H.—29.

93

Frederick Dunning sworn and examined. (No. 46.) 94. The Chairman] What are you?—l have been for three years and eight months in the employ of the Wellington Harbour Board. 95. You have had a good deal to do with wool? —Yes. 96. We understand you wish to contradict some evidence which was given by some witnesses as to the conditions under which the " Pitcairn Island " was loaded. You take exception to that evidence?—Yes. 97. You were engaged at the loading of the vessel? —Yes. 98. You have heard Mr. Mumford's evidence? —Yes. 99. And do you corroborate it in every particular?—Yes. I only send the wool out from the shed. He receives it at the ship's side. I send the wool out of the shed. He would be better able to see it when it reached the ship's side. 100. Mr. Foster] When wool is brought back to the shed would it come under your notice?— It might and it might not. If the weather looked bad they would say, " Knock off." As soon as it is entered out in my book I have finished with it. 101. The Chairman] If they send it in again they have to look to the getting of it out again themselves ?—Yes. 102. Mr. Foster] When once it is on the trucks you are finished with it?—Yes, I get the signature for it after the day's work. 103. What steps do you take to examine any wool brought back into the shed? —We have a look at the woolpacks. 104. Is that a rule or may it be done or not done? —It is a rule. 105. And would be strictly carried out?—Yes. 106. And in the event of there being excessive damp on the bales, would you take steps to have it sun-dried or anything like that?—Yes, it would be put out in the sun. 107. The Chairman] In the event of the bales coming back into the shed after having been sent out to the ship, would you inspect them when they come back? —Yes. 108. Mr. Foster] So y 7 ou are satisfied that if there should be any serious dampness on the bales coming back from the ship it would not be likely to escape the Harbour Board's officials, and it would not be again sent for shipment in a damp state ?—The Harbour Board's representative is there always. George Herbert Scales, previously sworn, was recalled and further examined. (No. 47.) 109. The Chairman] You have read the evidence given with reference to the weather-condi-tions and the loading of the " Pitcairn Island," and you have something to say with reference to that evidence? —Yes, I have read the evidence. I was not aboard the vessel during the forenoon, but I know the stevedore came up to my office at about 10 o'clock and told me they had knocked off on account of the weather. He thought they would be able to start again in the afternoon, and at 1 o'clock, I believe, they did. I went down to the ship on the last day at about twenty minutes to 9 o'clock, and stayed on board until they had completed. 1 was with the captain, and I can say that he was a very particular man. lie had been in a very serious wreck, and had spent three weeks in an open boat, and I know that for that reason he was particularly careful about everything. What little rain there was in the forenoon was not sufficient to stop the loading under any circumstances. 110. Captain Blackburne] That was on the 14th February?—Yes, and that was about the only day that we had any rain on which loading continued. There was a wet day T , but Ido not think we did any work that day. 111. And you were down the following day?—Yes; I saw the last bale go into the hold. I remember it was a tight squeeze to get the last bale in, and they were trying to force it into the hatch. 112. 1 have an extract from the Harbourmaster's log which says it was raining throughout the day. The " Pitcairn Island " was loading the second time between the 27th February and the 19th March, and went out into the stream at 8 o'clock in the morning?—On the morning of the 15th it was. 113. The 9th and the 15th were wet days?—l do not think she was loading on the 9th. 114. Mr. Ferguson said, from the 13th to the 24th?—She was finished on the 14th. There is no possible doubt about that. lam quite confident that there was practically no rain on the afternoon of that day. She did not load on the 9th. I have my shipping clerk, who was down at the hatches all the time. 115. Mr. Foster] You had a glance at the evidence just now. Is there any special point to which you take exception ? First of all it is stated that a shower came on, and they trundled a number of bales along the wharf to the ship's side. The witness could not say how many bales were left on the wharf. He said there were pools of water on the wharf, into which the bales were dumped down. A shower came on, and they rolled the bales back into the shed through the wet?— I do not know of any bales being rolled back. It is customary to take as much into the ship as possible, and if a shower comes on which promises to be sufficient to cause any damp, to take the bales back into the shed. 116. Do you deny the statement?—Practically yes, because I do not recollect seeing wool rolled along the wharf. 117. Did you notice if there were any pools of water on the wharf. Where the wharf became worn there might be depressions in which the water would collect?—l was on the ship, but do not know of any pools of water. 118. Do you know if the wool was dumped off the trucks on to the wharf hastily?—l do not recollect.