L—G.

2156. For the wagons?—Nothing. 2157. What does the consideration come in for? —For management, for supervision, use of tools, of our men. 2158. Is there not a person employed by the Harbour Board-to supervise the dredging?—No ; we supervise it ourselves. 2159. Who pays the overseer?—The overseer is a workman ; he works at it; he is paid Is. a •day extra. 2160. You do not pay him ?—We do not pay any of them. 2161. Does not the Engineer of the Harbour Board supervise ?—He does, the same as he supervises our contract. If anything goes wrong we will get it rectified. We pay the men, but the Harbour Board pays us. The men that are on the dredge itself we have nothing to do with. We pay the men on the tip. 2162. The Plarbour Board pays you back again ?—Yes. 2163. In addition to that they pay you 15 per cent, for supervision on the cost of the work?— It is a very Small item ; it comes to about £120 more on that. 2164. Mr. Izard.] How much—£23o ?—Yes. 2165. Mr. Withy.] You are not bound by your contract to take the wall to a given point ?— No. 2166. So that if the 180,000 tons did not go so far you are not responsible ?—No. 2167. If it goes further you are still obliged to put out 180,000 tons ? —Yes. 2168. The Chairman.] It matters not whether your 180,000 tons are consumed in 3 chains, a mile, or twenty ?—No. 2169. Mr. Turnbull.] Was this arrangement in regard to dredging made when you took over the men ?—No ; it is only about six weeks since. 2170. It was no condition of your taking over the men ?—No. 2171. The Chairman.] Is the whole of the plant which you have lent to the Board and the tools for doing the dredging the plant which the Government lent to you? —The bulk of the plant is the Board's. 2172. It is re-lent, in fact?—Yes. 2173. Mr. Izard.] You do not get any payment for the plant you use for dredging ? —No. 2174. You pay the wages in the first instance, and you get the money back again?—Yes. 2175. You advance the money, in fact ?—Yes.

Tuesday, 20th August, 1889. Mr. L. Wilson in attendance and examined. 2176. The Chairman.] You are Assistant Secretary of the Marine Department ?—Yes. 2177. I think it was the custom of the Harbour Boards of the West Coast (Greymouth. and Westport), if I remember rightly, to submit to the department copies of the minutes of their proceedings? —Copies of the minutes were, by direction, sent by the Boards to the Marine Department. 2i78. Mr. Guinness.] Minutes of all proceedings?—The ordinary minutes of the Board. 2179. The Chairman.] When was that practice initiated ?—We have them from the beginning : they were not got at first, and consequently there was a large accumulation of arrears. We have got them in the case of one of the Boards : they send them still. The other has not done so quite recently. 2180. Why has not the other Board done so ? —They were going to be written to the other day about it, but we omitted doing so. 2181. Then, it is not the intention to discontinue?—No. 2182. You know something of the report submitted in regard to Port Elizabeth ?—Yes. 2183. The Committee has seen the report: has anything further been done in connection with that report ?—Nothing has been done since, to my knowledge. I believe that at various times private persons have gone there and looked at the place ; hut nothing has been done. 2184. Mr. Guinness.] We want you to produce the reports of Mr. Balfour, the Marine Engineer?—They have already been laid on the table of the House. I think they were laid on the table of the House two days ago. 2185. And the report of Lieutenant Woods?—Yes; the reports of Messrs. Woods, Balfour, and Blackett. They were laid on the table of the House two days ago. They are a part of the regular records of the House. 2186. Mr. Feldwick.] You mean they are on the table of the House of Representatives ?—Yes.

Wednesday, 21st August, 1889 Mr. H. J. H. Eliott, Under-Secretary of Lands and Mines, in attendance and examined. 2187. The Chairman.] You were asked, Mr. Eliott, to bring some papers with you in connection with these coal leases : what papers have you brought? —The order was so wide that I have brought everything bearing on the subject. 2188. I mean all papers relating to leases, concessions, correspondence, &c, relative to the amalgamation of leases, divisions of ground, or returns of output ?—Yes ; I have brought all the papers relating to these matters. 2189. Mr. Withy.] Can you show any leases joined together as regards output? —Yes; the Waimangaroa and Ngakawau. 2190. Mr. Hutchison.] In 1885 ? It is pointed out that it was a subsequent lease, which must have proceeded on a different basis altogether. Was there any agreement under the later lease (1888), or any subsequent agreement ?—No; they continued the old agreement.

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