h.—ai

A— —- Ct

101. Did you ever ask the Matron to come and take a turn with the saw?— No. 102. Did you ever ask Miss Hunt to come and take a turn? —No, I never heard it. 103. Did the Matron come out sometimes to see how the girls were getting on? —Sometimes. 104. Were the girls pleased to see her?— Some of her favourites may have been. 105. You were not a favourite? —No. 106. But you were a favourite when you went there the second time? —I was made a favourite. 107. You had improved a good deal before you went there the second time? —Yes; Matron Early's training had done me a lot of good. 108. You had a violent temper? —Yes, I had. 109. Not now?—No; there is no reason to have it ruffled now. 110. You quarrelled not only with the staff, but with the girls themselves?— Yes. 111. They teased you a lot?— Yes; they tantalised me. 112. Before you went to the Mental Hospital your temper was almost unbearable? —Twice 1 hit a girl. 113. You were sent to the Asylum on the certificate of the Magistrate and two medical men? —Yes. 114. Are you aware that later on the Matron was the person who got you to the Samaritan Home?-—I knew that. She thought there was not so much discipline there, and that it would do me good. 115. Did she not tell you the girls teased, you too much, and also that you were neither physically nor mentally strong enough to stand the discipline of the Home?—l do not remember her telling me that. I remember her telling me she had written to the Department stating the discipline of the Home was too hard for me. 116. Was the Matron not working in your interests to say that? —I do not think so. She ■would have done better to have given me a chance at service. 117. You think she was not fair towards you in not giving you this chance. I understand you forgave all this? —Yes. 118. Why are you going into it now?—l did not know you were going to accuse me of being illegitimate until I heard it on Friday afternoon. 119. You said the food was not good. Did you ever tell the Matron you had not enough to eat?— No. 120. Did you ever tell the doctor? —No. 121. Did the other fifty or sixty girls have to eat artichokes too?-—Yes, often. 122. Do you mean to say the Government did not provide sufficient food for the girls at Te Oranga ?—Not in the winter. 123. Which meal were you short of?— All meals. 124. The other girls have not said that? —I found it so. 125. Was the food of a kind you could eat?— Sometimes it was of a kind that would not bear eating. 126. Can you give us an instance of something bad?— The artichokes were often put on the table burnt and blackened. 127. When did the Matron thump you on the back? —On one occasion when I went to her. She thumped me on the back, and said I was always complaining. 128. How long were you at Te Oranga after you came from the Mental Hospital before you went to the Samaritan Home?—l really cannot say. It was only a short time. 129. You were still quarrelsome and bad tempered when you came back?— Yes, after being back awhile. 130. You had delusions before a\id after your stay in the Mental Hospital?—l do not think afterwards. 131. On one occasion you said you had neither breakfast, dinner, nor tea?—l said that not enough food was given us at these meals. 132. Did any of the other girls have the same idea about not having enough food for breakfast?— Often. 133. Tell me the name of any girl who said on any occasion that not enough food was given her either for breakfast, dinner, or tea ?—A C was with me one day. She said she had not had enough to eat, and felt like eating grass. 134. Mr. Salter.] Were you ever placed in the cell? —On several occasions, but not for long periods. 135. How many hours at a time?— Generally not exceeding four or five hours. 136. During these four or five hours, were you visited by any one?— No. I was put in and left until I was taken out. I have been there the whole evening, and no one near me. 137. Mr. Pope.] Did you speak to Mr. Fendall before you spoke to Mr. Fountain?— Yes. 138. And you told him of the strapping and the hair-cutting?—l did. 139. Did you ever see a girl's hair cut at Te Oranga as a punishment?—l did. I saw H——• M getting her hair cut off. 140. Mr. Russell.] This letter of the 27th November, from which I quoted, is your letter? —Yes. Elizabeth Howden examined on oath. 1. Mr. Salter.] When were you engaged to go to Te Oranga?—ln July of last year. 2. By whom were you engaged? —Mrs. Branting. 3. In what capacity? —Clerk. 4. Was anything said at the time of your engagement about acting as relieving attendant? —Yes. Mrs. Branting said that occasionally she would call upon me to do a little attendant's duties, and this I agreed to. She pointed out it might be such as going down the line to meet a girl

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