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asked, " Are you comfortable? " In many cases their eyes would be on the Manager. That made me think things were not as they should be. This happened many times. I knew one or two of the inmates personally. I found they refused to give me any reply. I was surprised. Before the inquiry I asked Mr. Moss if he was sufficiently staffed. He said, abundantly staffed. He complained about the drunkenness among the inmates. I promised to give him my support. I did so—-i.e., put it down. Mr. Moss said the washing gave the old people employment. I felt that the laundry was not what it should be. The Home appeared to me to be dirty. I remember going to the Home with Dutton. I saw Watt. He had just been washed. He was not clean then. The bed smelt. I had nothing to do with the organization of the inquiry. 1 had a clear mind about it. Mr. and Mrs. Moss were not present to examine witnesses. The reason was that it was considered advisable that the witnesses should be examined by themselves, with no one present except the Board. There was no malicious feeling shown by the Board towards Mr. Moss. There were expressions of sorrow. The inquiry was not hurried. [Resolution of the Board put in. J My opinion was that it was the most judicious course to adopt —the easiest way out of the difficulty. There was nothing in the papers up to the date that Mr. and Mrs. Moss declined to send in their resignations. When the refusal to resign was considered at the Board meeting, then the matter got into the papers. The Board did not put anything into the papers. Then they were given three months' notice. There was nothing else to do. Then the Board advertised for a Manager. Mr. Moss was one of the applicants. Mr. Skynner was appointed. I made a closer examination of the Home about that time before Mr. Skynner was appointed. I found plenty of vermin there. In the women's dormitory I found vermin, both bugs and lice. I saw in the heads of some of the women scabs resulting from vermin. I saw bugs in one of the male-wards — No. 6. I saw lice on one of the inmates. I have frequently visited the Home since Mr. Skynner has had charge. I have examined nearly every bed, and have not discovered any lice or bugs. I have examined some of the empty beds in the women's ward. I have not discovered any vermin. I have not seen vermin crawling on any of the patients since Mr. Skynner's appointment. The general management of the Home is very much better. The general cleanliness is much improved. I can get replies from the inmates. I think Mr. Skynner is doing his duty. He has a great deal to contend with in drunkenness amongst the inmates. The Board has always assisted him to put that down. I have always received respect from him. I have never known him to be absent without asking permission. I have never known him absent from the Home at night. I saw the paste batter at the Home. I am sure it was flour and water. After Mr. Moss left about £80 was spent to clean the Home. Mounsey is a good gardener. The vegetables supplied to the Home are as good as those supplied to the Hospital. By Mr. Moss: I knew Casey and Lloyd personally; also old Tommy. Casey's character was bad. Dutton and I walked in at the gate. Ido not remember any letter by me to the Board on the subject. Ido not know who introduced the bugs and lice. I spent no whole day at the Home. I was a new member of the Board. Generally, I knew what your duties were. I knew you had the clerical work. The gardener was responsible to you. I cannot Bay as to the condition of the Upper and Lower Refuge. I believe they were lousy. There is an addition to the staff since you left of three. During three months I was at the Home frequently. My impression was that the inmates were intimidated by you. In my opinion you did not do your duty as regards the cleanliness of the Home. If inmates had been discharged from the Home for drunkenness they must have been put in the streets. There was no other place to put them. You brought up Mrs. Gardner for drunkenness. The Committee considered she should be discharged. You begged her off. The Manager had power to stop the leave of drunken inmates. You never reported the Home was in such a filthy condition as it was found to be in after you left, otherwise I have no doubt some money would have been spent. By Mr. Cotter: After the inquiry Mr. Moss asked for a public inquiry. He was offered it if he paid the costs. By the Commission, and by Mr. Cotter: The acquirement of the present site of the Home and the erection of the buildings comprising the Costley Home took nearly the whole of the amount bequeathed for that purpose by Mr. Costley. £12,150 was bequeathed. With the exception of the interest of the balance still in hand of the Costley bequest, the cost of maintenance, &c, of the Home is borne half by the Government and the other half by the local authorities of the Auckland Charitable Aid Board District, half the expenses coming upon the local bodies. We have to be as economical as possible. The reason that the Hospital washing is done at the Home is that it was considered economical to do so. The same Board manages the Hospital and the Costley Home. There is a city system of drainage at the Hospital. My opinion is that each place should do its own washing. The present cost of the management of the Hospital, charitable aid, and the Costley Home is causing dissatisfaction among the local bodies. All costs of any improvements will fall on the local bodies to the extent of half, the Government providing the other half. Be fire-escapes : Before I became a member there were not sufficient fire-escapes in the Home. Maternity ward : I moved a resolution that we should erect a maternity home at the Hospital. As there were no funds, the matter was hung up indefinitely. I still think such a step is most advisable, and that provision should be made for it. There is ii Salvation Army Maternity Home and a Door of Hope Home. Drainage: From the nature of the formation Ido not think any ill effect from the Costley Home drainage will be felt in the adjoining districts. If a properly constituted septic tank were erected it would be all that is required. Piggeries : The piggeries are a source of revenue to the Board. They bring in about £300 a year. They are not prejudicial to the health of the Home. Epileptics, imbeciles, and lunatics: Half of the keep of the patients at the Home comes from the Government. If these patients were sent to the Asylum the Government would have to pay the whole cost. We desire to get rid of them. We have communicated with the Government on several occasions asking that a home for imbeciles and cancer