H.—22a

49

What about cabbage?—l never saw a piece of white cabbage all the time I was there. It seemed to be ail outside leaves, and not well cooked at that. What about meat?—lt was of good quality, but it was spoilt in the cooking. Very often the joints had the appearance of having been cooked and cut on the previous day, and then warmed up and rung in on to us. The meat was first of all steamed in a steamer, put in the oven to brown, and then covered with gravy. Very often it was steamed to rags. What about soup?—lt was generally of one kind, and frequently so greasy that I could not touch it. Have you had experience in cooking?— Yes; I have been cooking on sea and shore for ten years. At present I am on the Union Company's steamer " Herald." I have been with the Union Company for six or seven years. Mr. McVeagh : Did you see any one administer hypodermic injections in No. 7 Ward?— Yes; I saw Cook, the wardsman, doing it. I also saw another wardsman, known as " Dick," doing it. I have also seen a patient named Robert Halifax do it to himself and others. How did this patient get hold of it?—He got it from the cupboard in the absence of the wardsman. Was the cupboard locked?—l could not say. I caught Halifax one night injecting morphia into himself, and I advised him to leave it alone. The effect was to make him and others to whom he gave it very stupid. Have you also seen him apportioning medicine to patients?— Yes, I have. Ho offered me mine once, but I refused to take mine from him. Mr. Reed: Do you suggest that Halifax obtained the morphia with the connivance of the staff?—He obtained it without their knowledge. Was he the only person you saw doing it?— Outside the staff, yes. Did you think it necessary to call the attention of the staff to it?—lt was on the tip of my tongue to do it several times, but I did not, as I did not wish to create ill-feeling between Halifax and myself, especially as I had had one or two rows with him already. Did Halifax give out the medicine unknown to the staff?— as far as I know. The wardsman was off duty at the time. Mr. Beetham: Was there no female nurse in the ward ?—No; there was only the male nurse. Mr. Reed: Do you suggest that Halifax gave out the medicine at the request of the staff?—l should imagine so, as the medicine was given out at the pioper time. Did you make any complaint about it to the wardsman?—No. Did you make any complaint about the food?— Yes, to the wardsman. Every time there was anything wrong I complained, but I saw no result. What did the wardsman say?—He said he would report it. How often was the fish bad?—l should say about twice a week. Did any one eat it?—No; it may have been picked over by one or two, but it was rotten. You say the meat was too overdone?— Yes; it was done to rags. Dr. Collins: You say that you have seen Halifax administer morphia to other patients?— Yes; to two other patients. I advised him, from a friendly point of view, to give it up, but he took no notice. Did you take any other steps to stop him?— No. 1 had already had one row with him, and did not want another. How could you advise him in a friendly way when you had had a row?—l thought it was a wrong act, and I looked upon it as a friendly act and my duty to advise him to give up the practice. Do you not also think that it would have been your duty to report the matter?—l have thought the matter over very seriously since, and I am sorry that I did not report it. Dr. Collins: You have complained of the food. Are you a judge of cooking?— Yes, certainly. You consider yourself as good a cook as there is in Auckland?—l know bad fish from good fish. It does not need a cook to tell bad fish. Every one has a nose. Is there any jealousy in your profession?— There may be a little. Do you think that there may have been a little jealousy between you and the Hospital cook?—I should be very sorry to be jealous of that cooking. (Laughter.) Did you have any words with the Hospital cook?—No; I never spoke to him. Did you ever go out whilst you were at the Hospital ?—Yes; I went down to see my old shipmates on the " Mararoa," but I did not go out for any other purpose. Was it not necessary to go out to buy sugar?—l used to buy at a little shop across the road near the Hospital gate. When you were out on the verandah during the day, would you have known if I went into the wards whilst you were there?— No. Were you left long without seeing a doctor?— After Dr. Neil's suspension I was left without seeing anybody. Did Dr. Neil see you every day?— No. Did you think you were well treated in the Hospital?—By Dr. Neil I was, cortainly. Did you complain of the food to Dr. Neil?—No; I thought it was sufficient to tell the wardsman. Tf the food disagreed with you, did you not think it necessary to tell the doctor?—l did not give the food a chance to disagree with me, as I would not touch it. Will you swear that the fish was in a rotten condition two days a week?— Yes, I will swear it. It was so pretty well all the time I was there.

7—H. 22a.