H.—2i,

34

A. HAEEISON.

9. Is the relationship between you and the Matron strained or otherwise? —Not strained, but the Matron has no sympathy with my school-work. 10. How does she show she has no interest in your work? —The girls are kept away for any excuse — for housework, or mending, or taking honey, or anything of that sort. The girls only have two hours' school a day, and I think that rather short in any case. 11. No girl has more than two hours a day in school? —No. 12. And you say they are kept away from school for small matters? —Yes. 13. The Commissioner.] The Matron surely does not fix the hours of school?— No. 14. Mr. Salter.] You mean some of the girls do not get even the two hours? —No; and consequently I do not get a good report at the end of the year. 15. Do you find these girls very hard to manage in school?— No. 16. Not any harder than ordinary school-girls?—No; they are very good. At first one or two may be very troublesome, but then you expect that. There are two girls now at the morningschool I have to watch all the time, or they would be up to tricks, but otherwise they are very good. 17. Have you any means of judging how the Matron gets on with the other members of the staff? —I am not in residence now. I have been out for two years and seven months, and Ido not know anything about the indoor work. 18. Has any member of the staff complained to you about anything in connection with the Home that would show what the relationship is ?—Miss Mills complained about Miss Hunt getting what she thought should have been her position. She thought, as the senior staff, she should have got the position of Sub-matron. Miss Mills wanted me to write a letter to the Department for her to copy, and I advised her to speak, to Mr. Pope, which I think she did. 19. You know there was some correspondence in the papers about this Home?— Yes. 20. Did you hear of any one connected with the Home being blamed for bringing that about?— Matron said she thought it was Miss Howden. 21. Did she tell you that?— Yes. 22. Was the Rev. Mr. Fendall's name mentioned in any way?— Matron said she thought Miss Howden had given the information to Mr. Fendall. Ido not remember the exact words. 23. But she blamed Miss Howden for it? —Yes; I understood that. 24. Did she say anything about Miss Howden wanting her position as Matron?— Yes. Matron was telling me what Miss Howden had beefl accused of. It was a private conversation, and she said Miss Howden had said her name would be " Mrs. Walker." I cannot tell you the exact words, but it was something about " She must be wanting my position," or " Does she want my position ?" I said it was nonsense to think such a thing, or something to that effect. 25. I suppose there is nothing else you want to say?—No; I know nothing about the working of the Home. 26. Mr. Russell.] How is it this private conversation you had with the Matron has got back to Mr. Salter?—l spoke to Miss Howden about it. 27. Have you ever seen Mr. Salter before?—He brought me my subpoena. 28. How did Mr. Salter get the gist of this private conversation you had with the Matron? — I spoke to Miss Howden about it. I had told the Matron 1 did not believe a word about Miss Howden, and I asked Miss Howden if she had said these things. 29. We may fairly assume that Miss Howden has seen Mr. Salter? —Yes. 30. You and the Matron are perfectly good friends? —Yes. 31. With regard to the girls' two hours school being curtailed, of course it is just as necessary the girls should learn to work as learn lessons?—ln a fair proportion, yes. 32. Evidently the Department only think two hours necessary?— Yes. 33. If the girls do not do their work, must not the Matron, as a matter of discipline, see that they do their work?—lt has nothing to do with me. My school work interests me and nothing else. 34. Mr. Hunt.] You are quite satisfied with your position here?— Yes. 35. And you take girls from eleven years of age up to twenty?— Yes. 36. And I suppose some of them give you some trouble? —All schoolgirls do. 37. Mr. Russell.] Do you notice as time goes on, and as these girls stay in the Home, an improvement in them.generally ?—I think their moral tone improves. Looking back from the time I started, I think there has been an improvement. 38. Mr. Hunt.] Have you the confidence of the girls? Do they talk to you freely? —Yes, I think so. • 39. Have they ever complained to you about their treatment here? —I do not allow them to complain. 40. Have they ever complained to you about their work outside?— Yes, they complain they do not like the outside work. They would like to be taught cooking and dressmaking and housework generally. They would like to be trained domestic servants or housewives. 41. What are your school-hours? —9.30 to 11.30 and then drill to noon, and from 1 p.m. until 3 p.m. 42. Do you think the work, they do in the morning affects their capacity for learning?— Yes; they are tired out when they come in. 43. Mr. Salter.] What effect has this manual labour upon them as girls: do you think it ; s suitable work for them as girls?—l think to answer such a question might place me in a false position. 44. The Commissioner.] Are you subject to the standard examinations?— Yes; and I did not do very well last year. 45. Of course, you cannot expect much from this type of girl and two hours a day, but what are your average results? —I have not had the results for the last two years, and I have been sending continually to the Department for them.