D.—2

22

Mr. Cookson referred to the fact that the Methven line spoiled his trade. The two questions hang together in this way : that Mr. Cookson's coach ran two days a week, and the present train does the same. Now, it is very hard for people to fit their business to those two days, and naturally, therefore, the Methven line takes a considerable amount of traffic. I do not know whether the Commissioner would feel justified in recommending any arrangement, but I have no doubt that a daily train would considerably increase the traffic; and if such a train could run down every day and return at night I am quite certain that the traffic would gradually increase, and the line would be able to compete fairly on its merits with Methven. 339. Can you give me any idea of the amount of traffic on the Methven line, or, rather, to what extent it pays expenses ?—I do not know anything about the financial part of the line, but Ido not think it can pay expenses, or a rate would not be required. 340. Have you any idea whether the development of this line which is now in question would interfere with the traffic on the Methven line ? —No, I think it would rather stimulate the trade with Ashburton in this direction. Ido not think that much trade goes round by Methven for Ashburton from the Mount Somers district, except passenger traffic. 341. Have you any acquaintance with the coal seams in the district?—l am well acquainted with Mr. Tripp's coal seam, above Mount Somers. 342. That is up the river?— Yes. 343. What description of coal is it, from your observation?—lt is a very good specimen of lignite, superior to Malvern Hill coal for domestic purposes. I have burned it for nearly twenty years. 344. Do you know how thick the seam is? —About 14ft. or 15ft. is exposed, but the bottom of the seam has never been reached, and it has been worked in a purely amateur way. 345. Then, is the seam thicker than 14ft. ?—lt may be ; the creek runs over the bottom of it. 346. Would the cost of working be great ?—A professional opinion was given some years ago, by a gentleman engaged in Malvern Hill coal-working, to the effect that it could be quarried at from 2s. 6d. to ss. a ton; so that, by adding what the railway charges would be, the cost of delivery could be calculated. I should think that it could be delivered in Ashburton for 15s. a ton, counting everything. ( 347. How far is the seam from the terminus?—lt is about six miles from Mount Somers. It would not cost more than ss. or 6s. a ton to bring it down to the railway. 348. Is the country such between the mine and the terminus that a tramway could be laid down without great cost or difficulty ?—Yes; it is simply a succession of level terraces: there would be one or two creeks to bridge, that is all; and the tramway would also serve the stone on the road. 349. Have you any knowledge of other deposits of coal than that you have mentioned ?—I know another on the south bank of the South Branch of the Ashburton, and I believe the seams crop out of every hillside between Mount Hutt and the Hinds. 350. Have you any further evidence you wish to give?—No ; I think that is all. Mr. William Baxter, C.E., County Engineer, examined. 351. The Commissioner.] There has been some talk about using the present traffic bridge for the purposes of the proposed diversion : can you tell me if it would increase the length of the line by that route ? —lt would, slightly. 352. You do not know to what extent?—lt would be, approximately, about thirty chains. 353. What do you suppose would be necessary to do to the present traffic bridge to carry an engine ? —lt would be necessary to adjust the trusses and to have new rail-beams; the other portions are already strong enough. The rail-beams would have to be strengthened, as they are only 9in. by 4in. 354. Have you any idea of the cost of the work?—l set it down at a little over £600; but I stated it as £700 to the Chairman of the County Council, to be on the safe side. 355. Do you know the length of the bridge?—lt is 600 ft., approximately. 356. Has there been a survey made for railway purposes as far as Bowyer's Stream? —I am not aware that there has been any official survey. All the information I communicated to the County Council was based upon data which I had prepared in connection with the water supply. I had plans of the district, and most of the levels, and I ascertained that it was practicable to make a railway across that bridge and to Mount Somers, with a pretty sharp curve at the north end of the bridge. 357. Would there bo any expensive earthworks as far as Bowyer's Stream?— The earthworks would be quite inexpensive. The greater portion would be very cheap, and the worst gradient would be about 1 in 60.

Monday, 28th January, 1884. Mr. Charles Percy Cox, examined. 358. The Commissioner.] Have you resided in the Mount Somers district ? —Yes; I was a resident in that district for about sixteen or seventeen years, and in the Ashburton district nearly thirty years. 359. And what is your idea as to the requirements of the district in regard to a railway-line?— One of the chief difficulties and drawbacks of the district generally is'-the want of timber. There is a considerable amount of 'fmrberin the Alford Forest which is very suitable for use throughout the district, but it is sexlifficult and expensive to get it down that on many occasions timber identically the same is brought from Oxford to Ashburton, a distance of some one hundred and fifty miles, cheaper than it can be drayed down from Alford Forest. As an illustration, I may mention that