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1316. Mr. Bell.] The population you say has increased 25 per cent, in five years?— Yes. 1317. Do you know whether that compares favourably or unfavourably with the rest of New Zealand?—l cannot say. William Gboegb Mukbay examined on oath. 1318. The Chairman.] What are you, Mr. Murray ?—Chief Surveyor and Commissioner of Crown Lands, Westland. 1319. Mr. Bell.] Eeferring to Mr. Dalston's return of the Bth February, have you valued a house opposite Jackson's Station ?—Yes; £80. 1320. And the stables at Jackson's occupied by H. Cassidy ?—£loo. 1321. The land on which McAlpine's hotel at Jackson's stands—land only ?—About £1; that is the prairie value. 1322. What would it sell for if the building was down ? —A couple of pounds. 1323. It is of no value for a building-site?— Not much. 1324. The Ahaura Section, and the Cobden Sections, and the Westport Sections are all in the Nelson District? —Yes. 1325. The land on which the railway is constructed, how much is there in -your distirct —that is, south of the Arnold?— This is a return of the land granted by the Crown on which the railway is built. [Exhibit No. 16.] 1326. The total area is 396 acres 2 roods 36 perches ?—-Yes. 1327. What is the value of it ?—About £1 an acre. 1328. Mr. McKerrow.] What area of land within your district lies into and is served by the railway, Brunnerton to Jackson's? —The total area is about 94,347 acres. 1329. Of that area, how much is agricultural, pastoral, and barren ?—Agricultural, 14,700 acres ; pastoral, 68,647 acres; barren, 11,000 acres. 1330. Of these areas, how much is occupied in freehold and leasehold respectively?— 29,505 acres freehold, 6,860 acres leasehold. 1331. In these areas of freehold and leasehold land, do you include any of Blocks 26 and 28, Bl map, which belong to the Midland Eailway ? —Yes, they are included in the 29,000 acres. 1332. Could you say approximately, if not accurately, how many settlers are on those areas now ?—About twenty-nine. 1333. Coming to the lands that are unoccupied within the first area that you gave : of the lands presently unoccupied, how much could be occupied for settlement, and in what average areas, say, within the next ten years ? —Available for settlement, say, 2,000 acres in the next ten years, and the average area would be, say, 300 acres. 1334. Have any town lands in your district been selected by the Midland Eailway Company ? —No. 1335. Do you know if there is coal or other minerals within the area you are speaking of?— Yes; at Brunnerton, and from there up to Maori Gully. 1336. You mean on the railway side of the river ? —Yes. 1337. Where the Denniston Mine was? —Yes, on that large spur. 1338. Any other place ?—There, and about the head-waters of Maori Gully. 1339. Where is that ?—lnland from Kokiri. 1340. Are there any other minerals you could mention within your area? —There has been some quartz found at Mount Te Kinga and the Mount Alexander Eange, opposite Jackson's, but it has not been worked. 1341. Is it long since they were attempted to be worked—since they were prospected?—' About six or seven years ago. 1342. Could you state approximately what extent of land has been proved to be payably auriferous within your district—that is, in the district lying in to the railway ?—Only Maori Gully, a distance of seven or eight miles, by about half a mile to a mile, which has been proved, and has been pretty well worked for the last twenty or thirty years. 1343. Are there any dredging areas within your district ?—I think there are dredging areas at Stillwater. 1344. Can you state approximately the extent in area of milling timber within the area ?— About 35,000 acres. 1345. Do you know how many sawmills are at work there now? —There are six mills at work—four in Westland and two in Nelson District. 1346. What are the areas allotted to them within which they can cut timber?— They are allowed 200 acres, and 600 acres are reserved for them. 1347. I suppose they must cut out the 200 acres first before taking another 200 acres ?—Yes ; there are 600 acres reserved for them to work upon. 1348. What rates or royalties do they pay for the timber?—On application they pay £10, and they pay a royalty of 6d. per 100 ft., and 3d. each for silver-pine sleepers. They pay these fees into the Warden's Court. 1349. Then, I suppose you cannot say what the output of the mills will be?— No. 1350. Dr. Findlay.] 1 understand you to say there is an area of something like 94,000 acres in the district to which you refer ?—Yes. 1351. And of that 11,000 are barren, leaving approximately about 83,000 acres of agricultural and pastoral land ?—Yes. 1352. About 29,500 acres freehold and 6,860 acres leasehold are already settled?— Yes.