8

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230. Was there drunkenness on board ?—There were a few men drunk after coming on board from Albany. We always got that. 231. There was no drunkenness on board the ship ?—Not to my knowledge. 232. There was no drunkenness ?—No. 233. You say the men began to get ill three or four days after you left Durban : what were they suffering from?— Colds. " 234. Not measles?— No. 235. Nor pneumonia?— No. Some developed it later, but there were no cases at first, lhere was very little sickness from Durban to Melbourne, I consider. 236. Were there many ill at Albany ?—Very few there. There was no occasion to land any of the men there, or to take special notice of illness. There was only one man seriously ill. I had a consultation with the medical officers, and they said the landing would do him a great deal more harm than keeping him on the ship. He has since recovered. 237. Can you give us any information as to the cause of pneumonia? —No, I am not a medical officer; but I know this : that when a man comes from a country possessing a marvellously dry clear air and gets into the cold damp latitudes he gets a cold. I could nearly guarantee that 950 out of 1,000 get colds. 238. Why did it develop into pneumonia?—My opinion is that where you get a great many colds you get some pneumonia—it finds out the weak one. 239. Can it be prevented?— No. 240. Do you think there was anything left undone to stop the pneumonia spreading ?—I do not. 241. Had you many ill when you got to Melbourne? —No. 242. There was no necessity to take rigid steps at Melbourne? —None whatever. The whole ship was inspected by a doctor at Melbourne before he let the Australians land. 243. Did he report to you ?—He said there was nothing much the matter, and he took the Australians off. 244. Was the hospital accommodation sufficient ?—Ample until within a couple of days from New Zealand, when there were measles. 245. Do you know what brought the measles about ?—No. 246. Were there any measles before you left Melbourne ?— Not to my knowledge. 247. How long before you arrived in New Zealand was it before you found the hospital accommodation insufficient? —Two or three days before arrival. 248. Was there any attempt to improvise more space?— Yes; a piece was screened off joining the hospital. 249. Did that give sufficient accommodation ?—Yes. 250. Were you satisfied with the way the surgeons carried out their duties ? —Yes, perfectly. 251. They left nothing undone they might have done ?—I am quite sure they did not. 252. Had you any hospital nurses or orderlies on board ?—We had two nurses, but they were indulgence passengers, and were not on duty. 253. Did you extemporise hospital orderlies? —We had our own hospital orderlies—we had them on trek. 254. Had you a sufficient number ?—Quite sufficient. 255. Even when you were close to Wellington, and had an epidemic on board?— Yes. If more had been wanted the surgeons could have got them. 256. Did the nurses assist you ? —They offered to assist Major Pearless, but their assistance was not necessary. There were only fifteen men in hospital, and I call that very light. 257. The ship was not understaffed in connection with hospital orderlies and nurses?— No; there were five New Zealand doctors—four of the Eighth, and Dr. Bakewell, of Auckland— on board. There were also four Australian doctors. 258. So far as you know, were the drugs in ample supply ?—I never heard anything to the contrary. 259. And all hospital requisites were there ?—Yes, as far as I know. 260. Do you know whether any inquiry was made into the hospital requisites ?—I think that Major Pearless ascertained this. He reported to me that everything was right. 261. Have you personally visited the hospital ?—Yes; every day I inspected the ship. 262. Did the patients make any complaints?—No, none whatever. They said they were very comfortable. They were in the best part of the ship; it was light and airy, with electric fans and well ventilated. 263. Was the commander of the steamer a helpful man ?—Very. 264. And was anxious to help you on all occasions ?—Yes. 265. You have no fault to find with him. — No. 266. To whom did you report yourself on arrival in New Zealand ?—To the disembarkation officers, Colonel Newall," and to Major-General Babington by telephone. 267. Did you report any complaints in connection with the ship?--No. 268. Did any person on board the ship appear anxious to lodge any complaint with the New Zealand authorities when they arrived in New Zealand ?—None whatever, so far as I know. 269. Was there any more ordinary departure from discipline on board during the voyage from Durban to New Zealand?—No ;on the contrary, I consider that the discipline was better than I expected. ■~.,. 270. You did not feel yourself incapable of maintaining discipline ! —Not in the least. 271. Were your officers attentive to their duties ?—Very. 272. Were they on all occasions sober? —On all occasions, as far as I know, except once. I put one officer under arrest.