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950. You remained from March, 1879, till October last before you stocked it yourself ? —Because made more money by running other sheep. 951. You had no understanding, before you bought the land with Orbell, as to putting stock on ?—No. 952. How long after did you make the arrangement with him?— Some months; I cannot say exactly how long. 953. Was his stock on the land when you bought it?— Yes. 954. Did he remove them immediately after you bought ? —No ; they remained there. 955. So, previous to the land being taken up by you until October last, Orbell's sheep were running on the land?— Yes. 956. In October Orbell took away the whole of his sheep ?—They were all cleared off for shearing. 957. You bought some of the same sheep yourself?— Yes. 958. At how much per sheep?— Eleven shillings. They were all young ewes. 959. You have kept them without breeding from them ?—There has been no time ; they are in lamb now, I hope. 960. Merino sheep, I suppose?— Yes; there are a few hundred half-breds among them. 961. Did you pay cash for the sheep?—No, I gave bills. 962. Have any of them been paid?— One, for about £440. 963. What is the usual shearing-time there ? —From November to January, 964. You bought them before they were shorn?— Two months before. 965. And then you sold the wool to Orbell ?—Yes. 966. You gave lis. per sheep, and got 3s. 9d. for the wool from Orbell ?—Yes. 967. Do you remember when they were shorn?— The 29th December, I think. 968. What time in October did you buy the sheep ?—About the 9th or 10th. 969. Mr. Fulton.] You paid a great deal more for your land than you expected ?—Yes ; I expected to pay only about £1 6s. or £1 75., and I had to give £2 3s. 9d. 970. Then, your calculation was a good deal upset by that extra price ?—Yes. 971. Mr. J. Buchanan.] When you bought sheep from Mr. Orbell, did you give him a mortgage ? —No. 972. He is dependent upon your promissory notes ?—Yes. 973. Yourself and your neighbours run sheep in common?— With one neighbour—Borthwick. 974. You say also Gellibrand and Co.'s sheep run with yours ? —They come through sometimes, but the land is fenced off. 975. The sheep now on the block are not the same' sheep that ran there when Orbell had the grazing ?—Bart of them. 976. Do all descriptions of sheep run in common together—ewes and wethers ?—Sometimes. 977. Is it the practice to run the male sheep with the females always ? —We generally take, the female sheep out at a certain time of the year. It depends largely upon the conveniences you have. 978. Hon. Mr. Eolleston.] You and Borthwick have about 8,000 acres betv-een you ?—Yes. 979. In a ring-fence ? —Yes. 980. What does the fence cost a mile—roughly, £70 ?—lt depends where you put it—about £60, There are a lot of old fences on the place, and the reserve saved a great dea- 1 of fencing. 981. Have you fenced since you bought ? —Yes, a lot of it. 982. How many miles ?—About four. 983. A ring-fence round 8,000 acres is a great deal more than thst ?—Borthwick has a lot of fence, and there is a lot of old fencing. 984. Is it possible to work a block of land like that without subdivision *?—lt would be all the better for subdivision. I suppose it will be subdivided before long, bat you cannot do everything at once. 985. Mr. J. McKenzie.] You yet owe £799 to Mr. Orbell?—More than that, I think, with the interest. 986. What rate of interest ?—lO per cent. 987. Has Orbell the same sort of agreement w Tith Borthwick as with you ?—Yes. 988. He bought sheep on bills, too ?—Yes. 989. You and Borthwick purchased sheep at the same time?— Yes; and agreed to run them together. 990. Previous to that you ooth allowed Orbell the grazing on the same terms ?—Yes; but I had my land a year before Borthwick. 991. Mr. Stevens.] is the V brand registered in your name?-—No; I have quite a new registered brand. 992. Then, after shearing them, you brand them with your own registered brand?— Yes. 993. Any different ear-mark on them, so as to distinguish them from Orbell's?—Yes; the top off the ear. 994. lhe Chairman.] Is your brand and Borthwick's the same?—No; different. Borthwick has a square with a rod stuck through it. 995. Are you not partners in the sheep?— No. 996. You each own your own sheep ?—-Yes. 997. Do you know wheresßorthwick is ?—I believe at home. 998. Where was he last week ?—I think at the Taieri Lake Station. 999. Mrs. Borthwick knew probably where her husband was ?—I do not know that she did. 1000. Is he on his own ground now ?—I cannot say.