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240. There seemed to be a sentry there ?—Yes. 241. Did you notice the cooking arrangements?—l was orderly for our tent one day, and went up there ; but it seemed to be a general rush. 242. Was any officer there the day you were there?— There were several officers who seemed to be looking on. 243. Was there any orderly officer with a sword on ?—I did not notice him. 244. Who was in charge of your cooks ? —We had two men from each tent in charge of a noncommissioned officer. One went for the tea, and the other for the food. 245. Did any officer come round to your tent while you were at meals ?—I think our commanding officer came, Captain Bartlett. 246. Did any one in your tent make any complaint to him about the rations?—l do not think any straight-out complaint was made. 247. Did they not say anything?— No. 248. Then, they did not make any complaint ?—No. 249. Did any one in your corps make any complaint about the rations in the camp ? —I do not know that they did. 250. You did not complain personally ?—No. 251. Why not? —Because everybody was treated the same. We talked among ourselves ; but I do not think there was any complaint made. 252. What was the burden of your talk?—We reckoned it was pretty rough on us. 253. What about the mud : did that inconvenience you at all ?—Very much. 254. What was the state of the camp with regard to mud ? —lt was very bad. 255. How did you get your orders ?—Captain Bartlett generally gave us orders. The orderly sergeant would come round to the tent and tell us whenever there were any orders. 256. How often did you get orders ? —About twice a day—once in the morning. There seemed to be no orders overnight for the next day. 257. Have you been in many camps before? —I have been to three camps. 258. Which camps ? —I was at the Wanganui camp last year, and the camp when the Imperial troops were here, and our own. 259. How did this camp compare for feeding with the other camps you have been at ?—There was no comparison. The other two were pretty bad, but this one capped the lot. 260. What day did you leave camp ?—We left on the Thursday, and slept at the E shed, and then we left for Christchurch on the Friday. 261. Where were your horses put ? —They were left in charge of some of the men who were not going to Christchurch. 262. Were your lines moved from Newtown Park?— Yes. 263. Whereto?— Under the trees. 264. What day was that ? —I think that was on the Wednesday afternoon. 265. Colonel Davies.] Do you know anything about the procession that took place ?—No. 266. Did you see it leave the camp ?—No. 267. You do not know anything about the men who took part in it?— No. 268. Were you in the camp the morning after the procession, when Colonel Penton came up and addressed the men ?—Yes. 269. Do you know what he said ? —Yes. 270. Will you tell us very shortly what he did say ?—The officers came round first of all to ask if any of the men present were there, and to fall out if they were there; but no men fell out. Then Colonel Penton made a speech, and called us curs and cowards. 271. What do you mean by the word "us " ?—The whole battalion that was there. 272. Are you sure that that is what he meant ? —That is what I would take it to mean. 273. Do you think he was referring to the whole of the battalions, or to the men who would not come out when called upon ?—Well, as it did not concern me, I did not take much notice of it. 274. You do not know whom he referred to ? —I should naturally think, after asking the men to come out, he would refer to the men who were guilty. 275. Did you take it as a personal matter?—No, I did not. 276. That was because you were not one of the guilty men ?—Certainly. 277. And, not being one of the guilty ones, you did not think Colonel Penton was referring to you?— Quite so. 278. The Chairman.] Why did you say just now that you thought he was referring to the "whole of us"?—On second thoughts, when Colonel Davies put it to me in another way, it seemed different. I told. Colonel Davies it was no concern of mine, and did not affect me in the least. 279. You say now that when you said it referred to the whole of you, you made a mistake in that ?—Yes. 280. Major Hawkins.] When with the ration party, and you thought the cooks were being rushed, do you know whether they said anything about the men not coming at the usual time ? — No. 281. How many cooks were there?—l could not estimate the number, because there was such a crowd. Ido not remember any of the cooks complaining. 282. The Chairman.] Did the bugle sound for the mess orderlies to go and get the meals ?— Yes. 283. Did the cooks, when you got there, or anybody on their behalf, say you had come too soon, or that the food was not ready ? —Not on the day I was mess orderly. 284. Is there anything you would like to tell us about the camp that we have not asked you ? —No; I know nothing more about it.

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