39038. You say, 'As secretary appointed by representatives called together specially for the purpose from the 151 Nonconformist churches, I procured a supply of statistical forms , and then sent one to each church secretary by post. Those schedules have been tabulated by me personally, and the tables and totals are enclosed.' That means that you really were, with the assistance and advice of your friends, the author of the form that was sent out? - Yes.

[This is the version of the Chapel Schedule used by the Rhondda district]

39039. I should rather like to know the date when this happened, when the representatives from the 151 Nonconformist churches attended. You mean churches in the sense of chapels there? - Yes.

39040. You are referring to the building there? - Yes.

39041. When did that happen? - As far as I can recollect, it was September, 1906, just after the Commission had been appointed.

39042. When did you send out your forms; was it about the same time? - Yes, I think I sent them out about the first week in October of that year.

39043. Did you get them back quickly? - Some of them; there was a lot of trouble in getting the others back.

39044. Some came back quickly and some were delayed? - Yes.

39045. 'I have also checked the figures with those of the denominational returns'-by the word 'denominational returns' which you use there I suppose you mean the publications that are mentioned on the next page? - Yes, that is right.

39046. 'and have adopted the following principle (a) where the discrepancy is very slight, and is but a natural difference in estimate, the lower figure has in every case been taken so that the total may not be swollen by doubtful, though slightly increased figures.'I think you did not quite express what you meant there, if I may say so to a schoolmaster. You say, 'Where the discrepancy is very slight, and is but a natural difference in estimate.'Some of the figures that you give are not estimates;some are figures that can be given with certainty. I think you mean to apply this principle whether it was an estimate or whether it was a count. If it was a very small matter you passed it by, giving the turn of the scale against yourself? - Yes, that is quite right.

39047. '(b) Where an obvious misunderstanding of the required statistics occurs, the figures have been rectified.' Did you do the rectification yourself? - Yes, and I have initialled them on the schedules in red ink in every case.

39048. I suppose when you speak of a substantial discrepancy, 'discrepancy,' of course, might mean a discrepancy between the figure in the schedule and the true figure; but I do not think you quite mean that. You mean a discrepancy between the figure in the schedule and the figure appearing in some of these publications which you refer to on page 2? - Yes.

39049. Take 'Sittings' for instance; it is not that you have had a fresh measurement made? - No.

39050. Is that you turn up the Yearbook, or whatever it may be, and find whether it agrees with that? - Yes.

39051. And if there is a substantial discrepancy, then as you say, you give the turn of the scale against you? - Yes.

39052. 'All the corrections are shown in red ink and initialled.' The above remarks apply to:- 'Sitting accommodation'- that is what I call a certain figure which you can count-'Communicants'-That, again, is a certain figure which you can count-'Average attendance'- that is necessarily an estimate-'Sunday schools';if you are speaking of the number on the register you have only to look at the register; or instead of looking actually at the register, you look at the return appearing in the Year Book? - Yes.