H.—No. 8

4

REPORT OE THE COMMITTEE ON THE

Wednesday, 30th At/gust, 1871. The Committee met pursuant to adjournment. Present: Mr. Bradshaw, Hon. Mr. Fitzherbert, Mr. Bunny, Mr. O'Neill. Mr. Collins, Mr. Pearce, Chairman. Mr. Allan appeared as Counsel for Mr. Schultze. Mr. Charles William Schultze was examined. Are you owner of land at Kai Warra stream ?—Tes, I have 25J acres of land with the mill. How long have you been in possession of this land ? —I had it on leasehold in 1845, and have since purchased it. Have you erected a mill on the land ?—Tes, and commenced working it in 1845. Was there a reservoir on your ground ?—I made a dam when I built the mill. Have you been working the mill regularly since 1845 ? —Till within the last two years regularly on my own account, and since then occasionally for grist work, as required. Is tho mill now in good working order?—lt can be set to work at a moment's notice. Have you more water thau is required for use of mill in the twenty-four hours ?—I produce Mr. Igglesden's report, which says there is sufficient in winter to work the mill; but I use a greater quantity of water then. Working three pair of stones, there is some though not much to spare. In winter time I worked sixteen and twenty-four hours a day. During spring and autumn months I could only get on an average twelve hours with two pair of stones. In summer months I could only get eight hours with two pair of stones ; and for months together no water has jjassed over escape that has not been used in the mill. The abstraction of any water from the stream would render the mill utterly useless. If a million gallons or upwards were daily taken, would that obstruct the working of the mill ?— Any water taken from the stream would interfere with the working of the mill, as during autumn, spring, and summer, I never had more than sufficient water to work the mill. Would it affect your mill if the water were taken in winter ?—Tes ; if taken daily it would certainly affect the working of the mill. What do you consider your annual loss would be if unable to work mill ?—The loss would be between £1,600 and £1,700 per annum. This is simply the grinding profit of the mill. At what do you value mill property and good-will of business ?■ —I consider £10,000 would be the value of the loss entailed on me. Was notice ever given to you of proposed works ? —I have never received personal notice, but I have seen a notice in the papers addressed to the different landowners. The plans of City Council did not show any interference with my property. By Mr. TraversZ] Is not the reservoir of your mill supplied by river of Kai Warra ?—Tes. Are there not several branches to that river ?—Tes, two ; the Eata and Porirua. Is not the Eata branch the main feeder of the river ? —lt depends on weather. Is not the Eata branch before junction much longer and larger than the stream from which supply is proposed to be taken ? —About the same size ; if anything, the Porirua branch is the larger. Have you ascertained by measurement what quantity of water comes down such stream ? —No. What water do you require to work mill for twelve hours ? —262,000 gallons per hour. Tou have had an average of that quantity ? —Tes. By Mr. Collins.'] Did I understand you to say that you had made a thousand a year from mill ? —Tes. Have you made money for last two years ? —No; I have made nothing last two years. To what do you attribute that want of profit ? —I retired from business, and could not get any one to work it. Could you make tho same out of it now ? —Tes, if I had the same energy. Have you had any offer to lease ? —No eligible one. Mr. Marchant was called. By Mr. TraversZ] Tou have heard Mr. Schultze state that he has an average supply of 262,000 gallon per hour ? —Tes. Mr. Schultze hero explained, that that is quantity required, but he had not always received it. What proportion of water used by Mr. Schultze will be abstracted by proposed works ?—Equal to about one-half horse-power, with 14 feet fall, working continually. Tou have made measurements of water ? —Tes ; and have ascertained by long series of observations that total quantity of water at foot of dam of proposed work does not exceed 310,000 gallons per diem. On this basis you find there will be one-sixteenth part of the water abstracted from mill ? —Tes. By Mr. Allen.] How do you account for present large supply to Mr. Schultze's mill ?—ln first place, the river runs 3} miles from foot of proposed dam to mill; secondly, it is fed by Porirua stream, which, on Mr. Schultze's showing, is more than half the supply, and the point from which I propose to take water is of confined area, whereas the watershed feeding river below the dam is miles in extent, and bush land. Do you propose to take all water of stream for waterworks ? —Tes, all the normal flow. Question put and agreed to, That further evidence be procured. Question put and agreed to, That the Chairman ask the House for further time to report. The Committee then adjourned till Priday morning at 11 o'clock.