H.—6c.

HUBG.-MAJ. PEAKLESB.

336. Did you inspect the hospital when you went on board?— Yes. 337. Did you by any chance take any notice of the blankets? —Yes, the blankets were absolutely new. 338. And free from vermin of any kind ?—Yes. 339. Do you chance to know anything about vermin on the blankets on board : were there any complaints?—-The last night before we landed there were some complaints. 340. In the course of ordinary conversation, did you hear it stated that the ship was very foul? —No, I never heard a word. 341. Have you ever been in a transport before ?—No, but I have been in the merchant service. 342. Do you imagine that the ship was in a clean condition or the reverse?— She was as clean as she could be. 343. Had you to do with the issuing of the rations to the men at all ? —No, except telling one of the staff to examine it. 344. Did you, in consequence of orders from Colonel Davies, inspect the food ?—A medical officer did every day. 345. Did you individually inspect it, or did you delegate that duty to others ? —I gave it over to others. 346. Did he report to you? —He reported to me verbally. 347. What were the nature of his reports ?—Twice, I think, he told me the meat was tainted outside. 348. You mean that the meat was bad when it came from the freezing-chamber?— Yes ; and it was twice thrown overboard. 349. Were any reports made to you officially through your officers, or by them direct, of the bad quality of the meat ?—No. 350. Did you ever inspect the meat yourself —No. 351. Never on any occasion? —I saw it twice. Once I saw a man going along the deck growling about it. It was perfectly good. 352. Then, this fish that is supposed to have been bad : you say you examined that yourself ?— Yes. 353. What did you think of the quality of the fish? —I think it was salt and soft, but Ido not think it was bad. It was not nice to eat. 354. It was soft and saltish ?—Yes, it was not firm at all; it was not in good order. But Ido not think it was absolutely bad. 355. Used you to inspect the ship ?—Yes ; I went round every day with the colonel. 356. What were your observations?— Always found her very clean. 357. No signs of dirt of any kind about her other than that incidental to a large number of men together ?—No. 358. Then, comparing her with your experience on board ship in the mercantile marine, do you consider she was as clean or cleaner than the ordinary quarters provided for sailors ?—She was quite as clean. 359. Not cleaner? —No. 360. You heard no complaint about lice until you arrived in Wellington ?—No. 361. Supposing lice had been common in the blankets, could any means have been devised to get rid of them ? We might have steamed the blankets; but what about the men themselves—the blankets would get wet. 362. Could not the men have been cleaned?— Yes, by putting the hose on them; that would be the only way. 363. Let us suppose that a man becomes lousy who wishes to become clean, would it be possible for him to have cleaned himself and kept himself clean?— Yes, certainly, a man could have kept himself clean. 364. They could have got rid of the lice ? —Yes. 365. Would they have been infected by the dirty ones ? —lf they were all cleaned there should be no reason why it should start again. 366. I mean, would it have been possible for the clean man to have kept himself clean ?—I think so. . 367. The whole ship might have been clean even supposing the whole ship was lousy ?—Yes, sir. 368. Did any person apply to you or to any of your subordinates about cleaning himself from vermin ?—Not on board ; they did on the veldt. 369. Do you suppose that the men brought down the lice with them from the veldt?— Yes. 370. Was it very difficult to avoid lice on the veldt ?—Yes, unless you were very careful. 371. It was possible there to keep yourself clean ? —Yes. 372. Was it part of your duty to inspect the water-closets? —Yes. 373. Do you know how many there were? —I think there were four—two fore and two aft— besides two in the hospital for the patients. 374. Do you know how many seats there were in each latrine?— There were eight or ten, but I cannot remember exactly ; I think there were ten. 375. Did the question of insufficiency of latrine accommodation come under your notice at a jj 9 n Oi 376. Do you believe the question was raised on board the ship?— Not to my knowledge. 377. Was it ever reported to you that the men were dirty 'tween decks, and that they used the scuppers to ease themselves ?—No, I never heard of it; nor did I see it. 378. You cannot speak as to the sufficiency of the food that was issued? —No, except for the hospital; I know about that.

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