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166. Are you allowed, as long as you put out a quantity equal to that which the two should yield, to pay royalty on that?—We are paying royalty on that. 167. Then, the rent is commuted to this 6d. a ton royalty ?—No ; a positive rent is fixed : that has to be paid in advance. If during the year you put out coal to that extent—to the extent of the amount you pay—that is your rent. 168. As far as the rent you pay for the Granity Creek field is concerned, no part of that is remitted to you for the output elsewhere ?—No; we have to lose that. 169. Mr. Fish.] When do you expect that you will be able to use Granity Creek ?—W 7e cannot work it until the Government develop the harbour-works ; we have ample for all our trade from the present mine. 170. Are they going on quickly with the work?—lt appears to me that there should be more staiths and wharves. I think they are going on slowly. 171. Have you made any representation to Government that they should goon more speedily ? —We waited on the Premier when he was at Westport. 172. What did you get ?—We got several promises. 173. If the Government proceeded more rapidly with the work, the colony would be benefited by the greater output of minerals ? —Decidedly. 174. Mr. Guinness.] You know there are Government officials in charge—that there is an Engineer to the Board as Chairman of the Board, who passes what he pleases. Do you consider that system is satisfactory ?—I am not able to say. 175. You gave us the depth of water at Westport: have you got it for Greymouth?—l cannot say what it is, but I understand it is very good. 176. If a ship came in there, what would she be able to carry? —A ship of I,2ootons sailed in there lately, but I am told she only drew 9ft. ; whether she could get out with 1,200 tons I could not say. 177. Mr. O'Conor.] With regard to charges for working coals, working out and in, selling at stated prices, and charging for depreciation by wear-and-tear, could you not get at the freights showing the net cost of the coal?—I think the Committee is hardly entitled to know what freights we pay; it has not been worked long enough to establish a rule ; when we started our plant was all new, and we have had hardly time to account for depreciation. 178. Mr. Guinness.] Perhaps you might tell us what you pay for winning the coal?—The contract price is 2s. lOd. all round. 179. All round for large and small ?—Yes, for large and small. 180. The Chairman.] Have the rates of wages varied very much at Greymouth and Westport? —No ; they are still very high. 181. What wages do you pay now ? —There are different rates of wages. 182. For miners ?—No ; the miners are all engaged in cutting coal. 183. Does the high rate of wages interfere at all with the output?—Yes. 184. If your company ceased working, would the Westport railway have anything to carry ?— The whole of the revenue of the railway and the greater part of the revenue of the harbour depend on the company carrying on. 185. Does the same remark apply to Greymouth?-—Yes ; it would be the same there, I think. 186. Are we to understand that your company supply all the coal that is shipped at Greymouth and Westport ? —Yes ;so far as I know. Ido not know of any other mines at work, although other mines are in preparation. 187. What would be a reasonable rate for haulage ? —The average rate at Newcastle does not exceed Is. 4d. for a much longer distance ; it certainly should not be more than Is. 188. Are the works pushed on as energetically as formerly?—That I cannot say. 189. I should say your engineeer would be able to give us some good evidence on that point ?— Yes. 190. Expert evidence?—Yes. I am simply the business manager. I hope you will make allowance for my not having the documentary information you require. Had I known I was to be examined here I would have endeavoured to procure them. The Chairman : Hearing that you were passing through Wellington, we took advantage of your being here to ask you to give evidence. 191. Mr. Guinness.] How is it that you were able to sell for 14s. a ton at Dunedin, while at places much closer to the mine people have to pay much more ?—lt is a question of not being able to return a trade. 192. It is a question of competition, is it?—Yes. 193. Has that been brought about by some of your own shareholders?—No. 194. Is it not in consequence of the Union Company bringing Newcastle coal into the country? —No ; it is the outside vessels that do so. 195. Mr. O'Conor.] I think you are not in a position to speak to that, seeing you are not able to give the Committee information upon the important matters that I asked you about ? —As to depreciation, I could not give it; we have to work over a series of years to determine what it would be. 196. But every year you make out a balance-sheet, do you not, and you write off a sum for depreciation. _. The Chairman : And these amounts would be ingredients in your calculation ? 197. Mr. O'Conor.] That would be so ?—I could not tell you the rate of freights now, for they vary from day to day. 198. Mr. Guinness.] Is that in consequence of that undue competition from Newcastle?—Yes. 199. The Chairman.] But this information can be given?—Yes; it can be given; but I would have to consult my directors.