F. MANDER. :

D.—4.

90. Then you made mention of the importation of goods into the Kaipara Harbour?— Yes. 91. Do you not consider that the importation of goods brought about by the timber industry is likely in the near future to decline very much, whereas the railway will be there for all time? —I am informed that there are a couple of steamers being constructed now to run in that trade, and if that is true they will come into competition with the railway. I believe they can deliver stuff from the south by steamer cheaper than they can deliver it from Auckland by rail. 92. Then, you object to the railway crossing tidal waters? —I do. 93. Are you aware that tidal waters aci as greal feeders to the railway up and down?— Sometimes they do. 94. Do you not think it is advisable for a railway to tap tidal waters which will help the settlers to get their produce to the stations?— Yes, but it will tap the Kaipara waters four times before you get to this point. 95. It operates both ways—on the traffic going down the river as well as up?— Not very much at Kirikopuni. 96. We have it in evidence that they will not use ii very much south of Dargaville, but 1 am assuming that north of Kirikopuni they will use the railway.'—Yes, north of that point they will. They will use the railway there, no matter which route it went. 97. Mr. Steadman.] Do you know the land between the Wairoa River and the west coast? —Yes. 98. What kind of land is that? — The majority is some of the poorest north of Auckland. There are good patches along the river-bank, but when you get off them there is very poor country right down to the heads —that is, below Dargaville. Above Dargaville it is better ; there is some very good country there. 99. Can you say where trade is gravitating to on the Wairoa River —whether to the east or to the west of the river. Do you know whether the settlements on the east or the west of the river are increasing?—l do not think the townships on the east of the river are improving at all. On the western side of the river I think the townships will continue for some time, on account, of the milling industry. 100. Would you say Aratapu and Te Kopuru are improving? —No, they are going back, because the timber is getting scarce. There is no room for more than one permanent town on that river. 101. Where will that be? —I think Dargaville will be the town in the future. 102. Or where the railway crosses the river? —No doubt there will be an attempt to form a township at that point, but 1 think the principal town on the Wairoa River will be Dargaville. 103. Do you know the country in the Lower Mangakahia? —Yes. 104. What kind of country is that? —It is very good country. Some of it is broken. 103. How would that be served by the western route?—lt would not serve it very well, except for stock. 106. It would cut that country off from the Main Trunk altogether?— Largely so. 107. How many miles is it from the port to Moengawahine and Puroa? —About sixteen or eighteen miles. 108. And the lower Mangakahia? —About twenty-two to twenty-four miles. 109. The Chairman.] You suggest that the Main Trunk line should go by the eastern route, and that the connection with Dargaville-Kaihu Railway should be made as direct as possible from McCarroll's Gap?— Yes. 110. Supposing that the line went by the western route, where would you advocate a connection being made with Whangarei ?—lt will bo a difficult and very expensive matter if you go to the west of the mountains, because you have difficult and ugly country to get through. 111. Supposing the line went by the western route, would you advocate a connection with Whangarei by Mareretu? —That would be a very expensive connection. 112. Would you recommend it, or do you think it is too expensive to recommend?—l have no opinion to offer. 113. What would you recommend, supposing the line went by the west?— The best possible connection that can be got with Whangarei. 114. Where would that be?—l do not know. It would take an engineer to pick that out. 115. You said that the four northern counties will carry the largest population eventually? —Yes. 116. Do you base that statement on the class of land up there?— Yes. 117. Have you been through there? —Yes. 118. Where does the best land lie?— You have got a splendid area of good country right through from the other side of Kohukohu. You have a large area of splendid country around Kaikohe, and then a large area of country on -the other side of Kaikohe and Kohukohu right through'to the Victoria Valley and Kaitaia. 119. This class of land is going to carry the population?— Yes. Then, there is a lot of beautiful-lying country to the east of Waimate. It is considered poor, but you can get the plough into it, and it will make good country. 120. How much of this western land do you know? You say you have not been to Kirikopj Un i I have been up and down the river several times. 121. Have you been north of the river on the western route to Parakao?—No, I have not been up the Kirikopuni Valley. 122. Have you been south of the Tangihuas? Have you seen the country from Kirikopuni south to Waikiekie?—No, that is a very short space

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