22

E.—3b

387. How were you harnessed up ? —With a piece of flax, and sometimes a staple driven in the wood. If the flax wore out we had to carry the wood. 388. Mr. Wardell.] If the flax broke you would have to get more ?—Yes, if it could be got. 389. Mr. Harley.] How far did you. bring the wood ?—To the foot of the hill where the cricketground is. 390. Is that the hardest work you had to do ?—-Yes. 391. Was it because it was hard work, or because you were sent so many times? —It was hard walking up and down, and because we were sent so many times. 392. Mr. Wardell.] Is it steep going np?—Yes, pretty steep. 393. Mr. Wardell: If it is steep going up it must be steep coming down, and hauling ought to be easy. 394. Mr. Harley.] The farm work was not very hard ? —No. If you have a rest sometimes they punish you. There is always someone watching. 395. But you did not complain particularly of the farm work?— No. 396. Were many punished for the hill work ? —Yes. 397. Mr. Wardell.] For how long a time had you to do this work?—l might go up on one day, and then perhaps not go again for three or four weeks. 398. Mr.. Harley.] Those who did not do it properly were punished ? —Yes. 399. Did you make the tea?— Yes. 400. How much tea did you put in?—-One big handful, put in an oatmeal bag, and left to draw in the water. 401. Mr. Wardell.] What sort of a handful ?—As much as you could pick up. One of the Brothers put it in the bag. 402. Mr. Harley.] How many boys were there?—l6o or 180. 403. Were you ever dosed with mustard ?—Yes. 404. How long ago?— About two years ago last March. 405. Can you say whether the mustard was used up to the time you left ?—lt is always being used. 406. Mr. Wardell.] Mr. Harley used the word " dosed." Did you get it to make you sick?— Yes; it made us sick. 407. Mr. Harley.] What were you given mustard for?—l do not know what for. 408. How was it given to you?—ln a pannikin, with so much water. 409. How did it affect you? —It would burn all your inside, and you would be spewing up all the time. 410. Was that what it was done for ? —I do not know. 411. How often was this done ?—Whenever any one complained of being unwell, or had a headache. 412. Was it ever done for anything else ?—Yes ; for a bad leg. A boy, who is in the hospital now, used to get plenty of it for a bad leg. 413. What is that boy's name ?—Sullivan. 414. When the boys had been stealing vegetables were they dosed with this medicine ?—No. 415. How many Brothers are there at the school ?—Ten when I was there. 416. Were they kind to you or otherwise ?—Unkind. 417. Were they all alike ?—No ; there was one good one there. 418. Who was the good one? —Brother Augustine. 419. Do you know where the cemetery is ?—Yes. 420. Have you been in it ?—Yes. 421. How many graves are there ?—I never counted them, but there are five or six. 422. Have you seen any one buried there ?—Yes; three. 423. Mr. Wardell.] How long were you there ?—Six or seven years. 424. Mr. Harley.] All the boys used to go to the funeral?— Yes. 425. Did you ever hear any boys asking for more clothes ?—Yes. 426. Did they get them?— Not always. Some favourites got them. Others got hammered for tearing their clothes. 427. You are now a hospital patient ? —Yes. 428. Brother Loetus called for you this morning ?—Yes. 429. You did not come down with him ? —No ; I came by myself. 430. Why did you not come with him ? —I did not want to. 431. Did you receive any caution about speaking about the institution when you left ? —No. 432. Mr. Wardell: Brother Loetus was summoned to produce you. 433. Mr. Harley : The summons was issued to Dean Mahoney. 434. Mr. Fell.] How old are you now ? —Seventeen. 435. Who was paying for you up to the time you were fifteen ?—I do not know. 436. You ran away from Mr. Baigent's at Pigeon Valley ?—Yes. 437. How long did you stop with him ?—About a fortnight, I think. 438. You had to do farm-work there ?—Yes. 439. Where did you run to? —To town, where I got a situation at Mr. Townsend's, butcher. 440. After leaving Mr. Baigent, did you go back to the school before going to Mr. Townsend ? —No. 441. How long did you stay with Mr. Townsend?—Two or three days. 442. Why did you leave?— Constable Bird and Sergeant Mackay took me back to the school. 443. Where did you go next ?—To Hailes's. In July last year. 444. How long did you stop with him ? —About four months. 445. What did he do with you ?—Sent me back to the orphanage. 446. After that what did you do?—I went to Mr. Allan's. 447. Mr. Wardell.} The school authorities sent you there?— Yea,