W. H. GAVIN.]

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76. You are the judge of a wet place?— That is so. 77. You are fairly liberal in regard to giving the men six hours' work? —Yes, I am. 78. And when there is anything which is really a wet place you do not hesitate in giving them six hours' work ?—No, I gave it to them. 79. You have not been found fault with by the contractors in regard to that? —No. 80. They have always backed up your action in a matter of that kind ? —Yes. 81. And are there not some men working in the tunnel who have been there quite from the start? —Yes, quite a long time. 82. You have never heard any complaints from them? —No, no serious complaint—no complaint as to the conditions. 83. Mr. Nosworthy.] Will you state whether the tunnel is considered to be a wet tunnel to work in or not ?—Yes, it is. 84:. Wetter than any tunnel you have had anything to do with?— Yes. 85. That must naturally retard the work in the tunnel?— Yes, it does. 86. Mr. Seddon.] In regard to the bonuses, have the men got any bonuses lately?— No. When the last increase was made in the wages the ordinary sixpenny bonuses were stopped. 87. When was the last increase of wages made?— About February or March. 88. And there have been no bonuses since?— Not straight-out bonuses of 6d. per yard. The bonus in the heading was continued. 89. Every fortnight do they get any bonus now?—No, they have not got any for some time. They have not driven over 100 ft. for some time. 90. Is that on account of the hard rock they had struck?—No, I think it is on account of the dry weather not giving them .sufficient air for the drills. We» are dependent on the wet weather to a large extent, and if we get dry weather the machines are worked at a lower pressure. 91. It is not on account of the slackness of the men themselves?—No, I do not think so. 92. In regard to the question of sanitary arrangements, have the other tunnels any better sanitary arrangements? —No, they had no arrangements whatever. There was only one tunnel where arrangements would be necessary. 93. Who decides what is a wet place in the tunnel? —I do. 94. You have never had any trouble with the men in regard to what is a wet place and what is not? —Sometimes we have a little argument. 95. What would you define as a wet place at Otira? —I should have to take you into my confidence. It is a very difficult thing to say. I just go and look at the place, and if I think it is a wet place I declare it so; but T make it a rule that if there is any doubt aboiit it the men get the benefit of the doubt. 96. In some parts of the tunnel the water gushes out like a fountain?— Yes, there have been places like that. 97. That would be a wet place?— Yes, decidedly. 98. And if you decide it is a wet place what happens?— The men are allowed to go out after six hours' work. They work straight on without stopping for meals, and go out two hours before the ordinary time. 99. Mr. Okey.] Do they get the full day's pay for the six hours' work?— Yes, a full day's pay. 100. Hon. Mr. R. McKenzie.~\ Were you connected with Messrs. McLean and Sons before the contract was entered into? —No. 101. Did you give them any assistance in preparing the contract price?—No, I was in America at that time. 102. Do you know the system of sanitary arrangements in mines?— No. 103. Can you tell us the quantity of air put into the tunnel per man per minute? —3,000 cubic feet is the total —that is from the ventilating system alone; but then there are the machines, which double that. 104. How many men would be working in the tunnel when you are putting in 3,000 cubic feet per minute? —About thirty or forty men. 105. If this tunnel was being carried out under the Mining Regulations you would have to put more air in than that? —T do not know. 106. Tn regard to the housing of the men, are the houses lined inside? —Yes. 107. Are they fairly airtight?— Yes, I think so. No man has ever drawn my attention to any hut that was unsatisfactory. 108. Now, how do you define a wet place?— Well, I will tell you exactly. The first thing I did when I went to the tunnel and came across a wet place was to send for the Government Engineer. At that time he acted as referee in the case of any dispute. He came up and looked at a wet place and said, " If it was a little bit drier I would not give it as a wet place, but as it is I will let it go as a wet place " ; and I made a mental note of that to go on as an instance in future. 109. Is it wet underfoot as well as overhead? —Yes. 110. Do the men have to wear oilskin coats?- -They generally do, but I do not insist on it. 111. It may be dry overhead and wet underfoot: do you allow a wet place for that?— No. 112. Only when it is wet overhead? —Yes. 113. Now, coming to the cost of the tunnel, will you give us the actual cost of the works that have been finished exclusive of plant and outside work? —The actual cost of the work that has been done? 114. Yes, excluding the plant, but including building huts, and so forth, such as buildings, workshops, and offices ?—Probably I had better say I cannot give the information as asked for.

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