D.—4.

G. L. PEAOOCKE.

18a. You do nqt think, then, that the railway need sufier any apprehension on account of water competition of the Wairoa and, aay, of Russell and Whangarei and Mangapai and Karamea? —For several classes of goods I do not think that wafer traffic will compete with the railway, because of the injury and depreciation in value of stock and many kinds of goods which have to arrive in the market in a fresh state, especially fruit and anything of that kind, and fat stock. Ft, goes down by punts and all sorts of things, and is very much knocked about. 19. Mr. Stuffworthy.'] Presuming that the water transit might come into competition, is it not a fact with almost every port they must come t'i the railway either first or last in order to get to the port? For instance, if the people at Kaikohe want to <xo to Russell they must use the railway to got there, and similarly the people north of Whangarei and the people of the Wairoa when they get to Helensville? —Certainly. A uvea* deal of the goods shipped from the water ports will be carried there probably by the railways for a considerable distance in many cases. 20. Take f rom *Tangiteroria righi through to McCarroll's Gap, on the north and on the south, and from the Wairoa River and Waikiekie: all between that area there is a very large extent of country which would not be served by the railway or by the water if the line did not go to the west?— Yes, there is. There would be a considerable amount of country there that would not be so well served by the eastern route. Of course, there are no roads on that side, apparently, either. At the same time, I think there is distinctly a larger population on the proposed eastern route than on the western. 21. You state that there is a very large proporton of undeveloped country between the points I have named? —Yes, a very large proportion of good country. Personally, I am inclined to think, if the engineering difficulties are not too great, it would be advisable to go upon the western side of the Tangihuas. That is my own personal opinion. 22. Have you suflicient knowledge to say that within that area there are practically no gumfields and no Native lands? —I did not see any Native land in that ride we took. All the lands were either private or Government lands. There was not any of the kind of land known as gum lands. 23. Mr. Becroft.] Personally, you would recommend railway-construction for the development of the poorer country inasmuch as it would give cheaper freights for manures: would you, as a business proposition, in choosing the route of a railway, build up the poorer country by railwayconstruction, or would you prefer going through the good country?—l do not think the proper line of railway should be pulled about for the sake of supporting settlers on poor land or settlers upon rich land. I think it should go through the district most likely to give the most profitable return to the railway, and which is most suitable for geographical reasons and for settlement purposes in the future. 24. If the land was undeveloped and not settled, but of good quality, would you think it would be more suitable for a main line of railway? —Yes; I think that should be the general policy. 25. The development of the poor country should not come into the question?— Not until the good country is settled. 26. Mr. Steadman.] At what distance from the line do you think the line affects the land or the land affects the line? —As regards cattle, no doubt they will be driven twenty to twenty-five miles to the railway. 27. And goods? —I suppose it affects goods for eight or ten miles. 28. You say your league approved of the junction with Kaikohe as giving the settlers access'/ -Yes. 29. I suppose your league is aware that nearly all the land around Kaikohe is held by the Natives in large blocks? —Yes, but it was to give the Hokianga settlers a chance to get nearer Auckland. 30. Pursuing that argument, do you not think the line should be pushed on rapidly from Kaikohe towards Kaitaia? —Certainly. 31. You referred to the question of railways for defence purposes: do you not think that Doubtless Bay should be connected with Auckland by constructing sixty miles of railway?—l suppose you mean connecting Doubtless Bay with the Main Trunk when it gets to McCarroll's Gap. 32. "Would you be surprised to know that General Godley is very favourable to the idea of getting this connection as soon as possible? — I think it would be very natural. For defence purposes it seems to me that is one of the first features to be looked to. 33. You mentioned Opouteke and Mangakahia: do you know what area, if any, of Crown lands remains to be taken up there? —No. 34. Would you be surprised to hear that the whole of the land that can be opened up there by the Government has been taken up by settlers without waiting for a railway or anything else? — That shows the land is good. 35. If all the first-class land in" the Mangakahia and Opouteke ie taken up, where is there a large area of land to be taken up?—l said it was there for the railway to go through. I did not say it was to be taken up. 36. I think you said the policy of your league was that the engineers should be left to survey the best route. If you found that a line had been set out by the engineers, and that then an agitation was started to change that line, and on inquiry you found that the proposed deviation was to go through very large blocks of land held by private people, and that these private people were behind the agitation and were getting people to come forward and give evidence, what would you deduce from that? —I would deduce that they had a strong reason for wishing for the deviation. 37. A strong personal interest? —Decidedly; still, it might be the best way after all. 38. Do you not think that water carriage affects this question at all?— Yes.

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