H\—6c.

74

[captain heckler,

127. Were you satisfied that if a complaint had been made to you about not sufficient food, that you could have remedied it ?—-Yes ; I should have reported it to the brigade-major. It would certainly have been remedied. 128. You say that the potatoes were washed by the troopers, who were told off for that duty ? —A fatigue party was told off every day. 129. So that if a man complained that they were not clean it was their own men who were to blame? —Yes. 130. Mr. Millar.] I think you said that before you left Newcastle you had twenty-two of your men sick?— Yes; twenty-two out of my squadron. 131. Did they have measles? —They had been sick, not all measles. They had measles and influenza. 132. Was any portion of that number put on board the ship?— Well, I could not say how many ; there was bound to be some of them. 133. Were some amongst the contingent you took on board ?—Yes, sir. 134. Then, the Imperial authorities practically allowed men to embark there with measles?— They had had measles. 135. Had they been in hospital with the measles ?—No doubt some had, sir. I could not say what proportion of them. 136. You know that some of those men were allowed to embark on board this ship?— Yes, sir, after getting well. 137. They were quite well when they left Newcastle: had they returned to duty?— Yes, sir. 138. Measles are supposed to be very infectious, are they not ?—Th'at is an opinion ; I am no authority on that. 139. Do you imagine that if you had measles in your squadron, and men had been in the hospital, that it was probable that infection might occur throughout that squadron, more or less? —No doubt it would be throughout the squadron, but not necessarily to any extent. 140. Nothwithstanding the fact that you had men in the squadron who had had measles, you say a certain portion of your squadron were detailed to go on board the ship ?—Yes, sir. 141. Were the medical auohorities at Durban aware that your squadron had had measles?—l could not say that, really. 142. Did they make any inquiries to your knowledge? —No, they never asked me. 143. Who would they be likely to ask : who was in charge of that ?—I was attached to the South Island battalion. Colonel Chaytor was in charge of the men. 144. Had you a medical officer in charge ?—There was a medical officer in charge, but 1 did not know the officer until I got to Durban. 145. Had you a medical officer in charge with the number of men you took down ?—I had none. 146. You were in command of that particular body that was ordered down to join the boat?— Yes, sir. 147. And no inquiries were made from you at all?—No, none. 148. Was any medical inspection made of those men? —No, sir, there was no medical inspection. 149. They were simply allowed to go on board when they came from a squadron known to be infected, so far as you know ?—Yes, sir. 150. I think you said you saw every day's issue of meat ? —Not every day, sir; that was when I was officer of the day. I inspected my own quarters and asked for complaints after they had got their rations issued to them—for instance, at a quarter-past 12, or ten past, whatever it might be. 151. When you were at the galley inspecting that issue did you ever see bad meat going out? —No, sir, I never. They never had any roast meat. I complained myself to the cook about it. It was always boiled meat. 152. You never saw it discoloured? —No. 153. You say there was a leg of mutton not properly cooked ?—Yes ; a complaint was made by my own men. 154. Did you ever see any badly cooked meat in the saloon ? —I could not say from memory. 155. Was it often ?—I have seen some, but not often, sir. 156. And I think you said the potatoes in the saloon were worse than those given to the men ?—Yes, the men got better potatoes. • 157. Have you ever had experience before as a saloon passenger? —Yes. 158. And do you think it is at all likely to have taken place this time with a thousand troops on board and any quantity of stores : do you mean to tell me that a poorer class of potatoes went to the officers than to the men ?—Well, we passed remarks among ourselves about it. Independent of the officers of the day, there was always a squadron officer told off to superintend the issue of rations besides. But we used to pass remarks among ourselves that they were getting better potatoes than we were getting. 159. You had a separate galley for the saloon?— Yes, sir. 160. With a separate staff of cooks ?—Yes. 161. And they belonging to the ship, and being regular cooks, do you think they would permit food of this description to be sent to them when they knew better was on board ?—I know that such was the case. 162. How often were you troubled with these small potatoes?— Very often. 163. If it is stated that those potatoes were constantly given to the men, would you deny it ? —I never saw small potatoes given to the men. 164. I say if it has been stated on oath here that those small potatoes were given to the men, you say they were also given to the saloon ?—Yes.