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26. Is it not a fact that it is done in England with coal-mining?— Yes, it is done there in coalmining. 27. And it is not impossible to do it with quartz-mining ?—lt is not impossible, but it would be very inconvenient, and hamper the working of a mine. 28. Take Blocks 13 to 16, north of Westport—have you any idea how the reef runs up there ? —No, I know nothing about that. 29. I have heard it stated that it is a fairly even reef—runs something like north and south? —Yes, north and south, and in all directions, but generally in a northerly and southerly one. 30. Does that radiate like a star ?—The reef is not shown here on the map. All that is shown here is a creek. 31. Are there not fairly uniform reefs at Mokihinui as far as they can be proved ?—I do not know the reefs there. But if the reefs are running north and south, then by the way Blocks 13, 14, and 15 are taken they would run along the line of reefs. If your statement is correct that the reefs are running north and south, then the blocks are taken in proper form. 32. And that reef is not over 40ft. wide?—lt is not the actual width of the reef you have to consider, but the angle of inclination it dips at has to be taken into account, and there are a number of reefs, not confined to one. You would have to give me the inclination of the dip before I could give an opinion. 33. Having struck the reef at the surface you would drive underground, would you not ?—lt depends upon what the reef is like. If it were an ordinary reef I should drive it out. If there were a large block at the surface it might be quarried out. 34. If you had a strip of land, say, 10 chains across, to give you a margin, and the whole length of that reef would cover the ground, you would require to excavate it ? —No; if I went from the surface at an angle of 45 degrees it might cover the whole of the ground to take it at its deepest level I could work it at. 35. If nearly vertical you would not require a very large area to cover it, assuming it to be 40ft. wide and running in a direct line ?—lt would not run in a direct line, and it would require land whatever way the strike lay. It might pinch out and go in any direction. There are always breaks and throws in every reef. 36. Do you think 30,000 acres a fair amount to reserve for the Mokihinui reefs ? —lf there is, as you say, well-defined gold-bearing reefs running north and south, you must have ground for aerial tramways and machinery, for all these are absolutely necessary in working quartz. 37. I suppose you have made ample allowance for these in the 30,000 acres? —I have said before, not knowing the locality I cannot tell you. 38. Then is it fair to make a reserve of 30,000 acres if you do not know what it is for?—l am speaking of my own personal experience, and I say these reserves would not be made unless there was evidence from persons knowing the ground that they were necessary for all requirements. 39. Can you produce that evidence ?—Yes. 40. Will you produce it ? —Certainly. 41. Have you made any estimate of how long it will take to work out 750,000 acres at an average of an acre per man?'—Such a calculation is not in question, and it shows me very clearly that those who framed and asked the question are not conversant with the gold-mining industry, for this reason —without casting any reflection on the way the question is put about "working the ground out " —I wish to put it clearly to the Committee that it is not the ground to be worked out that must be taken : it is the ground necessary for covering the network of water-races and dams, and the lower ground required for the debris. I should say that the ground worked is only the smallest fraction of the ground absolutely wanted for mining purposes. 42. What proportion of the ground is taken up in that way at Kumara?—That is exceptionally situated. It has a Government water-race which has been brought ten miles. 43. I take in tailings sites, the ground being sluiced, and the races : what area is taken up at Kumara for these purposes ?—The Teremakau is, say, twelve miles of country. The colony has paid about £4,000 in compensation there, in order to proclaim the low country a site for tailings. There is five miles back from this river which is required for mining purposes; then you take the race from Kawaka, another ten miles; then you have Holmes's race, and you go to the Christchurch Eoad, that is another seven miles. And as they go ahead they prove that there is payable sluicing-ground right down from Kumara to the beach. 44. What proportion of the area is required for the purpose of bringing in the water ?—-You cannot fix a definite proportion because the circumstances vary. Before the Government race was put there, the original prospectors covered an area of five square miles for four men. I say, with regard to Kumara, that the area taken is absolutely required, and unless taken the mining industry would be crippled. According to the area taken by the original prospectors it would be a mile per man. 45. It works out that something like 288 years are required to work this country out?—l have not said so. That is your calculation, not mine. 46. You stated in your evidence that these reserves were too small ? —Yes. 47. Are you still of the same opinion? —The same. 48. And do you think it was contemplated by the contract that you should provide for 288 years ahead?—l consider that if the land was required now and for all time for mining purposes, and for purposes incidental or conducive thereto, the Government should reserve it. 49. Are auriferous leads irregular in form, and in patches ?—The leads are not in patches ; the gold is in patches. 50. Do you confirm Mr. Gordon that these blocks, admitting that they are true boundaries, are payably auriferous ?—Portions ; they only form part of the auriferous ground. Outside these blocks there are other payably auriferous lands which, if not fixed by the contract, would have been taken in larger areas.