15

H.—29

viewed him that they did not know what had become of the butter. In explanation, let me say the doctor remarked, "If you have no butter, then what has become of it: it must have been taken away." To which I replied, " No; it has been eaten, but would not have, had we some substitute, in which case the butter would last out the week." Secondly, as regards to the inferior cooking, he ventured to say, he had himself known instances in which the meat was not properly cooked ; and upheld our grievance by stating that he knew no earthly reason why that should be so, for, with the luxurious appliances which the cook had at her command, there could be no reasonable excuse for such a failing. Now, I ask you to bear these utterances in mind when we come to consider the action he has taken in this matter. Whilst lam referring to the meat, I may mention a point which has been settled. It was stated we had sent to us a great many joints in which there was more bone than meat, compared to the preponderance of meat on superior joints, and stated that as a possible reason why our meat-supply at times appeared insufficient, in combating which statement the doctor remarked it was perfectly ridiculous, and that he refused to believe it, even though it was borne out by the evidence of those whom he says are savages, and hesitates not to treat us as such. In preference to believing their undivided testimony, he accepts the bald statement of one whose duty it appears to have been to see that article of diet fairly distributed ; and, through one man neglecting his duty, whether intentionally or in ignorance I dare not assume ; but this I do say, in fervent sincerity, that to accept the bald statement of one individual, unsupported by any proof whatever, against the undivided evidence of the majority, is, to put it mildly, most unjust and very unimpartial. It is a direct endeavour to crush and stamp out legitimate justice. It was only when the testimony of another person was produced that Dr. King withdrew his unjust accusations, which evidence, I think, ought to and could have been procured before those aspersions were cast upon us. And the elaborate elegance with which the doctor defended his ignorance of the management of such matters reflect upon him the gravest discredit. Fourthly, the evidence bearing on the inferior cooking of the vegetables was sufficient to convince any reasonable mind, and for the present I shall content myself with remarking that the difference which has taken place, is a proof of the justice of our complaints ; for at the present time everything is 'in thorough working order. It appears to me that all these points are precisely similar ; and how a man can give a favourable verdict in one instance and condemn us in another, the evidence being unanimity exemplified, to me, at any rate, requires explaining. Now, there is another matter, which affects myself alone—that is, concerning those tripe and onions, the reference to which brought down on me showers of malicious infamy. He said that the matron had told him that the occasions upon which we did not have made-up dishes for tea were very seldom, and instanced tripe and onions as one of those dishes, and an extra to which we were not entitled. Admitted it is an extra, is that any reason I should allow this false statement to go unchallenged. I emphatically say it is not; and I mentioned, in refuting the accuracy of the doctor's remarks, bearing upon the frequency with which those dishes were served up to us, that during my service At this Asylum, dating back to the 7th of April of this year, I had never once seen tripe and onions, and never heard, of it until mentioned by himself. The Superintendant, referring to these remarks, says they are deliberate lies, told with the avowed object of reflecting disparagingly upon the matron, and, in fact, it was a malicious intent to deceive. I think I might be pardoned when, in my ignorance, I gave the doctor credit for a nicer sense of justice. When manliness and truthfulness are so ruthlessly trodden on, when tyrannical measures are adopted to suppress the admission of truth and respectability, is it, I ask, any wonder that there are those to be found who are afraid of losing their living if they were manly, straightforward, and consistent.

Memorandum by Attendants. Seacliff Asylum, 25th November, 1892. Dr. King has asserted that the statements made to him in the patients' dining-hall, and which I, Matthew Impey, re-stated at the meeting of attendants held by order of the Superintendent, in the reading-room of the Asylum, were fictitious ; statements which he said were concocted for the purpose of disparaging certain individuals, and were absolutely without foundation; that it did not express unanimously the feelings of the majority of the attendants. He states that the discontent emanates from a very small number of malcontents, who have only been a short time in the service; further, that we have no just causes for complaint. The purport of our complaint is this : That frequently the meat has been insufficiently cooked to be palatable, and has on several occasions been sent back as uneatable ; the vegetables have from time to time only been partially cooked, and that without salt; and, if a stew or other dish were sent in for tea, made from the leavings of the joints which we may have had for dinner more frequently, our allowance of butter would last out the week, instead of, as at the present time, lasting only four or five days, necessitating in some instances our having to use dry bread alone for tea. We, the undersigned attendants, attest our signatures to the veracity of the complaints herein contained : — Stanley Blacklaws. Arthur J. Watts. John Aitcheson. W. Perry. John Marr. John Kilgour. James McConkey. Andrew Wilson. Frank P. Duncan. Thomas Sneeston. Jas. M. Arundel. Edwin Tattersall. Henry E. Sheppard. Wm. Campbell. John Clarkson. Alexander Annan. John Clark. Adam Bussell. Lionel Frye. J. Pullar. John Heigh. Andrew Miller. F. H. Buckley. H. Downes. Memorandum. —Attendant Harry Downes fully indorses the complaints as herein contained, and is prepared at any time to substantiate the statements referred to, but objects to attach his name to paper.