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18. Now, will you be kind enough to inform the Committee what is the cost of the plant required or the work included in that estimate of Sir John Coode ?—I can only give you the cost up to the 22nd March, 1881, as far as the data I have here. I take it the above amount includes the cost of all plant. The cost of all plant to the 22nd March last would be £33,224. To this amount is to be added the cost of freight from England —somewhere about £2,400 (I am speaking from memory) ; landing and storing, say £1,000; and erection of plant, say £2,000. 19. Then you think that Sir John Coode includes plant to the value of £38,624, or thereabouts ?— That is the impression from reading this. 20. Will you now specify what is included in this £38,624 ? —Tes ; I will read from the report of the Select Committee appointed to inquire into the cost of the preliminary work, the financial condition, and the terms on which the officers of the New Plymouth Harbour Board have been engaged. The principal items of plant are: Two Ingersoll's rock-drills, air-chamber, and compresser, £478; three stone-crushers, £642 ; three concrete-mixers, £284 ; two 22-horse power engines and two boilers, £735 ; one Goliath and steam travellers, £1,659 ; one 15-ton locomotive, £978 ; one 10-ton locomotive, £800; ten heavy trucks, £1,115; one locomotive steam-crane, £478; steam-crane gear, £112; one 5-ton steam derrick crane, £255 ; two 50-cwt. steam-cranes, £220 ; crane carriages, £110 ; one steamwinch and 10-horse-power boiler, £165; one Titan and 300 feet rails, £2,555; one 60-horse-power steam-barge, £3,272 ; one steam-launch afloat, £1,296 ; diving-dresses, air-pumps, &c, £320 ; mooring buoys, anchors, and chains, £305 ; steel and iron rails and other permanent way, £2,078 ; ironwork wagons, £182 ; lathe and tools, £25 ; shovels and picks, £280; two iron boxes for concrete blocks, £280; telephone, £56. 21. I would ask you, Mr. Eees, are you thoroughly satisfied that in Sir John Coode's report his estimate of £285,800 includes the whole of these items ? —Tou will find the items in his last bill of costs of 1880. 22. There is no allusion to this estimate in the bill ?• —The only difference between my plan and that recommended by Sir John Coode is that in mine there were ten heavy trucks, to cost £i,115. 23. Mr. Weston.] That is the only difference, though they were quite irrespective of each other ? Yea. I did not see Sir John Coode's estimate till I arrived in New Zealand. 24. The Chairman.] Did Sir John Coode's estimate include a steam-launch ? —No, it did not. 25. Did it include a 60-horse-power steam barge ? —No; the steam-power of the barge was ordered after I left for New Zealand. 26. Well, there are three important items in this list of plant which you now acknowledge were not included in Sir John Coode's estimate ? —I made the first statement without consideration. The steam launch was ordered after my arrival in 1880. 27 Now, can you tell the Committee what was the total expenditure at the date of Sir John Coode's report ?—I could not give the slightest idea. 28. How long have you been engineer on the works ?—Two years. 29. How long were you engineer before the 17th March, 1880 ?—Eight or ten months. I went on in June or July, 1879. 30. And during that time you took no means to ascertain ? —Oh yes ; but I cannot tell you from, recollection. I have no data to go upon now. 31. Can you state approximately, within £1,000, the amount expended by the New Plymouth Harbour Board at the date of Sir John Coode's last report? —I should say somewhere about £7,0000r £8,000. 32. Sir John Coode states in his report that these estimates are exclusive of the outlay already incurred in the colony ?—Tes. 33. Tou say that is not more than £7,000 or £8,000 ?■—l do not think so. I was engaged by the Board in July, 1879, and left in October; and up to that date I do not think more than £1,500 was expended by me. I returned to the colony the following June, and do not know what money was spent in the interim. 34. Whether the amount so expended was £7,000 or £8,000, or £30,000, it would be in addition to Sir John Coode's estimate ?—Tes. 35. And, in addition to that estimate, there would also be the three items of trucks, 60-horse-power barge, and steam launch, representing £5,683 ?—lt would be in addition as far as items, but not as far as cost. 36. And the expenses for freight, landing, and erection would also be in addition ?—I cannot say if Sir John Coode included that in his estimate. 37 These items are not included in his estimate ?—No. 38. Therefore the cost which you have given here, being the cost in England for these items, whatever charges were incurred for freight, &c, must also be in addition ? —Tes. 39. The £7,000 or £8,000 which you say was expended at the date of this report, and about £7,000 or £8,000 for the cost of these three items, would also have to be added to Sir John Coode's estimate of £285,800?—Tes. 40. Bringing the amount up to £300,000 ?—Tes. 41. Will you now be kind enough to refer to the amended plan, M.D. 404, bearing date March, 1880, and state to the Committee the extent of the work which Sir John Coode proposed should be carried out by this estimate ? —From high-water mark to the point V V —£285,800. 42. That being a part only of the original scheme? —Tes. 43. Are any works included in that amount beyond the mole itself ?—No, I think not. I think that is simply for the work between those two points. 44. It does not include any of the piers at right angles or thereabouts indicated on the dotted lines ? —No. 45. Then in the absence of any of these jetties there is nothing to prevent the seas from the north-east sweeping along the whole line to the breakwater ? —Nothing. Of course the seas are never heavy in that direction. It is only three and a half miles from this point to the land.