything about the procession on the afternoon of Wednesday?— Yes lam prepared. I think it was at the Bank of New Zealand when I first saw it. I heard some noise, and saw the procession was coming up behind me. I turned round, and saw a crowd coming along. .-,•,■. j mv 35 What sort of a crowd was it you saw ?—lt was apparently a mixed military crowd. Ihere were Volunteers of all ranks there. There were a few Volunteers walking along at the side of the °36 Had the procession anything with them?— They had a board and a pole, with some meat evidently on one side, and a bottle of what looked like tea, or brown stuff of some sort, on the oth.6r 37. Which direction did they come from ?—I think they came down Willis Street. It was near the Neiu Zealand Times office when I saw it. _ 38. Which way were you going when you saw it ?—I was going along with a civilian and a trooper at the time. . . , 39. What direction were you going in when you saw it?—l was coming down. 1 was about a dozen yards from it. - - • ' 40 Did it catch up to you ?—We waited to see what it was. When it came along, and we were almost level with it, I walked up to a young fellow and asked him what was the matter. 41 Who was the young fellow ?—I did not know him. There were two walking along together. 42. Was this man you asked taking part in the procession ?—The two of them were walking with the procession. , . . , 43 What happened then ?—I asked what was up, and he said, " You can soon see ; look at the brand " He said they had made complaints to the orderly sergeant, and they had reported that the meat was not fit to eat. He said, " You can see what it is like," pointing it out. 44. Did you see the meat ?—Yes. 45. What was it ?—I do not know whether it was beef or mutton ; but it was raw meat. 46! It was not cooked ?—Well, it looked half-raw. 47 What did you do then ?—Then my friend and I and another trooper walked along as lar as the City Buffet and gradually the procession moved away. I inquired from this young fellow where they were going, and he said, " I believe the show is going up to Government House. I said, " You are making fools of yourselves," or something like that. Then my friend and 1 walked to the City Buffet, and the procession left. 48 Who is your friend?— Jack Smith. 6—H. "19a.

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49. Where does he live ?—At Fitzherbert. 50. What is he ?—He works on the road. 51. What happened then ?—'We saw no more of the procession until it came back. 52. What did you do then ?—When it came back I saw a mingled mass of people. They still had a board, and it was going backwards and forwards. This was outside Kirkcaldie and Stains's. 53. Did you join them again ?—When the crowd formed up I walked in amongst them. It was was not far from the Dresden Piano Company. 54. Did any one speak to you there ?—A Defence officer, I believe, took my name. 55. Some one in uniform ?—Yes. 56. Why did he take your name ?—I do not know. 57. What did he say to you ? —He asked me my name. 58. Did he say anything more—did he ask the name of your corps ?—Yes ; and I told him the Manawatu Mounted Rifles. It was so late when I left the Rifles that I never thought for a moment about the matter. 59. Where did the procession leave you the first time when it was going towards Government House ?—About the Buffet. 60. Where had you been in the meantime before it came back ?—We strolled down a little further this way—down about as far as the arch at the Government Buildings—and then walked back again. 61. How many Volunteers were accompanying this procession and taking part in it ?—I think, by the look of it, there would be about sixty or seventy. 62. Were any of those men known to yourself ?—No, not one of them. They seemed all new men to me, although I have been in the Force some time. 63. Could you tell us what corps they belonged to ?—I did not take that much notice. 64. Did the procession pass any Volunteer officers in uniform ?—I could not say, but lam sure it must have done, because there were officers parading along the streets at the time. 65. Did you see any officers there while the procession was passing?—l could not telf you. As far as saluting any that I knew, I did not take much notice. 66. Of course, the streets were filled at the time?— Yes. 67. We understand you to say that you were not taking any part in the procession ? No. 68. Were the men singing?— Yes, when they were passing us. 69. Did you sing, too ?—No. 70. It was a non-commissioned officer who took your name ?—I could not say who it was. I saluted him. I had seen his face before, I thought. 71. Do you know Sergeant-Major Healy, of Nelson?— No. _ 72. Colonel Davies.] —How long ago is it since you sent in your resignation, as you call it ?—ln April last I think it was. It was going on to the end of the Volunteer year. 73. And was the uniform you wore on this occasion the uniform you wore in the corps ? Yes. 74. Had you more than one ?—Only my fatigue jacket. 75. You had not handed in your uniform ?—No. 76. Had you the sergeant's stripes on ?—Yes. 77. Did you consider you were a Volunteer then or not ?—No, I did not reckon that I was there as a Volunteer. 78. You did not trouble much one way or the other?—l went down as an orderly. 79. In a sergeant's uniform?—ln a sergeant's uniform. 80. What happened after the non-commissioned officer took your name in the street ?—I walked away. 81. When he asked you, you said you were Sergeant Rankin, of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles ?—Yes. 82. Did you see him get the meat taken away anywhere ?—No, I did not take notice of it. 83. You did not see him afterwards ?—No. 84. You had nothing to do with the proceedings after that?— No. 85. Major Haivkins. —How long have you been a member of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles ?— Close on nine years. 86. Therefore you must have had a good idea of the rules existing in your company with regard to returning uniforms when any one hands in his resignation to the captain ?—Well, as regards the uniform, I had never seen a good copy of the rules. I have seen the ordinary rules served out to us in the first instance. Whether a man pays for his uniform in paying a certain amount to his corps or not, that is a question Ido not know. I considered I had paid for it. 87. I am not asking whether you considered you had a right to retain your uniform, but whether you had a right to retain it after severing yourself from your company ?—I cannot say. 88. Do you know of any other men who have retained their uniforms : I am referring to the whole of it—the tunic, hat, breeches, and leggings ?—I do not know. 89. Did you pass an examination as a non-commissioned officer to entitle you to rank as a sergeant ?—No more than in our training. 90. Do you hold a certificate ?—No, not at all. 91. If any one in your corps says that you returned your uniform to the responsible noncommissioned officer—the quartermaster-sergeant—is he telling an untruth?—He must be. I still retain my uniform. 92. Did you ever return it and get it back again—that is the point ?—I never gave up my uniform, except when under repair. 93. How do you account for your name being taken in connection with this procession ?—I could not say at all. I was taken by surprise at the man taking my name.

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94. The Chairman.] You say your uniform was under a state of repair when it was returned ? —I have never had my uniform away from my hands unless it has been under a state of repair. 95. Do I understand you had it in your own possession when you came down here?— Yes. 96. Why did you not come down with your own corps ? —Because I had handed in my resignation. 97. You considered you were out of the corps ?—Yes, because my resignation was accepted. 98. You went to Christchurch with the Volunteers, to a review there ?—Yes. 90. Do you remember Captain Dunk speaking to you about being in uniform in the streets of Wellington ?—No. 100. Which ship did you go to Christchurch in?—By the " Upolu." 101. What did you come back to Wellington in?— The " Mararoa." 102. Do you know whether Captain Dunk came by the same boat or by a different one?— He came by the same boat. 103. Did he not speak to you on the way up or down ?—Not that I know of; I have no recollection of it. 104. Did you not tell him that you had borrowed the uniform ?—He may be referring to an overcoat I had, because I had borrowed an overcoat. ' 105. Had you a military overcoat on ?—Yes. 106. Captain Dunk speaks of a uniform? —It was an overcoat. 107. You are quite sure you had never returned that uniform to your quartermaster-sergeant? —I had never returned it. 108. Do you know to whom uniforms are returned in the Manawatu Mounted Rifles when members are leaving ?—Usually to the quartermaster-sergeant. 109. Do you not know who the man was to whom you said, " You are making fools of yourselves " ?—No, Ido not remember. Ido not know that I had seen his face before. There were two of them walking together. 110. Can you say whether the men taking part in the procession were mounted or infantry ?— There were some mounted men and some infantry. 111. Do you not know any of the mounted men?— No. 112. You had an overcoat on here in the street that day when your name was taken?—No, I had no overcoat on at all. 113. What time of the day was it ? —lt must have been close on to 4 o'clock. 114. Was it raining? —I could not tell you; I did not take that much notice of it. It had been raining off and on all the time. 115. Yon think you would not be wearing an overcoat ?—No. 116. Did you get a telegram from me yesterday ?—Not yesterday. I must have left by the time that was sent. When I received the first telegram I came. Sergeant-Major William George Ashworth examined. (No. 19.) 117. The Chairman.] What is the name of your corps?— The Hunterville Mounted Rifles. 118. That is a new corps ?—Yes. 119. Did your corps take part in the camp at Newtown Park ? —Yes. 120. How many of you went into camp?— Sixty-eight strong altogether, including three officers and two buglers. 121. How many tents had you? —Eight. 122. Including the officers' tent? —No; one for the officers. 123. Had you plenty of straw ?—Yes. 124. What about the rations ?—They were very badly cooked. That was our chief complaint. 125. Had you sufficient if they had been properly cooked: take the meat, for instance ?—-Yes. 126. What was the bread like? —Very good. 127. And the butter? —Excellent. 128. What about the potatoes ? —We only got them once. 129. Had you any other vegetables ? —No. 130. When you say the meat was badly cooked, in what way do you mean ?—lt was not sufficiently cooked. 131. What meat had you ? —Beef principally. 132. Had you also mutton? —Yes, I think we had. 133. Had you any sausages, and chops, and steaks ? —We had sausages. 134. Were they cooked? —Yes. 135. Had you any chops ?—I do not remember. 136. And the fodder for your horses: was that sufficient? —On one day we had to buy two sacks. 137. With that exception had you sufficient?— With that exception we had as much as we required. 138. Where did you get it from?— Our quartermaster-sergeant used to draw it from the stores. 139. Did you see it drawn ? —No. 140. Then, you do not know personally where it was got ?—No. 141. Did you see the cooking-places ?—I was there once or twice. 142. What were you doing there?—l went up to see why the orderly was so long in returning. 143. What did you see when you got there?— There were two companies in front of us, and there were no non-commissioned officers in charge of them. They were " barracking " with the cooks,

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144. Was there no officer present ?—I did not see any. 145. But you would have seen him if he had been present, would you not ?—Yes. 146. There was no orderly officer of any kind present?—l did not see him. 147. What were the arrangements for the cooking that you saw—how was the food cooked? —I did not take much notice of it. - 148. What convenience had the cooks ?—I thought they had none at all. They had ]ust the ordinary rails, with the fire underneath. _ 149. Whatever the conveniences were, you considered them insufficient ?—Yes. 150. What do you think they ought to have had?— More cooks and more cooking-places. 151. Supposing they had more like those they had, would they have been sufficient ?—Yes. 152. Were the cooking-places covered in any way ?—Not those I saw. ,■ „ 153. Did the fact of their not being covered interfere with the cooking?—l think so, decidedly, in that weather. 154. On what day did you go into camp ?—We arrived there on the Saturday morning. 155. And when did the mud in the camp become serious?—On the Monday it began to be very bad in our lines. 156. After a day or two what was the state of the place ?—lt was worse than any stockyard I was ever in. , ; . . . 157. How long have you been a Volunteer ?—lt is about sixteen years since I nrst joined. 158. Have you been a Volunteer ever since ?—No. I was nine years in the Rangitikei Royal Rifles. , n , , 159. Do you think Newtown Park was a fit place for men to be camped in, and tor horses?— Not for horses at that time of the year. 160. Was anything done with your troop—were you shifted at all ?—We shifted our horses up under the trees. , . , , 161. Did you make any complaint about your men not getting their rations, and the tooa not being properly cooked ? —No. , . , , , i v *. 162. Did any one in your corps make complaints ? —They complained amongst themselves, but I heard no complaints made to an officer. 163. Was any officer told off from your company to inspect the men at meal-times ! —les. 164. What officer inspected them ?—Captain Dove went round on one occasion, and also Lieutenant Meldrum. . . 165. Did an officer go round at each meal, or only occasionally ?—Occasionally. I tmnk tne captain himself went round. 166. Was any alteration made in the cooking?— No. 167. Do you mean to say that this insufficient cooking of the meat went right on to the end ! —Some days it was better than others. 168. Did you tell off an orderly sergeant from your corps ?—Yes. 169. Which battalion did you belong to ?—The 3rd. 170 Who was the commander ?—I think Captain Dunk was in charge. 171. How often did you get orders from the Brigade Office—from Colonel Sommerville ?—I got orders every night from my own captain. 172. What orders were they ? —Orders of the day for the whole camp. 173. What did you take them in? —In the company's order-book. 174. Did your corps go to Christchurch ?—Yes. 175. What did you do with your horses? —Sent them to the Hutt. 176. What did you do with them there? —Paddocked them. 177! Whereabouts at the Hutt ?—At the Lower Hutt. 178. Where the horses were turned out could a camp have been formed ? —No ; there was not room enough for that. , 179. Colonel Davies.] Do you know how the forage was issued at Newtown .Park I —ihe quartermaster-sergeant attended to that. 180. Did you always get plenty of forage ?—With the exception of one day. It came to hand all right after we had bought our oats. 181. Have you been in many camps since you have been in the New Zealand Volunteers '.— ■ Yes, five or six. This is the first mounted camp I have been in. '182. How does it compare with the others with regard to feeding the men?—l do not consider the Newtown Park camp much worse than the New Plymouth camp. 183. The Chairman.] You are speaking of the big camp at New Plymouth ?—Yes. 184. Colonel Davies.] Do you know anything about the procession that took place in the streets here ?—That was the day when our men went out to the Hutt with the horses. None of our men were there. 185. You do not know any of the men who were there, I suppose ?—No. None ot our men saw it; but I believe one of the men said, when asked, that he belonged to the Hunterville Mounted Rifles, although I am certain that is not so, because none of our men were there. 186. You do not know the name of any man who took part in the procession ?—We were told that one man named Patrick Sheehan, of Wairoa, was there. 187. How did you get that information?— Our quartermaster-sergeant told me, but who told him I could not say. Sergeant Burr told me to say, if anyone said any of his men were there, he was prepared to say they were not. 188. Major Hawkins.] Did you see the forage-wagons going in at any time?— Yes. 189. Did you ever see men from the various corps rushing the stuff?— No. 190. How do you fall-in ration parties in your company ?—I tell off two men from the tents, and place them in charge of an orderly sergeant or corporal, and give instructions to have the men formed up at the cooking-place.

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191. You consider that there was great irregularity in the way they were issuing cooked rations from what you saw ? —Yes. 192. The Chairman.] What was the tea like ?—lt was very bad. 193. Had you any coffee?— Yes, that was very fair. 194. Had you milk in the coffee?— Yes. 195. How do you account for the tea being bad ?—I have no idea. 196. Was the water good that was supplied ? —I thought so ; but when the tap gave way, once, it caused great inconvenience. That is the trough where we water the horses. 197. Do you know the dam near the trees ?—Yes. 198. Do you know whether the water was taken from that for camp purposes ? —1 cannot say. 199. Can you give us any idea of the mud in the camp ?—lt was like a stockyard. 200. Did it get to the stage of liquid mud? —Yes, in places. Sergeant James Gentles examined. (No. 20.) 201. The Chairman.] You are sergeant in the Permanent Artillery?— Yes. 202. What had you to do with pitching the camp in Newtown Park in June last ?—I was sent up to pitch the camp. 203. By whom ? —-I was sent up by the department, with a fatigue party. I got a plan from Colonel Sommerville to pitch the camp, but unfortunately I destroyed it; but Colonel Messenger also has one. 204. What arrangements did you make for the cooking?—l had nothing to do with the cooking, places. All I had to do was to pitch the camp. My orders were to put up 140 tents. 205. Who put up the cookhouses?— They were put up by the carpenter—the artificer at the barracks. 206. Did you not see what he did ?—The cookhouse was the same as for the Imperial Contingent. There was practically no difference in the cooking arrangements from what they had before. They had the iron rails, and a place for cooking-utensils, and a large tank for boiling the water. All I had to do was to pitch the camp, and go up when it was finished and strike the camp. 207. Colonel Davies.] Where were the latrines?—ln the same place they were before—up on the hill. 208. Could not the rain-water run over the latrines and into the flat ?—No, because the latrines are in a basin over the hill, and there is an outlet there to let the water off. Any water in the camp would be clean water. 209. The Chairman.] What other non-commissioned officers were with you ?—Bombardier Resden. Private Arthur William Henley examined. (No. 21.) 210. The Chairman.] What is the name of your corps?— The Hawera Mounted Rifles. 211. How long have you been in the corps?— Just close on two years. 212. Did you attend with your corps at Newton Park in June last ? —Yes. 213. How many men were in your tent ?—Nine. 214. Had you plenty of straw ? —• Yes. 215. Did the water come into your tent at all?— Yes. It would have been just the same if the tent had been half full of straw. 216. Was your tent pitched over a hole ?—No; but if you lay in the straw you would make a hollow, and would have a patch of water there. 217. The water came into your tent, then ? —Yes. 218. What was the meat like ?—On one or two occasions it was burnt up, and hardly fit to eat, and on other occasions it was almost raw. That occurred twice. 219. Was it beef or mutton ?—When it was burnt up most I think it was supposed to be beef. 220. When it was raw what was it ?—I could not say for certain now what it was. 221. Had you any sausages or chops? —I do not remember any sausages, but I know we had chops there. 222. Were they properly cooked?— They were passable. 223. What vegetables had you?—l do not remember any except potatoes. 224. Had you potatoes every day?—l could not say, but I think we had. 225. How were they cooked?— They were all right. 226. What was the bread like?— That was all right. 227. And the butter?— That was good also. 228. What about the tea?— That was not all right. The trouble was to know whether it was tea, coffee, or what. It was neither one thing nor the other. 229. Was it drinkable ?—I did not drink it. Some of the men drank it. 230. You did not drink it because it was not good?— Yes. 231. Was there any milk in it ? —lt was such a funny colour that you could not tell. 232. How about your horses : did they get enough to eat ?—The forage was short once, I think. That is all I can answer for myself. 233. Did you sleep in camp?— Yes. 234. All the time? —Except one night. 235. Had you leave to be out that night ? —Yes. 236. What guards were mounted in the camp: was there a guard mounted ?—Yes, on the gate. 237. Was that the only guard?— Yes, as far as I know. 238. How many men were there, do you know ?—I cannot say. 239. Was that guard there always throughout the camp ?—I think so. It seemed to be there always when I came in,

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240. There seemed to be a sentry there ?—Yes. 241. Did you notice the cooking arrangements?—l was orderly for our tent one day, and went up there ; but it seemed to be a general rush. 242. Was any officer there the day you were there?— There were several officers who seemed to be looking on. 243. Was there any orderly officer with a sword on ?—I did not notice him. 244. Who was in charge of your cooks ? —We had two men from each tent in charge of a noncommissioned officer. One went for the tea, and the other for the food. 245. Did any officer come round to your tent while you were at meals ?—I think our commanding officer came, Captain Bartlett. 246. Did any one in your tent make any complaint to him about the rations?—l do not think any straight-out complaint was made. 247. Did they not say anything?— No. 248. Then, they did not make any complaint ?—No. 249. Did any one in your corps make any complaint about the rations in the camp ? —I do not know that they did. 250. You did not complain personally ?—No. 251. Why not? —Because everybody was treated the same. We talked among ourselves ; but I do not think there was any complaint made. 252. What was the burden of your talk?—We reckoned it was pretty rough on us. 253. What about the mud : did that inconvenience you at all ?—Very much. 254. What was the state of the camp with regard to mud ? —lt was very bad. 255. How did you get your orders ?—Captain Bartlett generally gave us orders. The orderly sergeant would come round to the tent and tell us whenever there were any orders. 256. How often did you get orders ? —About twice a day—once in the morning. There seemed to be no orders overnight for the next day. 257. Have you been in many camps before? —I have been to three camps. 258. Which camps ? —I was at the Wanganui camp last year, and the camp when the Imperial troops were here, and our own. 259. How did this camp compare for feeding with the other camps you have been at ?—There was no comparison. The other two were pretty bad, but this one capped the lot. 260. What day did you leave camp ?—We left on the Thursday, and slept at the E shed, and then we left for Christchurch on the Friday. 261. Where were your horses put ? —They were left in charge of some of the men who were not going to Christchurch. 262. Were your lines moved from Newtown Park?— Yes. 263. Whereto?— Under the trees. 264. What day was that ? —I think that was on the Wednesday afternoon. 265. Colonel Davies.] Do you know anything about the procession that took place ?—No. 266. Did you see it leave the camp ?—No. 267. You do not know anything about the men who took part in it?— No. 268. Were you in the camp the morning after the procession, when Colonel Penton came up and addressed the men ?—Yes. 269. Do you know what he said ? —Yes. 270. Will you tell us very shortly what he did say ?—The officers came round first of all to ask if any of the men present were there, and to fall out if they were there; but no men fell out. Then Colonel Penton made a speech, and called us curs and cowards. 271. What do you mean by the word "us " ?—The whole battalion that was there. 272. Are you sure that that is what he meant ? —That is what I would take it to mean. 273. Do you think he was referring to the whole of the battalions, or to the men who would not come out when called upon ?—Well, as it did not concern me, I did not take much notice of it. 274. You do not know whom he referred to ? —I should naturally think, after asking the men to come out, he would refer to the men who were guilty. 275. Did you take it as a personal matter?—No, I did not. 276. That was because you were not one of the guilty men ?—Certainly. 277. And, not being one of the guilty ones, you did not think Colonel Penton was referring to you?— Quite so. 278. The Chairman.] Why did you say just now that you thought he was referring to the "whole of us"?—On second thoughts, when Colonel Davies put it to me in another way, it seemed different. I told. Colonel Davies it was no concern of mine, and did not affect me in the least. 279. You say now that when you said it referred to the whole of you, you made a mistake in that ?—Yes. 280. Major Hawkins.] When with the ration party, and you thought the cooks were being rushed, do you know whether they said anything about the men not coming at the usual time ? — No. 281. How many cooks were there?—l could not estimate the number, because there was such a crowd. Ido not remember any of the cooks complaining. 282. The Chairman.] Did the bugle sound for the mess orderlies to go and get the meals ?— Yes. 283. Did the cooks, when you got there, or anybody on their behalf, say you had come too soon, or that the food was not ready ? —Not on the day I was mess orderly. 284. Is there anything you would like to tell us about the camp that we have not asked you ? —No; I know nothing more about it.

