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that I, when travelling about, occasionally note the time of arrival and departure at stations, and at same time, or on my next visit to that station, compare time taken by me with the station records, and find the entries to vary not more than one minute. I do not believe there is any such collusion, nor are there any incorrect entries made by Stationmasters wilfully. Jno. Gbat.

Sic, —- Traffic Inspector's Office, Christchurch, 31st August, 1899. Further to my memorandum of this morning re Driver Carter's statement re traintimes: I have to-day seen the Stationmasters, Ashburton, Chertsey, Eakaia, Dunsandel, Selwyn, Burnham, Bolleston, Templeton, and Hornby. They each deny that there is any truth in the statement. They all agree that only such remarks pass between them and the guards on this subject as will guarantee that the station-clocks and guards' watches agree, and that only occasionally. They enter in their train time-books the exact arrival and departure or passing time of each train. Acting-Guard Hiskins states he has never been requested by a driver to record false train-times, and he has never himself thought of doing so. Traffic Manager, Christchurch. Jno. Gbat, Traffic Inspector.

John Dickinson stated :I am running-shed foreman, Christchurch. I recollect instructing late Engineman C. H. Carter to take engine U 284 from Christchurch to Addington shops on 4th January, 1899, for alteration to cab, &c. Carter had arrived in Christchurch from Ashburton that day at 2.30 p.m. He brought his engine to shed, and stood there for twenty minutes. He had ample time and opportunity before leaving for Addington for reporting in running-shed repair-book, and also to me, any defect about his engine or tender. It was his duty to report any defect, but none was reported, nor did he make any remark to me as to anything being wrong with his brakes. He has never reported his brakes out of order since he has had locomotive U 284. These brakes have never been out of order. He never complained about his brakes to me, nor did he ever ask for any alterations. He did not ask to have plain, instead of grooved, brake-blocks. Addington, 28th August, 1899. J. Dickinson. Witness to signature—A. L. Beattie, Locomotive Engineer. 28/8/99.

John Dickinson stated: lam running-shed foreman, Christchurch. I have been in the New Zealand railway service for about thirty-six years ; about twenty-six years of that time locomotive foreman. Ex-Engineman C. H. Carter has been under me since he started on the railways to the time of Eakaia accident. Carter never in any way led me to think that Stationmasters and guards falsified the train-time. He never suggested any such thing. Had he known of any such instance it was his duty to have reported same to me, when the matter would have been investigated. In the whole of my experience I have not had any reason for supposing that Stationmasters and guards falsified train-time. I have never known an instance. Christchurch, 31st August, 1899. J. Dickinson. Witness to signature —A. L. Beattie, Locomotive Engineer. 31/8/99.

Guaed J. W. Jones, stationed at Masterton, previously at Waikari for ten years : I know Driver H. Carter, and frequently acted as guard on his train when running between Bangiora, Waikari, and Culverden. I have never adjusted my sheet, as stated by Driver Carter, or shown a false time on my sheet. I have never had occasion to do so, and I never knew it to be done of my own knowledge. I have never thrown off a piece of paper to a Statiomaster. I have always stopped at officered stations, except rarely in the case of specials. Head Office, Wellington, 31st August, 1899. J. W. Jones. Witnesses—T. Bonayne, C. Hudson.

Locomotive Engineer's Office, Addington, 29th August, 1899. Locomotive Superintendent, Bailways, Wellington. Bakaia Train Accident, 11/3/99. —Under examination before the Bailways Committee I denied Mr. C. H. Carter's statement that he had complained to me that his tender-brake would not act when applied, vide clause No. 7 of Charles Henry Carter's petition to the Hon. the Speaker and members of the House of Bepresentatives. I now forward some evidence which I would submit in support of that denial, and would ask to have same laid before the Bailways Committee. A. L. Beattie, Locomotive Engineer.

Fbancis Delamontie Mathee stated :lam a second-grade fireman, located at Christchurch. I was C. H. Carter's fireman at the time of Eakaia accident, and for several months prior to that. I was fireman with Carter on the 4th January, when we took engine U 284 from Christchurch to Addington shops. We had run the goods from Christchurch to Ashburton and back that morning with No. 284 engine. After our arrival at Christchurch, and before going to Addington shops, we stood at the Christchurch running-shed for about twenty minutes. During that twenty minutes I saw Carter go to the running-shed foreman's office. I cannot recollect now whether or not Carter went into the drivers' room, where the repair report book is kept. This room is in same building as foreman's office. Carter may have gone into the drivers' room. He could have easily