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78. Do not you think any arrangement could be made with regard to this block by which a national park could be reserved and a provision made for using the rest of the forest ?—Yes, it might be. 79. Has Mr. McKerrow or Mr. Barron been over this? —I do not know. 80. Mr. Flatman.] You were speaking with regard to any of the timber decaying. I suppose in all bush there is a certain percentage of timber decaying ? —Yes. 81. And there is a certain amount of timber not matured?— That is so. I do not think a forest would deteriorate in any way. As you say, what has passed its maturity is being replaced by timber not arrived at its maturity. 82. And of the timber most liable to be destroyed by fire—what timber would that be, say, in a green bush, in your idea?—l should think it would be the totara. 83. Where there was not much totara, you would scarcely get a fire to run through green bush ?—Not if ordinary precautions were taken. A dry season like last, there would be a great risk. 84. It would not affect matai, &c. ? —I do not think so. 85. The fire is carried by the current of air from one tree to another, and so on ?—Yes. 86. Do you think it would be possible that this bush could be let for sawmilling purposes, in such a way as to prevent the fire spreading in the part which you have gone over, and not endanger the green bush?—l think it has been done over and over again where timber has been sold. Where men go into a reserve they are quite careless. 87. Could you sell the firewood, and get rid of the surplus? —I do not think you could sell it. 88. Mr. J. W. Thomson.] In one of the petitions that came before us, it was stated if the Government were to purchase this tramway, probably five or six mills would be started in this forest ?—I think there would be several mills if allowed to be started—perhaps ten or twenty. If I were the Government I would not lock it up. 89. This bush might be cut out for, say, fifty years? —That is my private opinion. I meant to say I would be very sorry to destroy the goose that lays the golden eggs all at once. 90. Five or six mills would cut it out in, say, ten years ? —Yes. 91. To have the bush cut out in, say, fifty years, that could all be done by, say, Messrs. Brownlee, or a smaller company : by buying the tramway and extending it they could work the whole thing without the Government interfering at all ?—Possibly they could. 92. The bush would be cut out in, say, fifty years, by one mill ?—I dare say it might. 93. Do you think the bush could not be cut out in a shorter period than fifty years ? —My own opinion is we will have no Native bush in fifty years. 94. That would mean all the bush would be cut out in fifty years ?—I would not say that. 95. The Chairman.] You said, Mr. Adams, that, speaking roughly, you estimate about 200,000,000 ft. of timber in that 20,000 acres. The present tithe is 6d. a hundred?—l believe so. 96. That would give a total capital value to the State of £25,000. 97. Do you state that it would be necessary to extend the present line of tramway sixteen miles to tap this timber. It has already been stated in evidence this tramway would cost an average of about £2,000 a mile. Suppose you were asked whether it would be advisable to make sixteen miles of new tramway at £2,000 a mile—purchasing the old line at £17,000 —that would make a total of, say, £50,000. Do you consider it would be a business transaction for the State to spend £50,000 for the sake of taking out timber. It would produce in royalty £25,000 to the State? Mr. Mills : You are in error, Mr. Chairman. 200,000,000 ft. of timber at 6d. royalty is exactly £50,000. 98. The Chairman.] Well, then, supposing it was £50,000, that would just cover the cost of the charges and construction of the tram-line : would there be no other traffic to keep this tram-line working after the timber was raised ?—Well, it is supposed it would be utilised if ever a through line were made to Nelson. Our first recommendation was that the royalty should be made Is. 99. That would be all very good if you could raise the market-rate for timber. You must bear in mind, if you raise the royalty too much you put the sawmiller in the position that he cannot compete with other sawmills. Mr. Mills : He means to make it universal. 100. The Chairman.] Of course, if there was any possibility of any other work for this tramway to do—because it would practically be a light railway; in fact, it would have to be a railway —of course, if there was a prospect of any other traffic growing up in the meantime to support this railway, then there might be something in it. If the recommendation is purely to construct this tramway for the sake of taking out this timber, then it is a matter to consider whether it would pay to do it ?—lt is most important to raise the royalty at once. That would have the effect of keeping down the output a little bit. 101. Mr. Mills.] About what value is the line at present, Mr. Adams? What valuation should we assess this class of land if selling now, without royalties or anything?— Probably £1 an acre. 102. Mr. Duncan] Would that include the timber on it?— Yes, the timber would be destroyed. 103. Mr. Mills.] If this settlement was surveyed, if the survey had been allowed to continue, would that not have been destroyed—all that they took up ? —I think so. You might have got rid of some of it. 104. If this tramway was taken into this land, then, what difference do you think there would be in the value between the £1 an acre now and when the tramway was taken in—so that the Government could sell the land with the timber ? What, in your opinion, would be the value of that land then?—l reckon the value would be almost doubled. 105. Supposing the Government had a line in there, do you not think they could sell the land and timber at a considerable advance on what they could sell it for to-day?— Certainly.