H.—2l

a— m—.]

170. And you would have to admit you had been in Te Oranga Home?— Yes. 171. What sort of situation did you expect that woman to get you?— With one of her friends in town. 172. Some of the other girls said you had arranged with them to go to a bad house in town; is there any truth in that? —No, I know of no bad house in town. She is the only woman I know who has anything bad said about her. I have several friends in town, but I would not go to them, because they would be sure to put me back again. 173. The Commissioner.] How long had you known H ?—Since I went out to service. I was introduced by S H . 174. Mr. Russell.] S was an inmate here?— Yes. 175. Were you going to take other girls to this place?— No. A B and I were going. The other girls were going by themselves. 176. Did you have any money?— No. 177. How did you expect to get money? —A B was going to her mother for money. 178. Who is her mother? —Some woman in Christchurch, and she was going to give her money for both of us. A was going on there and I was going to H 's to get a situation at some shop in Papanui she was working at. 179. Is that a fair sample of the four pieces of bread and butter and jam you get [sample produced] ?—Yes, but it is not always spread like that, 180. But so far as the bread is concerned, that represents the amount you get?— Yes. 181. You mean to say there is more jam on this than is generally given? —Yes. 182. Do you find yourself hungry after eating that lot? —Sometimes I do, if I have been working all day. 183. On one occasion you applied to the Matron and you got toast at once?— Yes. 184. Is that your signature on this document [handed in]? —Yes. 185. Mr Salter.] Does the Matron attend at the girls' meals?—At times. 186. How often? —Sunday dinner-time and since Miss Mills has been away she has taken nearly every breakfast. 187. And other meals? —She may have taken them on special occasions, but not to my memory. F B—— examined on oath. 1. Mr. Salter.] How old are you? —Twenty years. 2. How long have you been in the Home?— Four and a half years. 3. How often have you been out to service since you came to the Home?— Once. 4. Where to?— The Rev. J. R. W , at Waikari. 5. How long were you there? —Six months. 6. How did you come to leave?—l ran away from there. 7. Why?— Because I objected to being in the country. 8. Who brought you back to the Home?— The Amberley constable. 9. Whilst you have been here you have done the same outside work amongst the trees as the other girls—sawing, cutting, splitting, and so forth?— Yes. 10. Do you object to that sort of work?— Yes, I do not like it. 11. You find it hard?— Sometimes it is hard. 12. Where you punished when you came back to the Home?—l was put into the cell. 13. How long were you there? —For a month. 14. Were you locked up every day?—No, not every day. 15. How long were you locked up before you were allowed into the detention-yard? —One day. 16. The rest of the time the door was unlocked and you could get into the detention-yard?— Yes. 17. Did you sleep in the cell at ail?— For a week I slept in the cell. 18. You had a mattress, I suppose?— Yes. 19. Where did you sleep after that? —Upstairs in a room by myself. 20. And you were brought down every morning to the cell? —Yes. 21. And kept there until what time? —Until about 7.45 at night. 22. I want to know particularly whether you were visited whilst in the cell except at mealtimes?—l was not visited except at meal-times, and other necessities. 23. Were the other necessities often? —No. 24. Do you think you would be in the cell for more than two hours at s. time without being visited ?—Yes. 25. You are sure of that?— Yes. 26. Were you strapped for this running away from your place?— Yes. 27. How many cuts did you get?— Twelve. 28. From whom?— The Matron. 29. Who was present?— Miss Mills 30. Are you satisfied with the food you get?— Not always. 31. Why are you dissatisfied?— Because we are forced to eat things we do not like. 32. What happens if food is put before you and you do not eat it? Do you see it again?—It is brought forward the next meal. 33. Is anything else given you until you have eaten that?— No. 34. Do you know if girls have ever been punished for not eating the food ?—They have been threatened, but I do not think they have been punished. 35. Some of the girls say that when you go out to work at the lupins you are not allowed water : have you had that experience ?—lf we do not take water over with us, we are not allowed to go back for it.

21