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[j. MACPHEBSON

5. With the exception of a few girls, are the majority of them amenable to discipline?— Fairly so. 6. If you could get rid of some half-dozen girls, and put them in some other place away from the others, would there be less trouble in dealing with the rest?—-I think so. 7. Do you find that the influence of those girls is a Bad feature in the Home? —To a certain extent. 8. Are the relations between the staff, you being one, and the Matron good?— Very good, I should say. 9. Do you all loyally co-operate with each other?—l think so. 10. There is no discordant element in the staff at all?— None that I know of. 11. Personally, do you all like the Matron?— Very much indeed, I think. . 12. Is her disposition kindly or otherwise? —Very kindly, I should say. - 13. In dealing with the girls, is she good-tempered or not? —Good-tempered. ,14. Does she combine firmness with good-temper? —Yes. 15. So far as your relations with the other members of the staff and the Matron are concerned, are you happy here ?—Yes. 16. You have nothing to complain of in that respect?— No. 17. And the staff generally work in the same happy way? —1 think so. 18. Each doing her best for the purpose of the Home?— Yes. 19. Are you personally interested in the reformation of girls, altogether apart from your salary ?—I think so. 20. Do you like being here, apart from the pecuniary advantage it gives you?—l do. 21. Do you think the girls are deriving any benefit from your own and the other members of the staff's teaching? —I certainly have seen several improvements. I do not think the girls are worse now than when I came here. They are better. 22. Do you find that as time goes on they become more tractable? —Yes. 23. And more respectful in manner than when they first come?— Some of them do. 24. And the others are hard cases?— Some of them are rather better when they come, but I suppose they have not shown themselves. 25. Have the girls at any time ever complained about not getting food enough?— Yes. 26. Many of them? —Just a few; not many. 27. In your opinion, is the food given to them sufficient in quantity for an ordinary healthy girl? —I think so. I have often wondered what they do with it all. 28. Generally, are the girls very cheerful or depressed?— Very cheerful—a little too much sometimes. 29. Do you find any trouble in keeping their tongues quiet?— Yes, a very great deal of trouble. 30. Talking during meal-times is prohibited?— Yes. 31. Does some one read a book during meals?—-Yes, one of the girls. 32. And I think if a girl talks she is sent out?— Occasionally; not always. 33. Why do you make a distinction? —If a girl is spoken to two or three times, then we send her out, 34. And they lose the meal?—No; they can take the meal with them. If the meal is not served when the girl leaves the room it is sent out to her to eat in the passage. 35. One or two of the earlier girls have sworn that they have been sent out of the room for talking when they have just started dinner, and have had nothing at all to eat until tea-time: is that true? —I have not sent any out like that. 36. Have you seen any treated like that? —I am not there when the other staff is taking the meal. About a fortnight or three weeks ago a girl started to talk before dinner came in. I told her to go out in the passage and take her dinner with her. She refused to take her dinner and she did go without a meal until tea-time. 37. Do you find the girls have any fear of the Matron, as a rule?— No. 38. Generally, the Matron is kind to them? —Very kind, I think. 39. And I suppose firm with them when occasion arises?— Yes. 40. And the girls know that? —Yes. 41. Do you consider that more facilities for isolating the worst of the girls are wanted here?— Yes. 42. Mr. Salter.] Do you know whether punishments are inflicted upon the girls by members of the staff? —The staff sometimes ■"will tell a girl she is to go a piece less for her tea or her breakfast, and sometimes make them take porridge without sugar and also put them in the cell. 43. You sometimes deprive them of their food as a punishment?— Sometimes one piece of bread less for their tea —three instead of four pieces. 44. Do the members of the staff put the girls in the cell as a punishment without reference to the Matron?— Yes; the Matron is not always at hand. 45. Is it reported to the Matron afterwards? —Yes; the Matron knows. 46. Do you know anything about girls not having been visited for two hours whilst in the cell? —I would not like to be too certain about that. 47. Do you think it is so?- —I think it is every two hours. Sometimes more frequently. 48. It may be a little longer? —It may be. 49. Some of the girls said they were not visited during the whole morning; that would be four hours? —But there would be some one overlooking them. 50. How do you mean? —Miss Hunt's office. 51. But if a girl is in the cell with the door locked, the clerk in the office could'have no supervision over her? —But if a girl is in the cell with the door locked she is visited at meal-times and also about an hour afterwards for the removal of the dishes.