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274. The present freight is reduced to 10s.: that is below Is. ?—lt is Is. a bag. 275. And the back-freight for coal?—lt varies. Just now it is about 7s. 276. To what port ?—To Lyttelton. 277. What is it at Dunedin ? —There are no freight quotations at Dunedin to guide one in fixing the price. 278. You say the price in Newcastle is lis. ?—lis. 279. If you sell it for 14s. at Dunedin, then the freight cannot be more than 35.? Then, the labour of loading and discharging the coal: what is that ?—ls. 6d. a ton. 280. Are there any other port charges to be paid coining from Newcastle to Dunedin ?—There are wharf dues. 281. That is 2s. 6d. ?—Yes. 282. There is a small charge for primage? —Yes-. 283. Are these charges all included in the price at 14s. ?—No. « 284. Then, it is not being sold at 14s. ? —l4s. is the wholesale price : the retailer pays all intermediate charges. 285. Is that the wholesale price undelivered?—Delivered over the rail—at the ship's side. 286. The buyer has to pay the wharfage?—Yes; the same as merchants who import ordinary goods. 287. As to return-freights to the West Coast, we have spoken of returned freights from NewZealand to Newcastle : will you tell us what it costs in New Zealand where the Westport coal is delivered?—The rate? 288. Yes, commencing at Invercargill ?—I could not give you all the rates, but they vary from 12s. to 15s. the ton. 289. Where are they at 12s. 6d. ?—I think the rates are pretty general. 290. Perhaps you would say the freight is about the same for all parts ? —Yes ; the freights are much the same for all parts. 291. Is that so with regard to the ports of Napier and Wellington ?—I had in my mind ports at which we loaded bulky stuff—such as Lyttelton, Timaru, and Dunedin. 292. Do you include Napier and Auckland?—No ; there is not much return from these ports. 293. What is the freight from Napier and Auckland ?—Somewhere about the rates named. 294. Is the freight only ] ss. from Auckland to Westport ?—The only freight I think of at the moment is occasional lots of sugar, which is not over 15s. 295. I ask the question because I was under the impression that it was very much higher from Auckland than Dunedin or Invercargill ?—The only cargo from Auckland I have in my mind just now is sugar: it is not higher than that. 296. Do you say there are lower freights from Dunedin and Invercargill than other places ?— Ido not think so. I cannot at this moment speak definitely, but if there is any matter which you think worth eliciting I shall be happy to find it out for you. 297. I was under the impression that freights were very much higher from Auckland?—They are not as regards sugar, I know. 298. Are you acquainted with the freights to Newcastle—from the mines into the Port ?—I could not state definitely. I have understood it is Is. a ton from most of the mines. 299. Does that include finding trucks ? —I have heard not; but I cannot say. You will be able to get that evidence from Mr. Waters; he has been there recently. 300. Mr. Withy.] You spoke of the principal asset in taking over the railway with the Koronui Mine : did you consider that the mine was worked out ?—We did not wish to purchase the mine, but the owner desired to clear out all his property, so it was necessary to take the mine with the steamers. 301. Did you consider it worthless as a mine?—lt was not considered to be worthless, only we did not think it a very desirable property. It turned out afterwards that it required a very large expenditure to enable us to carry it on. 302. Did you understand that the lease of the mine was really surrendered to the Government? —I could not say; I have lost sight of the matter for some time. 303. We were much struck with the evidence given by Mr. Joachim, to the effect that the price iii Wellington was £1 35., and in Lyttelton 18s. 6d., and as low as 14s. at Dunedin?—That is an exception—Dunedin. 304. But Wellington is much nearer as regards the matter of freight ?—I understand that the 18s. 6d. at Lyttelton is a reduced rate to meet the reduced price of Newcastle coal for the time being that is brought in there by vessels seeking other cargo, such as grain; but it is looked on as merely temporary. 305. It is not brought here at present by a competing company ?—lt is brought to Lyttelton by sailing-ships seeking grain or other cargo and loading for England. Wellington is not a grainshipping port, and does not attract sailing-vessels from Australia. 306. Then, the explanation is, however, that there is a competition to meet your sales there ? —Yes. 307. I understood you to say that you paid no light dues at Newcastle ?—We pay at one port. If we pay at Sydney it frees the ship for Newcastle. - 308. It is only light dues to which that applies ?—I will supply you with the total charges there. _ 309. Do you remember what the port charges are at Westport and Greymouth ?—I can supply you with that information. 310. Can you tell me whether at Newcastle they ship into the steamers from overhead—by gravity ? —lt is done by hydraulic cranes; the trucks arc lifted, the same as is done at Greymouth now.