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27. Did you find the same indications in other bords?—Not of the same sort. This particular bord is more severely and peculiarly burnt than any other place. It showed indications of intense heat. 28. So the heat had been stronger there than in any other place?—lt appeared to be the most burnt place. 29. I think one witness yesterday said he felt as though they were walking over ice?—lt was very crisp walking. I consider that was from the coal sticking to the roof, burning a considerable time, and then dropping down to the floor. 30. Besides that coal, what else did you find there ?—We found bits of timber and bits of fuse. There was a length of it. 31. Were did you first pick it up, and what did you do with it ? —I picked up a part, and I think Robinson took another part. 32. What was the size of the piece you picked up?—lt may have been 12in. long. 33. Have you got the piece ?—I have not got it with me. 34. What was the appearance of the fuse like?— Just like ordinary fuse that had been used. 35. Did it look like " run " fuse ? —Fuse that had been fired. It was cut up occasionally in places. 36. Can you give any idea of its age?—l would not like to express an opinion on that. 37. Do you think it had been trodden on where you found it first ? Were you the first to pass through that bord ?—-We were, I believe. 38. Had any of the rescue-party been in there?— Not so far as lam aware. They would not travel that bord unless it was absolutely necessary. 39. Not to get into Brislane and Roberts's bord? —No. 40. Did you find a tramway?— Yes ; the tramway was laid in close to where the shot was. 41. Have you seen the plan of that that has been produced?— No. [Exhibit No. 10, plan of blown-out shot-bord, shown to witness, who identified the shot-hole.] The tram was leading to the blown-out shot. The coal is perpendicular. The coal is really on top, and the tram would not be likely to get past the blown-out shot-hole in the condition the coal is in. 42. Why not get past ?—On account of this corner sticking out in the bord. 43. The Chairman.] That is to say, the projecting coal would not allow the truck to pass ?—- No. [The fuse handed in by Mr. Bishop was here shown to witness, who said it might have been part of the same fuse that he had found himself. The part he had found was something similar. He found it lying on the floor.] 44. Sir J. Hector.] Was it lying on the crisp floor ?—Where the fuse was it was not quite so crisp as nearer the shot. 45. Mr. Park.] Then the greatest heat was close to the shot-hole ? —Yes. 46. And it got less and less as it got further away ?—Yes, until it came to the stentons, where it disappeared altogether—the coking disappeared altogether. There is a slight bit in a line with the blown-out shot. The worst piece is 3 yards in and 6 yards out on the wall of coal. 47. Might not that have been accounted for by the fact that the blast ran in only on this side [indicated], and missed the dust, &c, in the low side?— There is very little coking in here [indicated]. 48. I mean the dust which would be sheltered from the blast by the physical features of the bord? —Yes. 49. You say also that the coking was found very severe directly opposite the hole ?—Not severe, but it was coked a bit more than it was in the other direction. 50. Did you see that prop lying there ?—Yes. 51. It is close to the line of the shot ; it is directly in the line of the shot. Did you find any indications on the prop which is lying down apparently ? Was it standing when you saw it ? —-The prop lying down I did not examine. The prop standing up I did. 52. The reason I ask you is because one witness says there are signs of severe charring on the end of that prop, and apparently the blast has blown into the wood ?—I did not see it, but it may have been there. 53. In what direction did the blast go by the indications on that prop?— The prop is standing just outside the slit, and the blast seems to have struck it on the opposite way to the line of the blown-out shot. 54. Supposing that prop was in its right position, what do you say then ? —lf that prop is in the right position at the top of the slit it showed as if the blast had sprung from here [indicated]. 55. Did you see any stones near there that may have been hurled against the lower corner and rebounded back against the prop ?—The stones are lying there, and the blast could not possibly have struck and rebounded to that prop, because the indications are in the opposite direction to what the shot was. 56. Practically, you mean to say it is very hard to tell in what direction the blast went in this bord ?—lt is very conflicting to know which way it went. 57. The indications being apparently in all directions?— Yes. I think the force went as the arrows show on the plan ; but I could not say for certain which way the blast went. 58. In what direction did you go from where we have been talking about ?—We continued up towards the main incline, following the direction of the blast and air going up Nos. 1 and 2 and the back incline. In No. 2 the appearances were the strongest. I did not get down to the lowest part of the mine. We got round the bord and as near as we could get to the bottom. [Witness indicated the way he went, the lowest place he reached, and the direction of the air-current.] 59. What other parts of the mine did you examine ?—ln Moore's place there are very strong indications of the blast going in and out. It seemed to be as strong coming out as it went in. In Worthley's place we found some peculiar indications. There had been a big fall in the third B—C. 6.