S. FISHER. 1

45

c:—l 4.

18. That was in hard cash and labour, apart from the loss of slock and the loss of your milk cheques /—Yes. 19. Was that land in such a state before the J907 flood that you would not have required to replough it or resow it if the flood had not taken place?- -1 should' nut have had to replotigh il. 20. Mr. Mhtehelson.] 'J here was a good sward of grass on it /—Yes. 21. Tin Chairman.] How old was the sward/ About ten years. 22. Mr. Clover with it?— Yes, clover, cocksfoot, and rye-grass. 23. Mr. Mueller.] Previous to the 1907 flood can you give us an'idea of how many head of stock you could carry on that land /—Before the II I I was milking forty-five cows. 1 had a good number of young stock. 1 had no stock for fattening purposes. 1 had a number of young heifers and calves. 24. You kept stock purely for dairying/—Yes. 25. And after that flood what would the land carry in the way of stock/—lt would carry scarcely anything. I had to go into the bush and chop down bush and willows for my cattle. 20. Can you give us ,-v, idea of what you consider your loss through Ihe falli'lig-ofi of your milk cheque?—To the best of my recollection I got £48 for the December month. The .laniiaiw cheque was very small, and there was nothing after that. The milk cheques should have continued to the middle of June under ordinary circumstances. 27. What would you say that you lost per month/ -When the fl I came 1 was getting £48. 1 think £30 per month for five months on an average. In that season 1 think I lost £150 in shortage ~f milk cheques. 28. And the following season, did this have any effect on your milk cheques / — Yes, the cows milked very poorly the following season. The new grass had a very bad effect on them. 'Ihis is the first season I have recovered since the flood- that the cattle have got back to their proper milking again. 29. That was on account of them not having proper feed during the winter?— Yes, and having all new grass when the summer did come. The new grass had a very bad effect on them. 30. Did you suffer through the loss of pigs? Yes ; 1 had to dispose of a number of pigs at a very small price. , 31. You had to dispose of them because you could not feed them I—Yes, I should have had £50 more for pigs that season if the Hood had not come. 32. Would that loss continue into the next season also, in proportion?— Yes, 1 had not nearly so much milk in the next season. I think in the next season I was eight shares short supply at the factory. We have to supply so much butter-fat, according to the number of shares we hold. 1 think there were eight shares in 11108 thai I did not receive a dividend upon, because 1 had not supplied the necessary butter-fat. In 1900 I had to take up an extra nine shares owing to the additional supply of milk. ■'!.'!. Can you tell us what was the cause of the fl ling of your land, and where the water came from /—1 can tell you where 1 feel certain it came from. Il came from the Waihou River. 34. Why do you say that/—Because I took a canoe close to my back door and went through the bush. I followed Up the flood-waters. 35. The Chairman.] What part of the Waihou did you come out at/—lust above the flax-mill. 36. Mr. Mitchelson.] Was the water running with any strength/—lt was not running very quickly. 37. Mr. Mueller.] It was covering a large extent of country?— Yes, there were miles and miles of water. 38. 'The Chairman.] What distance was that I How long did it take you to get there/—Seven or eight hours. 39. Did you see water coming across over the river-side/ —There was a sea of water. 1 could see the willows on the bank of the river. The water was coining through from that direction. There was a general flow down towards my land. 40. Mr. Mitchelson.] At that time was the water covering the laud towards Piako and Te Aroha/ —Yes. one sheet of water. 41. The Chan man.] Can you see any distance from this lagoon, or is it all bush/—The bush has been worked for mill purposes. I went up as far as ihe south-east side of the lagoon. 42. Mr. Mueller.] From your observations during the time of this flood, can you state where ihe water that came over your laml came from/ Did it come from the Waihou River?—] fully believe it came from the Waihou River. 13. You have some brothers residing at Netherton/—Yes, Joel and Amos Fisher. 44. Have you got a statement from them/ —Yes. 45. You know your brothers' land?— Yes. 40. Do you know whether their estimate of then damage is within the mark!—lt is within the mark. [Exhibit 10.] Their statement is as follows: "We have been residing on the river for seventeen years, and our property never suffered from flood until three years ago last January. At that time we suffered the following loss through the flood: Estimated loss of milk. £450; cost of ploughing ami laying down 250 acres in grass, £500: loss and damage to stock, £150: cost of grazing stock. £60: total. £1,160. The reason of the flooding we consider is the silt choking up the river in the upper reaches about Paeroa and Junction, and causing the Waihou to overflow its banks. The Hood last winter was running over our property for three weeks, and was the cause of great damage. We had to graze our cattle for about two months. — FisiiKlt BROS. May 24, 1910." 47. The Chairman.] What is ihe acreage of that block 01, which the damage has been donI cannot state from memory. 1 think it is about 500 acres. 18. Mr. Mueller.] You know the land, and what they have suffered? —Yes.