[col. davies.

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to the men; the officers growled about the stuffiness of their cabins. After the first three days the weather got a bit cooler, and at every inspection, or nearly every inspection, I asked the men, " How do you find it now ? Is it stuffy?" And they said, "It is all right now, sir. , ' I had no complaints after the first few days. 26. On how many decks were the men quartered?— Four quarters, I think. 27. But they were only on two decks?— Yes. 28. Were windsails plentiful?— Yes, and electric fans. 29. Was any demand made for more ventilation?—No, except the first two or three days I mentioned. Everything was done that could be done to give ventilation. 30. It was not formally complained to you that the ventilation could be improved ?—No, certainly not. 31. Was the " Britannic " inspected before embarkation by yourself ?—No. 32. You were marched straight on board ?—-No ; that is left to the embarkation officers. 33. But, whether you wished to inspect or whether you did not, you were marched on board whether you liked it or not ?—Yes. 34. How soon did you make your first inspection of the ship after you had embarked ?—The morning after we sailed. 35. Did she seem clean? —Very fairly clean for the first day out. 36. Was there the remains of ancient dirt in her?—No, sir. I considered her always a very clean ship, and very easy to keep clean. 37. Speaking generally, on embarkation she was clean rather than dirty ?—Yes. There is an order of mine issued the first morning after we sailed. The order is as follows : " After his first inspection to-day the O.G. troops desires to express his satisfaction at the very fair state of order in which he found the troop-decks and quarters generally on this the second day at sea, and he impresses upon all ranks the necessity for united and redoubled effort to keep and maintain quarters in a thoroughly clean and orderly condition for the health and greater comfort of all concerned." 38. Then, that fairly represents the condition of the ship when she came into occupation of the troops ? —Yes, sir. 39. Was there any inspection by the surgeon?—l went down with him every morning. 40. And he never expressed himself to you as other than satisfied with the condition of the ship? —No. 41. Who was the transport officer at Durban? —The naval transport officer was a Captain Hallking or Kinghall —I forget which. 42. Was he on board the troopship ?—Yes ; the military transport officer was, and a representative of the naval transport. 43. Did they make any remarks to you about the ship?-—None whatever. 44. Then, so far as you know, the naval and military transport officers were satisfied with the condition of the ship ?—Yes. 45. Do you chance to know how she had been employed before she was employed to take .home the Eighth Contingent ?—She has been running as a transport, I believe, ever since the beginning of the year. She was for about five months bringing the Imperial representative corps round the colony, and since that she took back some Australians. 46. Was this immediately preceding the trip before your contingent came ?—I think she came from England, and I think she took away some Boer prisoners at one time. 47. Who had been on board her the very last trip before yours?—l am not quite sure, but I have an impression that she had been to England; but I do not know for certain. 48. 1 want to ascertain whether the preceding occupants were dirty, or the reverse ?—1 cannot give you any information. 49. Was any complaint made by yourself, or by any person that you are aware of, to the transport officers at Durban before you sailed as to the condition of the ship ?—No. 50. Was any objection made to you by any of your officers or by any of the men before leaving Durban ?—None whatever. 51. Was any complaint made at that time —before leaving Durban—as to the well-being and condition of the ship?— Nothing more than I told you just now. 52. Were there any complaints as to the housing generally : did they say they had no hammocks, bunks, or means of sleeping? —They made no report as to this. 53. What sleeping-accommodation was provided ?—Hammocks. 54. Did every man have a hammock?— Yes, so far as I know ; they never reported to me otherwise. 55. Then, you believe they all had hammocks ?—Yes. 56. Were they supplied on board with blankets, or did they take their blankets with them ? — They were supplied on board. 57. Who served these blankets out?— The ship's purser. 58. Not by any transport officer ?—No ; they belonged to the ship. 59. Who supervised that distribution ?—Captain Lewin, quartermaster. 60. It is not part of the surgeon's business ?—No. 61. He did not supervise it? —-No ; simply the quartermaster. It was not his (the surgeon's) duty. 62. Are you aware of the condition of the blankets when they were issued?—No; I heard no complaint about them. 63. Supposing the blankets were foul, do you think it would have been reported to you ?—I think so—at once. 64. And the quartermaster was responsible for the issuing of the blankets, and it would have been his duty to make complaint if he thought the bedding was foul ?—Yes.

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