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Lance-Corporal John Scully examined. (No. 22.) 285. The Chairman.] You are lance-corporal of the Westport Rifles ?—Yes. 286 Were you with your corps at the camp in Newtown Park in June last?—No ■ I was in charge of the officers' orderlies at the Thorndon School—the Nelson District orderly officers 287. Were you billeted there yourself ?—Yes. 288 What were the rations like that were served out there?—As far as I could see, the officers were not getting fair-play at all. They were there to the number of about forty or over and a though they got good wholesome food in the way of meat and vegetables, still they were not allowed the ordinary luxuries that officers-usually get in camp. 289. Was what they got properly cooked?— Yes. 290. What did they get ?—At breakfast they got fried steak and chops, bread, butter, and tea and coffee; and at lunch-time cold meat and vegetables, two tins of jam, and two bottles of pickles to go round the whole forty. r 291 Did they have a late dinner ?—They were supposed to have dinner at 6 o'clock. They got roast beef, corned beef, and vegetables. For the first two days they got no pudding ooo' w\ d th 7 aft l erwards ?—They got apples and rice the last two days we were there, cerned y ° U WaS properly cooked ?— Yes > as far as the officers were con--294. Do you know anything about the rations at any of the other billets ?—Yes • the Stoke Bifles were up m the same quarters as the officers at Thorndon, and from what I could see they were getting fair rations until one day. Some one delivered a piece of beef that was cut off from the shoulder to the sirloin, stripped of the bones, and rolled up like bacon, and this meat was bruised from one end to about half-way up, and I should say was on the verge of decomposing A few hours in the sun would have made it very " high," and it could not be baked 295 Could Sergeant-Major Coleman see that ?—No ;he was away at the time. The cook said he could not do anything with it, and I think he gave it away to the dogs. 296. It was not used by the men ?—lt was sent by the contractor to be used. 297. Do you know how the meat was kept there'before it was used?—lt was brought up and put m a store at the back of the galley. . ° 298. Was the meat that was not tainted of good quality ? Yes, fair. 299. Do you know of any complaints being made by the Stoke Rifles or at the officers' mess ? —No, Ido not tnink so. The officers complained. 300. Did they make their complaint to anybody?—No ; but they told me 301. Did you see anything of the procession in the streets ?—I saw it coming past the Royal Oak Hotel, and turning into Manners Street. There were only about half a dozen in it then 302 Did they have the pole with the board and provisions with them ?—Yes ; they had a thin stick and a board nailed across it like a cross. On this board was a whisky-flask, and a crust of bread at the other side of the pole, and a piece of meat cut about so that you could see the inside and outside This was hanging down. The outside of it was what you might called burned and the other side raw. ' 303 Do you know any of the men who took part in it ?-No; I did not take particular notice ol any of them. In fact, I got out of the road as quickly as I could. 304. Did you follow the procession ?—No; I simply went up to it to read everything on the board, and then passed on my way. 305. Who ordered you to come here ?—Captain Card, of the Westport Rifles i i° 6 ., Why ?_T ° rep ° rt how the officers S ot their meals > and t0 B ive evidence of what I saw ot other things. 307. Can you tell me whether the half-dozen men you saw in the procession were mounted men.or infantry?— Mounted men. 308. You say you do not know any of them ?—No. 309. You did not know them at the time, but have you heard the names of any of them since? —1 cannot say that I have. 1 heard the procession came from Newtown Park. 310. Colonel Davies.] You do not know that it came from there ?—No I only heard so The bearer of the pole was a civilian, a boy of about fifteen or sixteen years of age 311. What uniform did the men have?— The khaki uniform, with slouch hats 312. What facings ?-I am not sure about the facings. I did not take much notice of the men when 1 saw them, and after I saw them I passed by. 313. What breeches had they ?—They had tight mounted men's leggings on. 314. Had they spurs on ?—I could not say. 315 You do not know whether they all had riding-whips ?-No ; but I would be almost certain they were mounted men. 316. Why?—By their general appearance. 317. You mean to say that a mounted man looks different from the infantry in uniform ?—Yes a lot different. From their general appearance I should certainly say they were mounted men. ' Staff Sergeant-Major Healy recalled. (No. 23.) 318. Colonel Davies.] In reference to Sergeant Rankin, you said that while you were in the passage, after taking the meat away from the men, he incited the men to go and take the meat out again ?—Yes, there is no doubt at all about that. t> .x 3 ! 19 " Ft™ Chairman.] Did you hear any complaints at all as to the officers' mess of the Nelson Battalion ?—There was not the slightest complaint. If anything had been wrong Dr Pearless and the quartermaster would have been the first to complain.

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Captain Julian Llewellyn Dove examined. (No. 24.) 320. The Chairman.] You are captain of what corps ?-The Hunterville Mounted Eiflefl. 321. Did you attend the encampment at Newtown Park in June last m command of that corps ?—Yes. tt . . ~ , 322 What strength had you in camp?—We came in sixty-eight strong. 323' Had you sufficient tent accommodation for your men ?—Yes ;we had eight m a tent. 324. Had they sufficient straw ?—Yes. , 325 What were the rations like ?—The quality of the meat was not, on the whole, good but in going'round the tents of my own company at meal-times I only once received a complaint trom one tent that the rations were unsuitable. 326 Were the tents visited after each meal?— During each meal. 327. By yourself or your subaltern ?—Either by myself or by one of my subalterns. 328. You saw some of the meat that was cooked ?—Yes. 329. What was the condition of the cooking ?—I think the actual cooking was satisfactory. 330 Was it done ?—I think it was done, and well done. . 331. Did that apply to the joints or larger pieces of meat ?-I do not remember seeing any ioints. They were mostly comparatively small hunks. 332 Are you speaking of the officers' mess ?—No ;I am speaking only of the men 333 Had the men sausages or chops ?—Yes ; either sausages or chops for breakfast. 334. Were they properly cooked?— Yes, so far as my knowledge goes. _ 335 Were the rations sufficient in quantity for the men ?-On the whole I should say they were, unless their orderlies happened to be last. I could not answer for the last orderlies. 336 What about the bread ?—The bread and butter were both good and plentiful. 337. And the potatoes ?-The men had them on one day only, and then they were not well CO ° k 33B. What was the tea or coffee !ike?-The men reported to me subsequently-they did not renort it at the time—that they could not drink the tea. . - . , 339. Did you see it ?-I did, but lam sorry I did not taste it. I tasted similar stuff in the officers' mess, and can corroborate what the men said. _ ' 340 Was any formal complaint made to you by any of your men as to the food supplied to them ?—No, with the exception of those in the one tent I have mentioned. 341 D d you make any formal complaint to any superior officer ?-No; for the reason that I saw that those things that needed remedy most were under the colonel s own eye. I believe if wis the morning subsequent to the one on which I received the complaint from my men that he colonel was at the receiving place to inquire into the quality and quantity of the rations. 342 What was wrong, in your opinion?-The want of vegetables and the bad quality of the meat 343 Do you know what day it was the colonel was there ?-No ; I have no note of it 344. How about the forage for the horses: was that sufficient in quantity?-Yes; but not always obtainable at the right time. 345. What was the quality of it?— Satisfactory. _ . 346 Do you know where it was issued from in the camp ?—Yes;; the store-tent. 347 Do you know whether it was always issued from there?— No. . 348. Do you know whether it was ever intercepted by any of the corps before it got there ?- Yes ' '349. Did that occur on more than one occasion?—l cannot say. tvt^o,, 350. Did the horses of your corps go short at all, or had they sufficient -On the Monday morning the 17th June, there were no oats obtainable m time for our morning feed. We had run out and I sent out for 8 bushels. I have got the receipt with me. That was the morning of the rehearsal, and I had to feed my horses before they went to it. 351. Had you to get any other provisions for your horses or men /—No. 352. Did your officers sleep in camp ?—Yes. 353 How many men did you furnish for a guard ?-A sergeant and three men. 354.' That was your proportion of the guard ?-Yes ; another company had to supply a corporal and three men. , ~, 355 What about the water in the camp?— There was too.muchof it. 356 But the water for drinking and cooking purposes ?-I heard no complaints about it. 357 Could you get water for your horses whenever it was wanted ?—There was one day when the pipe burst and the water-trough ran short; but I rather think that was the day after my horses had ff •Dsed"oTt fe o\ltVour e orders from the Brigade Office regularly ?-When I first went into camp I went into Colonel Sommerville's office and took a copy of the orders he had written out then- and subsequently I issued company orders founded on the orders given to me in camp ; but I canncTsay I saw any other written orders beyond those of the first day. I think, however, so far as my recollection serves me, they were given out in the proper channel through the orderly sergeant. „ „ 359. But then they would be reported to you/—Y-es. ~ . ~ „ „ , , 360 Do you know what staff was appointed by Colonel Sommerville for the camp?-He had Lieutenant Fitzherbert acting as adjutant, I suppose you would call it. 36? Was it not notified to you what Lieutenant Fitzherbert was?-No. And he distinctly Colonel Sommerville beyond those ?-Not that I ever heard of, with the exception of the battalion commandants.

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363. What aay aid you go into camp?—On Saturday morning, at 10 o'clock, I got there with the main boay. 364. Was it wet then ?—No. 365. When aia the camp begin to get muaay ?—I was compellea to shift my horse-lines on the Monday afternoon. 366. Why ?—Because of the mud. 367. Am I right in assuming that the mud got worse instead of better ?—Undoubtedly. 368. Say by Wednesday afternoon, what was the condition of the camp as regards mud ?—I cannot absolutely say it was over your boot-tops, but it was much more comfortable to go round the horse-lines on horseback than on foot. 369. What was the condition of the flat ? —lt was like an ordinary cow-yard in wintertime. 370. What is your opinion of Newtown Park as a suitable place for a camp of mounted men for the number there in June last ?—Considering the weather, I should say it was a very unsatisfactory camping-ground. 371. Looking back, are there any specific matters which you think are proper grounds for complaint in reference to the camp ?—The questions of rations and forage have been gone into. I have really no complaint to make about the forage, excepting that some of the hay disappeared when it ought not to have done, and on two days we could not get the amount of hay we ought to have been able to get. There was plenty of chaff, and, with the exception of the day which I mentioned, there was plenty of oats. 372. Do you think the cooking arrangements were sufficient ?—No; I think they were very insufficient. I think lam right in saying there were only two men cooking for the whole of the seven hundred men in camp. At any rate, lam safe in saying I only saw two men at one point. I did not see them every morning, but every other morning. 373. Can you say whether there was any orderly officer there to attend at the issue of rations ?—There was an order issued when I first went into camp that one officer was to be present at every issue of rations. That order was carried out in my company; but there dia not appear on every occasion one officer placed in command of the whole lot, so that it was really a fortuitous circumstance when the officers appeared at all. It really meant one officer taking it upon himself to do it. One of the four battalions had usually an officer of the day, and that battalion officer, so far as I could see, appeared to be doing orderly officer's work for the camp ; certainly on one occasion it was so. 374. Whose battalion dia you belong to ?—No. 3, Captain Dunk. 375. In that battalion was there a battalion ana a subaltern or officer of the aay ?—I ao not know. I only know that I was not put on duty. 376. Were any battalion orders issued by the battalion commanders ?—Orders were issued on the day the battalions were formed, which I think was Sunday; but I received no subsequent orders of the day. 377. No battalion order was ever received by you stating that any particular officer or officers were appointed officers or subalterns of the day?— No. 378. What were the cooking appliances like ?—They had large-sized cooking-boilers standing on iron rails, with an open fire underneath. 379. Was there any protection for the cooks from the weather ? —Absolutely none. 380. There was a small corrugated-iron shed there : what was that used for ?—I think it was used as a bread-store, but I am not certain. I rather think that the tea-fires were just under the lee siae of it, between the shea ana the bank. 381. Is there any other matter you think is grouna for complaint besides what you have mentioned? —I should rather call it ground for criticism than ground for complaint—that is, a want of a field officer to be responsible for the parading of orderlies for the whole camp. Since the camp at this meeting had one central point, it was practically useless to have a number of company officers detailed off unless you had some senior officer to superintend the whole thing. 382. In your opinion, was the organization of the camp satisfactory ?—ln that respect I should say, certainly not. 383. Was the aiscipline of the camp satisfactory ?—So far as it came under my notice—that is, in aealing with my own company—l have no complaint to make about the aiscipline. 384. Did your observation extend beyond your own company ? —To a certain extent it did. 385. So far as your own observation went, what conclusion did you arrive at on that point ?— Men excellent; officers did not know much about it. That is my frank opinion. 386. Was the material good?— Material excellent, without a doubt. 387. Colonel Davies.] Who is your quartermaster-sergeant?— William Howie. 388. Is he a good man ?—He has not been very long at it. 389. Is he pretty capable ?—Yes, on the whole, I should say so. 390. Did he look after the men's rations, the forage, and so on ?—He had nothing to do with the rations —only the forage. 391. Do you think your company got on better than the others in the way of rations ?—I do not think they got on better than any one else at all. 392. I suppose when you saw it Was a general scramble your men looked after themselves?— They were not the last when the rations were being served out. 393. For that reason they got on better, perhaps, than the others ?—We were not in the ruck ; we were in the midaie. 394. Which battalion were you in ?—No. 3, Captain Dunk's. 395. Were any battalion oraers issuea ?—None that I recollect after the first aay. 7—H, 19a,

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396. What were they on the first aay ? —I wrote them out, but I have not kept a copy. They were written out on a piece of paper, which I sent back. 397. You aia not get any written battalion orders issued to your company as part of the whole battalion ?—No. I remember there was a battalion sergeant-major told off, for one thing. 398. Was there a battalion adjutant ?—I do not think so. 399. Or a battalion quartermaster ?—I do not think so. 400. Have you got a company order-book ? —Yes. [Produced.] 401. You issued orders every day to your company ?—Yes, except when we were on board ship. 402. These notes are taken from the quartermaster?— Yes. 403. They did not come from the battalion commander to you?— No. The battalion commander was not in the camp then. 404. The companies had not been formed into battalions ?—No. 405. For instance, when you had to mount guard, how did you know it ? —I think it was Lieutenant Fitzherbert who told me verbally. 406. What day was that ?—On the Saturday night. 407. Had the battalions been formed then? : —No. 408. How did you know what Lieutenant Fitzherbert was ?—I gathered it in conversation. 409. You never saw him put down in the brigade orders ?—I do not think so; but I could not be sure. I knew what his position was, but I have no recollection of his appointment coming out as a brigade order. 410. You know that there has been a great deal of talk and complaint about the camp, one way and another? —Yes. 411. What do you think is the principal cause of the trouble? You have been to many camps in New Zealand ? —I have just seen six. 412. How does this camp compare with the others you have seen? —It is difficult to judge. 413. You have had experience of camps in England?— Yes. 414. How did this one compare with them ?—I should say it was a general muddle. 415. What was the cause of it?—l should say absence of staff supervision, and ignorance on the part of many officers. They did not seem to know their duties, or to go round among their men. . 416. Major Hawkins.] Your company has been nearly twelve months in existence ?—We formed it last September. 417. What previous experience had you as an officer?—l was a lieutenant in the Ist Herts Battalion in the Bedfordshire Regiment for twelve years, during half of that time commanding a cadet company, and I was signalling officer to the Home Counties Volunteer Brigade. 418. You had two lieutenants here : had they any experience ?—One had some, but the other had scarcely any. 419. Had they passed the examination ? —The written examination, but not the practical. 420. When did you receive orders for parades whilst in camp ?—They were mostly given out to the orderly sergeants some time on the evening previous. I cannot tell you the exact hour. 421. Are you referring to the company orders?—-To the orders given by Lieutenant Fitzherbert to my company orderly sergeant. I got them some time during the course of the evening, and put on any additional company order I wanted to. 422. Were you present on the morning that Colonel Penton visited the camp ? —Yes. 423. Did you go round your own company with a view to ascertaining the names of any of the men who took part in the procession ? —I knew that, as a matter of fact, none of my men had been there at the time of the procession. I was about to go down the lines when the officers were called for, and I had not time. 424. Colonel Penton made some remarks both to the officers and men : will you give us shortly what he said, and the impression that was made on your mind?—He said he considered the officers were very much to blame. He told the whole battalion—these are not his words, but the substance of them—that it had been a somewhat scandalous affair at the time that Royalty was present; and then, when he heard from the reports of the officers that no names had been given by any of their companies, he said that the particular four men who were afraid to come forward and give their names were—l think he called them curs ; but what he meant to say, I think, was that they ought to be ashamed of themselves. This is my observation on the speech : that it has been very much distorted in the Press, and that a tone has been given to it that the speaker never intended. 425. The Chairman.] I take it that you gathered from the Commandant's remarks that they applied to the men who had taken part in the procession, and those men only ?—Certainly. 426. Did you see anything of the procession ?—No; I was away at the Hutt at the time, taking my horses there. 427. And you are not aware of any one who took part in it?— No. You asked me just now whether there was any complaint with regard to the management of the camp. I think it was not satisfactory that the men should have been kept about the whole of Wednesday morning waiting for orders as to the disposal of the horses. I did not get off my horses until 2 o'clock that Wednesday afternoon from the camp. 428. What orders did you expect that day ? —That we should get leave in the course of the morning to take our horses away to paddocks which had been arranged for. 429. Who led you to believe you would get that order?—l cannot exactly remember which officer it was, but it was one senior to myself who told, me that Colonel Sommerville had stated that he would find out and let us know when we might go that morning. 430. Was it Captain Dunk?— Very likely it was; but lam not sure. It was either Captain Dunk or Captain Winter.

