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C. F. POST. I

32. Is it not a fact that these men told you before the vessel sailed that it would be a strange thing if that vessel did not take fire? —They did not tell me that before she sailed. It was only after she took fire that it came out that they had had a conversation. 33. It was only after the fire that they told you they had had a conversation amongst themselves, and that it would be a strange thing if that vessel did not take fire? —Yes; that is so. I may say that perhaps there would not have been so much interest attaching to it only for the fact that young McKenzie, who was formerly a boy with us on the ship, was lost in one of the boats. 34. Did the whole of this conversation take place after it was known that the ship had been lost? —All that I know of the conversation took place then, when they said they had mentioned it among themselves at the time she was loading. 35. All that you know about the conversation took place after it was known that the ship had taken fire? —That is all 1 know. 36. But they said they had conversed about this matter at the time she was loading?—Yes, at the time she was loading. 37. Do you know her loading-dates?—No, I do not. 38. Your ship was lying alongside when she was loading?—But I was not attached to the ship. 39. But you had been at the ship to and fro?—No; 1 was only down on one occasion during the time I was ill. 40. And when did you hear of this conversation ?-—After the news came that the ship had caught fire. 41. Do you mean to say that you heard no conversation or any talk of any conversation before word came to you that the ship had been burned ?—No, sir, only after we got word that young McKenzie was lost, and speaking of the ship having taken fire, the chief engineer, the boatswain, and 1 were together, and they remarked that seeing the conditions the ship was loading under, it would be a strange thing if the wool did not get heated. 42. This whole conversation arose after they knew the ship was burned? —Yes. 43. Is it not a strange thing that these men should not have mentioned it to you or to one another before the ship went away?—They may have done so —I was not in the ship. 44. We have had the stevedore who loaded that ship, and he has told us on oath that they were in no hurry in regard to the loading or sailing of the vessel, and that they took their time and did not load during wet weather, and yet your men seem to have conversed about the matter and say the wool was taken in under conditions that it should not have been so taken in?—Yes; that is so— all 1 know about it. Had I known I was coming here I should have brought the ship's log-book. 45. Who has got the ship's log-book?—lt is on the ship. 46. Who is in charge?—l am. 47. You could produce that? —Yes. 48. Can you produce it to-morrow morning?—Yes. 49. Are the two men you were speaking of, the boatswain and the chief engineer, still on your ship ?—Yes. 50. And there is nothing to prevent them coming here to-morrow?—No, nothing I know of. 51. Are the rest of the crew that were on board on this occasion still on the ship?—No; they are all scattered. 52. Mr. Foster] Do you remember the dates of your sick-leave?—l came ashore in February, and did not rejoin the ship till she was laid up in May. 53. We have had it in evidence that there was a certain amount of tow on board from the middle of January till March, so that she was loading all that time apparently? —Yes, in February and March. 54. Would the officer in charge of the " Tutanekai " at the time of your absence record every day in his log the state of the weather ?—He should do so. I have not looked at the log since. 55. The Chairman] Who would be responsible for that?—Well, the acting-master would be, but as he was only acting pro tern he might not. 56. The chief engineer and boatswain are still on board the ship?—Yes. 57. Do you know any one else who was present?—No. You will understand that we come into the wharf, another ship comes here and another there, and we do not take notice of them. 58. Did you not take notice of where you were? —Yes, when we were there ourselves —not other ships. 59. Mr. Foster] The " Tutanekai " was in commission while the " Pitcairn Island " was loading?—Yes. 60. The crew would be on board?—Yes. 61. And, of course, you would have their names on board?—Yes. 62'. Would the men on the boat now be able to tell whether the other men are available?—They would be able to tell better than I. 63. The Chairman] Amongst other vessels, such as the " Gothic," we are going to follow this " Pitcairn Island " case straight out, and if we do not get the whole of the evidence tendered to us we are going to call for it?—That is the correct thing to do. 64. Captain Blackburne] Have you any suggestions to make as to the possible origin of fires in wool-ships—any opinion ? —I think the majority of fires take place on wool-ships through wet wool. 1 know myself from my experience of taking wool off the coastal ports we frequently get a bale wet. 65. You do not often bring wool up here?—l sometimes take wool from Bruce Bay. 66. Half a dozen bales at a time? —Yes, and sometimes more. 67. And get it wet in the boat occasionally?—Yes. 68. The Chairman] In the surf-boats? —Yes.