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714. In six years you ought to have the export more than doubled ?—Yes; even with no outside market other than the Canterbury market. There are already several mills now being erected which will export at least two millions per year, and there are timber-millers coming up from the south now. 715. These will be moderate sized mills?— Yes, cutting about the same average —from 180,000 ft. to 200,000 ft. per month. - 716. Do you know the larger mills here ?—A well-equipped mill of about 25-horse power should turn out some 18,000 ft. to 20,000 ft. per day. 717. How many mills of 25-horse power have you got in the district?—l do not think there are any approaching that. I think the highest horse-power we have is 15. They were secondhand plants in many cases, but a well-equipped and well-ordered mill should put out 20,000 ft. a day. I have visited several of the Southland mills and I have seen them put out 26,000 ft. per day. 718. The Chairman] What kind of timber ?—Generally mixed timber—red and white pine. It was when they were cutting timber for the Broken Hill fields, and that was shipped to Australia. ■ 719. Dr. Findlay.] Can you give us any idea, assuming that there is this increase, how long these forests wouid last ? —Of course, it is altogether a guess, but I should think they would be from twenty-five to thirty years in cutting. I think so because there are other areas adjoining these which I have not been over, and the timber from which will naturally fall into the lower areas. 720. What is the average rate of haulage: do you know ?—I think in only one instance is the railway drawing it for less than Is. per hundred, and the others are paying from Is. to Is. 3d. per hundred. 721. Of all the timber passing over one or other of the sections of the Midland lines the rates of haulage vary from Is. to Is. 3d. ?—Yes. 722. Is that the average? —I think you may safely say Is. would be the average. 723. Supposing timber is railed from Jackson's to Greymouth, what would the freight be?— There is no timber railed at present, but I understand the rate will not exceed Is. 3d.—from Inchbonnie, for instance. 724. What part of that will the Government take for its own line—for the eight miles from Brunner? —-Of course, I speak under correction, but I think it is at least 6d. 725. The total freight is what ? —The total freight from Inchbonnie would be Is. 3d., but the present average rate of haulage would be Is.; so that the Midland Eailway Company have hitherto, I think, been getting 6d., and the Government 6d. 726. What is the comparison of miles ?—Eighteen miles on the Midland line and eight miles on the Government line. 727. Then, do I understand that for eighteen miles of the Midland line the Midland Company were credited with 6d., and for eight miles of the Government line the Government were credited with 6d. ? —I think so. 728. The Chairman.'] Do you know what the Government charge, supposing this timber only happened to come a mile over the Midland Eailway, including the terminal charges ?—I cannot say what it would be, none having been railed on the Midland line that short distance to my knowledge. 729. So, from that, I understand you cannot give the Commission any idea as to what profit the Midland Eailway Company got from the timber traffic ? —No ; but the company's rolling-stock has been used to carry that for which the company have been getting an equal amount with the Government. They have been carrying it about eighteen miles with their own plant, and for the use of the eight miles of Government line from Brunnerton to Greymouth the amount has been about equal. 730. Do you know the first mill on the Jackson's line from Still water?— Yes; that is Baxter's. 731. What is the railway haulage from there?—ln 1892 the haulage upon that would be Is. 732. Now, are you aware that if that traffic had initiated at the commencement of the Government line —say, at Brunnerton —whether the Government would charge Bd. to take it to the Greymouth wharf or station ?—lt would be Bd. 733. So that out of Bd. only Id. would be credited to the Midland Company?—l would not say that; lam speaking now of a distance of eighteen miles. 734. Supposing the timber comes from just about Stillwater, and that the rate from Stillwater to Greymouth is 9d., and that the rate from Brunnerton to Greymouth is Bd., a penny of that is all the Midland Eailway would be credited with ? —I cannot say so. I think, under any circumstances, the Government would get 6d. 735. Dr. Findlay.] You say the average hauling-rate is about Is. ?—Yes. 736. Well, taking the timber, and adding the carriage of machinery and goods and the passenger-traffic in connection with each of the mills, what do you think it would be fair to assume each mill contributed to the gross earnings of the railway ?—For the carriage of timber alone it would amount to about £1,000 a mill. I refer to mills that would turn out about 2,000,000 ft. a year. 737. And then there would be, in addition, machinery, goods, and passenger traffic ? —Yes; and that would be very considerable. The greater number of the sawmillers usually come in on Saturday to Greymouth, and there would be their provisions and stores ; and their machinery in the first instance, and the repairs to machinery from time to time. Of course, to approximate it roughly, I should think that a mill employing from sixteen to twenty men would certainly contribute £250 a year to the railway in the carriage of goods and machinery, and in the passenger traffic. I think that is quite a reasonable figure,