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213. Assuming you get power to proceed with the extension, will it entail any further charges for professional assistance ?—Certainly not. The work is in full swing now. The staff w re have now will be sufficient then. 214. Will you tell the Committee how the extension, if granted, will benefit the objectors to the work in the north part of Cook County ?—There is no reason why it should not benefit them if they chose to ship their stock from our port. 215. What access have they from their place to Gisborne ? —Overland. 216. That is the only benefit they could get ? —Shipping their wool and grain. 217. Largo vessels could not go alongside the jetty? —Large vessels would be able to lie there. 218. No vessel could lie there of the size of a Home wool-ship ?—Oh, yes ! 219. How much will those vessels draw ?—The vessels would be of about four hundred tons. 220. Mr. Allen.] But ships of that size do not take wool home to England ?—They always take it from our port —the " Lochnagar " for instance. 221. The Chairman.] What do these ships usually draw?—l cannot tell you what their draught is. We hope that when that £105,000 is expended our next wool-ship will be able to come alongside and load and discharge. 222. If this be so, the objectors in the north part of Cook County w 7ould benefit to that extent? .—I think so. 223. Mr. Allen.] Have they roads from the north part of Cook County to Gisborne?—They have not made the roads; they have rough tracks along which they drive their stock. ' 224. The Chairman.] To what extent would the extension of this jetty benefit the people of Gisborne ? —lt would considerably benefit them. At the present time they are paying 6s. per ton for lighterage, which would be saved. 225. What is the amount of tonnage of goods landed at the Fort of Gisborne ?—I could not say from memory. 226. Approximately, the tonnage of goods landed at the Fort of Gisborne is 16,000 tons ?—I could not say that; I believe it is much more. A large portion of the goods has a special tariff. 227. What extra revenue do you expect the Board will derive from vessels going alongside the pier when extended? —I reckon it will be about £2,000. 228. How do you arrive at this ?—We will have charges which we cannot at present levy— charges for berthage, tonnage-dues, supplying water to vessels. 229. How much per ton can you charge for port charges ?—By the Act of 1886 you can charge 6d. per ton half-yearly for sailing-vessels, and 4d. per ton for steamers. We have four steamers of the Union Company which regularly call at the port. 230. What amount of tonnage do you think would come alongside the pier during the year ? —I cannot say. 231. You estimate an increase in revenue of £2,000. The Committee wish to know how you arrive at that ? —There is the change in the tonnage-rates, w 7hich wo hope will bring in £500 a year. Then there are borthage-rates, and increased wharfage-dues. Mr. Boss : You cannot increase your wharfage-dues. The Chairman : I would suggest that you give us that information to-morrow. We will postpone the question till to-morrow. 232. The Chairman.] We next want information as to the securities for the sinking-fund investments? —They are invested in freehold securities : £10,000 is lent to the Borough Council at 6 per cent, on a bond and security of a sixpenny rate over the whole of the borough; £50, at 10 per cent., to Mr. ■ on security of suburban allotments valued at £150; £8,000, at 6 per cent., to Mr. on security of 1,470 acres of freehold land in Whataupako Block valued at £14,000 ; £900, at 8 per cent., to Mr. on the security of 208 acres and 32 perches of land, 13 acres of which are in Whataupako Block and balance in Kaita Block, valued at £1,227 ; £350, at 8 per cent., on security of Town Section 112, with buildings thereon, valued at £500; £3,700, at 7 per cent., on security of Town Section 51, containing 1 rood, with buildings thereon, valued at £5,000; £300, at 9 per cent., on security of town section, containing 1 rood, with buildings thereon, valued at £500; £3,300, at 6 per cent., on security of Sections 57, 58, 22, 23, Whataupako Block, containing 34 acres 3 roods 7 perches, 1 rood 24 perches, 61 acres, 49 acres 1 rood 3 perches (Matawhero Block), and 15 acres (Waikanae Beserve), valued at £7,490; £475, at 8 per cent., on security of Tow 7n Section 207, with buildings thereon, valued at £800; £215, at 8 per cent., on security of Section 96, Whataupako Block, valued at £300 ; £300, at 8 per cent., on security of Town Section 173, valued at £500; £200, at 8 per cent., on security of 2 acres of suburban allotments, valued at £350 ; £1,000, at 6* per cent., on security of Sections 99 and 77, Patutahi, valued at £2,994 ; £320, at 8 per cent., on security of town sections, containing 1 rood and 33 perches, valued at £500; £350, at 8 per cent., on security of Town Allotments Nos. 104 and 105, containing 8 acres 3 roods 4 perches, valued at £630. 233. The Chairman.] What is the total of the amounts lent? —£29,000. 234. What is the total revenue arising from these investments?—The interest on the whole averages £6 Bs. lOd.

Fbiday, 20th July, 1888. Mr. J. Thomson further examined. Mr. J. Thomson, engineer, attended the Committee and handed in the following statement: One most important point in connection with the expenditure on the harbour-works is, that out of the expenditure, which may be taken at £59,000, we have in stock, at a low estimate, material worth at least £5,000 —say, concrete blocks, £4,500 ; coals, timber, &c, £500 : also cement, either landed or in transit, £3,300, which is not paid for yet. So that if the works were stopped at present