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Reporting. On the 13th day of April, 1928, the Chairman, in anticipation of the sitting, wrote a letter to the solicitors of the various local bodies likely to be interested in the inquiry, making a suggestion that certain parts of the evidence they proposed to tender might well be prepared in advance of the actual sitting, and be put in by consent of all parties at the hearing, in the form of typewritten statements, on paper of uniform size. A copy of the Chairman's letter appears as Appendix B to this report, and it transpires that it was sent to each of the counsel who subsequently appeared at the hearing. The Chairman's suggestion was adopted, with the result that a great deal of time was saved at the hearing, for the statements so prepared and submitted are recorded in the form of what we have styled the " Book of Evidence," and it comprises 307 pages. Where the witness, on examination in chief, desired to amplify or explain his typewritten statement, or to add personal testimony of a kind that it was thought should be tendered orally, a shorthand note was taken by the Chairman, and transcribed as the hearing proceeded. In the same way a note was taken of the cross-examination, and similarly transcribed. These transcribed notes, which were at the hearing and are herein referred to as the " Notes of Evidence," comprise 358 pages. Copies of the statements included in the Book of Evidence were handed to counsel, either prior to or at the time the witnesses entered the box, whilst copies of the Notes of Evidence were handed to counsel daily. We are well satisfied that with the tremendous amount of evidence that had to be gone through this system has worked well, and has given a complete and reliable record of the essential parts of the evidence. A copy of the Book of Evidence and a copy of the Notes of Evidence are handed to Your Excellency herewith. Geographical Scope of Inquiry. Our warrant of appointment directs our attention to the Auckland Metropolitan District as the area to be covered by our inquiry, and the schedule defines it as comprising the City of Auckland, thirteen local-body districts therein named, together with such other areas in the vicinity of Auckland as in our opinion should be included in any general consideration of the transport of passengers in the districts aforesaid, or in any substantial portion thereof (but exclusive of localities on the north shore of the Waitemata Harbour). The area covered by our journeys of inspection and the evidence taken at the sittings may be described with sufficient accuracy as being the combined areas of the city and of the local-body districts named, together with such parts of the counties of Waitemata and Manukau as are now served by motor-omnibuses travelling to and from the metropolis. Present Transport Service. We have been directed by Your Excellency to inquire into and report upon — 1. The Present Transport Services of the said District. In this connection " the said district " means the area which we have described under the immediately preceding heading as comprising the geographical scope of our inquiry. The present transport services of the said district are — (1) The State railways, which for our purposes comprise (a) such portion of the Main Trunk line as lies between Auckland and Papakura, (b) such portion of the Northern Railway-line as lies between Auckland and Swanson, and (c) the branch line between Penrose and Onehunga : (2) The electric tramway system owned and operated by the Auckland City Council (a detailed description of this system is set out in Appendix D) : (3) The various omnibus services operated (a) by the Auckland City Council, and (b) by various private owners (a detailed description of these motor-omnibus services is also set out in Appendix D) : (4) Motor-lorry services for the transportation of merchandise.

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