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174. Where were the anchor-beams cast?—ln Q-reymouth. 175. Are you satisfied that the fouudry at Greymouth could supply a good casting for the heavy castings required for the construction of the bridge ? —STes, I think they could. 176. The stability of the bridge more or less depended on the strength of the anchor-beams. If they were not sound and otherwise sufficient, the bridge must necessarily fall?— During construction the bridge was dependent on the strength of the anchor-beams, but after the completion of the bridge, or before the completion of the bridge, the anchor-beams would have beeu supported by masonry behind them, and would become of little importance. 177. How often have you inspected the works while in progress ? —I think twice. 178. How long is it since the last inspection by yourself"?t—l do not remember the date. It was at the time the anchor-plates were cast, but not in place. 179. Mr. FitzGerald.] Did you see them on that occasion?—l saw them. 180. Dr. Knight.'] Has any other suspension bridge been built under charge of the Public Works Department, by contract, and did the contractors supply all the materials?—No other suspension bridge has been built. 181. It is observed that the chains, after passing through the anchor-plates, are screwed up by nuts instead of being fixed by wedges. Is there any danger of the threads being stripped by the pull upon them, or are they likely \o be injured by the weather? —-There is no danger of the screws being stripped, as the screws are quite as strong as other parts of the rod, or stronger. 182. And would be more convenient, I suppose, in the construction of the bridge ? —Yes. 183. In determining the tension of the rods ?—Yes, more convenient than wedging. The first design was for wedging, but I thought the want of experience of the probable tenderers ivould make it difficult to carry out the plan, and I therefore changed it. 181. We have your estimate of the weight of the structure between the piers ? —Yes. 185. And the maximum load that the bridge was estimated to carry? —Yes. 186. What is the usual estimate per square foot of platform when it is not intended for a railway ? —It varies very much much—between 50 lbs. and 100 lbs. ; 50 lbs. is enough on anything but a crowded race-day or something of that sort, where a bridge is jammed as full as it can be packed. 187. Is the truss of suflicent strength to bear the bending action on it when the load is passing over it?—lt is; with the aid of the chains. 188. Would the truss be crushed in any way by a concentrated load? —No, it would not; it is strong enough to carry the weight of half the length of the bridge. 189. Is it, indeed?—No; it would hardly do that. It would, however, transfer the weight from one part of the chain to another, for a distance of at least 100 feet. L9O. Do I understand you to mean that it does not add really to the strength of the bridge, but distributes the weight in a very favourable manner ?—To distribute the weight is its principal duty, and to resist the winds, but it very materially strengthens the bridge, as it bears a great deal of its weight. 191. Mr. FitzGerald.] At 50lbs. per foot, I find the total weight on the bridge would be something under 60 tons ? —Yes. 192. In making your calculations, what did you calculate would be the rolling weight?— Equivalent to 30 tons, but it was nearly concentrated at the centre. 193. That would be something the same as 60 tons distributed? —Yes; about equal. There is no chance of a bridge up there being loaded with a dense crowd of people, because there is nothing to induce it. 194. We have understood that the bridge was not a highway ?—lt was not. , 195. Therefore the railway officials would have power to prevent an undue weight coming upon it ?—Yes ; but, in designing it, I took into consideration the fact that it might become crowded, and, therefore, made it strong enough to carry all the people that could be put on to it. 196. We understand, from the calculations you laid before the Commissioners, that you estimated a factor of safety of 3 decimal 6 for the weight of the bridge, without loading ? —The factor of safety in designing the bridge was taken at 3* for the stable load, and 5 for the rolling load. 197. Precisely ; that is the very point. From your calculations, it appears your factor of safety for the weight of the bridge, without taking into account the rolling load, is somewhere about 3} for the anchor-plates ?—The anchor-plates would have been supported by masonry. 198. I mean without the masonry ?—Well, there was no factor of safety taken, because the anchor-plates were intended to be supported by masonry. I have calculated the strength of the plates lately. 199. lam referring to these returns you put in. The factor of safety came out slightly different, but about 3J-. In these calculations the rolling load is not taken into consideration ? —No. 200. Then, if the rolling load had been taken into consideration, the beams ought to have been much larger?—lf they were not to be supported, they ought to be ; but as they were to be supported, it was not necessary to make them larger. 201. Is there any specification in the contract for the filling up of that masonry ?—No. 202. How was that intended to be done, then ? —That was an oversight in the drawings, which was remedied by my giving instructions to the Engineer to have it done. 203. Did you contemplate originally that the contractor should do that? —In the design I had intended that it should be done, but it was just overlooked in the drawings. 204. In the specifications is there any description as to how the anchor-plates should be cast ?—No. 205. What is the provision in the specifications for the character of the iron to be used ?—I do not remember. I think you have the specifications here. [Specifications handed to witness.] There is no special mention beyond that all material should be to the satisfaction of the Engineer. 206. Mr. FitzGerald.] We have sent a telegram to Mr. Me Arthur. [Telegram and reply read.] Now, what I want to ask you is this: There being nothing in the specifications as to the character of