EL—2

34

326. Did you hand them plans of the survey ?—Yes. 327. Coming to the line from Stillwater to Beefton, was that originally surveyed by the Government or the company? —The full surveys were made by the company. There was a Nelson Creek survey for a few miles—within the No. 3 English contract section—but it was resurveyed by the company. It involved some large road-deviations on account of flood-levels. The line does not follow the old Government survey, and it was surveyed afresh. 328. Did you do any surveys beyond where the terminus of the line is at present at Eeefton ? —Yes ; across the river, and to beyond the proposed station-yard at Eeefton. We purchased land for this section, also prepared all advertised books of reference to beyond the cemetery. 329. And no further?—No further. 330. Did you make any trial surveys for the line between Eeefton and Norris's Gully ?—No. 331. You have put in the English contracts to-day ? —Yes ; copies of them. 332. You have not got the plans of Nos. 1 and 2 contracts : do you know any one who has got the plans by which the line was constructed ?—No, I do not. 333. Was the whole of this English contract carried out by sub-contractors ?—No ; I think some of it was done by wages, but it was largely done by sub-contract. 334. Who were the contractors ?—Corcoran and Casserly had contracts for part of the works. 335. Can you give us the names of the sub-contractors from where the line started at Brunnerton ?—Casserly and Corcoran had sub-contracts extending from the end of Eowe's contract to, I think, the Arnold Plat. 336. Who joined on to their contract ?—I think the Stillwater station-yard and thereabouts was done by wages gangs. Foreman Baff was the principal ganger in charge. 337. Who connected with Baff's work ? —Going out the Jackson's line, I think Casserly and Corcoran had that; then Alexander had a stretch; then, beginning at Kokiri and on to Kaimata, there was Price and O'Connor. Then, going up No. 3 line—that is, Nelson Creek—Samuel Brown had a considerable contract ; I think it covered the earthworks and culverts from Stillwater station-yard to Nelson Creek end of the contract. 338. Did those contracts include the laying of the permanent-way and supplying sleepers ?—I think these were done by sub-contract, but lam not sure of that. Messrs. Anderson, of Christchurch, had the erection of the bridge superstructure, and Thomas Watson had the cylinder-sink-ing. All were sub-contracts from McKeone, Eobinson, and Avigdor. The girders, cylinders, and rails were supplied by McKeone and Co. to these sub-contractors. 339. Did the sub-contractors erect the buildings, or the contractors themselves ?—I think the contractors dealt with them. I fancy they got tenders for them. 340. Can you tell us who supplied the plans for all those sub-contractors ?—We supplied the plans to McKeone and Co., and they supplied copies for their sub-contractors. 341. So that there would probably be several copies of those plans drawn ? —Yes, certainly. 342. Can you tell me whether those sub-contracts were advertised and let by public tender ?— I cannot recollect; and the contractors' methods of conducting their work did not come within my province so long as their work was satisfactory. 343. Coming to what you considered a fair percentage for supervision and management, I notice you excluded permanent surveys ?—I excepted all surveys. 344. You do not consider 5 per cent, on the cost of construction of a railway would be sufficient to pay for supervision, management, and surveying ?—Not for surveys. 345. Coming to the line from Stillwater to Jackson's, would you consider that a difficult or easy line to survey ?—lt is a difficult line, requiring a great deal of preliminary examination, and it was very difficult to get about, being swampy with wandering creeks; thus one had often to wade to the middle in water. It was quite strange and unmapped country at the time of survey. 346. Taking the line from Stillwater to Eeefton, do you consider that an easy or difficult survey ?—That was mostly a fairly easy one, because there was good access, and there were existing maps of the country. 347. How much per mile would you reckon the cost of that survey?— Speaking from recollection, it came to £64 a mile, including all bridge-sites and preliminary surveys. During all the time of survey there were only seven wet days, or seven days of lost time. 348. You said, as far as you knew the staff was entirely paid by Mr. Wilson from his private account: does that mean the whole of the staff employed by the company ? —No, only the staff employed in whole or part on engineering work—that was to say, Mr. Bell, myself, the assistant engineers engaged on construction, draftsmen, inspectors, &c. Any engaged on surveys or land work were credited. The salaries of any of Mr. Wilson's staff engaged on surveys, land, or other matters not within the engineer's percentage were credited to him in the imprest returns under the heads " Surveys," "Land," &c. 349. Was Mr. Edwards paid by Mr. Wilson from his private account ? —Yes. When engaged on surveys the proportion of his salary was allocated out to surveys, or, if he happened to be engaged for the company on business other than engineering, that was allocated out under its proper head. 350. There were other surveyors who were sometimes making plans, sometimes surveying, and sometimes engaged on supervision : how were they paid?— They were paid by Mr. Wilson ; but where they were on surveys it was allocated out and Mr. Wilson credited for it. 351. Can you from the company's books give the amount paid to these various gentlemen by Mr. Wilson or by the company separately ?—This can only be found in Mr. Wilson's or the company's general books. We will do the best we can in the matter. 352. As to the state of the rolling-stock at the time of the seizure—2sth May, 1895 —are you familiar with the condition of the rolling-stock then?—ln a general manner only ; but I have no doubt the reports of the Government officers are substantially correct.