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431. Did your horses suffer at all by being in the camp?—No, Ido not think they did. 432. Had they rugs or horse-cloths ?—All of them. We had shifted our lines to the top of the hill. 433. Had your men waterproof sheets ?—Yes, sheets they had brought with them. With regard to the shifting of our lines, we were told we might shift them and go where we liked ; but when there are other companies wanting to do the same thing there was a fear that some one else would " jump your claim." 434. You were told you could do it at your own risk ?—Yes. i- • What did you understand by that ?—That if any of the horses got hung up in the trees the authorities would not be responsible for it. 436. Is there any other matter about the camp you would like to tell us ? —No, I do not think there is. The latrines were not very good. 437. What have you to say about them?— The officers' latrines were in a very dirty state. The seats were not cleaned the whole time, I should say. I think the pans were emptied regularly. 438. Were the latrines situated in a proper place —both the officers' ana men's ?—Yes, except that I think any arainage from them was likely to pass aown into camp. There is a little bit of gully which runs down close to the trough where the men were supposed to wash. I dia not, however, think that anything from the latrines couia have got to the cooking-water or to the cookingplace, because they were on the other siae of the latrine gully. 439. But you consiaer there was a possibility of the drainage flowing down to the camp ? — Yes, down to the camping-ground. 440. I suppose you do not know that it actually did so?— No. I should say almost certainly it aia not, because the pans were emptiea regularly, I think. 441. Colonel Davies.] You said that you considered Colonel Penton was referring to the four men ?—Yes. 442. Why did you say " four " men ?—Because I believed those were the words he used. 443. Where did the idea arise from that there were four ?—I do not know. 444. Was there any sickness in the camp ? —Not that I heard of. Colonel Sommerville recalled. (No. 25.) 445. The Chairman.] You referred us to two letters you wrote to Colonel Newall, as to your wish to have the cooking done by companies ? —Yes. 446. With reference to these letters, there is a telegram here: " Colonel Newall, Wellington. —Majority of corps, not having cooking-utensils, prefer the contract system.—Sommerville " ?—ln my second letter I say, " Of course, as you have not sufficient cooking-utensils, that settles the matter." I sent a circular to each of my corps, and put the question to them, asking what they would do, and the reply was that,.as they had not cooking-utensils, they would have to take the contract system. 447. Seeing that the cooking was so unsatisfactory, for the reasons you have stated, why did you not either apply to Colonel Newall to have shelter-sheds erected for the cooks, or get some timber and iron and put them up yourself, with a fatigue party ?—The weather was such that we could not work outside at times. 448. Suppose the men had had to work in a shower of rain, would it not have been better than it was ? —The whole thing was put to Colonel Newall, and we agreed that there was no possibility of getting out of the trouble. As far as the cooking was concerned, it was getting better. It very much improved after the first two or three days, and every day we were expecting it to get better. As to putting a roof over the cooking-places, it would have taken a whole crowd of men a whole day. 449. The principal point was that there was no camp staff appointed beyond Lieutenants Fitzherbert and Thurston ? —As a matter of fact, I could not appoint others. My battalions were gazetted without even a commander being gazetted. 450. Where could we get a nominal roll of the officers in camp ?—From Colonel Newall. 451. Had you in camp a nominal roll of officers who were available for duty ?—I would not be certain. In every corps I had there were young officers with no experience. I thought it was far better for me to fight the matter with Lieutenant Fitzherbert. 452. The four battalion officers were not young officers ?—No; but they could not do battalion duties and camp duties as well. 453. Colonel Davies.] I understand you have said that an officer has stated to you that he did not get an opportunity of stating something to this Committee of inquiry that he wished to state, and which he thought should have been stated? —He said that he answered all the questions that were asked of him, but there was more that he could have told if he had been asked. It was with regard to the telephone. 454. Therefore he concludes that he was not given a sufficient opportunity ?—I do not think he looks upon it in that light, but he thinks he might have been asked something about the telephone. 455. Did he imply that he did not say it because he was not given the opportunity, or that it was through his own fault ? —No ; he looked upon it that when the questions were answered he had done. He thought it would have been wise if it was made as well known as possible that complaints had been made to the contractor. 456. Will you give us his name ?—No ; it was a matter we were talking about together, and I would not like to give his name. Captain Julius Sandtmann examined. (No. 26.) 457. The Chairman.] You are captain commanding what corps ?—The Ahuriri Mounted Rifles, Napier. ...,...,. ...

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458. Were you present with your corps at the camp at Newtown Park in June last ?—I was. 459. How many did you take into camp ?—Fifty men and four officers. 460. How many tents had you ? —Four for the men and one for the officers. 461. Had you sufficient straw in the tents ?—After the first two days we had. 462. Can you tell us anything about the rations issued to the men : what about the meat? — The meat itself was good enough, but it was not cooked. I inspected the rations every day, and I do not think there was a solitary occasion on which the meat was sufficiently cooked. 463. Was it sufficient in quantity ?—I believe it would have been if well cooked. 464. And the small things, such as chops, sausages, and so on : were they cooked ?—I do not remember any sausages. 465. What about the vegetables ?—There were hardly any, except on a couple of occasions. I remember seeing cabbage on one occasion ; at other times I only saw potatoes. 466. Had the men potatoes every day?— No. 467. Were they cooked?-—Well, after a fashion; insufficiently, certainly. 468. What about the bread and butter?— The bread was good, ana I believe there was butter. I certainly heara no complaints about it. 469. What about the tea and coffee?— That was mostly non-existent, and if there was any it was unfit for the men to drink ; but I would like to say that I did not blame the cooks for that, because they were working under very serious difficulties on account of the very inadequate watersupply. 470. In what way was the water-supply bad? —There was an inch main, which ran from the street through the grounds to the horse-trough, and when it arrived there it was reduced to half or three-quarters of an inch, and from there it branched off to the cooking-trench. That was all the cooks had; and, in addition, the pipe leaked frightfully, and most of the time of the officer of the day was taken up trying to patch the leak. 471. Did you see what the conveniences for cooking were?— Yes; they consisted of a trench and a shed with three sides. There was no cover for the cooking-trench, and the men had not a fair chance to cook the stuff on account of the rain spoiling everything. There were no tarpaulins put up, or anything of that kind. It appeared to me, also, that there were far too few cooks. As far as I remember, there were only six cooks altogether. I remember counting them more than once, and I never saw more than six cooks there. 472. Would there have been any difficulty in detailing cooks from the various corps?—On the contrary, I offered to do it. 473. To whom?— Before the camp started I wrote down to Captain Loveday, asking whether we should bring our cooks, and stating that I could bring two good men. 474. You did not offer to do it in camp ?—No. 475. Do you know whether Captain Loveday communicated that to any other official ?—I do not know. I got his reply to the effect that I could leave the men behind, because the rations were going to be supplied cooked. 476. Supposing shelter had been erected for the kitchens, would that have overcome the difficulty so far as cooking the rations was concernea?—No, because it was impossible for the number of cooks in camp to properly cook the rations. If they haa been given the necessary time they wouia have about finished breakfast at ainner-time. 477. In your opinion, they wantea aaaitional cooks and shelter?—lt was want of time more than anything else. With more cooks I do not see any reason why the rations should not have been well cookea and made fit for consumption. 478. How about the fodder for the horses ?—I had reason to complain about the quality of the chaff. That supplied to us was musty. 479. Do you know what that arose from ?—No, except that it must have been a bad quality, or chaff that had been in a damp store. 480. Where was the chaff issued from ?—A marquee or forage-tent. 481. Was it all issued from there?—No ; after the first few days the fodder arrived late in the day, and then it was issued as the carts arrived. 482. Was it issued or did the men take it?—No ; it was issued by the quartermaster. 483. Did you or any one on behalf of your company make any complaints to any one on account of the rations ?—Yes, every day. 484. To who ?—Acting Battalion-Commander Winter. 485. He was commanding your company before you went there ?—Yes. 486. Are you aware whether he made any complaint to any one?— Yes. 487. To whom ?—Colonel Sommerville. 488. What was the nature of his complaint ?—The complaint embraced more than the rations. It embraced the condition of the camp, the position of the tents, the impossibility of retaining the tents on account of the mud there, and the rations. I noted that Colonel Sommerville went round and personally inspected the rations, and said that, with regard to the tea and coffee, they were not fit to drink. 489. But did he do anything ?—I believe he did. He said he was going to town to have the thing remedied ; but we saw no improvement. 490. Can you say on how many occasions Captain Winter complained to Colonel Sommerville ? —I could not state definitely how many times, but I believe he did so every day. 491. Was there any improvement from day to day in consequence of those complaints?—No, there was not. 492. Was anything remedied?— Yes; the shortage of forage, about which we complained, was remedied, and there was plenty afterwards. 493. Was it brought to Colonel Sommerville's notice that there were insufficient cooks?—l did not do it personally, but I have no doubt it was done, because Captain Winter spoke to him

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repeatedly; and I know that Captain Winter made arrangement with Mr. McParland, the contractor, to send in two extra cooks to camp, but he never did. I cannot say positively whether Captain Winter spoke to Colonel Sommerville about it. 494. What was the condition of the camp with regard to mud ? —Very bad. 495. Can you make any comparison with it?— Yes. We arrived there at 2 o'clock on the morning of Monday, the 17th June. It was raining slightly, and the mud was then right over our boot-tops. The adjutant showed me our horse-lines. They were so short that it was impossible to unsaddle your horse when you had it there. They were so close together that you had to back them out to get the saddles off. 496. That was on the Monday?— Yes. 497. On the Tuesday and Wednesday, what was the condition of things?—l spoke to Colonel Sommerville the next day about the place, and he agreed that it was not fit for the men to remain there, and consented to our shifting our lines on to the hill; and we did that after we came back to camp from parade on Monday afternoon—after the rehearsal. 498. In your opinion, was Newtown Park a fit place to hold the camp there at all?— Certainly not. 499. Why not ? —Because it was far too small for the number of men and horses there. I believe there were 850 horses and men, including the officers. There was no room to get to the horses on account of them being so close together, and the slush was such that it was hopeless to endeavour to keep yourself clean, because as soon as you stepped out of your tent you were just as bad again. 500. What was the officers' mess like ? — After the Tuesday I do not think there was much to complain of. The lighting was very insufficient; we only had a few candles stuck on bayonets. I believe a lamp was provided at the very last. 501. As far as the food was concerned at the officers' mess, was it cooked?— Yes. After Tuesday, I do not think there was much to complain of. 502. There were no luxuries, I suppose ? —No ; the food was very plain. 503. Colonel Davies.] Did you see anything of the procession that has been spoken of ?-—No, I did not see it. 504. Do you know any one who took part in it ? —No. I happened to be captain of the day at the time, so I could not leave camp. 505. Did the procession leave the camp?—l heard that it left the camp subsequently; but I am certain that the procession did not go out of the camp, because my tent was situated close to the entrance of the park, and I should have noticed it. 506. Do you remember Colonel Penton going up to the camp the aay after the procession?— I do. 507. Will you just state shortly what he did and said?— Colonel Penton came and addressed the officers first. He told them he blamed them very much for the occurrence, because he thought that if they had kept their men in hand it could not have happened. He then addressed the men generally. He admitted that they had had a good deal to put up with, that things were not so good as they might have been, and that during the first days of the camp they had borne themselves well; but that, owing to this stupid exhibition, they had disgraced their uniform, and he wished to find out who were the men who had taken part in it. The officers commanding the companies were then instructed to go round and inquire from every man if he had been present in the procession, and the answer came back "No " in every case. After the officers returned to the colonel with the reply that none of the men admitted being present in the procession, he turned to the men, and said, if a similar thing had happened in his service, the men would have had what soldiers call a barrack-room court-martial. He said that those who had taken part in the procession were not men enough to come forward and own up to it, and were a lot of infernal curs. I consider, if I am right in commenting on it, that the colonel was quite right. 508. You understood his remarks to apply to those men who took part in the procession, and did not own up to it when asked about it ?—Certainly; and to no one else. 509. What about the latrines : were they satisfactory ?—As far as they went they were ; but they were all situated on the one side at the far end of the camp, and, owing to the difficulty in getting there through the slush, the men did not trouble about going there. 510. How far were they from the cookhouse ? —I should estimate it from memory as perhaps a couple hundred of yards. It might have been 300 yards. 511. Was a guard mounted in the camp day and night ?—There was a guard mounted at 10 o'clock every morning, and also at night—at least, so far as our company was concerned, we furnished a guard every day. 512. You spoke of being an officer of the day : were you officer of the day for the brigaae or a battalion ? —Battalion. 513. How aia you get your oraers ?—From the battalion aajutant every morning—Lieutenant Colbourne. 514. Do you know who the brigaae staff were ?—No ; except that Colonel Sommerville was in command. I dia not know of anybody else. 515. You say that you were in Captain Winter's battalion?— Yes. 516. Had you battalion orders issued?— Yes; everyday. 517. And from those you issued company orders?— Yes. 518. Had you a battalion adjutant?— Yes. 519. And a battalion quartermaster? —Yes; Quartermaster Evans, of Gisborne. 520. You made formal complaints to Captain Winter, and he made formal complaints to Colonel Sommerville every day ?—Yes ; every day. 521. And on one occasion you say that Colonel Sommerville went down to try and put things right ? —I believe he went down every day on some business.

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522. And you never saw any improvement ? —No ; except with regard to the forage and the officers' mess, which was improved. The was no improvement in the men's rations. 523. Do you know whether every battalion had orders issued regularly ?—I do not know positively, but I have heard it said that we ought to be rather proud of ourselves, because ours was the only battalion where it was done. 524. You never saw any brigade orders?-—No. 525. Nor any brigade staff ? —No. 526. Major Hawkins.] Do you know Mr. McParland, the contractor, by sight?—No, I do not. I tried to meet him, but was never able to find him anywhere near the camp. 527. Do you know whether he had a representative in the camp?—No, unless the cook was supposed to be his representative. 528. You say the officers' mess was fairly satisfactory after Tuesday?— Yes. 529. Where was the food prepared?—At the cooking-trench, by the same cooks that cooked for the men. 530. The Chairman.] Do you think there would have been any objection on the part of the men in your company being told off as assistant cooks ?—I believe if that had been done there would have been no trouble. 531. Do you think the men would have objected ?—No, on the contrary. 532. You think they would have obeyed the order ?—Yes, certainly. 533. Is there anything you wish to state to us that you have not been asked about?— Onl y—if I may be allowed to make a suggestion—that if there are any similar camps in the future no contracts be let for the rations. Let the companies cook their own rations and be responsible if there should not be sufficient food provided. If I had been allowed to have my own cooks there would have been no trouble. 534. Did your horses suffer at all through being in the camp? —They did. 535. What did you do with them when you went to Christchurch ? —We took them back. The whole of the company did not go to Christchurch, and those men who did not go there took the horses back to Napier. 536. Is there anything else you can tell us?— Only with regard to the water-supply. I would like to mention that there was only one horse-trough for 850 horses. The first company that got there could water their horses all right, but after that the ground was worked up into slush, and it would take perhaps two hours to water them. We took our horses to the lake or dam, but there was no proper approach to it, and the place was very muddy. But it was better than getting no water at all. Private Joseph Charles Ruston examined. (No. 27.) 537. The Chairman.] You are a private in what corps?— The Ahuriri Mounted Rifles, Napier. 538. You were in camp with your company at Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 539. Had you plenty of tent-room ? —No, we had not. 540. How many were you in a tent ? —On one occasion there were fourteen in the tent. I was in that tent myself. 541. And, of course, you had your arms and saddles with you?— Yes, we had to take them inside too. 542. Had you plenty of straw ?—No. The first night we went into camp it rained so hard that there was 4 in. of water in the straw, where there was a hollow in the ground. 543. Did you report that to any one ? —I told Sergeant-Major Clifton about it. We told our captain, and we shifted our tents on to the side of the hill the same day. We arrived at the camp about 12 o'clock on Sunday night, and then shifted on the Monday. 544. Had you plenty of straw on the hill?— No. We took what dry straw there was with us. 545. Did you ask your sergeant-major to apply for more?— They told us there was no more to be got. 546. With regard to the rations, what was the meat like ?—lt was very inferior. 547. Was it cooked? —It was half-cooked. Some of it was cooked. 548. Could the men eat it? —Some of them could, certainly. 549. On how many days was it not properly cooked ?—Three days —Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday. When it was not properly cooked I came down town and got my meals. 550. Did many of the men do the same ?—Yes, any amount. 551. Did they obtain leave to go ? —Yes, from their captain, with the exception of those who had any duties to perform. 552. Had you any vegetables? —One day there was vegetables, and potatoes with their skins on, boiled up with the meat. It was supposed to be hash. We could not eat it. 553.. What was the bread like?—lt seemed as if they had laid in a supply of bread a week before we came in. I did not taste a bit of bread from the time I arrived until I got to Lyttelton. 554. Was it stale?—lt was mouldy. 555. Did the men eat it? —No, they left it. 556. What was the butter like ?—That was very good. 557. And the tea and coffee ? —Very bad. 558. Was there milk in it? —Very little. Most of it was thrown away. 559. Could the men drink the coffee ?—No ; it was the same as the tea. I believe it was the fault of the water. 560. Had you enough forage for the horses ?—The second day we had enough. The sergeantmajor told us to go and get more. 561. Had you not any on the Monday? —No ; we were late going for it, and did not get any. 562. How did you manage on the Wednesday? —That was the same : there was a shortage.

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563. Did you ever attend to draw forage for the horses ?—No. 564. Were you ever on guard in the camp? —No ; I was sentry on the picket-lines. 565. Were your horses moved from the picket-lines ?—-Yes. 566. And your tents also ?—Yes. 567. Did you see the arrangements made for cooking?— Yes. 568. What did you think of them ?—They were very bad indeed for the number of men there. 569. In what respect were they bad ?—There did not seem to be enough cooks. There was not enough meat and potatoes cooked, because if you were not down amongst the first you had to wait until more was cooked or go without. 570. Were the cooking-places covered in ?—-No ; and there was mud all round them. 571. Did that interfere with the cooking ?—Yes. In my opinion, nothing could be cleaned, because there was no hot water to wash the dishes in. 572. What facilities had you for watering the horses ? —-We had to take them out to a trough in Newtown. 573. Why did you not water them in camp ?—Because there was no water there. 574. Why did you not take them to the lake or dam in the park ?—I did not care to. It was muddy water there. 575. And what was the state of the mud in the camp?—lt was terrible. 576. How long have you been a Volunteer? —I have been in my present company since last year. I was in the Napier Navals for four or five years. 577. Have you been in camps before?— Yes. 578. Any large camp?—-Yes; at Palmerston, about ten years ago. 579. Were you at the Wanganui camp the year before last ?—No. 580. What did you think was the matter with the camp here ?—lnsufficient food, and not properly cooked, and the state of the camp as to mud. 581. Do you think it was a proper place for a camp? —No, although the weather was against it. Ido not know what it is like when the weather is dry; but by putting that number of horses into it it soon got into a bad state on account of the mud. 582. You do not think there was enough room for that number of horses ?—No. 583. Did you see anything of the procession ?—No. I was down town, and went into a hotel to get my tea. When I came out again I was told about it. 584. Do you know any of those who took part in it ?—No, I do not "know any one who took part in it. 585. Were you present at the camp when Colonel Penton came up the next day?— Yes. 586. And you heard his address to the men ?—Yes. 587. Did he make use of the expression " cowardly curs," or something like that ?—Yes. 588. To whom did you understand he applied that expression ?—lt seemed to me that he said when he was in the army if anybody had acted in such a manner he would have exposed them. He thought the men should inform of those who had done it, and when he found that nobody would he said he would have to place us all on the same footing with regard to it. 589. Can you remember what his words were?'—No ; I was a long distance away—about the furthest away from him. 590. That is what you made out of what you heard ?—Yes. 591. Did he say anything about those taking part in it being curs and cowards for not coming forward and owning up to what they had done ? —I cannot say whether he referred to those or to the whole lot. All the captains went down the camp and asked the men individually whether they were in the procession, and, of course, they said "No." The officers then reported to the colonel, and from his remarks afterwards I thought he placed us all on the same footing. 592. Major Hawkins.] Did you make one of the ration party any time during the camp?— Yes ; to go for the rations. 593. Will you tell us just what was done from the time you fell in until you received the rations? —From the time we fell in there was not very good order kept owing to the mud and Water where we had to get the food, and the men could not keep a proper line. I myself was going up the bank when I fell, and the pans went in all directions. I slipped owing to the state of the mud. 594. Was there any pushing or scrambling, or did you take your proper turns by companies ? —There was no pushing or scrambling, but there was no company order properly. After the first day the thing seemed to tumble all to pieces. 595. Did you go up with your camp-utensils and draw rations for the number of men in your tent ?—A sergeant was told off to call over the men in each tent, and each man in the tent answered. That was the first day ; but after the Monday it was a late dinner, and at tea-time we went down for tea, and were told there was none. 596. Was there any regularity in the watering of the horses ? —There could not be, because there was no water. 597. The accommodation was very limited ?—Yes ; and the horses could not drink the muddy water. 598. Were the men allowed to move the horses from the lines at any time and take them to water, or did they water them by divisions in the usual way ? —When the men thought the horses wanted watering. 599. Personally, did you feel hurt at the remarks made by Colonel Penton?—Not individually. 600. Have you heard any of the men talking about it since, apparently dissatisfied with the colonel for making those remarks about the Volunteers ?—Yes. 601. You say you did not feel personally hurt, but that you heard other men making statements that would lead you to believe they felt hurt by what he said ?—Yes.

