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40. Did he inform you by whose instructions these were put on?—I understood him to say that it was by the orders of Mr. Blaekett. 41. The Chairman^] Did you ascertain from him that the extensions on the map were made subsequent to the document being laid on the table or previous ?—I believe his memory is not quite clear, but he thinks it was done before it was presented to Parliament. 42. Mr. McLean.] Look at this map for yourself, and hold it up between you and the light. Would you consider, as an expert, that that bit had been added after the other ?—I have already answered that. My own opinion was that it had been added on. 43. The Chairman.] Why was the Lithographic Department separated or taken from under your control ? —A good deal or most of the work that is done in the department is in connection with Public Works, and, as many draughtsmen are constantly employed in doing the work in connection with this department, I believe it was thought better to have it under the control of Public Works. It has subsequently been placed under the Survey Department. 44. Who is now the permanent head?— The Surveyor-General. The witness was thanked for his attendance and withdrew. Mr. A. Koch, Draughtsman in Public Works Department, sworn and examined. 45. The Chairman.] What position do you hold, Mr. Koch, in the Public Works Department ?—I am Draughtsman in the Public Works Department, and have principally to do with all maps in that department. 46. Did this map of the North Island, showing the proposed lines of railway, pass under your hand ?—Yes. 47. Would you inform the Committee by whom these red lines were placed upon the map ? —I believe these red lines were put on originally by Mr. Wrigg, the Chief Draughtsman in the department. 48. Did these red lines in any way pass under your supervision ? —Yes ; after they had been put on, Mr. Didsbury sent the map over to have copies printed, and the map was handed over to me to work from, to put on the stone. 49. Are you quite clear that when the map was handed to you by Mr. Didsbury, this red line, showing the railway from Te Aroha to Grahamstown, was on the map ? —Yes; this red line was not originally on the map. There is a piece added on to it. It is a different colour altogether. I saw it when I held it up to the light. This piece from Te Aroha to Grahamstown is an additional piece put on. I told Mr. Wrigg I thought so, and he said, " Yes, I put it on myself sometime ago." My reason why I observed it was it being just the time the sod was turned at the Thames. I said to Mr. WrigK, " The sod is turned upon the red line, because the line shows red through to Grahamstown." Mr. Wrigg said he had put it on afterwards. 50. When did this conversation take place between you and Mr. Wrigg ; was it after the session had closed ?—lt was about the 20th February. This map has been out of the House, and in the hands of the Clerk of the House, and afterwards in Mr. Didsbury's hands, between September and February, and I only put this on the stone in February last, about four or five months ago. 51. Did Mr. Wrigg convey to you any impression of the time when this difference was made ?— He did not tell me any time, but only said it was put on after the original lines were drawn on the map. I said, " I see it is additional," and held it up to the light to show that it was not in the same colours. 52. This map was laid on the table on the 10th September; dd you think it was after that these extensions were put on ? —lt would not be fair for me to state, because I cannot tell. 53. You stated your principal duty is to look after the maps in the office; do the records come into your hands?—No ; I have nothing to do with them. 54. If there was an instruction from the Public Works to put this extension on the map, would these documents cotno under your notice?—lf the job was of any consequence the document would be sent to me, but no trivial alteration. I believe that is the reason I had nothing to do with it, it being a trivial job that any one in the office might put on ; but if it was a job that would occupy a day, or half a day, I should have got it to do. One colour seemed to be lake and the other carmine. That is the difference I noticed. That is the reason my attention was called to it. 55. What is this black dotted line from Hamilton to Te Aroha ? —That indicated originally the line that was passed by the House, and the part tinted by Mr. Wrigg connected the line between the Thames and Te Aroha. This map is on the stone in the Public Works Office. To avoid labour we simply transfer from this to put on another stone, and the differences are put on afterwards. That is drawn from the Public Works Office; it is always the same map over again. 56. What does this black dotted line indicate? Docs it indicate the actual survey from Hamilton to Te Aroha ?—lt indicates the original survey that was made. 57. Did that original survey according to this terminate in the neighbourhood of Te Aroha Mountain ? —-Yes. 58. Is there anything to indicate on this plan that the preliminary survey was extended to Grahamstown ?—The continuation between the Thames Biver is added exactly the same as the roads. There is no indication of a railway between the crossing at the Thames Biver and Te Aroha. 59. When this new map is taken off the stone and the new lines are shown upon it, does it then come under your supervision ? —After it has been examined and checked in order to see that no mistakes have been made in putting it on the stone I have nothing to do with it. 60. Who attends to that ?—Mr. Wrigg and myself generally check the work, and if there is any correction to be made I make it. 61. Then, was it on that occasion that the conversation took place between you and Mr. Wrigg as to that extension ?—No. Mr. Wrigg brought the map from Mr. Didsbury, and told me to put it on the stone. I asked him what lines I should show in the lithography, and he said, " Show big, strong lines, nearly a quarter of an inch thick." I looked down upon the map and, pointing out a piece, said, " That piece is added." He said, " Yes, I added it since."