61

E.—3b

26. Is there a sufficient quantity of meat in the stew every day ?—An abundance. Every boy gets as much as he wants. The meat is equally divided. 27. Do you know how much meat and vegetables are used per day ?—The averages are: meat, 56 lb.; potatoes, 150 lb. Sometimes as much as 12 lb. or 15 lb. of other vegetables are put in, according to season. 28. The potatoes have to be cleaned, of course ? —Yes. 29. Have you eaten this stew yourself?— Yes; we have it on our table. It is made in the same way. 30. Is it cooked in the same vessel ?—lt is cooked in another pot; but we get the same ingredients. We generally have it in the evenings. 81. What do you have yourself in the middle of the day?— Potatoes, and bread and meat. 32. Mr. Wardell.] Do you have a cooked hot joint in the middle of the day?— Yes. 33. Mr Fell.] Do the boys have bread for dinner?— Yes. 34. Do the boys have enough, or do they go short ?—There is more than enough. The other day I went on purpose to see what was left over. There were five big dishes. Boys have never complained to me about not getting enough dinner. 35. Mr. Wardell.] Do you mean they have never approached you, or held up their hand ? They have never approached me with a complaint; but they have frequently held up their hand, and been given more. This was the signal arranged to be given. 36. Mr. Fell] Have you ever asked the boys if they have had enough ?—No ; I have been convinced of it. I have been in the room at meal-times, and the boys have never signified that they have not had enough. There is always a large quantity of food wasted ; but I have been afraid to make any remark lest the boys should think I wanted to stint them. 36a. Mr. Wardell.] If a boy holds up his hand, what happens ?—A Brother is there, in a kind of pulpit, and he attends to him. This Brother is not bound to remain in one position, but he may walk among the tables. When a boy holds up his hand the Brother will give him the food, or depute a boy to get it. 37. Mr. Fell] Who serves the boys ?—One boy at each table. The dishes are put on the table. They are large enamelled pie-dishes. 38. Mr. Wardell.] How many dishes are there at each table ?—On some tables there are one, and on others two or three, according to size. The dishes are about three inches and a half deep. 39. Mr. Fell.] Is the food served out by the boys themselves ? —Yes. A Brother keeps his eye on them to see that it is done fairly. 40. How long have the boys had bread with the midday meal—during the last year ?—They have lately had it regularly. Fifty to sixty 4 lb. loaves are eaten every day. 41. What do they have for breakfast ?—Porridge every second day, with sugar and milk ; also bread, butter, dripping, syrup, tea, and at times honey. In March last I bought half a ton of honey, and it is now nearly all gone. It was all consumed, on the premises. Last year we had a little—not so much. 42. How is the dripping produced?— The suet is melted down, and pepper and salt are put in it. 43. How is it applied to the bread ?—At first the butter and dripping was applied with a knife; but, as some slices got more than others, complaints arose, and it has been found that the best plan is to melt the butter or dripping and to steep the bread in it. Since then there has been no complaint. Each boy has two slices, one being steeped in the dripping and laid on the other. The honey is. thinned with a little hot water, and served out the same way. Some like one on the bread and some another. So long as there is sufficient they do not mind. There is also jam in season. The following is the bill of fare :— Breakfast (7.30 a.m.).— Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday: Cocoa or ooffee, bread and jam or butter. Monday, Wednesday, or Friday : Tea, bread and jam or butter, porridge, milk, and sugar. Dinner (Noon).— Sunday : Cold beef or mutton, steamed potatoes, vegetables, pudding. Monday, Tuesday Thursday, Saturday: Stew of mutton or beef, potatoes and vegetables, bread. Wednesday: Sausage or mutton potatoes and vegetables, pudding. Friday : Tea, bread and butter, mashed potatoes. Tea (6.30 p.m.).— Every day tea and bread, with—on Sunday, jam or butter; Monday, golden syrup; Tuesday, butter ; Wednesday, dripping ; Thursday, jam ; Friday, golden syrup ; Saturday, butter. Fruit and pie in season. 44. Mr. Wardell.] How long has this been in vogue ?—About two months. The visit of the Charitable Aid Board tended to the alteration. It was in vogue, to some extent, before. When we get the new cooking-range put in we shall have greater cooking facilities. 45. Sometimes you have cakes ?—Yes; on an average once a month. A good batch is baked, and it generally lasts two or three days. 46. How about the milk ?—We supply that ourselves. At present we have only five cows in milk, and that is the smallest number we have had. The most has been thirteen. Every drop of the milk is consumed at the Orphanage. We have a separator, and the cream, as a rule, is separated. We make the cream into butter, and use the milk. The sick get unseparated milk.' 47. You have a vegetable garden. How many acres do you suppose there are ?—I should say between 8 and 10 acres. We grow our own potatoes. 48. Do you grow any fruit ?—We have an orchard. The boys do not give the fruit a chance to grow. The boys get fruit. 49. Mr. Wardell.] Have you bought fruit ?-—Yes. 50. Mr. Fell] Where do you get your flour?— From Mr. Eutherford and Mr. Croucher. We grow some corn ourselves and send it to the mill. Mr. Eutherford would be a good reference as to the quantity of flour used. During the last two years £485 16s. has been paid for flour, besides the consumption of 1,100 bushels of wheat of our own growing. 51. You give the boys mustard-and-water: under what circumstances ?—As an emetic it is