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191. You consider that there was great irregularity in the way they were issuing cooked rations from what you saw ? —Yes. 192. The Chairman.] What was the tea like ?—lt was very bad. 193. Had you any coffee?— Yes, that was very fair. 194. Had you milk in the coffee?— Yes. 195. How do you account for the tea being bad ?—I have no idea. 196. Was the water good that was supplied ? —I thought so ; but when the tap gave way, once, it caused great inconvenience. That is the trough where we water the horses. 197. Do you know the dam near the trees ?—Yes. 198. Do you know whether the water was taken from that for camp purposes ? —1 cannot say. 199. Can you give us any idea of the mud in the camp ?—lt was like a stockyard. 200. Did it get to the stage of liquid mud? —Yes, in places. Sergeant James Gentles examined. (No. 20.) 201. The Chairman.] You are sergeant in the Permanent Artillery?— Yes. 202. What had you to do with pitching the camp in Newtown Park in June last ?—I was sent up to pitch the camp. 203. By whom ? —-I was sent up by the department, with a fatigue party. I got a plan from Colonel Sommerville to pitch the camp, but unfortunately I destroyed it; but Colonel Messenger also has one. 204. What arrangements did you make for the cooking?—l had nothing to do with the cooking, places. All I had to do was to pitch the camp. My orders were to put up 140 tents. 205. Who put up the cookhouses?— They were put up by the carpenter—the artificer at the barracks. 206. Did you not see what he did ?—The cookhouse was the same as for the Imperial Contingent. There was practically no difference in the cooking arrangements from what they had before. They had the iron rails, and a place for cooking-utensils, and a large tank for boiling the water. All I had to do was to pitch the camp, and go up when it was finished and strike the camp. 207. Colonel Davies.] Where were the latrines?—ln the same place they were before—up on the hill. 208. Could not the rain-water run over the latrines and into the flat ?—No, because the latrines are in a basin over the hill, and there is an outlet there to let the water off. Any water in the camp would be clean water. 209. The Chairman.] What other non-commissioned officers were with you ?—Bombardier Resden. Private Arthur William Henley examined. (No. 21.) 210. The Chairman.] What is the name of your corps?— The Hawera Mounted Rifles. 211. How long have you been in the corps?— Just close on two years. 212. Did you attend with your corps at Newton Park in June last ? —Yes. 213. How many men were in your tent ?—Nine. 214. Had you plenty of straw ? —• Yes. 215. Did the water come into your tent at all?— Yes. It would have been just the same if the tent had been half full of straw. 216. Was your tent pitched over a hole ?—No; but if you lay in the straw you would make a hollow, and would have a patch of water there. 217. The water came into your tent, then ? —Yes. 218. What was the meat like ?—On one or two occasions it was burnt up, and hardly fit to eat, and on other occasions it was almost raw. That occurred twice. 219. Was it beef or mutton ?—When it was burnt up most I think it was supposed to be beef. 220. When it was raw what was it ?—I could not say for certain now what it was. 221. Had you any sausages or chops? —I do not remember any sausages, but I know we had chops there. 222. Were they properly cooked?— They were passable. 223. What vegetables had you?—l do not remember any except potatoes. 224. Had you potatoes every day?—l could not say, but I think we had. 225. How were they cooked?— They were all right. 226. What was the bread like?— That was all right. 227. And the butter?— That was good also. 228. What about the tea?— That was not all right. The trouble was to know whether it was tea, coffee, or what. It was neither one thing nor the other. 229. Was it drinkable ?—I did not drink it. Some of the men drank it. 230. You did not drink it because it was not good?— Yes. 231. Was there any milk in it ? —lt was such a funny colour that you could not tell. 232. How about your horses : did they get enough to eat ?—The forage was short once, I think. That is all I can answer for myself. 233. Did you sleep in camp?— Yes. 234. All the time? —Except one night. 235. Had you leave to be out that night ? —Yes. 236. What guards were mounted in the camp: was there a guard mounted ?—Yes, on the gate. 237. Was that the only guard?— Yes, as far as I know. 238. How many men were there, do you know ?—I cannot say. 239. Was that guard there always throughout the camp ?—I think so. It seemed to be there always when I came in,