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188. You did not see it burning? —Some of it was burning on that occasion. 189. No flame? —No. There was in one case where the bale was like a large cinder, and in the centre it was red-hot. 190. Captain Jaggard, in his evidence, said he had seen it burning?—Yes, the bale of wool was simply one large cinder, and red-hot. 191. Mr. Foster] Had the bands come off? —Yes. 192. It was simply a lump of red'char?—Yes, a large clinker. 193. Was that knocked to pieces?—They knocked it to pieces to get it up. 194. Was it a mass of cinder right through when they broke it?-—Yes, when broken it was a mass of cinders or clinkers. 195. It was not like wool? —You would not recognise it as wool unless you were told. 196. It had gone right through? —Yes, you would not trace it as a bale of wool. 197. Do you think that fire may have originated from matches dropped on the bales by lumpers ?—No. 198. Whatever you think caused the mischief, you think it originated in the centre of the bale? —Yes, I am almost certain. 199. When you have taken bales on board have you noticed any dampness?—No. Even if we see the cover a little damp we are not supposed to take it in, and we do not take it in. 200. Do you remember what the weather was like when you were loading in Wellington, or at any other ports?—l cannot distinctly remember. I do not remember it being wet when we were here then. I cannot state for certain. 201. The log-book would give it? —Yes, but I have not got that. 202. Captain Blackburne] Were there any other bales burnt through?—Some of them halfway through. 203. Originating in the centre apparently?—That is hard to say, because we traced the fire back to the centre where it was all a cinder. That was under No. 4 lower hold, about three tiers down, just above the tunnel and in the port after corner. 204. Was it far from the hatchway?—Yes, clear of the hatchway, on the port side in the after wing, and you could see the stanchion had been burned by fire. 205. Was it of wood?—No, of iron. The beam had been buckled, and the 'tween-hatches were burned right out, and that caused the flame. The wooden hatches were burned right clean out. The fire would naturally draw up from the wing, and when one hatch goes they soon all go. 206. Mr. Foster] You did not happen to take the temperature of that hold during the fire?— Yes, we had thermometers down all the time. We could not get right down at the fire, but wo got 104° down one of the ventilators, that was the highest; and when we got the machine going it varied from 72° to 82°. The temperatures were all put in the log-book. 207. Captain Blackburne] Have you any system of taking the temperatures of the holds?— Not unless we think there is any likelihood of anything. We have no pipes for it; but, of course, we can always test, it down the ventilator. 208. How do you keep your ventilators trimmed?—We keep one back to the wind and one to the wind —the after one to the wind —but if there is any likelihood of bad weather, they are turned from the wind, and also in bad weather plugs are put into them. 209. Do you know whether any inquiry was held at Home about that fire?—Oh, yes. 210. Do you know the nature of the inquiry?—No. 211. Were any of the officers called?—No. 212. Do you know if the log-book was produced?—l left the ship, and do not really know anything about the inquiry. I only know that Captain Oakes had an idea that it was the sheepdip, caused from the chemical in the sheep-dip when the wool was pressed. Whether they held to that opinion I do not know. 213. Would you think the inquiry would be likely to be an exhaustive one?—The " Waimate " fire was not much thought about. William Henry Clark sworn and examined. (No. 68.) 214. The Chairman] What is your name?—William Henry Clark. 215. What are you? —I have retired —I had a business. 216. What were you before you retired?—l was a wool-merchant. 217. You had to deal with the shipping of wool? —I bought wool in the colonies and shipped it to London. 218. And you know something of the condition of the wool when you buy it, of course?—l have had about twenty-five years' experience. 219. Could you give the Commission some information as to the condition of the wool, or varying conditions, in which you received it?—Of course, wool is all wet more or less, or damp, and always carries a certain amount of moisture, and it is a question how much it will carry without injury. 220. Without what injury—-to the wool or setting up heat? —Injury to the wool. If it sets up heat the wool deteriorates. Of course, every year in nearly every ship there is a certain amount of wet wool; you have only to look over the London catalogue and you will see the wool marked "CD."—country damaged—which really means packed damp and heated on the voyage. 221. Mr. Foster] Might that not be a case of, for instance, wetting on the way and discoloration? —In " country damaged "it always arises from the centre of the bale. Any external moisture from the outside of the bale will evaporate without doing any damage, or very small; but moisture in the centre of the wool, especially when it is dumped, generates heat. My opinion is that all wool should be skirted —that is to say, all the skirts, bellies, pieces, and locks should be taken out.