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602. The Chairman.] Did any of your officers tell you to whom they understood Colonel Penton to refer?— The sergeants and corporals thought he meant to refer to the whole lot, but not the commissioned officers. 603. Is there anything you would like to state that you have not been asked about in connection with the camp ?—I think that if we have a contract made for the supply of rations we should have things looked after better. They should have better arrangements and more cooks. 604. Is there any other matter you have not been asked about which you would like to refer to ?—No. ,605. Did you sleep in camp ? —Yes. 606. Do you know if many men slept ouf of camp?—A lot of them did. One man in our company who had to go out because he was suffering from asthma. 607. When you say that they slept out do you mean that they got leave ?—Yes. 608. Was there a guard mounted ?—Yes. 609. Was it there day and night ?—Yes. I was only out one evening. I saw the guard when I came in.

Saturday, 10th August, 1901. Captain George John Winter examined. (No. 28.) 1. The Chairman.] You are captain of what corps?— The East Coast Mounted Rifles. 2. And have been in command of it how long ?—Very nearly two years. 3. You have been a member of the Defence Force of this colony for how many years ? —Very nearly thirty. 4. You and your company took part in the camp at Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 5. How many were there ? —Thirty-three of my own corps. 6. How many tents had they ?—Four for the men, and two for the officers. 7. Had the men sufficient straw ? —No. 8. Not at any time?— No. 9. What were the rations like: take the meat ? —The rations were very poor until the last two days. 10. What was wrong with the meat?— Principally it was not cooked—that was the principal thing. Also it was thrown down in the tent where the commissariat was kept, and round the edges of it was covered with mud. I might say that I was the president of the officers' mess. The meat was put into the pots without being washed, because I saw it myself on one occasion, and spoke to the cook about it. 11. What about the quality of the meat?— That was good. 12. And the quantity of it ? —Not sufficient; and there was far too much bone. 13. What was the bread like ?—Good. 14. And the butter?— Good. 15. And the vegetables?— They were good, but there was not sufficient of them. 16. Were they properly cooked ?—On some occasions they were, and on other occasions they were not done at all. 17. And the tea and coffee : what have you to say about them?—l may safely say that for the first night the bucket in which the tea was served was simply covered with grease, showing that it had not been washed before the tea was made or served out. It also appeared to be very weak and made with dirty water until I made very many complaints about it, and then it got better. The coffee was of a very inferior quality. 18. Had you any milk in it ? —Not the men's. I did not see any. 19. As to the officers' mess generally, what have you to say about that ?—lt was very bad indeed. 20. What was there to complain of?—ln the first place, the caterer had certain rations to provide, and they were not supplied. There were simply joints of meat, instead of sausages and other things being provided. Then, the vegetables very often were not cooked, and the meat was badly cooked. 21. When you said the caterer undertook to provide certain things for the officers' mess, did you mean that they were in his contract ? —-Yes. He showed me the list in his book, and saia he wouia supply them. 22. With regard to the foader, was there sufficient of that ?—Occasionally we ran out of it, oats especially. 23. Did that happen several times ? —Every day. It would come in afterwards, too late for the meal. 24. On what day did your men go into camp ? —On Thursday night, the 13th June. 25. You were one of the first in ? —Yes. 26. Did you see the arrangements for cooking ?—When I went up the first night they had a cooking-house roofed with iron, about 18 ft. long and about 6 ft. to 8 ft. deep. On the following day they cut trenches on the other side of it for cooking. 27. What had they besides the trenches ?—-They had iron rails to put the pots on. 28. Were there sufficient cooks ? —Nowhere near. As I was president for the officers' mess, I tried to improve the cooking for the whole regiment, and every day when the caterer came up I always interviewed him, and he made me all kinds of promises. 29. Was he there every day?— Either he or his son was there every day. 30. And you complained to one or the other? —Always, every day. 31. Supposing there had been sufficient cooks, were the appliances sufficient for cooking?— After the first two days they might have done. During the first night and the whole of Friday we

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could only get two dishes for my company, and when the orderlies went for the rations they simply helped themselves, and those who were last got none at all. 32. I want to know whether or not it was necessary, in your opinion, that those trenches or rails should be covered in any way ?—Certainly. I got Mr. McParland into my own part of the camp and talked with him for an hour about these things. I told him the number of flies and ridge-poles he wanted, and he copied them into into his list. I said, "If wet weather comes on, how can you expect your cooks to work? " He promised faithfully that he would have it done. 33. In your opinion, the kitchens should have been covered over ? —Certainly they should. I told him exactly what he should send up to have it done. 34. You say the meat was not sufficiently cooked : what was the state of it ?—Simply raw. There were two joints one day —I think, on the Saturday—that were simply raw. The orderlies, at my request, put it on one side so that I could keep it and show the condition of the meat. 35. Was there any improvement in the cooking after that ?—No. The cook was a first-class man, but he could not get sufficient assistance. The greatest number he had was six, and at one time that got down to four. Another difficulty was the water, which was cut off during the day, so that the cooks could not get any. I agreed with Mr. McParland that he should send up orderlies for the officers, but not a man came up. He promised me also that he would always have a representative in the camp, so that I should always have the information I wanted, but he was never there the whole time. 36. Did you make any formal complaints about these things?— Yes; to the commander, Colonel Sommerville. 37. How often did you complain? —Every day. 38. What steps did he take to remedy these matters ? —On the Saturday afternoon, I think, he telephoned to the Defence Department asking that these things might be rectified ; and I know also that he telephoned to Mr. McParland. He also telephoned for more straw. 39. Do you know when he telephoned for more straw ?—No. 40. Do you know whether he complained on more than those two occasions ? —I cannot say. 41. He may have done so without your knowing ? —Yes. 42. You were commanding one of the battalions, were you not?— Yes ; No. 4. 43. Did you appoint staff?—l appointed a quartermaster only. 44. You did not appoint an adjutant ? —Yes ; I had Lieutenant Colbourne. 45. Was there any brigade staff? —The only brigade staff were the commissariat officers, Lieutenants Thurston and Fitzherbert. I believe there was a brigade sergeant-major appointed, but I never saw him come on duty. 46. Did you get your orders regularly from the Brigade Office ?—On three occasions we had brigade orders, and from those I compiled my battalion orders after receiving them. 47. What was the condition of the camp as to mud ?—I may safely say it was all over your boots in mud, and very, very wet. 48. Looking back, do you consider it was a fit place in which to hold a camp?—lt was in no fit state for any one to be in ; certainly not for that number of horses, even in the summer-time. There was no drainage, and there was 3 in. of water in my tent. 49. Did the men have overcoats ? —Some had, and some had none at all. 50. Had the members of your company waterproof sheets ? —I think so. 51. What was done to remedy the discomfort to the horses and men, apart from the provisions ?—I think it was on the Tuesday, after we had returned from the review, that the majority of the men moved their horses up on the hill amongst the trees. The colonel said he would not allow them to go up on the hill at first, because it would break up the lines, but permission was afterwards given to move the horses where they liked. 52. We were told that Colonel Sommerville said at one time that they could go on the hills at their own risk?— Yes. 53. What do you think should have been done when things got so bad ?—They should have been removed up on the hills at once. 54. Was there room to accommodate them on the hills ?—Yes, but not in lines. 55. I mean in regular formation ? —Yes. 56. You say you did not see any definite brigade orders about the brigade staff, and so on ? — Yes, the first night. 57. Colonel Davies.] You say one was Lieutenant Fitzherbert ?—Yes. 58. Was he not in uniform ? —No. I addressed him as captain, and he said he was not a captain yet. He was in plain clothes. You could not tell he was on the staff at all. 59. Did you not get brigade orders every night ?—No ; only three brigade orders were issued. 60. Were there not orders about guards ? —The first night we got orders as to the time the guards should be mounted and relieved. It said at the bottom, " These orders stand good until further orders are issued." 61. Was it not stated every night who was to furnish the guard of the battalion ? —No. I furnished the guard right through the first night. I said it was somebody else's turn then, and that I was not going to do the whole duty. Once my men had to do second guard. 62. It practically amounted to your passing it along to each other as you thought fit?— Yes. 63. Do you know whether there was any proper supervision for the issue of rations to the men? —Yes. After we found the men could not get the proper quantity it was determined that an officer from each company should attend the issue of rations, and when the orderly got sufficient the officer would see that he moved off at once. I never saw more than five or six officers for the sixteen or seventeen companies, and there was very little control. 64. There was no one to supervise all those officers : was the camp quartermaster there, for B—H. 19a.

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instance? —No. My quartermaster, Sergeant Evans, was there nearly all the time, and did most of the work under the lieutenant-quartermaster. 65. What did you think about the price for catering, 2s. Id. ?—Of course, the caterer was put to great expense, and so on, but there is no doubt that the amount of money for the actual provisions is in excess of what should have been paid. I am speaking from what I know it cost in the case of my own men for six days. We had splendid food for Is. 6d. per day. I should say, if he had got Is. 6d. to Is. 9d. per day he would have been amply paid. 66. Would you prefer to do it in another way, by cooking for your own men ?—Yes. If each company were to bring its own cook and assistant cook, according to the number of men, and they were to come down to Wellington a day or two before and make arrangements, we should be far better off, because these men would be responsible to the company commanders. There should, first of all, be a brigade quartermaster appointed ; then let each battalion appoint a quartermaster under him, and the quartermaster-sergeant of each company should be under them. They should then provide their own cooks and assistants. 67. That is practically the system that is carried out in the army. It is done like that with regularity?—l am quite satisfied it would be done satisfactorily in that way. Mr. McParland charged the officers 3s. 6d., but 2s. 6d. would have paid him handsomely for what he gave us. I asked him for lamps, but could not get them. 68. You know nothing about the procession ?—I only heard of it. I knew nothing of my own knowledge. 69. Were you up in the camp the next day when Colonel Penton addressed the men? —Yes. 70. Can you tell us what he said, shortly ?—Colonel Sommerville issued an order for a close parade at a quarter to 10, and said the Commandant was coming up to see us about the scandal that had been made. The Commandant came up about 10 o'clock, and the officers were called to the front, and Colonel Penton told us of the disgraceful proceedings which had taken place, of which we must all be cognisant, and which, if the officers had had the men under proper control, would not have occurred. The whole regiment had been disgraced, and it was all the more painful on account of Royalty being here. He then instructed the officers to return to the ranks, and try and find out who had committed the breach. We all went to the front, and afterwards told him that we could get no satisfaction. He then rode along, and got about the centre of the column and addressed us. He said he was very sorry for what had occurred, that we had borne our troubles up to a certain time like men, but at the last we had disgraced ourselves by having the procession in the town. Then he said, "I am sorry to say there are some four infernal curs and cowards here who will not step out and. take the blame on themselves." Just as he said " curs " he saw a reporter on the ground, and asked Colonel Sommerville to have him removed, which was done. The colonel said to us again what he had said. I am afraid that a great deal more has been made out of that affair than the case demanded. Ido not think the Commandant wished us to infer that the whole of the men were curs and cowards. He simply meant the four were for not coming forward and taking the blame on themselves, instead of getting the whole of the mounted c6rps into disgrace, and I thought so myself. That is all the Commandant intended, I feel sure ; those are the words he used. 71. Major Haiokms.] At what hour of the day did you arrive in the camp ? —Half-past 11. 72. Did the quartermaster meet you? —There was no quartermaster appointed then. The only parties that met us were Sergeant-Major Tuck and Crespin, and both were on foot at the railwaystation to lead mounted men into camp, a distance of three miles. We had to wait some time to allow them to catch up to us. 73. The Chairman.] 'What did they belong to ?—They belonged to the staff. 74. Major Hawkins.] Do you not think it would have been much better to have had a brigade quartermaster and his staff carrying out their duties than to have had nineteen officers appointed, one from each company ? —Far better. 75. There would have been less worry to the cooks and annoyance to everybody?—lt would have been far better to have had one man. I may say that there were some excuse for the cooks owing to the water being cut off. We had only three troughs for the horses, and for four or five hours a day we could not get water. I applied to the caterer to have two 400-gallon tanks sent up, and he said he would do so, but the tanks never came. 76. Did you see the wagons going into camp with fodder for the horses?— Yes. 77. Was the fodder always taken up to the brigade quartermaster's tent and there deposited? No ; it got bogged on the road, and was rolled down the hill. Every night they came in with oats or straw, and we had to start work in the dark, and it was always wet and raining. 78. Where was the fodder carried to? —Mostly into the forage-tents when they could get down, but when they were stuck on the road they put a tarpaulin over it. 79. Did they ever carry it away to the horse-lines ? —No ; it was simply all mud there. 80. The fodder was not rushed ?—No, there was no rushing at all. 81. Was there any proper system of issuing horse-feed ?—On my side there was. I had two large cases for chaff and oats, and as the men came their bowls were filled up. My quartermaster was always in attendance there to see it done. 82. The Chairman.] You say there were three water-troughs for the horses? —Yes. 83. Was that sufficient ?—No ; and there was no provision made for the men to wash. 84. Were there no tin dishes ?—No. There were three or four basins for eight hundred men to wash in. I went to Colonel Sommerville time after time to try and get more from the Government store, but we never got them. 85. Did you tell off from your battalion an officer of the day every time?— Yes. 86. Did they furnish reports to you?—No, for the simple reason that we could get no paper. We had no orderly-room, and there was no guard report issued.

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87. Was there any field officer of the day appointed ?—No. 88. Is there anything else you would like to tell us that you have not been asked about ?—I think not. The only thing I hope is that this inquiry will bring about better arrangements for the next encampment, so that it will be better for the Volunteers in future. The tents were very inferior ; a large number of them were simply full of holes. 89. Was there sufficient room for the horses in the picket-lines ?—No. If you wanted to saddle up you had to take your horse and back him out. I may say that the forage was anything but first class. The oats were of.medium quality, but many of the bags of chaff were musty, and I would not give it to my own horse to eat. 90. Did the forage suffer at all for being left in the wet ?—Not at all, because it was all well covered up. Another thing that caused great inconvenience and grumbling amongst the men was that there was not sufficient straw. I know, myself, that there were thirty bales of hay used for bedding because there was not straw. One costs about 3s. 6d., and the other about Is. 91. Did Colonel Sommerville get more straw in?— Yes; but then there was not enough, considering the weather. 92. Where was the brigade parade when Colonel Penton came up to the camp ?—On the flat. 93. Did he make any remarks about the state of the camp ? —No. When he said that if the officers had kept the men in hand the scandal would not have happened I did not like it, because I had done my best to have all these things rectified ; so after the parade I got the other battalion commanders together to go with me to the Commandant, and ask him if I might address him and tell him that it was rather unfair to say that if the officers had had the men in hand it would not have occurred. I said we could have possibly have done more than we had done, and that in reference to any grievances I had brought them before the officers, and therefore it was a mistake to say that the officers had not attended to the complaints, or were to blame. 94. Do you know whether the procession started from the camp ?—I do not know that it started from the camp. I know the four men went out at the back gate. 95. Do you know the four men?—No, but I know the company they came from, but only from hearsay. 9b. Colonel Davies.] I suppose, to boil it all down, what you consider the cause of the trouble was this : the unsatisfactory system of catering, the contractor not carrying out his duties, the want of organization, and the want of knowledge and experience on the part of some of the officers?—l do not think the trouble arose from want of organization. I say that the caterer should have been looked after by the quartermaster of the brigade, who should have seen that the caterer supplied what he contracted for, and should have employed more cooks. 97. That is a failure on the part of the staff?— Yes. 98. The men who got first to the cooks for their rations were better off than those who were last ?—I do not think so, except that the men at the end went short. There were 102 men on the Monday morning that went without breakfast—that is, the Ahuriri and Hawke'sßay corps. They came in on the Sunday, and had to take pot luck. 99. Does that not show that the organization failed on the occasion ? —Certainly it did; but I do not think it was owing to the slight knowledge possessed by the Volunteer officers that these things arose. 100. Was it not due to the want of knowledge of staff dutiess on the part of the Volunteer officers in the camp?—-Yes. I was working up till 2 o'clock on two occasions looking after the arrangements. 101. The Chairman.] Did many of the men get their meals out of camp ?—A great many. 102. Do you know of your own knowledge whether many of them slept out of camp ?—I do not think any did, to my knowledge. I feel pretty certain none of my battalion did. 103. Do you know whether any of the officers slept out of camp ?—I have not heard of any.

Monday, 12th August, 1901. Colonel Newall, C.8., recalled. (No. 29.) 1. The Chairman.] Can you supply us with a list of the officers in Newton Park camp, showing those who hold commissions and those who had not passed the examination ? —Yes ; I hand in a list showing the classification of the officers who were there. 2. This list shows there were forty-five company officers ?—Yes. Of those, ten held commissions ; seven had passed, but had not been gazetted ; eight had passed the theoretical examination, but not the practical; and twenty not yet examined. The large number of officers not holding commissions herein shown is accountable by the fact of the large number of mounted corps in the district whose services have recently been accepted. 3. Having regard to the large number of complaints from Colonel Sommerville as to the condition of the camp, did it not occur to you to make an official visit to the camp ?—The only serious complaint as to the condition of the camp was received from Colonel Sommerville on the evening of Wednesday, the 19th June, after the procession trouble had actually taken place. 4. Who arranged the water-service for the camp ?—I did, by telephone, about four days before the arrival of the first troops. I telephoned to the men who had done it for all the contingents— Messrs. Ballinger and Co. 5. They are plumbers, of Wellington ?—Yes. I told them to lay on the water for kitchens and horse-troughs as on the previous occasion, and at the same rates, and I said, " Will you do it at once? " I believe those are, to the best of my belief, the words ; and they said, " Yes." 6. Did they and you know what the previous service had been ? —Yes. At the entrance of the park, and on the right-hand side of the gateway, there is a tap used by people who go to the

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park, at the root of which tap the main was struck and pipes conveyed along the base of the escarpment or terrace surrounding the basin, and they were in a kind of shallow ditch which partially protected them from being trodden on or injured. 7. Do you know the diameter of the pipes : were they inch or half-inch pipes ?—I should say an inch at least, but would not like to be positive about it. All I can say is that it was sufficient for our purpose when we had a large number of men in camp there for the contingents. 8. What was the size of the pipe up to the horse-trough ? —The same size. 9. We have been told that a half-inch pipe was inserted in the inch pipe ? —That may have been so, and would probably be sufficient for all purposes. 10. Was that what it was before ?—I would not like to say that. 11. However, you gave instructions for the water to be laid on ? —Yes, as on the previous occasion. I said, " You know where the horse-troughs and kitchens were." 12. How many horse-troughs were there for the contingents before? —I believe there were four, two on each side of the ground. One is apt to forget these things. I think they were made for Major Craddock's contingent. There may have been only three. One of the original horsetroughs may have become buckled and useless for the occasion, and they may have made three do. I think the horses were watered at the lake. In my report I said that the bank of the lake was evidently trodden down by the horses. 13. When you went up to the camp did you inspect the arrangements for the water?—l cannot say that I made any formal inspection at all. I looked upon the officer commanding that camp as a man of considerable experience and energetic, because he is admitted to be an energetic man ; and it appeared to me from the first that if I exercised a kind of control or management over him I should not be paying him much of a compliment. I looked upon him as a very efficient man, more especially as the men there belonged to his arm of the service. 14. When were you there ?—I rode up on the Sunday morning. 15. It was not an official visit? —No; I conducted nothing of the kind. 16. Was that the only time you were out at the camp ?—The only time. I was so kept going at the office and at my house with telegrams that I had no time to do anything else. The telephone was going in my house up to midnight in connection with departmental matters. 17. Were you aware from previous knowledge that there is frequently a weakness in the water-pressure at Newtown Park?—No, I cannot say that I was. I should say that the elevated nature of the plateau would at once favour the impression that the pressure at Newtown Park would be at a lower level. I have no recollection of the water giving way at the time of Major Craddock's contingent, or my own contingent, the Fifth. Whether it was all-sufficient for the troops I could not say, but I have no recollection of any complaints. I know that at the high levels in Wellington the water does fail, but I do not know that Newtown Park can be considered a high level. All the information I got about the water being short was in a telephone message from Colonel Sommerville, when he said he was getting it fixed. He said the pipe had been broken and he was getting it fixed. If the horses stampeded or were galloping up the hill, the pipes, if not lying on an even surface, would be liable to fracture by the fall of the horses' hoofs. Private Wilfred Grimsdale examined. (No. 30.) 18. The Chairman.] You are a private in what corps ? —The Hurumoa Mounted Rifles. 19. Where are their quarters?—ln Hawke's Bay. 20. Were you with your corps at the camp in Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 21. Who is your captain ? —Captain Milne Thompson. 22. How long has your corps been in existence ?—Twelve months as a foot corps, and last May it was made a mounted corps. 23. How many man went to the camp at Newtown Park ?—Thirty-nine rank and file and three officers. 24. How many tents had the rank and file ?—Four, and one for the officers. 25. Had you plenty of straw in your tent ?—We did not have very much. 26. Had you enough ?—Not for the first two days, but we got a little bit extra afterwards. 27. Then, you had enough?—We had to get some manuka. 28. Where were your tents pitched?—On the flat. 29. Were they moved ? —Yes ; two days before we left they were moved on to the hills. 30. Were you dry there ?—Yes. 31. Had you plenty of straw on the hill ?—We did not get any, but we took up what we had. 32. What were your rations like?—' They were rather insufficient in quantity. 33. Was the meat properly cooked ?—On some occasions, but on others it was very bad. It was hardly warmed through sometimes. 34. How often did that happen?— The first three days it was worse, but after that it got gradually better. 35. At any time was it properly cooked ?—Yes ; we had one very good meal, but only one that was really well cooked. 36. You say it was insufficient in quantity ? —Yes. 37. Do you mean insufficient according to the scale of rations?— Sometimes some of us got none at all. 38. How did that happen ?—There was not enough to cut up between the number of men in the tents. 39. Did that arise through the tent orderly being late at the cookhouse ?—No. 40. What was the bread like ?—lt was good bread, but was generally stale. 41. And the butter? —That was all right. 42. And the vegetables?—We did not vegetables. We had potatoes.

