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203. Has there been any dissatisfaction in regard to the manner the property of the Trust has been disposed of? —Tes; it is generally considered that the terms have not been carried out so advantageously as they might have been. 204. Have you any idea of the value of property' in that locality ?—Tes. 205. What is the value of a quarter-acre section in the Avenue, in the vicinity of Ingestre Street upwards ? —£ls to £20 a year. 206. What would be the selling price?—£lso a quarter-acre. 207. Where the school is ?—£2oo or £250 ; perhaps more. 208. Mr. Peat sajs in his evidence that the section immediately opposite is worth £450 an acre. Is that too high a value?— Two half-acre sections were sold there at £1,300. 209. Are you sure of that ? —Tes. 210. Then Mr. Peat's estimate is not too high?—No, not for that land in the immediate neighbourhood. 211. Hit LordshipT] Is that land in the Avenue r —Tes. 212. The Chairman.] Are you aware if any of the leases have been sold immediately after they were granted ?—Tes, I am. 213. Do you think that, if a local Board were constituted, the school would be better managed than at present ? —Tes. 214. In what way? —I think they would apply the land to better purposes. We have been cutting up our Hospital Eeserve, and wo had no difficulty in leasing them. 215. Are they let at a higher price than the education property ? —Much higher. 216. Do you consider the Hospital Eeserve has given better results ? —Tes. 217. His Lordship.] How many years were they lying without being used? —I cannot say. While the Provincial Government had the maintenance of it, the section was in their hands, and we could not get a title; consequently we had some difficulty in leasing them. 218. Mr. Hislop.] How long were they in the hands of the borough ?—Up to five or six years ago. 219. Tou have turned all your land to account ? —Tes. 220. Has there been any dissatisfaction ? —No. 221. Do you think if this industrial property had been locally managed it would have been better ? —Tes. 222. Are you aware that all the leases during the last two years have been disposed of by public auction ? —I am not aware of it. 223. Any of the leases been let by private agreement ?—I have had no public notice of it. 224. Has that ever been remarked upon ?—I have heard so. 225. Has it been remarked that some persons have obtained a greater advantage than others ? —I have heard so. 226. If a public Board were properly constituted, do you think the school would give greater satisfaction ?—Tes. There would be more children, and it would be put more within the reach of the general public. 227. Have there been any complaints as to the system adopted by the school ? —lt has been remarked that it was a school more for the education of the higher class than any other. The fees are so high it is only intended for them. 228. Have you any suggestions to make in regard to the management of the school? —I have nothing, beyond I should like it to be under a local committee for management. It would be much better then, I believe. 229. What is the local feeling about the efficiency of the school ? —I cannot say much about the teachers. They may be qualified men or not. 230. Mr. Montgomery.] From your own knowledge, are you aware that these leases were let below their value ? —I think a local committee would have made much more money out of it. 231. Then, the section sold at £1,300 —was it better situated for trade purposes than these? —I think not. No better, certainly. 232. Have the Hospital Eeserves been leased lately ? —Part within the last two years. 233. Is it a school more for higher people than poor ones ?—Tes, I think so. At the same time I do not mean to say they would refuse the children of poor people. 234. Tou cannot say that they exclude the children of the poorer classes ? —I do not think they would. 235. The attendance is high-class generally ? —Tes. 236. Is there any difference in the fees ? —They vary according to age. 237. Mr. Bain.] Do you say that fresh arrangements were entered into when the leases fell in ?— I said they had been released. 238. They were taken up by parties to let them ? —I believe so. 239. His Lordship.] Are you sure you are quite correct as to that ?—Tes. 240. Was lienson's lease continued? —I cannot say. 241. Was not his cut up and let by auction ?—I am not aware of any public auction having taken place in connection with the estate. 242. Mr. Bain.] Are you aware of any technical education being given at the school?— Not that I know of. 243. How long have you lived there ? —Twenty-three years. 241. Never during that time has there been technical education, you say?— Never that I know of. 245. Never any model farms or anything else ?—No. 246. His Lordship.] Was there not an-industrial school in 1853 to 1857?— I believe it was free at that time, and a few Natives attended it. 247. Mr. Bain.] What was taught then?—l could not say. The Eev. Mr. Nichol taught in those days. It was after that, when Mr. Godwin taught, that I became acquainted with the school,