18

1.-sb.

J. FOWLER.

6. Is your land mostly flooded there? —They are all flooded round by Carmichael's —Mr. Murray's, Mr. Anderson's, and my own, and also part of Thompson's and D. T. Shand's. Then there is Renton's and Brown's land —they are the parties who are most affected. 7. Would the purple line on the plan cover the part that is most flooded?— The water overflows the banks all the way down. I should say there would be a good range round there, because the water goes from hillside to hillside in a big flood. 8. Where does that stand in relation to Mosgiel? —[Pointed out on plan.] 9. How far is it from there to the upper end of the plain, where we have representatives from? —About two miles further than Mosgiel. 10. And is it flooded two miles further up?— No. 11. Does the land rise all this way?—lt rises all the way down from the lagoon. Right up to where it drops may be 9 ft. to the mile, and in some places 20 ft. to the mile. 12. The people who are with you to-day have their property on the banks of the river, have they not?— Yes. All the people along the river-bank are flooded. 13. The people who were asking that the Board should exist—what part do they represent?— Well, Mr. D. T. Shand, Mr. Renton, Mr. Douglas, and Mr. Charters are here to-day. 14. They are all here to-day opposing this petition?— Yes. 15. Do they stand in a different position from you as regards the floods? —They are not quite so much flooded as we are, because up above the lagoon the land slopes gradually up, and then from the river-bank it goes into the lagoon, and through the lagoon is the lowest part. 16. The Chairman.] The part marked "swamp" on the plan—is that what you call the lowest ground ?—Yes. I do not think the purple- mark you have round there is correct —it should be larger and take in a wider area. It is probably all swamp up above the lagoon—peaty swamp. 17. How far does it extend up?—A good way up. 18. Would it extend to the boundary-mark? —Yes, I think it would. 19. Is there an embankment from the North Taieri end downwards?—l think there is. 20. What is it that does damage down there? —The river flooding. There is such a great volume of water coming down that it overflows. 21. And does the Silverstream not overflow sometimes? —Oh! certainly it does, but there is not the water in the Silverstream in comparison to the river. 22. You have also got land in the North Taieri? —Yes. 23. Mr. Reid.] Is it liable to flood? —No; I should prefer if it was flooded a little more—it is far too dry. We want irrigation at that end. 24. You bought your land at a high value?— Yes. 25. What price did you pay?—£32 10s. an acre for the dry ground that wants irrigation. 26. You have had experience of floods? —I have had too much experience of floods. I have been living there for forty-eight or fifty years, and I have known all the floods that have come down the river in that time. I bought this place because I wanted a dry place. 27. What do you think could be done for you so far as the Board is concerned? —I do not think anything could be done, because there is too big a volume of water coming down to be dealt with by any Board. With such a large volume of water coming down, one of the banks would have to go, and I think it would be impossible to confine the water within two banks. 28. Are you in the drainage district? —Yes, with both properties. 29. In what class? —Class " A " on the river side and class " C " on the North Taieri side. 30. What remedy do you suggest for the troubles you have?—To be cut out of the district altogether. We should prefer that to still being rated and still being flooded. 31. Mr. Witty.] You, like the rest, think you are receiving no benefit from the new Board, is that so?— Yes, I am receiving no benefit whatever, and not likely to receive any. 32. And you are paying rates for it?— Yes, I am paying rates for it. 33. Gross-examined by Mr. MacGregor.] You know what is called " the cut " from the lagoon into the river?— Yes. 34. If that were allowed to be closed up, would it affect you?— Yes. 35. Detrimentally?— Yes. 36. Very seriously?— Yes, it would. 37. That is, the waters of the Silverstream would damage you?— You can call it the water from the river too. 38. Both would affect you? —Yes, when the river floods. 39. That is, if the cut were allowed to be closed? —Yes. 40. Would it benefit you if a sluice-gate were put on that cut?—lt might benefit us if they got it to stand. 41. Assuming that it could be put on, would it benefit you ?—Yes. 42. With regard to the North Taieri property, how long have you had it?— About seven years only. 43. Do you know what the natural condition of the country was over thirty years ago? Yes. 44. How far back does your memory go?— Since ever I went there. 45. That was when you were a boy?— Yes. 46. What was the natural condition as far back as you can remember?—l do not suppose there were any channels cut through there, and the water flowed over the ground. 47. Converted it into a swamp.?— There was no swamp ground in it. 48. Had the water any channel?—lt had partly a channel in some places and partly not, . 49. It is now what is the Silverstream?—No. 50.. Do you remember the time prior to the cutting—the state of affairs?— No. 51. You do not remember the state of your land prior to making the cut that is now the tMlverstream ?—I had nothing whatever to do with it.