E.—3b

56

72. Did-, you have any fires then, or in the mornings?— No. 73. Did you see any boys locked up ?—Yes; several. I saw Skilton. I do not know how many times; but he was locked up more than once. I do not remember how long. He was a troublesome boy. 74. Was he punished besides being locked up ?—Yes ; with a supplejack. He told me so. I think he got it the first two or three days. 75. Were any other boys locked up?— Yes. Maher, Willis, Lowe, Newman, and Clements. 76. Do you remember Miller ?—No. I was away then. 77. Do you know of Moap, the Maori, getting kicked by one of the Brothers?— No. 78. Did you see Brother Kilian strike any of the boys with his fists ?—Yes ; I saw him strike a Maori boy named John Davis. I heard reports of Jimmy Owens being stcuck; but I was away then. Ido not know of any others. 79. Or by Brother Wibertus ?—No. He did not have charge of the boys while I was there. 80. Did you see any of the boys thrashed over the body ? Or did you know of any being put on bread and water ? —No. 81. The dinner has been described as Irish stew every day. Is that correct?— Yes. 82. What did you have for breakfast and tea?— For breakfast we had porridge and bread every other morning; bread, dripping, and treacle every other morning. For tea every day we had two slices of bread and butter or dripping. Last winter we had potato stew regularly. It was left off when summer came on. 83. You never wore under-shirts or under-pants ?—No. 84. Did you wear waistcoats ?—I did; it was the boys' own look out if they did not have them. They could have got them if they asked in a proper way. 85. Some of the boys got pretty ragged and patched, do you not think ?—Well, they looked a bit that way, some of them. 86. Mr. Bush,] Were you one of the good boys ? —Well, I expect you had better ask Brother Loetus that. 87. I understand you are a very sharp boy; I want to know whether you were one of the good boys. I will tell you directly why I ask you ? —Yes; I suppose I was. 88. Were all the good boys like you treated better than the others ?—No. All were treated alike. Fbancis Cukban, examined on oath. 89. Mr. Fell.] You were an inmate of the Orphanage for some years ? And you are at present working for Brother Loetus as baker there ?—Yes. I was an inmate for ten years, and have been baking for two years and seven months. I went straight on after being an inmate. 90. How old are you ?—Close on nineteen. 91. What standard did yoix get into before you left?— The Sixth. 92. How often and how much do you bake?—l bake about five times a week. The daily average is ninety-five loaves, all of which are 4 lb. loaves, with the exception of seven or eight 2 lb. loaves. All this is consumed at the school. My brother, who is an inmate, helps me in the baking. I learnt my trade there. I reckon I can turn out a good loaf. I also bake cakes and buns, which the boys have. 93. Have you been present at the meals since you have ceased to be an inmate ?—No. 94. Did you always get plenty to eat when you were an inmate ? —I should think so. 95. Since you have been baker have you heard any complaints as to the shortness in the boys' food ?—No. 96. You are constantly with the boys, I suppose ?—Yes. I play with them, football, and cricket a little. 97. Do you consider the relations between the Brothers friendly or the reverse?—l should say they are friendly enough. 98. What punishments have you seen during the past two years ?—None at all. 99. Mr. Harley.] Are the relations friendly between the boys and Brother Kilian ?—I should say not. .100. How about Brother Wibertus? —He has been friendly enough with the boys during the last two years, since he has ceased to have charge of the boys. 101. Mr. Bush.] Did they like him then?—No; not exactly. 102. Mr. Harley.] Why do they not like Brother Kilian ? Is it because he is severe ?—I do not know. I never saw him doing anything. 103. Are there any other Brothers out of favour with the boys ?—No. Not that I know of. 104. From whom did you learn the baking? —From Mr. Clear. I took it on when he left. 105. Do you turn out good enough bread ? And what sort of cakes and buns ?—Currant cakes, ordinary buns, and fairly good bread, I think. Patrick Clack, examined on oath. 106. Mr. Fell.] You were formerly an inmate of the Orphanage, and are now employed by the Brothers there ? —Yes. I have been general farm-hand for nine years. I have been there altogether about 15 years. 107. Do the boys go out with you to work?—l am not in charge of the boys. There is always a Brother with them. In the busy time sometimes I have a batch of, say, ten boys, and lam in charge of them then. In harvest-time I will get a lot of boys there; but then there is a Brother in charge of them. 108. What are the relations between the Brothers and boys as you see them at work ?—I have heard enough said about certain Brothers; but the boys do not seem to be afraid of the Brothers. That is my experience. I have not seen any signs of the boys being knocked about,