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43. Were they cooked ?—Yes. 44; And sufficient in quantity ?—Sometimes we had none at all. 45. Did that often happen ?—No, not often. 46. What was the tea and coffee like?— The coffee was good, but the tea was never good. 47. What was the matter with it ?—lt was muddy, and seemed to be made of bad water, or was boiled. 48. Was there milk in it ? —Yes. 49. Was the tea smoky ?—No. 50. Had your horses rugs ?—Yes. 51. Was there room enough in the picket-lines for the horses?— When we first went there there was plenty of room, but after that we were rather crowded out. The picket-lines were too crowded. 52. Did you see the kitchens ? —Yes ; I was one of the orderlies on several occasions. 53. You mean that you had to get the rations for your tent ? —Yes. 54. Were there any officers present at the serving-out of the rations?— Yes. 55. How many?—On the first day I do not think there were any, but after that there were always two or three. 56. What did they do at the serving-out of rations ? —They tried to get them evenly distributed as far as they would go, but any one going late came in for a very small portion. We were the junior corps, and came in about the last. 57. What were the arrangements for cooking there ?—There were just two railway-irons arranged longwise for boiling the food, and that was all there was. 58. Did you consider that sufficient ?—Not if I was cooking myself. 59. What would you have had ?—I should have had something over the place to keep the rain off. 60. Was there much mud about the kitchen ?—lt was very bad. 61. Did you notice where the meat was kept ?—No. 62. Had you any small things cooked, such as sausages and chops ?—Sometimes sausages. 63. Were they cooked ? —The sausages were boiled, and cooked too much generally. 64. What have you to say about the state of the mud in the camp ? —lt was bad, and was very wet in the tents. 65. What time did you arrive in camp? —2 o'clock on Friday morning. 66. Was it raining then ?—Yes. 67. When did the camp get very bad on account of the mud ? —lt was very bad then. 68. Did it get better or worse ? —lt got worse about the tents on account of the horses tramping round. 69. What about the flat? —That was horrible. On Sunday it began to get bad. 70. Did you shift your tents?— Yes ; but one of our tents was left on the flat. 71. Whom did you get your orders from ?—We did not get orders from any one to shift our tents. There was a general understanding that if we liked to shift we could. 72. Did you not get an order from any one?— Captain Milne Thompson said we could shift if we liked. 73. Did your corps furnish a guard in camp ? —Yes. 74. Was there always a guard on duty?—l think so. 75. Did you sleep in the camp the whole time? —Yes. 76. Do you know if any of the men slept out of camp ?—I do not know of any instance. 77. Besides what you have been asked about, was there any matter you had to complain of in the camp ? —We complained about the insufficiency of the food, and once about there being no horsefeed. We had no oats for a day and a half. 78. Where did you get your horse-feed from ?—From the tent up near the officers' mess. 79. Did you always get it there ?—Afterwards we had it in a tent up the hill. 80. Did you make any complaint to anybody ?—We complained to our own officers. 81. And what reply did you get from them ?—They said they would try their best to get things remedied. 82. Were they remedied ? —I did not see much improvement. 83. How often did you or the men of your own corps complain ?—Certainly on three occasions. 84. Did an officer visit you at meal-times? —Yes. 85. Did you make any complaints then ?—Some of the men did. 86. What were the nature of the complaints ? —Generally the food was insufficient or badly cooked. 87. What was the weather like during the camp, generally ?—lt was wet on two days, I think. It rained at night several times, but during the day it was fine most of the time. Often there was a heavy shower at night. 88. Wednesday was wet, was it not, when the medals were distributed?— Yes; and the Friday we went in was wet. 89. Have you been in a mounted camp before ?—No. 90. Do you think there was room enough there for the number of men and horses ?—I should not think so. 91. Tell me if there is any other matter that you think was ground for complaint there : how were you off for water ? —The water was cut off twice, I think. Once the pipe was mended, and when broken again it was never set right. 92. How was it broken ? —By the horses. 93. What did you do then for water? —We got it from the other side of the ground and carried it across. There was one trough where we could always get water.

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94. May I take it from your evidence that you were in a state of discomfort throughout the whole time ?—Yes. 95. And you say that matters never got better?— Not until we got on the hill, so far as we were concerned. 96. And I understand the cooking got better towards the end ?—Yes, slightly. We were better off so far as the serving-out difficulty was concerned. We had more dishes. 97. Did you do anything as a company to improve your rations in any way?— Yes. 98. What did you do ?—We took tucker up to the camp on several occasions. 99. Supposing you had not done that, how-would you have got on?—We should have had to go without food altogether. We could always get bread in our tent. 100. Colonel Davies.] You say that you had never been in a mounted camp before ?—No. 101. Have you been in an infantry camp?— No. 102.. How long have you been a Volunteer? —Since May, in New Zealand. 103. Were you a Volunteer before ?—Yes; in England. I was in the artillery eight months before I left—the 4th Lancashires. 104. Were you ever in camp with them ?—No. 105. But you have been used to camp out in the bush ? —Yes, I have camped out for over two. years at a stretch in New Zealand. 106. Were you visited every day by your officers at meal-times at Newtown Park ?—Nearly every meal. 107. Did they ask if you had any complaint to make ?—Yes. 108. Did the men make them ?—Yes. I was not always in camp. I had a good many meals down town. 109. As far as you know, complaints were frequently made ?—Yes. 110. How many mess orderlies had you?— Two for each tent. 111. Were you ever one of them?— Yes. 112. How were you taken up to the cook-house ?—We were taken up by our company sergeant every day. 113. Was there an officer of your company there ?—Yes, there was one always saw us falling-in. 114. Was there any order up there when you got to the cook-house—was it done in an orderly fashion ? —Yes. Each corps at a time went up with its mess orderlies. 115. There was no scramble ?—Not after the first day. 116. Were you generally first there, or what ? —We were generally the last. We went by seniority. 117. Do you think the food fell off because you were at the end? —Yes. 118. How was it issued ? —lt was an average for the tents. 119. They issued you so much for ten men, or whatever was the number?— Yes. 120. You said sometimes there was none issued at all ?—There was not enough to go round. It would not cut up into ten pieces. 121. Did you have your horse there ?—Yes. 122. Do you think it is any worse for it ? —lt has a bad cold, that is all. 123. Were you wet in the tents when you were first there ?—Yes, the first night, through lying in the water. 124. Had you oiled sheets ?—Yes. 125. Your own private property? —Yes. 126. Were the waterproof sheets your own property ?—Yes. 127. Have you not got any-in the corps?— No. 128. You were not allowed to dig drains round your tents ? —No, I never saw anything to dig them with. 129. Major Hawkins.] Did you see the forage rushed by the men as the forage came into the camp on drays ?—No. 130. Was it always served out in a regular manner?— Our quartermaster-sergeant used to send in the amount he wanted for the day, and some of us were told off to get that amount. 131. The Chairman.] How many meals did you have in camp?—l was out always once every day, and sometimes twice. Breakfast I always had, but very seldom any other meals. 132. If that is so, you can know very little of what took place at the other meals ?—No. 133. Do you know if many men had their meals out ?—There was one who went out for meals as often as I did. 134. Do you know if that was the case with any other corps ?—Yes, there were a good many others. 135. So that if you had all remained in camp there would have been still less food?— Yes. 136. Is there anything you want to tell us that we have not asked you about in connection with the camp ? —There is only one thing—and that is, our officers went out for their meals the first day. After that they had a mess table. 137. When you and your men made complaints to the officers about the food at meal-times, what was done? Was the matter remedied at all?— Things got slightly better towards the finish. 138. When did the improvement begin ?—We went in on the Friday, and left the camp on the following Thursday. On the Tuesday and Wednesday things got slightly better. 139. Was the meat any better cooked on the Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday ?—I cannot say that. 140. Did you see the procession start from the camp ?—No, I never saw it all. 141. Do you know any one who was concerned in it?—No, not so far as our corps is concerned.

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142. Did you see Colonel Penton come up to the camp on the Thursday ?—Yes. 143. And address the officers and men? —Yes. 144. Did you hear his remarks ? —Yes. 145. To whom did you understand him to refer when he spoke of some of the men being curs and cowards? —I believe he meant the men who started the procession. 146. Not the whole body of men ?—No. 147. Colonel Davies.] You say you took the remarks of Colonel Penton to apply to the men who were guilty of creating the disturbance? —Yes. 148. You did not, as a Volunteer, feel aggrieved at Colonel Penton's remarks ?—No, because I did not consider they referred to me at all. 149. You distinctly feel in your own mind that they did not refer to you personally ?—Yes. 150. And you did not think his remarks were unjust to the Volunteers as a whole ? —No, not if they understood him as I understood him. Bugler John Scott examined. (No. 31.) 151. The Chairman.] You are bugler of what corps ?—The Hurumoa Mounted Rifles. 152. And you were in camp with your corps at Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 153. Had you sufficient tent accommodation ?—Yes, there was plenty of room in the tent. 154. How were you off for straw?— There was such a lot of water in our tent that no quantity of straw would have remedied it. 155. What about the meat ?—There was not enough of it. 156. Was it properly cooked ?—Yes, I think it was cooked all right. I have had it better and had it worse. 157. We have been told it was very often insufficiently cooked—underdone ?■—lt was sometimes, and at other times it was well cooked. 158. How was the bread ? —The bread was good. 159. And the butter ?—Good. 160. And the potatoes ?—They were good, what there were of them. 161. Were you ever short of them ? —Yes. 162. Had you any other vegetables ?—No. 163. What were the tea and coffee like ?—They were not good. 164. What was the matter with them ?—I do not know. It was very thick. 165. Could you drink the tea?— No. 166. Could you drink the coffee ?—No. On one or two occasions it was good. 167. Had your horses enough fodder? —At one time we ran out of chaff. 168. We were told your tents were shifted?— Yes, about two days before we left camp. 169. How were you off then ?—Very good then. 170. Did your rations improve towards the end?—l think they did, slightly. 171. Did you ever have sausages ?—Yes. 172. Were they cooked ?—No. 173. How about the water —where did you wash ?—We bought a basin, and used to go to the trough and get water. 174. Did you ever supply any food for yourselves ? —Yes. 175. Were the provisions cooked or uncooked ? —Both. 176. Who cooked the food for you?—lt would be mostly in the shape of bread and butter. 177. No meat? —Yes, we bought some cooked meat at one time—some brawn or collard head. 178. Were you comfortable or uncomfortable in the camp ?—I should say uncomfortable. 179. What was the reason of it ?—lt was through the rain. 180. Did you see the cooking arrangements?— Only once. As bugler I only went up for rations once. I did not have to go up as bugler. 181. Do you think the arrangements were sufficient? —I could not say that. 182. What have you to say about the camp generally?—lf we had been camped where we were at the last we should have been dry. We had not sufficient food. 183. Were the horses safe where you were up in the hills?— Yes, but we had to go for them all round the bank. 184. Could they have hung themselves up at all ?—Yes. 185. You think the flat was not a proper place for that number of men and horses?— No. 186. We are told the mud there was very bad ?—Yes, very bad. 187. How long have you been a volunteer ? —Since the corps started. 188. Had you been in camp before you came here ?—No. 189. Did you have all your meals in camp ?—No. 190. What proportion did you have out of camp?— Quite half. 191. Why was that ?—I could not get them properly in camp—l could not get enough. 192. Do you know if many of the men did the same ?—A good many of our corps did. 193. And how about the other corps?—l could not say what they did. 194. Was the water-supply sufficient ? —There seemed to be plenty of water. There were three horse-troughs. 195. Where did the men wash ? —They used to wash in the troughs. We did that before we bought a dish. 196. Where was the water that was used for cooking ?—Further up. There were three troughs that the horses used. Ido not know what was at the back of the gully. 197. Do you know where the water was got from for cooking?— No. 198. Is there anything else you want to tell me that I have not asked you about in connection with the camp ?—I think not,

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199. You were a bugler?— Yes. 200. Would you sound for orders ? —No, there were two senior to me who used to do that. 201. What orders did they sound ? —The usual camp orders. 202. At the Brigade Office was there any call for orders?—l am not certain. That was the first time I had a bugle, and I was not well up in the calls. 203. Colonel Davies.] You say you used to wash in the troughs until you bought a tin?— Yes. 204. Did you buy that yourselves, or was it bought by the corps?— Our tent bought it. 205. There were no buckets or dishes given to you ? —There were buckets, I think, but they were for the tea, and we could not use them for washing. 206. How about the dishes and utensils for carrying the meat and vegetables to the tent; did you have any issued to you when you got there ? —No. 207. How did you manage at the beginning?—We got in early in the morning, and there was one large dish put down for us. 208. For each tent ?—I have heard men say it was for the lot. But we did not touch any of that food—it was very bad. It was about half-past 2in the morning. 209. What was it ?—lt looked like boiled meat, and as though it had stood for a long time and was dirty. 210. Was there any tea ?—Yes, but we did not touch it. 211. When had you had your last meal?— Most of us bought sandwiches and tea at Kaitoke, coming down in the train. We also had a box of sandwiches, which our captain supplied. 212. Do you know anything about the procession that took place in the streets ?—No. 213. Were you present on parade when Colonel Penton had the troops mustered ?—Yes. 214. Did you hear what he said?— Yes. 215. You heard him refer to certain individuals as cowardly curs, or something of that sort ?— Yes. 216. Who did he mean?—l heard that perfectly, and thought he only referred to the men who would not step out. 217. Do you think your men took it that way?— Yes ; but some took it the other way. 218. You are perfectly sure you did not ?—What he said was, " Those who are in it I cannot go round and pick out, and therefore your companies will get into trouble through you infernal curs," or " Your companies will have to suffer." 219. You did not feel in the least aggrieved about it, because you did not consider you were one of the men he referred to ?—No. 220. Major Hawkins.] Have you got any camp equipment in your corps ?—No. 221. How do you manage when you go into camp? —This is the first time I have been in camp. 222. I suppose, on an occasion like that at Newtown Park, you would not be too particular about the rations : you would not expect them to put down white tablecloths and so on ?—No. 223. Is it a fact that the cooked rations were so bad that you and your comrades attempted to get rations for yourselves ? Was that the sole reason ? —Yes. 224. The Chairman.] Had you overcoats ?—I think the majority had not. 225. Had you waterproof sheets ? —Yes. 226. Belonging to the corps?— Yes, they belonged to the men. 227. Do you happen to have a copy of the notice from your captain ordering you into camp? —No. 228. Was an order issued ?—No, only on parade verbally. 229. Is it not the rule to issue an order that men must come equipped with certain things, such as horse-rugs, and so on ? —The order was given on parade. 230. The Chairman.] Have you anything else to tell us that we have not asked you about ?— I think not. As far as X shed is concerned, where we went the night before we went to Christchurch, it was better than most of us expected. 231. You were afterwards billeted at the X shed?— Yes. 232. What were your rations like there ? —They were very good. All the men turned out and cheered the cooks. 233. Was the meat properly cooked there ? —Yes, and there was plenty of it. And in Christchurch the rations were first-class. 234. How were they cooked in Christchurch?—Just the same as in a boarding-house. 235. Did a contractor supply them ?—Yes. They found the dishes, while we had to supply our own here. 236. Did you hear of a subscription being got up for the cooks here ?—No. I fancy there was something of the sort down at the X shed—put a shilling a head in there for them, but I know nothing of what occurred at Newtown Park. Ido not think the men would give anything there. 237. How many meals had you at the X shed?—l could not tell you exactly. We had a good few. We stayed there after coming back from Christchurch. 238. And you were all right there always? —Yes. 239. And had no ground of complaint ? —None whatever. The Right Hon. R. J. Seddon, Premier and Defence Minister, examined. (No. 32.) 240. The Chairman.] I understand you desire to give evidence on some point in connection with the camp at Newtown Park during the Royal visit? —Yes. Instructions were given by me to have everything complete, and due provision made for the officers and men at the camp. 241. Who were those instructions given to?—To the officers here at the time—to Major Owen and others.

