I.—7a.

.1. WOBBALL.J

11

27. Did you know that the representatives of the Press were informed?— Yes—the Christchurch l'?-ess —not the Times —the organ of the Conservative Government. 28. If Lieutenant Mac Donald says the Press was informed he was right?— Yes, the Christchurch Press. 29. You say the Christchurch Press was informed beforehand and you knew it?-—No, I did not know it. 30. You know now that the Christchurch Press was informed? —Yes. 31. When did you first know this?— Well, I cannot say exactly; I fancy it was afterwards. It was afterwards, certainly. •'52. Did you intimate to Lieutenant Mac Donald that you intended to defend the charges?-—1 did not know that the case was to be held until I was in the room How could I intimate to Lieutenant Mac Donald when I knew nothing about it? The first time I asked for a lawyer was in the Court itself. 33. Did you say that somebody was ill in detention? —No, 1 did not say there was anybody ill. 34. Who was ill? —William (ieorge Robson. •'55. You did not know what was the matter with him : what was your idea as to what was the matter with him? —I do not know. 35a. Did the boy himself not say? —I do not know exactly what was wrong with him. 36. Have you any idea?-—I do not know-. •'i7. Anybody else ill while you were in liipa Island? —Yes, there was one boy who had a touch of bronchitis —R. McTaggart. 38. Had he bronchitis before he came there? —I 'lid not know the boy until ho was on the island. 39. Anybody else? —Yes, I was. 40. What was the matter with you?—l do not know; the doctor would not tell me. The bombardier in charge told me it was a touch of pleurisy, but I do not know whether it was or not. 41. Now, when you had these short rations, did you get the short rations before or after the hunger strike?— Before the hunger strike, when in solitary confinement. 42. You hunger-struck afterwards? —We hunger-struck the second time. 43. Were you doing any work at all while the short ration was on? —We could not when we were only out half an hour in the morning and half an hour at night to exercise. 44. Were you doing any work at all the first time? —The time we were on short rations for refusing to carry coal we could not, if we wanted to, because we were locked up twenty-three hours out of twenty-four in a cell barely 8 ft. by 10 ft. 45. The second time? —We hunger-struck the second time. 46. Hon. Mr. Cnllnn.] In reference to this man Robson that was ill : you knew he was ill, did you not? —Yes. 47. Who told you he was ill-—I do not know the exaol person who told me at the start; he mentioned it to me himself afterwards. 48. Well, you state that you do not know what Robson was suffering from, and you mean to tell the Committee when Robson told you he was ill you did not ask him the very natural question what was wrong with him? —No, I did not. 49. Is it not a natural question?—lt is not a question of whether it was a very natural question —l did not ask him. 50. Is it not a natural question to ask? You can say Yes or No. You were told by Robson that he was ill. and I asked you did you not ask Rolison what was the matter? —I did not. 51. Do you not think it was a most natural question) — l refuse to answer that question. 52. How was it that you got on to Ripa Island? —Because I refused to register in the first place and was fined. 53. And you refused to join with others in the defence of New Zealand?—l certainly do; I refuse to join under this scheme. 54. If this country were attacked to-morrow, would you not join in defending it?—As I mentioned in the beginning, I came here this morning to support the statements regarding the illegalities on Ripa Island. 55. You refuse to answer the question? —Yes. 56. Now, in reference to the Court held by Mr. Bailey, was there no conversation between you and your co-offenders that there was a likelihood of an inquiry being made by Mr. Bailey?— As I stated to Mr. Allen, Lieutenant Mac Donald some time previously had said to us that if we persisted in refusing to obey orders he would have to bring us before a Magistrate, but he did not state whether he was going to or not —he merely stated he would if we persisted. 57. And you persisted in disobeying orders?—We refused. Lieutenant Mac Donald had said to us that he would not ask us in future to either clean guns or drill, and afterwards he asked us to do so and we then refused. 58. And you persisted in refusing?— Yes. 59. He told you previously you would have to go before a Magistrate?—-No, because we had not gone before a Magistrate for refusing to cany coal. 60. You told us just now that Lieutenant Mac Donald told you if you persisted you would have to go before a Magistrate? —Between that time and when the Court was held he told us that he would not ask us to drill or clean guns. 61. Hon. Mr. Allen.] Do you remember Colonel Collins coming down to Ripa Island? I remember that gentleman, yes. 62. Did you go before him as spokesman for the others?— Yes. 63. Did you tell him that those detained at Ripa Island would only air their grievances if he saw them in a body?— Exactly/ if he came in the barrack-room where we all were.