H.—29

6

said that he had no hesitation in saying that the statements made to him before he came into the hall were deliberate lies. I got up and said this must apply to me, because I made the statements to him. He said it was Arundel who made the statements, before I saw him. 49. By Dr. King.] At the meeting asked for by you at the request of the attendants, did you hold out for a retractation by me of certain objectionable terms, said to be used in regard to the attendants ?—I wanted you to withdraw your statements : (1) that I did not represent all the attendants ; (2) when you said it was a conspiracy on the part of the few; (3) that we were liars ; (4) that we behaved " like savages, and were savages, and as such you would have no hesitation or compunction is treating us as such." I held out for an apology on those grounds. 50. By Dr. MacGregor.] When I showed the notice asking the doctor on behalf of the attendants, the only one who dissented of those I showed it to was Andrew Millar. He said the food had been rectified, and we should let it drop. I was not content to let it drop. It was the notice for this meeting that contained the demand for an apology, and to remove the stigma so unjustly thrust upon us. I hand in a statement by Maxwell after he left. He left to better himself. While the cook was away the doctor said we got food we were not entitled to. The attendants themselves said during this time their meals were more satisfactory, and they did not see why they should not be always as good. The doctor said, probably the assistant cook made things in a special way, which could not be maintained without prejudice to the rest of the establishment. The difference was not in the extras, but in the cooking. 51. By Dr. King.] I said at the first meeting that I intended to resign. 52. By Dr. MacGregor.] The reason I changed my mind was to get the doctor to dismiss me, that I might be able to prove my statements were true. I said at the meeting with Mr. McLean that I challenged the doctor to dismiss me for the action I had taken in this matter. I have never in a former situation taken an active part in a matter of this kind. The reason given for my dismissal was that " you have proved unsuitable for the position." I think this unsatisfactory. Matthew Impey, resworn and examined. 53. I.wish to supplement my evidence. I wish to know the scope of this inquiry. 54. Dr. MacGregor : My object is to inquire as to whether Dr. King has acted unjustly or tyrannically in dismissing Arundel, Impey, and Clarke. 55. By Dr. King.] Begarding the petition, by whom was it drawn up? —By myself, Arundel, and Duncan. lam quite certain Arundel was present, and made suggestions at the drawing-up of that paper. 56. Are the attendants who signed, in your opinion, responsible for the whole of this paper?— I may say they are not, in my opinion. 57. For what are they responsible? Is it only for the latter half?— More than that. 58. From what point to what point do you hold them responsible ? —After thinking over it, I think they are responsible for the whole of it. [A few minutes were required to enable Mr. Impey to decide this.] I read the whole of the document to all the attendants dining in the hall. Arundel then took the paper into the mess-room and, I believe, read it to them who were there. I did not obtain the signature of Alexander Annan. 59. Of John Haig ?—Yes. 60. Of John Pullar?—Yes. Pullar read the whole himself. John Clarkson was in the hall. The paper was signed without any pressure directly. Adam Bussell said it was perfectly true, and very mild, and that no man need hesitate to sign it. 61. By Dr. MacGregor.] How could several of these attendants testify to the truth of the statements attributed to the doctor, at a meeting at which they were not present ?—I told them what had happened. I believe what I saw was substantiated by those who had been present. 62. At which meeting were the offensive expressions—l mean those contained in the petition— used?— They all took place at the first meeting; some of them were re-stated at the second. 63. Which were re-stated? —One was that the complaint was concocted to disparage certain individuals. 64. Was that said before or after Buckley spoke? —I cannot say. 65. On how many tables had the butter been entirely exhausted on the evening of the first complaint ?—lt was on No. 2. I cannot say of the others. 66. Did it happen once a week that you had nothing but bread and butter for tea? —I could not say. 67. Do you believe it happened as often as that?— Yes, but frequently there were joints on the table on which there was not enough' meat to go round, and some had nothing but bread and butter ; for this they were heavy on the butter, and it ran out sooner. The butter ran out usually on No. 2 about Wednesday. We get out supplies on Friday. 68. Was it ever done as early as Tuesday?— No. 69. Did you rarely have any butter on Thursday ? —That was so, on No. 2 table. 70. There was no butter on half the Thursday ?—lt was done even oftener than that. 71. Was it two out of three Thursdays ?—lt was four out of five Thursdays that the butter of No. 2 became finished. Four out of five times we had none left for Thursday evening. Sometimes individuals got some from the other tables. We were heavier on the butter than the other tables. It is a fair average that the butter only lasted four or five days. This applies only to No. 2 table. 72. Did you realise this when you composed the petition?—l did not realise it. I did not mean to convey what was not true, although I have inadvertently done so. I wish to give some particulars I formerly omitted. I believe Dr. King put me into the yard to do more disagreeable work, for the leading part I took in this matter. 73. Dr. King : It was not so. I had ordered Stewart to remove Miller from the yard, without reference to Impey at all. Stewart asked who should replace him, and it was decided to send Impey. It was no degradation to go into the yard.