E.—2a.

breakwater will be a protection to the railway when carried out, and in the meantime the same can be protected at a comparatively moderate cost. Fulbeet Abcher, W. C. Beswick, J. H. Suttek, W. Moody, Wm. Evans, T. W. Hall, Members of Committee. The Board has the honor also to hand you the evidence taken by the committee ; copy of a letter received from the Levels ltoad Board ; and a reply from John Goodall, Esq., C.E., to Mr. Blackett's report. I. have, &c, Fulbert Archer, The Hon, the Minister of Marine, Wellington. Chairman, Timaru Harbour Board.

Enclosure 1 in No. 3. EVIDENCE TAKEN BEFORE THE COMMITTEE OP THE TIMARTJ HARBOUR BOAED APPOINTED TO REPLY TO MR. BLACK ETT'S REPORT. Captain Belfield Woollcombe, E.N. I hate resided in Timaru for the past twenty-three years. In April, 1858, I was instructed by the Provincial Government to survey the harbour. To do so I placed two flag-poles —one on the cliff between the first and second railway viaducts, in Caroline Bay; the other I put up on the eastern end of the northern boundary-line of the Maori reserve, Caroline Bay, where there was a survey-peg. I placed the first flag-pole about 10 feet from the edge of the cliff. About three or four years afterwards however, it was taken away by the encroachments of the sea. On the 24th May, 1869, at the time the ship " Collingwood" was wrecked on the beach, about 200 yards to the north of the Maori reserve, the site of the peg that I had previously placed on the Maori reserve boundary was nearly taken away by the cliff, which had been undermined by the sea, falling. The whole of the site of the peg very shortly after 1869 was completely removed, this peg having been originally placed about four or five feet from the edge of the cliff. Now, however, about 14 feet past the peg has disappeared. On the survey-map, Perry's fence is supposed to be placed 100 feet from high-water mark, but, as I believe that 100 feet still remain between the fence and high-water mark, I do not think that the fence can have been correctly placed on the plan. I perfectly recollect the time when where the viaduct at Whale's Creek now is, was an inlet of the sea, and was only crossable at half-tide. I have seen the sea in bad weather run over the site of the present main road, which was raised when made to keep the sea out; and, having always lived to the northward of this spot, I have had daily opportunities for observing the changes which have taken place. I consider that the viaducts as placed were not safe from the action of the sea. When Mr. Tancred was surveying for the railway 1 understood that the line was to cross the road a little to the south of Whale's Creek, and to run through Mr. Perry's land, returning then to the first cutting north of the viaducts ; and I know at the time that Mr. Henry Le Cren, who was then the owner of Perry's land, was making arrangements to give up what land would be required for the railway. This was in the year 1871. I recollect that there was a general objection to the railway being made on the beach both at Whale's Creek and at the landing-services, and that the line laid oif by the Provincial Government was intended to go through Le Cren's land about three chains inland from the present viaduct, then coming out through a cutting in the main South Jioad, about opposite Evans's store, and going past the present site of the Club Hotel, in George Street. The plans were afterwards altered to as at present carried out, and I believe that it was done by Mr. Carruthers's authority. The beach, at the W Taimataitai Lagoon is about twenty chains from my residence, and I own the land bordering on the lagoon. The beach on the sea side of the lagoon has not decreased or changed perceptibly since the breakwater has been constructed. During the time that I have known it, it has varied from shingle to sand and from sand to shiDgle, according to the weather. At the time of the sitting of the Royal Commission on the Timaru Harbour works, I was examined by the Commissioners respecting Sir John Coode's pLin, which was then under consideration. B. Woollcombe, Betired Commander, E.N.

Captain Henry Cain. I HATE resided in Timaru for upwards of twenty-three years. For years after my arrival in Timaru the then main road ran a quarter of a mile inland, the present road being only a track, and not used. It ran across the mouth of Whale's Creek; and in heavy weather the sea made a clean breach up the creek, depositing kelp some distance above the present road. At the north side of the creek there was a clay bank, extending about two chains to seaward of the present viaduct, on which the whalers formerly had their tripods fixed to try out oil. Since that time and up to the present the sea has been continuously encroaching upon the land, the clay bank having been gradually washing away from my earliest recollection. The site upon which the tripods above referred to stood disappeared many years prior to the erection of the viaduct. I might also state that the telegraph-poles at this spot have been twice shifted inland since the telegraph-line was first constructed, owing to encroachments. lam satisfied that, even if the breakwater had not been constructed, the viaduct at Whale's Creek could not have withstood the action of the sea without protective works ; and I fully indorse the statements made by Mr. Woollcombe as regards the continual encroachments of the sea. 1 would further remark that the railway, from Strathallan Street to the north of Patiti Point, a distance of over a mile, would have had to have been protected had it not been for the accumulation of shingle caused by the breakwater ; also that Mr, Lowe, at a general meeting held at Timaru about two years ago, produced a set of plans for

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