I.—6a.

regular one. When we get hold of a spare engine we do not take the same pride in it as we do with our own engine ;as long we can take our turn out of her we do not trouble any more. In this case, of my being late, I should have gone and reported the full particulars of this engine. This I did not do, and where I blame myself was for having lost a day's pay. 256. With respect to the hours you worked, can you tell us what overtime, on an average, you made, say, during the past twelve months ?—I could not tell you the time, because I have no record of it. 257. Did not you draw the money?— Yes. 258. Do you mean to say you do not know the number of hours ?—No. 259. Could not you give me a rough idea ? You have no idea what moneys you have received for overtime ?—I have not kept any record of it. 260. You said you could not tell us what rate of pay you were receiving for overtime ?— Twelve shillings per day. 261. I am speaking of the overtime?— Time and a quarter was paid as overtime. 262. Are you positive of that ?—I am not positive, but I never took much notice. It was always up to the mark according to my time. 263. How did you tell it was up to the mark if you did not know what time you worked ? —I cannot answer that. 264. You said you were not sure whether you received time and a quarter or not. Are you sure whether you received time and a quarter or only ordinary time for overtime ?—Time and a quarter. 265. You cannot give us any accounts of the overtime you have made during the past twelve months? —No. 266. Can you give us any idea for the month previous to your suspension ?—Somewhere between £15 and £16. 267. £15 or £16 for the month altogether?— Yes, but I could not say positively. 268. Well, do you think that would be a fair average for the twelve months, taking it all through?—No; every month varies. 269. Well, you could not say what you think would be a fair average ?—No ; it may be less one month and more the next, and so on. 270. Would not that make it a fair average ? —I could not say. 271. With respect to your position: you say you are £160 out of pocket ?—Yes; I am more than that. There is a lot that I have not accounted for on paper, and I am without receipts. 272. You say you have only paid yourself £10 to the lawyers ? —£lo to the lawyers, and £13 or £14 to the Transfer. I was about three months up to the Supreme Court before I got any money from the chaps, and during this time I had to keep my family. I have got ten of a family, eight of whom are at home. 273. Then, if this £160 were paid to you, do not you think it should go to the people who subscribed it, and not into your pockets?— But, if a man chooses to give me a bag of " spuds " to plant in my garden, has that anything to do with my claim, loss of time, expenses, and my future and reputation, and my future work? Am I obliged to go and compete with men on the road? I am out of touch with these men's work. 274. Have you thought of those people who have been crippled and injured ? —Yes, and I am very sorry for the poor people that have suffered. 275. You think you ought to get this money, and that it should not be refunded to those who gave it to you?— Well, it looks very hard to turn me out after my length of service without giving me something. 276. You said you had been working some thirteen hours' overtime ; how do you make it up ? —We book on at 6.50 in the morning, and at night it is generally 8 o'clock or five minutes past before we are done. 277. How many hours out of that are you not actually working?— Two hours and something at Culverden. We are not running, but, of course, are working; there is always plenty of work to do on those engines. Many a time on those engines I have brought my dinner home with me, not having had time to eat it. 278. In reply to the Chairman, you said you could not remember about the pace the trains were running at, in respect to this excursion train being a special one. Are there no regulations in respect to special trains on the pace you are to run at ? —Yes. 279. What is your maximum pace for special trains ?—Ordinary trains run between thirty and thirty-five and express trains run up to the speed of thirty-six miles per hour, which is allowed in the time-tables. 280. Excursion trains?—l think most excursion trains, if out till pretty late, run up to thirtyfive. 281. There is no regulation for them at all ? —Yes, there is a regulation. 282. Give us it from your own memory?—l cannot tell from memory. It is nearly six months since I went through the books. It is all gone from my mind. 283. Do you mean to tell the Committee, after twenty-three years' service, you cannot stand up and tell the Committee now ? In running as a driver you have, had regulations regarding your pace, which every man must have at his finger-ends, and after these twenty-three years' service you cannot tell me the regulation pace for a special excursion train ?—We do not always study the rules and regulations. 284. lam not asking you that. What is the regulation pace for a special train?—l cannot remember.

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