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ask you, supposing a steamer came in for a thousand tons of coal, what is the selling price at the wharf ?—l2s. 6d. a ton at present. 537. Do you say it costs you 10s. to bring it to the wharf? —The Government charge 2s. 6d., but there are otlier expenses. 538. Can you give us any information as to what it costs the company exactly ?—I cannot tell; it is not within my province to bring coals to the wharf. 539. Will you tell us what is the price at Newcastle for coal "free on board" to a merchant vessel going there for cargo? —lis., and ss. 6d. for small. 540. Have you any distinction of that sort ? —Yes; we have unscreened coal and small coal which you may get for 9s. 541. Screened coal?—l4s.; for ordinary steam coal, 12s. 6d. 542. Will you supply any one who chooses to buy at those prices ?—Yes ; I believe so. 543. Do you not know that they have refused to sell at those prices ? —I believe they refuse to sell in places where they have agents at those prices. 544. A vessel, for instance, brought timber down to the Buller, and wanted to return with coal? —I cannot speak of any particular case ; but if they had an agent in any place it would be in the way of business not to give coal from their own agent. 545. You do not know of any case?—l do not know of a case ; but it depends on where the coal is going to. If they have an agent in the place, they will not sell away from their own agent. « 546. Why not? —If you had an p,gent in another town, you would not supply other persons. 547. Mr. Guinness.] I understand that your compeany will not sell coal to any one who wishes to take it to places where they have agents ?—I do not know whether it is so or not, but I think it would be so. 548. Would you have any instructions on the matter?—l have nothing to do with that. 549. Who is it?—-There is an agent who attends to the business. 550. Mr. Fish.] In fact, you would not be asked anything about that?—l know nothing about it. 551. The Chairman.] You say that the chief part of the revenue of the Harbour Board is derived from the railway-freights ?—The greater part of it. 552. Then, if your company was not at work, this large revenue would disappear?—Yes; till some one else started. 553. Now, when this proposed tramway to the Coalbrookdale is completed, what extra coal will it enable you to put out of the day-shift?—About 500 tons —1,500 tons a day altogether—the proposed alterations will enable us to get it. 554. When you get the Coalbrookdale open, will you require more trucks ?—Not for our own mine alone ; the working does not require it; but if there are two mines going, then we shall want more trucks. 555. Have you had any communication with the Government in reference to the anticipated accommodation ?—Yes. 556. Will they be prepared to supply you?—They said they would consider the matter. 557. Mr. Fish.] They said they would keep it steadily in view?—Yes. 558. The Chairman.] Have you had no answer from them?—No; we went to see about it yesterday. 559. You saw the Commissioners ? —We saw Mr. McKerrow ; he said he would lay the matter before the Commissioners. 560. Did he say when he would give you an answer ?—No ; he did not say when he would give us an answer. 561. Mr. O'Conor.] Are you not now proposing to make an alteration in the system of loading, under which you will be able to dispense with a good many trucks, loading at the bottom of the hill instead of at the top ? —That will make only a difference of seven trucks altogether. 562. But you are contemplating such an arrangement ?—Yes. 563. The Chairman.] Are you using iron trucks at Westport, similar to those they use at Newcastle ?—Some of the trucks are made in that way. 564. The Government trucks ?—Yes ; others are made with a loose bottom we cannot lift if the crane system is adopted. We shall have to get new bodies for a hundred and fifty. 565. Mr. Withy.] The swinging trucks save the coal?—lt saves breakage very much; the Westport coal is very tender, and wants careful handling. 566. The Chairman.] Have you had any communication with the Government in reference to getting an increased number of trucks of that description ?—I was speaking about it the other day to Mr. Blair, who is acting as Engineer-in-Chief. 567. Mr. Guinness.] What has he to do with it?—He would have to be consulted. 568. The Chairman.] Do you know under what department the construction of the staiths and the railway would be ?—They are under the Public Works Department; they have all the plans there. 569. If so why should you go to the Railway Commissioners?—For rolling-stock it is different. Mr. Martin Kennedy examined. 570. The Chairman.] MP. Kennedy, the objects of this Committee are to gather as much information as possible as to the state of the coal leases on the West Coast; also as to the condition of the coal trade generally—the condition of the coal industry as a whole—the facilities which are rendered by the State towards the encouragement of the trade. You, having been engaged for many years in the trade, must necessarily have had much experience of it in all its phases: the Committee