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242. Do you remember what date that was ?—Some time early in June, or at the end of May. It was before I left for Auckland. 243. Were you consulted at all, or did you know what arrangements were going to be made with regard to the contract for rations ?—No; that was a matter of detail which I would leave to the officers. I presume one of the instructions would be that the details should be carried out by the officers. 244. When did the complaints first reach you about the condition of the camp or the condition of the men ? —There were no complaints made to me. Incidentally I heard of men having thrown some of their food into the harbour. 245. We have it in evidence that Captain Dunk communicated with you ?—lt is in respect to that more than anything else that I came here to give evidence to-day. But, following up that question of food, I would like to say that when at Government House I heard a noise from the streets. On making inquiries as to what had been going on, I was told that some men in uniform had been parading the streets with some of the rations exhibited, and that they did so as a protest against the conduct of the camp at Newtown Park. It was only hearsay, however, and I know nothing further of my own knowledge on that matter. I wish to tell the Commission what occurred on the day of the presentation of the medals at the Parliamentary Buildings. That was on the Wednesday. Colonel Sommerville came up to the Commandant and reported that the condition of the ground at Newtown Park was bad, and that the men and horses were very wet and uncomfortable. He advised that the camp should be struck, and that other provision should be made for the men and horses. I heard the Commandant give him instructions to have it done at once. 246. That was to have the camp struck and other arrangements made for the provision of the men and horses?— Yes. The Commandant said, " See to it at once." 247. Was that after the presentation of the medals? —Yes; immediately after. In the afternoon I was rung up by Captain Dunk; and he prefaced his remarks through the telephone by explaining to me that he was going beyond the ordinary routine by coming to me, but the case was such that he thought I ought to know that the tents were under water, and the horses were shivering on the lines, and that it was advisable the camp should be struck and other provision made for the men and the horses immediately. I then expressed to him my astonishment at the position of affairs, seeing that I had heard the Commandant give instructions to Colonel Sommerville immediately after the presentation of the medals to have that done. I then said, " You have my instructions to do it, and at once." 248. Was anything reported to you by any one in reference to the rations at the camp?— Immediately after what I had heard I ordered a report to be furnished in respect to this matter, in order to find out why the camp had not been struck, and gave instructions to the Commandant to obtain for me a report upon the whole condition of affairs. I received the report from Colonel Sommerville in due course, which I presume you have. 249. What did you expect would be done with the men and horses when the camp was struck ? —I thought the men would be taken to the drill-shed or the skating-rink, or some other place where they could be put under shelter, and that the best that could be done would be done for the horses. Captain Dunk, I think, said something about taking the men and horses to higher ground at the Hutt. 250. Colonel Davies.] Can you tell us at what time you heard Colonel Penton give the instructions to Colonel Sommerville ? —About half-past 12. It was immediately after the medals had been presented at the Parliamentary Buildings. 251. The Chairman.] And at what time did you get the communication from Captain Dunk ? —About 3 o'clock—from 3to half-past. I asked some one afterwards why Colonel Sommerville had not carried out the instructions, and it was then reported to me that he rang up the orderly, and that Major Watt was the officer in charge at the time the order was given by Colonel Sommerville. I cannot remember who it was I asked for the information, but it was after I had the communication from Captain Dunk. That was the explanation given then—that Captain Watt was in charge, that the orderly was rung up, and that Captain Sommerville had given the instructions after he had got them from the Commandant. Beyond that I never got. I received Colonel Sommerville's written explanation. But there is a hiatus, as Colonel Sommerville got his instructions from the Commandant about 12 o'clock, and Captain Dunk rang me up about 3 o'clock, so that three hours had elapsed and nothing had been done. 252. Are you aware that the men were left there until the Thursday ?—I am not. My instructions were definite to Captain Dunk. I said he was to take that as an instruction, and get it done at once. 253. Is there any other matter about which you wish to tell us ? —No. The same instructions were given here as at Christchurch, and I was very anxious that proper provision should be made. There was no limit put to the expense; it was simply a question of giving orders and expecting to have them carried out. 254. You are aware that the men as a whole are well satisfied with the arrangements at Christchurch ? —Yes. 255. And the evidence before us is that, with the exception of one complaint, they were quite satisfied with the other billets in Wellington ?—I may say that I heard nothing about it at the time. I was mixing with the officers, and several of the men too, at the time they were here in Wellington, and heard nothing. There was a relative of my own also—a trooper—at the X shed, and he said they were all right.

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Tuesday, 13th August, 1901. Lieutenant John William Thurston examined. (No. 33.) 1. The Chairman] What corps do you belong to?—lam on the Unattached Active List. 2. How long have you been in the Volunteers ?—Some thirty odd years. 3. What is the name of your corps?— The Wairoa Light Horse. 4. You attended camp at Newtown Park in June last ?—Yes. 5. In what capacitv?—l came down holding the capacity I had, but as soon as I goton the ground. Colonel Sommerville appointed me quartermaster. That was on the Saturday morning. 6 What instructions did he give you ?—To attend to the fodder for the horses. I asked him if there was anything else, and he said, " No ; nothing but the horses, because arrangements had been made for the men." Those were his first instructions. 7 What did you do about fodder for the horses?—l had to order all the fodder necessary, and to find out the number of horses likely to come down. It was rather hard to do that, because the companies were coming in at irregular times. At the same time, whenever they came m I got word of it, and tried to get the fodder in advance. 8. You requisitioned it from the contractor?— Yes. 9. Did you purchase any fodder at any time?— No. 10. Where was the fodder kept ?—ln two marquees in the far end of the camp. The marquees were about 2 chains apart. ««,',« mi *v ' * I 11. What staff had you with you at the marquees?— Colonel Sommerville told me to get a quartermaster-sergeant from each battalion, and they were to attend to the fodder. I had them appointed—one from each battalion. _ 12. Were any men told off from the companies to assist ?—They were told oft to act on the third day. ' 13 How many ?—There were supposed to be three from each battalion. 14! How many were told off?— Unfortunately there were only three there all the time. 15. Did you report that to Colonel Sommerville ?—Yes. 16. Was it remedied ?—No. 17 Was the fodder always brought to the marquees ?—No; the weather and road being so bad, it was left on the top of the hill 3 chains away. On the second day I declined to sign for it. I used to get some of the Volunteers to carry it up. 18. Did the men get any fodder before it got to your custody?—On a number ol occasions they helped themselves. . ■ ■ 19 You said your instructions were that you had nothing to do except to look after the fodder. Were these orders altered ?—Yes. I went in on the Saturday morning first thing. On the Sunday the orders were altered. There happened to be a great row about rations that were being served out, and Colonel Sommerville told me I was to attend at the kitchens and see them served '20 Did you?— Yes ; from that time onward I always attended. • 211 Were any other officers told off to attend?-—The colonel gave instructions for an officer to be told off from each company, but there was only one officer from each battalion. 22. What number of officers did attend after that?—l do not think there were more than two officers there at any time. The officers of the day came round several times, but I did not consider they were the men required. ,„■'", ~-,.■,,,,-, -, 23. Did you report that to Colonel Sommerville ?—I mentioned that they had not come, and that it was impossible for me to manage the affair myself. 24. Just describe to us shortly how the rations were issued from the cook-house. The mess orderlies, I suppose, came up?— Yes; each tent had a non-commissioned officer in charge of it. The mess orderlies would arrive there in the morning for the breakfast, and the non-commissioned officer would give the number belonging to each tent, and the rations would be served out for eight, ten, or whatever the number was; but, unfortunately, they would report for twelve men sometimes, instead of a smaller number. I told Colonel Sommerville that some of these men were drawing rations for twelve men when they were only entitled to draw for eight or nine, and he stopped them The trouble was this : that there would be a great quantity of rations at a quarter to 8 for the men who were there, and if it was raining they would not wait their turn. I might have been blamed for allowing the rations to be served out before 8 o'clock, but in that weather it was difficult to keep the men waiting. 25. What were the conveniences for cooking like ?—They were very bad. In the place of having a good number of ovens for cooking, we only had about half of what were wanted. 26. You say they were not proper ones?—No; they could have been made much better if placed where the fires could have been of more use to them. 27 And if they had been covered in ?—Yes. Of course they did not know that they were going to have such weather as they had, but a cook always wants shelter from the rain. We always have a fly in our camps. . 28 Did you report that the cooking-place was not covered in ?—I spoke to Colonel Sommerville, and he said he could not help that. He said Mr. McParland was the contractor, and he had spoken to him about it. , „ i 1 , ~ , ... , 29. Were there enough cooks ? —No, not more than hall the number there should have been. 30! How many did you see there?—l have seen four in the morning. There was supposed to be one for the officers, but I never troubled about him. 31. Were four the largest number you saw there cooking for the men? —No; six was the greatest number I saw. ,-.„,., 32 Did the men complain on any occasion about the meat not being properly cooked ?—On several occasions. I used to mention it myself, but I found that some of the men who complained had taken it too soon.

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33. How often did you see the meat when it was not properly cooked?— Almost every day. The last lot of meat in the morning was not cooked, because the men would not wait for it. 34. Is that your explanation as to why it was not cooked?—No ; I have seen lots of meat that was not cooked. 35. Were there any days in camp on which the meat was properly cooked ?—I should say not, from memory. 36. Did you tell that to Colonel Sommerville?—l mentioned it to him. 37. More than once? —Yes, two or three times. 38. What did he say about it ?—He said he would see about it. 39. Do you know what he did ? —No, I do not. 40. How were the vegetables cooked?—l could not tell you about them. 41. Can you tell me anything about the tea and coffee?— Yes, and the tea in particular was very bad. Some of the men used to say it was the dirty water they were using which was the cause of it, but I loooked round and saw that it was clean water they were drawing. On two or three occasions the water was turned off altogether. 42. Did you taste the tea ?—Yes. 43. Was it bad ?—Yes. 44. How were the men off for straw ? —When we went in first on the Saturday it was fairly good, but on Saturday night or Sunday morning several companies arrived, and we ran short. On Sunday we had to send away for two loads. 45. Did you go into the tents at all? —Yes. 46. How were they affected by mud and water inside ?—They were very bad. The men used to come and take the straw out of other tents. 47. Do you think that more straw would have remedied it ? —No. 48. How did the horses fare ?—I might say badly, but there were some who did not shift their horses even when the corps got instructions to shift them where they liked. One battalion never shifted their horses away from the lines. The other three battalions shifted both horses and tents. 49. You think the place was not fit for any horses to be in ? —No. I wondered why the order did not come sooner to shift the horses to the higher ground. 50. When was the order given ?—I think it was on the Sunday evening. 51. For how long after that did the horses remain on the flat ?—I should say they were there until the Tuesday or Wednesday morning. 52. Was not Captain Dunk's battalion there until the Wednesday afternoon ?—I think it would be about Tuesday evening or Wednesday morning. 53. Did you issue any ration indents to any of the corps ?—No. 54. Were there any in camp?— Not at this camp. 55. You have seen them at other camps ?—Yes ; Christchurch and other places. 56. Did you yourself complain personally to the contractor about the way in which the cooking was carried out ?—No ; I never saw the contractor. I asked two or three times if he ever came on the ground, and they told me he had never been there. I got Colonel Sommerville to go to the telephone and tell the contractor that we had not enough cooks. 57. You have attended a great many Easter and other camps as a Volunteer, and at the annual training ?—Yes. 58. I would like to ask you if you consider Newtown Park a proper place to take that number of men and horses? —Not with their horses. We were all confined in a basin. The ground was too low, and the water got into the place and remained there. I had a man with a long-handled shovel trying to get the water away. 59. Do you know whether the water on the flat was caused in any way by the pipes bursting, or was it caused by the rain ?—Mostly the rain. When the pipe burst we got some sacking to repair it, and the water did not extend for more than a chain round. 60. Colonel Davies.] Can you tell us who was on Colonel Sommerville's staff ? —I could only say Lieutenant Fitzherbert for certain. ,He said he had others appointed, but they did not arrive when I was there. I understand that Lieutenant Blair was appointed, but only Lieutenant Fitzherbert was there that I saw. 61. Was Lieutenant Fitzherbert in uniform?—He was in undress uniform. 62. He was not in ordinary plain clothes or mufti?— No. 63. You have seen him in plain clothes? —Yes, on two occasions. I think he always put on his uniform to give orders : at any rate when he came to me he did. 64. Had you any state given to you showing the number of men and horses that would receive rations ? —No. I went to Colonel Sommerville two or three times to see if he could let me have it some time before the men were arriving. He said on the Tuesday there were 774 horses. 65. As camp quartermaster, you had no means of knowing how many horses were entitled to fodder ?—No. 66. Or how many men were entitled to rations ?—No. 67. You never had statements given to you? —No. 68. If fifty horses had been taken out at night, you would have had no means of knowing there would be so much less fodder required ? —No. 69. Or if the men had been taken out or left the camp, they would have been charged for, and the money paid for the rations ?—Yes. With regard to the water, it was a very bad arrangement. The pipes were some 3 in. or 4 in. out of the ground, and the horses when going up and down were continually breaking them. On two or three occasions the water was cut off from the cooks in consequence of this. I asked Colonel Sommerville to have guards put on for the purpose of preventing this, but they were not put on. Sometimes the men would wash with soap in the horse-

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troughs, and, of course, the horses w r ould not drink soapy water, and I complained about that. I had to have some one there to stop the men from doing it. 70. Major Hawkins.] You are aware that it is the duty of the quartermaster to lay down the camp, and see that all the proper arrangements are made if he is on the ground at the time ?—I was well aware of that, but there was no chance to do it. The utensils for the men's tents did not come there until the Monday. I complained to Colonel Sommerville that the arrangements were not satisfactory in that way. 71. As quartermaster, did you complain of the contractor with regard to the rations, and suggest that he should make better arrangements ?—I never saw Mr. McParland. On two or three occasions I requested that he should bo sent to me if he arrived on the ground. 72. With regard to the removal of horses, how did you come to know that the horses were to be removed ?—I think Captain Dunk got instructions one afternoon to shift his horses wherever he liked. 73. Do you consider that, as a brigade quartermaster, it would be your duty to know when there was to be any change in the camp ? —I should have known that. I ought to have known the number of horses there, and everything else. 74. Shortly, you think the arrangements, so far as you were concerned, were quite inadequate in a camp of that size ?—Yes. The weather, of course, was to blame for a lot of it. 75. I understand you to say that even further north you make arrangements at your weekly trainings to have your cooks covered in ?—Yes, and I thought the colonel would have made arrangements for that here. 76. There were no orders for ration parties ?—No. 77. Had you a roll to check off the number of men entitled to draw rations?—l have seen that done in other camps. 78. That is the correct system?— Yes. This was the first time I had acted as quartermaster, and that is why I should have liked things to have been a little plainer for me, and I explained that to Colonel Sommerville; but he said I was so old at it that I should do. 79. Was there any scrambling at the issue of rations ?—Yes, as they came up they took their turns, but one lot would get ahead of the others. 80. Do you not think it would have been better if one or two officers had been told off to attend to that, instead of having so many officers from each company ?—Yes. 81. Do you remember an order being issued about the use of dirty buckets for carrying tea, and so on ?—There were dirty buckets given to the men, and the hot water ran short and prevented them washing them. 82. Were washing-basins served out to the companies ?—Very few : two to a company, and three to two companies, and so on. The utensils were very short. They were a little better the last day. 83. Do you approve of the system of allowing a contractor to do the cooking for the whole of the men ?—No, Ido not. If each company has its cwn cook it gets on very much better. I have seen it answer a long way better at the Easter camps. 84. Did you get any written orders at all ? —No. 85. Did you get any verbal orders from day to day ? —Not more than twice the whole time. I used to go and talk to the colonel. Lieutenant Fitzherbert came to me twice, I think. 86. What orders did he give you ? —After the second day I was to attend each meal and see that the men got their rations ; and another order was to see to the officers' camp. Those orders were verbal. 87. The Chairman.] Is there anything you would like to tell us that we have not asked you about in connection with the camp?— Yes; there is one little matter which occurred on the morning when Colonel Penton came to the camp. I was there and the men fell-in. Of course, the colonel had instructions beforehand to find out certain things, and when it was reported to Colonel Penton he spoke to the men a little severely. He asked the four men if they would step to the front. He gave them a little time to do so, and they did not, and then he used a few words, but I did not think much of them at the time. 88. Did he refer to the procession?— Yes. I feel confident that they were used to the four men. I did not think much of it, and lam sure the officers used words just as severe at times. 89. Did you see anything of that procession ?—No, I did not. 90. Do you know anything about it ?—No, I do not. There was one thing I saw from the camp, and that was a iong string from one tree to another, with a tin and a piece of bread on it. I wondered why that was not stopped. 91. Who was the officer of the day that day?—l do not know. 92. Did you not know any of the officers of the day ?—Only by seeing them going about. 93. Was that on the day of the procession ?—lt was either on the Monday or Tuesday, a day before the other procession happened. 94. Did you do anything about it yourself ? —No; I did not think it was my place when I saw the captain of the company there. He was half a chain ahead of me, when I heard some one shout, " Eyes right," and then I looked round and saw it. 95. You did not see the captain check the men at all for that ? —No. 96. Do you know what corps that was? —Yes, but I would not like to answer the question. 97. Do you think if that had been checked the other matter would not have occurred?— Yes. 98. Then, Colonel Penton was not far wrong when he said that the officers were to blame for not keeping their men better in hand ?—Yes. 99. You think if this exhibition had been cheeked, the other procession would not have taken place ?—I feel confident it would not. 100. Colonel Davies.] Who gave the contractor for the forage the number of horses for which he was to be paid?— When the colonel appointed me quartermaster I asked him what was to be

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the quantity of fodder for each horse. It was afterwards decided that we should give each company so many bags of chaff and oats, and charge it to the company. I made the order fifty bags of oats, one hundred of chaff, and so on. That is the way they drew their fodder. They drew it as they wanted it. Sometimes they took two bags, and at others only one. 101. They paid for the quantity they got, not for the number of horses? —Yes ; they paid for the quantity they got. 102. About the men's rations: they were paid for at so much per man? —I believe so. 103. How many men were in camp? —That I could not tell you. 104. Would it have made any difference in what was paid by the Government if, instead of their being 774 horses, there had been 729 or 730 —would the Government have been "had " to the extent of forty or fifty horses ?—No ; I do not think so. 105. The men took what they liked and paid for it in bulk, and not at per horse ? —Yes. 106. Do you know that the principal duty of a brigade or camp quartermaster is to see that everything is in order about the camp, that the lines are in order, and everything kept clean and tidy?— No. 107. You were not instructed about that ?—No. 108. You do not know that you were the one man who ought to have dropped down on those who had put the string up on the trees with the tins hanging on it ?—No ; I had not been in the position before. 109. How many quartermaster-sergeants had you? —Four; one from each battalion. Then there was a quartermaster-sergeant from each company who used to work with the quartermasters of the battalions. Private William Smith, examined. (No. 34.) 110. The Chairman.] What corps do you belong to ? —The Manawatu Mounted Rifles. 111. How long have you been in the corps ? —Two years next month. 112. Were you in camp with your corps at Newtown Park in June last ? —Yes. 113. What day did you go in ?—On Saturday night. 114. Was there anything for you to eat when you got there ? —Yes; bread and butter, and tea and coffee. 115. What were rations like during the encampment; what about the meat ?—The meat was very bad. 116. What was the matter with it?—lt was cooked badly, and dished up badly. 117. Do you mean that it was not sufficiently cooked?— Yes. 118. Did that occur on more than one occasion ?—Pretty well all through. 119. What about the quantity?— Sometimes there was enough, and sometimes there was very little. 120. What about the butter ?—That was very good. 121. And the bread?— Very good. 122. What about the vegetables ?—I did not see any. 123. Were there no potatoes ?—Not in the tent I was in. 124. Did you drink any of the coffee or tea?—We had to. 125. And you did not care for it ?—No. 126. Had you sufficient tent accommodation ? How many men were there in a tent ?—Eight men in my tent. 127. Had you plenty of straw?— There would have been plenty if it had been dry, but it was very damp. 128. Was there any mud in your tent?— Yes, plenty of it. 129. And water?— Yes. The water could not get away. 130. Had you enough fodder for your horses ? —Yes ; plenty. 131. Did you or any of the men in your tent make any complaints to anybody ?—No. 132. Not when the officers came round during meal-times ?—No. I never noticed an officer in my tent during meal-times. 133. Did any non-commissioned officer come to visit the tents belonging to your company ?— Yes, the sergeant-major. 134. Did you ever complain to him ?—I do not know whether it would be a proper complaint. We used to grumble a bit. 135. Did you have many meals out of camp ?—A good many. 136. Do you know whether many of your men did the same ?—The majority of them, I believe. 137. Do you know if many men slept out of camp ?—That I cannot say. 138. Did you ? —I did on two nights. 139. Why did you take your meals out of camp ? —We did not care for the tucker that was there. 140. Yet you say you never complained to anybody? —No; I never said anything about it. 141. You never complained to your own officers ? —'No. 142. Where did you wash ?—At the troughs. 143. Did you not know that the horses were watered there ?—We used to take a basin. 144. Was there plenty of water ? — There was in one trough, but the other was dry very often. 145. When were your horses moved off the flat ?—On Wednesday afternocn. 146. Do you know what time ?—Shortly after dinner—between 1 and 2 o'clock. 147. Were you there ? —Yes. 148. Where did you take your horse to ?—The horses were sent to Petone. 149. Are you sure of the time? Do you guess it? —The officer told us on the Tuesday night that we would most likely go in the morning; so that we were waiting with our horses.

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150. Who did you get the order from?— Lieutenant Pringle. 151. Does he belong to your corps?— Yes. 152. Have you ever been in a camp before ? —Yes. 153. Where? —At Palmerston, but only our own training-camp. 154. How many mounted corps were there ?—Only the one. 155. Colonel Davies.] Do you know anything about the procession of the men that took place in the town ?—No. 156. You never saw anything of it ?—No. 157. Were you in camp when Colonel Penton came up? —Yes. 158. Were you on parade when he mustered all the corps? —Yes. 159. Could you hear what he said distinctly?— Yes. 160. First of all, he asked the officers to collect the names of the men who took part in the procession ? —Yes. 161. And the officers were not successful ?—No. 162. Then he asked the men to step out and they did not ? —I think it was something like that. 163. Then he made certain remarks about the conduct of the men bringing disgrace on the rest of the camp ?—Four men, he said. 164. And he said they were cowardly?— Yes. 165. Whom did he mean? —The four men who were leading the procession or taking part in it. He said if those four had stepped out and said they had done it, it would have taken the responsibility off the rest of the companies. 166. You have no doubt he was referring to those four men and not to the rest of the companies ?—Yes. He said if those four men would come out it would take the responsibility off the others. 167. He called them cowardly because they were not taking the blame when they deserved it ?—Yes. 168. Have you ever been in any camps before ? —Only when the Imperial troops were here. 169. Was it fine weather then ?—Yes. 170. How does this camp compare with that ?—This would have been all right if the weather had been better, but it was so wet and sloppy. 171. Were the rations better on the former occasion?— Yes. 172. Had you your own cooks then ? —No, it was the same as this one. 173. Major Hawkins.] Who was in charge of the camp at the time the Imperial troops were here ? —I do not remember. 174. Do you know what arrangements they had for cooking as compared with the late camp ? —It was just on the same principle, as far as I can remember. 175. Did you form one of the ration parties at the last camp ?—I was a tent-orderly, the same as the others. 176. Was there any order at the issue of rations, or was it a scramble ?—There was such a big crush there that you had either to wait for an hour or else go away without getting what you wanted. It was a terrible scramble. They would sling your meat into your can, and your tea in the same way. 177. The Chairman.] Is there anything we have not asked you that you would like to tell us about the camp ?—No. Quartermaster-Sergeant Harry Palmer examined. (No. 35.) 178. The Chairman.] What is the name of your corps ?—The Manawatu Mounted Rifles. 179. How long have you been quartermaster-sergeant ?—Two years next November. 180. You were quartermaster-sergeant at the camp at Newtown Park in June last ?—Yes. 181. How were the rations there as to quality ?—Bad, and scarce. 182. Were they bad in quality —the meat, for instance: what was the matter with it?—We had one piece of meat that was all gristle and bone, and it was not cooked. The principal trouble was that it was scarce and very rarely cooked. 183. Was it uncooked on more than one occasion ?—Yes. 184. Did you make any complaint about it ? —Yes. 185. To whom? —We complained to Captain Dunk, one morning in particular, because he took our tin bowl away with him. Our orderly went up and brought down the meat. It was principally sausages, and they were not cooked—in fact, they were quite raw; so we put the tin outside the tent, and Captain Dunk, who was on his way to the officers' tent, saw it, and asked what it was. We said, " This is our breakfast." He examined it, and with the assistance of Private Giffen carried it up to the officers' mess tent. 186. Did that happen on more than one occasion? —Yes. On one occasion we did not get any meat at all. The orderlies were sent up and came with bread and no meat. 187. How was the bread ?—Stale. 188. And the butter ?—Good. 189. What about the vegetables ? —There were none. We had potatoes once, and they were overcooked. 190. What were the tea and coffee like?— Coffee we never had. The tea was bad. 191. Had you any meals out of camp?— No. 192. Had any of the men?— Very few. It was very difficult to get leave. 193. When were your horses shifted from their lines ?—I think it was on the Wednesday afternoon. 194. Do you know at what time ?—I should say it would be after 3 o'clock.

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195. When did you first hear that they were to be shifted ?—I heard it on Wednesday morning. 196. When did you first hear that permission had been given to shift them?— The order came to saddle-up about 3 o'clock. 197. Have you been in any mounted camps before ?—Yes, I was at Tayforth camp at Easter, 1900. 198. What is your opinion as to the suitability of Newtown Park for a mounted camp ?—I should say it was totally unsuited. 199. Why?—lt is too wet. The lay of the country, I should say, would suggest it as unsuitable. 200. Are you aware that the flat part is made ground ? —Yes. I know that years ago it was always accounted a dirty spot in wet weather for football matches. Even a football match is likely to cut the place up and make it filthy. 201. Do you know Sergeant Rankin of your corps? —Yes. 202. He resigned some time ago?— Yes. 203. How long ago ?—I can hardly say from memory. It would be about the end of the year. 204. Did he send in his uniform ?—Yes. 205. To whom ?—To me. 206. You are quite sure you have got it ? —Certain. 207. Did you see him in uniform in Wellington during the camp?—-No. I saw him in Christchurch, but not in Wellington. I knew that he had come down to Wellington. 208. Did you know in what capacity he had come down ?—I understood in charge of Major Hall's horse. 209. It was his own horse?— Yes. 210. You say you saw Rankin in uniform at Christchurch ?—Yes. 211. Was that the uniform returned to you ?—No. 212. What did you do with Rankin's uniform ?—I have it in the store. 213. And it has never been again issued ?—No. 214. Do you know where he got the uniform from that he had on in Christchurch ?— I could not say. He had been in the corps a number of years, and the uniform has been changed. It is just possible he may have had an old tunic by him. That is the only way I can account for it. 215. Can you account for all the other sergeants' uniforms ?—Yes, as far as I know. They have been provided during the last few months with a drill uniform. 216. Can you say, of your own knowledge, whether any sergeant in the corps could have lent him a uniform?— That I cannot say. 217. Did you see the procession ? —No. 218. Do you know anything about it ?—Nothing. 219. Do you know the names of any of the men who took part in it ? —No ; I only heard of the procession having taken place through the newspaper, and when we paraded the next morning. 220. You were on parade on the Thursday morning and heard Colonel Penton make some reference to the procession ?—Yes. 221. Did he ask those who had taken part in it to step out ? —Yes. 222. What did he say about them ?—He opened his speech by saying there were some infernal curs amongst them who would not come out. He said hitherto the mounted men had borne a good name, and if these men would step forward it would clear the names of the mounted men; and, if they did not, the whole of the mounted men would have a stigma cast upon them. 223. Whom did you understand him to refer to as cowardly ? —The men who had inaugurated the procession. 224. And who had not owned up to it ? —Yes; he was referring to those men not showing themselves. 225. Colonel Davies.] Did you see Rankin yourself in uniform in Christchurch? —Yes. 226. In the uniform of the Manawatu Mounted Rifles? —That I could not say. I was just in the canteen and did not examine him close enough. I saw that he was in uniform. 227. Your old uniform was much lighter than the present one, and had cartridge-pockets across the breast ?—Yes. I was not close enough to Rankin to take much notice of him. 228. Is there any reason why he should not have one of those old uniforms?— No. 229. You have no record of him having handed it in ?—No. 230. Major Haivkins.] If Rankin stated that he did not return his uniform to you when he resigned, would that be correct ? —No. It is incorrect if he says he did not return it —that is, the uniform he was supposed to return. 231. Who was the brigade quartermaster at the camp at Newtown Park ? —Lieutenant Thurston. 232. Did you assist him in carrying out the duties of quartermaster? — I was appointed quartermaster for the No. 3 Battalion. 233. Will you tell us what were the conditions in the way of issuing rations? — I had very little to do with them. My principal duty was to issue the forage. The sergeant generally went up with the orderlies to draw the rations. I went on one occasion. 234. How long have you been performing the duty of quartermaster-sergeant in your company ? —I was promoted to the position about two months after I joined. I joined, I think, in March, before the Easter camp of 1900. 235. You cannot speak of your own knowledge as to the issue of rations ?—I have a good idea

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of how they should be issued. If you take the Easter camp, the forage and rations were issued very differently at Tayforth. There was a system there, while there was none at Newtown Park. 236. You are aware that many men had their meals out of' camp down here ? —I am not aware of it. Very few of our men had their meals out of camp. 237. Colonel Davies.] Did you see the string hung across in the camp with some of the rations on it, put up as a mild protest ?—Yes. On the Wednesday I saw a stick with a bottle attached to it stuck in the hill. 238. What part of the camp was that in?—At the corner, near the asphalt path. The stick was stuck in the bank. I do not know that it had anything to do with the procession. It was a long stick with a bottle on it. 239. Whose lines was it in ?—lt was in no one's lines. It was on the hill, on the opposite side to the gate. 240. Is there anything else you wish to tell us that you have not been asked, either about the camp or the arrangements ? —No; there is nothing that I wish to tell you. Colour-Sergeant Redmond recalled. (No. 36.) 241. The Chairman.] How long was Sergeant Rankin in your sight on the afternoon of the procession by the Volunteers in town ?—I saw him when I first saw the procession, opposite the Bank of New South Wales, and followed him right along the Quay with the procession. 242. Did he follow the procession all the way round ? —Yes, along Lambton Quay, up Bowen Street into Museum Street, through Sydney Street into Charlotte Street down on to the Quay again. 243. Did you see him in all those streets ?—Yes ; I followed him right round. 244. What was he doing?—He appeared to me to be the ringleader. He seemed to be calling on other men to join the procession, and when it got to a point opposite Kirkcaldie and Stains' premises I saw him beckoning men into the procession. 245. You have no doubt that it was Rankin ? —No ; I saw him in uniform, and pointed him out to Sergeant-Major Healy, who spoke to him. 246. Did you hear Sergeant-Major Healy say anything to him ?—No; I just pointed him out to Sergeant-Major Healy, and told him he was the ringleader of the procession. 247. Did you recognise any officers standing near Holliday's shop?—l saw two officers, but they were strangers to Wellington, and I did not know who they were. The only officer I recognised was the admiral of the fleet, who was in uniform. He was going down Bowen Street at the time. 248. Colonel Davies.] You are sure Rankin was in uniform ?—Yes; he had a khaki uniform on. 249. Did you notice anything peculiar about his uniform ? For instance, the Manawatu Mounted Rifles have had two tunics issued, one some time ago and the other lately. One tunic had five cartridge-pockets on each side of the breast, and the other one had not?—No ; I did not notice that particularly. Lieutenant Charles Higgins examined. (No. 37.) 250. The Chairman.] What corps do you belong to ? —The Eketahuna Mounted Rifles. 251. How long have you been an officer of that corps?— Since the establishment of the corps. 252. When was that ? —Last November. 253. How long have you been a volunteer? —Since 1860. 254. Have you been in a mounted corps before ?—No, I have been in the artillery. 255. Were you at the camp in Newtown Park in June last ?—Yes. 256. How many strong did your corps go in ?—Sixty-two. 257. Do you know how many tents they had ? —No. 258. Had your men sufficient tent accommodation ? —Quite sufficient. 259. Had they sufficient straw ?—No. 260. What was the ground like ? —lt was in a terrible state and quite unfit for men to occupy it. 261. Why?—lt was a quagmire both inside and outside. 262. On what day did you go into camp ?—On the Sunday previous to the Royal visit. It was the 16th June. 263. What time did you get to the camp ?—About 1 o'clock in the afternoon. 264. What were the rations like, and the meat particularly?—lt was simply not cooked at all. It was scorched on the outside and quite raw in the centre. It was quite unfit for human food. 265. Did that occur on more than one occasion?—On every occasion. I did not see any meat properly cooked during the whole time we were there. On some occasions we could only get bread and butter. 266. Did you notice what the bread was like ?—Yes, it was very stale and dry. 267. And the butter?— The butter was not so bad. It was as good as might be expected for camp purposes. 268. Were there any vegetables for the men ? —I saw none. 269. What were the tea and coffee like ? —The tea was very black and disagreable. In my opinion it was made in dirty vessels. 270. What was the officers' mess like ?—Very little better than that of the men's. The only difference was that it was placed on the table instead of on the ground. 271. Was not the meat cooked ?—No, I could not eat the meat. 272. Did you visit the men in the tents of your company ? —Decidedly, regularly, and I battled for them with the cooks. 273. Did any of the men make complaints to you ?—Repeatedly.

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274. Did you pass the complaint on to the superior officers?— Yes, to Colonel Sommerville. 275. Were you in charge of the company?—l was part of the time. Our captain was away as adjutant of the battalion. 276. Who was your battalion commander ?—Captain Izard was acting-major. 277. Did you complain to him?—No, I went to Colonel Sommerville. 278. How often did you complain to Colonel Sommerville ?—I frequently complained, and I heard other officers do the same. 279. And what was done in reference to your complaints ?—Colonel Sommerville spoke very strongly about the arrangements and complained repeatedly to the cooks—l am satisfied of that, because I heard him—but without redress. 280. Did this state of things continue to the end of the camp, or was it improved in any way ?—I saw no improvement all the time I was in the camp. 281. Were your horses removed?— No'; they simply stood in the lines allotted to them, and they were standing the best part of the time very much in the mud. 282. Were your men moved to the hill?—No ; they remained on the flat. 283. Had you any orders that you might go on the hills ?—We heard of none. 284. Had the horses sufficient fodder?—-The supply was very intermittent; sometimes it was fair and sometimes bad. On one occasion the horses had nothing but straw chaff. Sometimes there was a glut of oats for the time being, and then again there was a famine. 285. Did you yourself inspect the cooking conveniences there ?—I did. 286. What did you think of them ?—I thought they were simply disgraceful. fjpj2B7. In what way? —I thought they were not kept clean. 288. I mean the cooking conveniences ?—I think the arrangements were very bad, contrasted with the way in which we were treated in Christchurch. In fact, there was no comparison. 289. Things were very good down in Christchurch, were they?— Yes ; no one could possibly complain about them. 290. Colonel Davies.] Which battalion was your company in at Newtown Park?—l am under the impression that we were in No. 2 Battalion. 291. Whom did you take your orders from ?—From Acting-Major Izard. 292. Did you see any written orders?— No. 293. Were you in command of your company ?—Partially; but when we went into camp Captain McDermott was in command. 294. What became of him ?—He was appointed to the battalion to which we were attached. 295. Did you not get orders from him afterwards ?—Yes, principally. 296. You never saw any written orders?— No. 297. You never saw orders detailing the position of the battalions, and who was to command them ?—No. 298. You never heard who was the staff?—l heard some conversation occasionally, but had nothing in writing. 299. You did not know whom to go to ? —We simply conferred with the captain. 300. Suppose you had to apply to some one in a difficulty for anything you wanted, whom would you apply to ?—Colonel Sommerville. 301. Did you do that because you did not know who was your battalion commander?—l had not been instructed otherwise. 302. The Chairman.] Is there anything you wish to tell us about the camp that we have not asked you ?■—Yes ; I would like to say it was not possible for any of our men to take part in any of those disgraceful proceedings in connection with the meat procession, because all our men were on escort duty all that day. We escorted the party to Government House, and were very late in returning to camp. We heard then that the procession had taken place. 303. You saw nothing of it yourself?—No; I saw nothing of it, nor did any of our men. 304. Do you know of any man who did take part in it?—No ;we questioned all our men as a matter of form, but we knew it was not possible for them to be there. 305. You heard Colonel Penton's address to the men the next day at Newtown Park?— Yes. 306. Whom did you understand him to refer to when he used the expression, " infernal curs"? —Those who took part in the mock procession. 307. You have no doubt about that ?—None in my mind. 308. Is there anything else you would like to say to us ?—No; I only thought I would like to tell you what I thought of the cooking and camp matters generally. 309. Did you come down to Wellington for the purpose of telling us this ?—I conferred with our officers, and they thought our company should be represented, and that we should exonerate our men as far as lay in our power. I would like to say that some of our men are hardy bushmen, but since they returned from the camp they have been laid up, and they ascribe their sickness to what they had to suffer at the camp. One man has been laid up for six weeks ; another man has been laid up with scarlet fever, and he ascribes it to having lain in the mud in his tent.

Thursday, 15th August, 1901. Captain James Paton Watt examined. (No. 38.) 1. The Chairman.] You are captain commanding what corps?— The Alexandra Mounted Rifles. 2. Were you with your corps at the camp at Newtown Park in June last? —Yes, I was present with forty-three members of the company, including myself. 3. On what day did you go into camp ?—We arrived at the park on Sunday night, the 16th June. 10— H. 19a.

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4. What was the weather like then ? —lt had been raining during our passage down in the train, and had been raining in Wellington, but it was dry while we were going to the camp. We had no rain while we were in the saddle. 5. Did it rain that night in camp?—l do not think it did. 6. At what time did you get there?—l should say it was about 7 o'clock when we reached the camp. 7. Was there a meal there for you? —Yes, there was some cold meat. 8. Any tea ? —I cannot say. As a matter of fact, I did not have any myself. 9. Was it there for you to have it if you wanted it?— Yes, there was something there. 10. How many men were in a tent? —In my own tent I had two other officers. 11. What about the men?— There were from six to eight in a tent. Ido not think there were more than eight in any tent. 12. Did you see their tents ?—Yes. 13. How were they off for straw ? —I heard no complaints about the straw. 14. What do you think about it yourself ? —I think there was ample.. In my own tent there was more than I required, and if I had heard any complaints I could easily have given them some from my own tent. 15. Were your men located in a muddy part of the camp ?—We were stationed up in the trees out of the mud. We had the best position in the camp. 16. Were your men on the hill the whole time? —Always. 17. What about the rations : had you any complaint made to you about the meat ?—I cannot remember what days I heard complaints made, but about Tuesday—l think it was the second day that we were in camp—l heard there were complaints made about the cooking. 18. What about the quality of the meat? —It was about the cooking of the meat that I heard from my own subaltern, Lieutenant Morgan, who was acting as my adjutant. I was acting as battalion commander. 19. What was the nature of the complaint he made ?—He told me the men were complaining a good deal about the cooking of the food—that it was not sufficiently cooked; that it was raw and not fit to eat. 20. Do you know whether the men got sufficient vegetables?—l cannot say. 21. Did you see the bread ?—-I saw half a loaf on one occasion, and some bread in one of the tents on another occasion. The half-loaf I saw was more like a cinder than anything else. It was a black mass, and not like bread at all. 22. Had it been knocked about ?—lt was burned hard and black. 23. Did you see any of the tea and coffee?—l had personal experience of them one day. It was a very wet day, and it needed consideration whether it was worth while going to the mess tent for what we could get; it was so muddy that we did not want to go unless it was worth while. Instead of going down to the mess-tent I thought I would go and get some bread and butter. I went into one of the men's tents to ask if they had any to spare. There were two men in the tent, and I sat down and had a piece of bread and butter. In their tent was a stretcher, which they were using as a table, and there were four large mugs of tea on it, apparently for themselves and their mates. I asked them if tViey wanted all the tea, and they said I could have some. I took three or four swallows of it before I stopped, and when I stopped I stopped for good. 24. Was it fit for the men to drink?— No. The men laughed when I stopped, and said it was better than a lot they had had. I put the cause down to the making of it in a 400-gallon tank with a fire under it. The tea was of a brown, purplish, muddy colour. 25. Was the water-supply in camp satisfactory ?—No. One day, when the command of the camp fell on me in consequence of Colonel Sommerville's absence, it was reported to me that there was no water, and that the cooks could not do their cooking. I told off eight men to get it from the tap at the back of the park. I understood all the other pipes in the ground were broken. The next day, when Colonel Sommerville came out to the camp, I noticed the plumbers at work mending the pipes round the track. 26. Did you see the arrangements made for the cooking ?—Yes; every time we went to the officers' mess we passed the cookhouse. 27. Tell us what conveniences they had for cooking?— There seemed to be one man acting as cook, and he had a temporary shed erection, with a sheet of 2 ft. wide iron stretched along the top for cover. The shed was about 15 ft. long. The fire was not under cover. In the covered-in place this man had a sort of shelf and a table for putting things on. 28. Where was the food cooked ? —ln front of this building there were trenches in which the men did their cooking. About 10 yards to the left was the men's cooking-place—an absolutely open trench with no cover at all. lam not sure whether they had railway-irons or not. 29. What was the greatest number of cooks you saw ? —ln the first cookhouse there was a man with a white apron on, and there were generally one or two others knocking about. Whether they were cooks or had simply brought things into the camp I cannot say. 30. How many men did you see cooking in the trenches you referred to ? —There were something like five or six men knocking about there. 31. What was the state of the cooking-place as regards mud and dirt ?—lf you could have got one of those things you scrape the roads with you could have got to the solid foundation. There was Sin. or 4 in. of good liquid mud. We had always to pass this place to get to the mess-tent. I wondered why they did not get a road-scraper and reach the solid ground underneath. 32. Was there any covering over the trench ?—None at all. 33. Did not the want of it interfere with the cooking in any way ?— Yes. I wondered how the men could cook there in such weather as they had. 34. In your opinion, should it have been sheltered in some way ?—I made the remark several

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times that I wondered why there was not a proper cookhouse erected. Of course, the men could not cook out in the open rain. 35. Did any of the officers or yourself inspect the food during meal-times?—l did not do any inspection myself, but my subaltern did. I think there were only four officers in my battalionCaptain Liardet (who I think resided mostly out of the camp), Mr. Matthews, Mr. Morgan, and Acting-Lieutenant Pearson, acting under Captain Liardet. Mr. Morgan remained in command of my own company, and proper company orders were issued by him every day. 36. You mean mess orders ?—Yes ; for mess, stables, and guards. 37. Did any of your officers make any report to you as to the condition of the men's tents ?— I think the whole of my battalion was on the hill. My own company was there, also the Wairoas and the Haweras. 38. Had you any opportunity of seeing the condition of the men's tents on the flat ?—I never went into the tents on the flat. Ido not know what the condition of them was. The tents on the hill were dry. 39. Do you know whether many of the men had their meals out of camp?—l could not say. 40. Did you see anything of the procession ? —I did not know there had been one until the next morning, when I heard that Colonel Penton was coming up to the camp. 41. Did you see any similar demonstration in the camp the day before—some provisions hanging on a line?— There were some provisions hanging on a line at the rear of my tent, and my subaltern ordered them to be taken down. 42. Which subaltern was that?— Mr. Morgan. 43. Colonel Davies.] You say you were camped on the hill :on which side going in at the gate ?—Straight across to the left. 44. Did you camp there from the first?— Yes. We were the only corps there at the start. 45. When did the other corps go up there ?—I think it was before Wednesday. 46. You say they had a 400-gallon tank for boiling things in: did they boil the meat in that?—l could not say. 47. A good deal of the meat was boiled, not roasted? —The officers had a lot of boiled meat. I do not know what the men had. 48. You said you were in command one day: can you tell us what day it was ?—I was in command when Colonel Sommerville was absent. If I found he was out of camp I assumed command, and when he came back I handed the command over. 49. Was he out a day and a night? —I do not know how long he would be out. 50. Would he not tell you?— Not always. I found myself in command. 51. Then, you might be in command and not know it?— Quite so. I think I was in command on the Wednesday, the day after the Royal reception. 52. That was the day the horses were moved, and the day the medals were issued ?—Yes ; the medals were issued on the Wednesday. 53. Orders were given to break camp on the Wednesday?— Not proper orders. 54. The horses were taken out to the Hutt that day ?—I do not know when the orders came to break camp, but I think it was the day of the reception at Government House, when it was so very wet. I was in command of the camp that day. I remember a very heavyfshower in the afternoon, and seeing the horses sweeping round to it. It was a howling gale, and the horses swerved round all at once. Captain Dunk, I heard, tried to find out what they were to do. He rang up Colonel Newall, and, not being able to get him, rang up Mr. Seddon, who told him that they could break camp. 55. You say you used to be left in command of the camp without being notified of it?— Colonel Sommerville did not tell me when he was going or when he would be back. He would go away, and I found myself in command. If any complaints were made I had to attend to them, and that was how I knew I was in command. 56. And not knowing that Colonel Sommerville had gone away you might have gone away too, and they might have had to hunt about for the next senior without you knowing anything about it ?—Quite possibly. When the order came up from Mr. Seddon that we were to break camp, I told Mr. Morgan that I did not care about the order, because it had nothing to do with me unless it came from Colonel Sommerville. One of my subalterns came to me and told me the Manawatu Rifles were leaving camp. I asked him by whose orders, and said, "If you have Colonel Sommerville's orders you can leave camp." Ido not know where they went to. Next day I saw Captain Dunk, who told me he had rung up Mr. Seddon, who had told him he could leave camp. I told Captain Dunk that the subaltern had said it was by Colonel Somerville's orders the company was leaving, and that he had made a lucky mistake, because the corps would not have gone otherwise without Colonel Sommerville's orders. There was not a stable in Wellington where one could put a horse, and we could hardly get a meal in town ourselves. 57. How many companies had you in your battalion? —I was given instructions, before proceeding to the camp, that I should have command of six companies ; but half of these companies I found afterwards proceeded to Wellington on foot, and did not go to Newtown Park at all. The only companies I had under command were my own, the Wairoas, and Haweras. Captain Howie was in command of a battalion himself. 58. Were any orders issued about leave ?—No. 59. Were officers and men allowed to sleep in or out of camp as they thought fit ?—I did not understand so. 60. You say Captain Liardet was mostly out of camp : who gave him permission ?—I do not know that as a fact, and perhaps should not have said so ; but I was under the impression that, during the latter part of the camp, he resided in Wellington rather than stay in canip. I would not like to swear that he did go out of camp at night, but I am under the impression that he did.

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61. You were his battalion commander ?—Yes. 62. And he would have to apply to you for leave ? —Yes. 63. And you do not know whether any leave was given?—No leave was asked. 64. If you had been under that impression while you were in camp, and in command of the battalion, would you not have taken steps to find out ? —Colonel Sommerville might have given him leave. 65. Could he have given leave without consulting you? —Colonel Sommerville's orders would override mine. 66. Would Colonel Sommerville not give orders through the battalion commander ? —I do not think so. 67. Would you not, as a battalion commander, think the brigadier would give orders through you? —I would understand that the brigadier could give orders himself affecting the officers generally. 68. With regard to the provisions that were hung on a line in camp, have you any objection to tell us whose lines they were in ? —They were on the hill at the rear of my tent, between two trees. 69. Whose lines were they in ? —They were between the Wairoas and Alexandras, as far as I could say. Ido not think they were in the one line. 70. That was on the Tuesday? —It is very hard to remember the particular day. 71. It was the day before the rowdy proceedings in town, we have been told?—I think it must have been on the Tuesday. Ido not see how it could have been after Tuesday. 72. Did you, as a battalion commander, have brigade or camp orders issued to you?—l had camp orders twice, I think. 73. Did you see the brigade staff detailed in orders ?—Orders were brought to me by Lieutenant Fitzherbert, and he said he would read them to me. I was in bed at the time, and said I would read them myself. I took the orders from him, read them, and handed them back to him. 74. Was he in uniform or plain clothes ?—He was half dressed. He had a dark Crimean shirt on, and I think uniform trousers. 75. Did you see him about the camp doing duty in mufti?— No. 76. Did you see him in uniform ?—I do not think I saw him on more than one occasion in camp. 77. How often did you get orders?— Only twice, and they were from him. I might say, with regard to orders, that I issued battalion orders when I got regimental orders. I issued no battalion orders except on one day, when I took it upon myself to issue orders with regard to certain escorts, and that was the day I found myself in command of the camp. I issued general camp orders on the Saturday prior to the breaking-up. I gave orders as to the time when the companies were to leave. 78. You were present in camp when Colonel Penton addressed the men, and heard what he said ? —I heard what he said to the men. He sent me into the telephone tent to send a message to Government House about the escorts, and while I was there he addressed the officers, but I did not hear what he said. 79. Did you hear him refer to certain people as being cowardly ?—The words he used were that there were some infernal curs amongst them. 80. Whom was he referring to, do you think ?—I presume he was referring to those who took part in the demonstration. 81. You have no doubt about that yourself? He was not referring to the whole of them, but only to those who took part in the procession ?—Well, he was addressing the whole of them, certainly, but I thought he was referring only to those who took part in it, and who had not stood out when they were asked to. He did not say, " You are all infernals curs or cowards," but " There are some infernal curs amongst you." 82. Did he not mention " four " ?—I think he said " some." I was talking to a Press reporter when Colonel Penton came on the ground, and before he addressed the men he gave me instructions to put all the civilians off the ground. I asked the civilians to move away, and I noticed that the Press reporter had gone only about twenty yards off and was taking down in shorthand what Colonel JPenton had said. When I read the report in the paper it struck me at the time that it was actually what Colonel Penton had said. I took particular notice that the newspaper report was accurate. 83. The Chairman.] Which newspaper ? —I think it was the Evening Post. The reports of both papers, I think, correspond. I have heard something about the four men from several directions, but I do not know that Colonel Penton mentioned about four men. 84. Colonel Davies.] You took his meaning to imply that he referred to the men who would not stand out and take the blame for what they had done?— Yes. 85. The Chairman.] The orders about the escorts and corps were issued by Colonel Sommerville, were they not ?—Yes. 86. Did you ever see these orders [produced] ?—Yes. 87. Did you ever see any others beside these?— These are the orders which Lieutenant Fitzherbert brought to me on the Saturday morning—some of them. 88. You never saw any other orders but these ?—No, I only saw orders twice. 89. We are told that there was only one officer-of-the-day's report and guard's report sent in to the Brigade Office ; can you account for these reports not being sent in every day ?—I did not know that one was appointed. I was never appointed as a field officer. 90. Did you see anything of the procession that came into town ? —Absolutely nothing. I did not know that such a thing was being contemplated, nor had taken place, until the following morning, within half ah hour's time of Colonel Penton's arrival on the ground. 91. Do you know any of those who took part in it?— No.

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92. What was the condition with regard to mud in the camp, on the flat?— The day I had to parade with the battalion, to meet Colonel Penton, I went by a circuitous path with a view of keeping myself clean, but when I got down I had to say good-bye to cleanliness. I was not fit to be seen afterwards. 93. What is your opinion of Newtown Park as a camp for mounted men at that time of the year ? —That it is absolutely unfit for it. If the horses had been put on the hills and the men camped on the flat it would have been a great deal better ; but even then I do not think it would be a fit place for men to sleep in. After the companies had gone to Christchurch, I told the remaining officers and men that they could all go off the flat on to the hills, as there were plenty of picket-lines, but to my surprise only about half of them did so. The others remained there because they were too lazy to move, and I considered it a shame to allow the horses to remain there. With regard to the forage, one day it was reported to me that there was none in camp except six bags of bran. I did not know who the contractor for the forage was, so I went to the telephone-tent and rang up the Defence Storekeeper, Mr. O'Sullivan, and asked him to ring up the contractor and tell him to send out hay, oats, and chaff for a hundred and fifty horses, to last from that day (Friday) until the Sunday morning. I told him to ring me up in ten minutes to let me know what he had done. That forage was ordered at about 10 o'clock in the morning, but it did not arrive until it was getting dark that day —about half-past 4 o'clock—and one of the officers in camp went out and bought forage and sent it out to his company. 94. Are you aware whether many of the men had their meals out of camp ?—On the day I mentioned as having had some bread and butter in one of the men's tents there were only two men there, and there were very few men in any of the tents of the company. I think the rest of the company were out of camp. The men I had my food with were table orderlies. 95. You have been in a good many camps? —Yes, over the last sixteen years. 96. Looking back at the Newtown Park Camp, how does it compare with others for comfort and the feeding of officers and men?—So far as the officers were concerned I do not think there was anything to complain about, except inconvenience on account of the mud both inside and outside of the tent. The officers' mess was arranged by Colonel Sommerville, and was as good as we could have expected. The food was cooked well. I could not complain myself. I was up on the dry part of the ground. 97. Had Captain Winter anything to do with it?—l do not know. 98. What about the men ?—I do not think anything I have heard about Newtown Park has been exaggerated at all. It was a shameful place to put men in during that weather. 99. You said that there was no use in breaking camp before, because there was no other place where the men could be put under cover in Wellington at the time. Could not provision have been made in the Drillshed or the Skating Rink : those places would hold a good number of men, would they not ?—I suppose so. 100. Were you at the Feilding Camp?— Yes. 101. Did not the men go into the churches there?—-I believe they did. The mounted men remained in camp, but I believe the infantry went into the schools and churches. I believe that Mr. Bond, who has a school near Newtown Park, offered to put his school at the disposal of the men; but it was no good the men going there if they had to go through the mud in the camp for their food. Nor could they go away and leave their horses in camp. Private Patrick Sheehan examined. (No. 39.) 102. The Chairman.] What corps do you belong to ?—The Wairoa Mounted Rifles. 103. Were you in camp with your corps at Newtown Park in June last ?—Yes. 104. What day did you go in ?—On the Thursday or Friday. I could not say exactly, but I went in with the rest of the company. 105. Captain Howie is your commander ?—Yes. 106. Had you plenty of tent room ? —There were eight men in some tents ; the rest had nine men. 107. Where were you camped ? —On the flat until it got too muddy, and then we shifted. 108. When did you shift ? —The evening before we left for Christchurch, or the evening before that; I would not be certain. 109. You left for Christchurch on the Thursday ?—I am not certain myself. 110.- Had you plenty of straw in your tents ? —lt was not bad until it got wet, when we started putting it out, and there was not much left at the finish. 111. Was there much mud in your tent ? —No, not much. 112. Had you any water there?— Yes, we had water. 113. Had you any waterproof sheets ?—We had none in our tent. 114. What were your rations like ? What about the meat ?—lt would have been right enough if properly cooked, but we generally got it about raw. 115. On how many days did that happen? —I never had any that was good all the time I was there. I had more than half of my food in town. I used to ask for leave to do so. 116. When did you start to do that ?—The day after we came in I went out for dinner. We got into camp at about half-past 11, and a lot of us asked for leave to go out for dinner. 117. Had you most of your meals out of camp? —I think I had two-thirds of my meals out. 118. Did you sleep in camp ?—Yes, all the time. 119. What was the bread that you had like ? —Sometimes it was all right, but it was sometimes stale. 120. How about the butter ?—That was all right. 121. Had you any vegetables ?—We had potatoes, but they were a bit hard at times. 122. What is your occupation ?—Farmer.

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123. What were the tea and coffee like?— Very poor indeed. I did not drink any coffee while I was there. I tried the tea, and threw it away, because I could not drink it. 124. How did your horses fare ?—Mine did not fare well at all; he was not half-fed. 125. Had you any chaff and hay ?—At times, but not all the time. . 126. Did you see any men taking the hay from the tent ?—No. 127. Were you ever told off as an orderly to get the forage for the horses? —No ; but I was told off to get rations for the men. 128. Were you fallen-in before you got to the cookhouse ?—Yes. 129. Was there an officer there with you?— Yes ; Lieutenant Riddle, one of our corps. 130. Was any one else there ?—Lieutenant Klingender was also there from our corps. 131. Any officers of other corps? —I think there were officers with all the other orderlies, as far as I knew. 132. How many officers did you see at one time at the kitchens ? Do you think there were more than three?— Yes ; I think there were more than three always. 133. How were the rations served out ?—We went'up to the table and asked for rations for the number of men we had, and the meat was«put into a dish, and the tea into buckets for us. 134. Were any complaints made about the meat not being cooked?— Yes; I reported it to the captain, and I know that several other men did too. 135. Did it improve at all?— No. 136. Was the camp bad on account of the mud ?—Yes ; very bad. 137. Were your tents moved at all ?—Yes ; we moved up under the trees. 138. When did you move ?—I think it was a day or two days before we left for Christchurch. 139. Were your horses moved too? —Yes. 140. Do you think your horses suffered at all ? —Mine did, very badly ; I am not speaking for the lot. 141. Did you let it remain in camp when you went to Christchurch ?—No, I turned him out at Island Bay the day before we left. 142. Are you prepared to tell us anything about the procession in town with the rations on the afternoon of Wednesday ?—All I can tell you is that I was walking up the street that afternoon with a man named Derrett, another Wairoa man, when the procession came down. 143. Where were you walking ?—Up Willlis Street, I think it is, near Denis's Hotel. 144. What did you see when you were with Derrett ?—We saw the procession passing. I saw a board with words written on it, and a bottle and a piece of meat hanging down. 145. What time was that?—lt would be between 2 and 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 146. When it came up to you what did you do ?—Walked straight on. 147. You did not join it ?—No ; they walked straight past. 148. It is only fair to tell you that your name has been mentioned as one of those who took part in the procession ?—That is false, sir. I took no part in it, and can get two witnesses who were walking with me to prove it—Jack Derrett, one of our own corps, and Sergeant Charteris, of the'Patea Rifles. 149. Where did you go?— Straight along and up Cuba Street. 150. Did you take any notice of the procession ?—No. 151. When you saw it, how many men were taking part in it ?—I could not tell you. I could not tell you who were in it. 152. But how many were taking part in it?— There was a big crowd. The people were thronged on each side of the street, and I was on the footpath. 153. You say positively that you took no part in it at all ?—I say positively I took no part in it. I stood over at the back from it. 154. Did you learn anything about it when you got back to camp?— No. 155. Did you sleep in camp that night ? —Yes, and all the time I was down here. 156. Your corps have green puggerees, have they not? —Yes. 157. Do you know any of the men who were engaged in the procession?—No, sir, I do not. 158. Colonel Davies.] Did anybody speak to you at the time the procession was passing, and ask what corps you belonged to?— No. 159. Did any one ask you anything about it ?—No. 160. Did you see anything of a rope or string hanging up in camp the day before, with rations or tins hanging from it?— Yes. 161. Do you know in whose camp that was?—l could not say whose camp it was in, but it was up on the hill, hanging from one tree to another. 162. You do not know who had anything to do with hanging that up?—No, I do not. 163. The Chairman.] Were you present when Colonel Penton came up to the camp the next day ?• —Yes. 164. You heard what he said ?— Yes. 165. You heard him refer to someone as curs and cowards, or something of that sort ?—Yes. 166. Whom do you think he referred to ?—I do not know, lam sure. I understand our officers were sent round to find out whether any of our men knew anything about it. They went back and told him no one knew anything about it, and that caused him to ride out into the ground and say that some infernal curs and cowards would not come out and own up to what had been done, and all the men would have to be blamed for it. 167. He said " some," not the whole of the men?— No. 168. He did not mean the lot ?—No. 169. You did not understand him to mean the lot?— No. 170. Have you anything to say about the camp that we have not asked you ?—No, I have said all I can.

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LIST OF WITNESSES EXAMINED. Ashworth, W. G., Sergeant-major, Hunterville Mounted Palmer, H., Quartermaster-sergeant, Manawatu Mounted Rifles. Rifles. Bartlett, E., Captain, Hawera Mounted Rifles. Penton, A. P., Colonel, R.A., Commandant New Zealand Bryoe, A. R., Sergeant, Alexandra Mounted Rifles. Forces. Dove, J. L. Captain, Hunterville Mounted Rifles. Rankin, W., Sergeant, Manawatu Mounted Rifles. Dunk, C, Captain, Manawatu Mounted Rifles. Redmond, H., Colour-sergeant, Civil Service Rifles. Fitzherbert, N., Lieutenant, New Zealand Militia. Ruston, J. 0 , Private, Ahuriri Mounted Rifles. Gentles, J. Sergeant, Permanent Artillery. Sandtmann, J., Captain, Ahuriri Mounted Rifles. Grimsdale, W., Private, Hurumoa Mounted Rifles. Seddon, Right Hon. R, J., Premier and Minister of Healy, D. W., Staff Sergeant-Major, Drill-Instructor, Defence. New Zealand Forces. Sheehan, P., Private, Wairoa Mounted Rifles. Henley, A. W., Private, Hawera Mounted Rifles. Smith, W., Private, Manawatu Mounted Rifles. Higgins, C, Lieutenant, Eketahuna Mounted Rifles. Scully, J., Lance-corporal, Westport Rifles. Howie, G., CapUm, Wairoa Mounted Rifles. Sommerville, J. R., Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding Lomax, H. A., Captain and Staff Adjutant, Wellington Wellington Distriot Mounted Rifles. District. Tatum, 0. T., Captain, Otaki Mounted Rifles. McParland. F., contractor for rations. Thurston, J. W. Lieutenant, Unattached Active List. Newall, S., Lieutenant-Colonel, C.8., Officer Command- Ward, G., Corporal, Hawera Mounted Rifles. ing Wellington Militia and Volunteer District. Watt, J. P., Captain, Alexandra Mounted Rifles. O'Sullivan, J., Storekeeper, New Zealand Forces. Winter, G. J., Ciptain, East Coast Mounted Rifles, Parkes, F. S., Sergeant-Major, Wairoa Mounted Rifles. Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, not given; printing (1,425 copies), £44 7s.

By Authority: John Maokay, Government Printer, Wellington.—.l9ol. Price Is. 6d.

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NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF)., Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, H-19a

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NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, H-19a

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NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, H-19a

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NEWTOWN PARK CAMP (INQUIRY INTO CONDUCT OF). Appendix to the Journals of the House of Representatives, 1901 Session I, H-19a

Using This Item

No known copyright (New Zealand)