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and would not come under the head of ordinary maintenance. The quantities of metal proposed to be used are in excess of maintenance and amount to reconstruction. Re Main South Eoad : £810 for 158 chains road equals £410 a mile. Cannot call that maintenance. It is an extremely high rate. Main Otipua Eoad : £620 on 85 chains road equals £584 a mile. The total suggested repairs over all roads, £8 or £9 a mile, is a very high estimate. It is quite unreasonable. In the Waimate County, on the Main South Eoad, this statement shows an average of £15 15s. 7d. a mile (see Exhibit 22). This gives a reasonable and fair approximation of the cost required for metalling this road all through if the road is not allowed to go to ruin. Also prepared statement analysing report of Levels County (see Exhibit 23). Also worked out the cost of maintaining roads in Waimate County, thus: Total expenditure, Pareora Eoad, £98 Bs. for nineteen months, equals £8 13s. per mile ; Main South Eoad, £95 10s. for nineteen months, equal £16 13s. 2d. per mile ; Brassell's Eoad, £3 3s. for nineteen months, equals £2 13s. 4d. per mile ; Upper Pareora Eoad to Pareora Bridge, £2 17s. 4d. for nineteen months, equals £21 4s. per mile. The average cost of maintenance in North Island is more than here. There is about £26 a mile all over the county. Had not inspected the roads before receiving the report. From that expected to find them much cut up. Examination showed roads in fair order; weak in places, but fairly sound. Does not think the additional traffic on Otipua Eoad affects it much. Difficult to estimate. The lists put in by Mr. Douglass were put in under my supervision. The best system of maintaining roads is to repair them gradually as they require it. This is the recognised practice, and perpetual vigilance is required. This would inconvenience traffic less than putting on a large quantity of metal. It is stated in Mr. Black's report on Otipua Eoad that putting on a large quantity of metal had diverted the traffic on to Pareora Eoad. Mr. Elworthy applied to Council to do four miles road-works on his estate, estimated to cost £640. Matter is under consideration of Council now. Sheep traffic does not damage a road that is flat much ; but in side cuttings they do. You may lose months of work in one day with them. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—Did not hear Mr. Marchant. Disagrees with his statement as to putting a great quantity of metal on roads. After putting a lot of metal down it would cost a considerable amount. If you put a lot of shingle on a hard road it will not bind, and, if sheep go over it, requires constant attention. Disagrees with his method. It is a method, but a bad one. It is a bad principle, and contrary to all recognised practice. The roads in Levels are sound, but the crown is flat, and that wants metalling, but the side widths are not unsound at all. The roads in question are not hilly. There are no heavy cuttings. They go over a series of hills. The road from Pareora to Waimate is flat, and much the same is required for that road as for the road from Pareora to town boundary. Sheep traffic gives trouble on either a flat and undulating road, and it is destructive of a newly metalled road ; but it applies a little more to an undulating than to a flat road. His average expenditure is over specific roads. We do have occasionally to put metal on by stretches of road, but do not think we have exceeded 6 yards per chain for maintenance purposes. On several roads we have put 12 yards per chain. Speaks of White's Point Line and another. These are charged to remetalling. In talking of construction of a roa.d, the metal part is put in where it wears out. It has been the practice in Waimate to put considerable quantities on roads before he came, but it is an unwise practice. Ec-examined by Mr. Kinnerney.—ln road worn out puts on 12 yards. In putting on so much it is reconstructing the metal way. Has seen the roads. Sheep traffic is very bad for roads with 25 yards of metal to the chain, but not so bad if road is metalled in usual way. Re CaveCanuington Eoad : Has looked at description of boundaries in Gazette of Levels County, and has compared it with map (Gazette, 4th October, 1883, page 1417), and this road is in Mackenzie County. Saturday, 3rd May, 1902. Charles Edward Bremner re-examined by Mr. Kinnerney (continued). —Agreed that one person from each side should go over the lists of traffic and make a report as to which farmers from each county use the roads in question. Agreed that Mr. McLaren and Mr. Eh odes should go over these lists. Mr. Hamilton said that the statements handed in yesterday had been gone over by Mr. Douglass, who pointed out boundaries of grain-growing areas, and that this statement was compiled by a witness who would be called. Mr. Eaymond said he had had no opportunity of checking them. Charles Edward Bremner recalled. —This is a plan prepared under my direction. It purports to show the cropping-area which gravitates to St. Andrew's and the portion which goes to Timaru through Levels County separately. The area pink goes to St. Andrew's; uncoloured area to Timaru. Ec-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—On the boundary, perhaps, some cart both ways. (There is not much difference in the plans produced by both parties.) Mr. Douglass recalled. —As to surplus in receipts for Upper Pareora Eiding : There are several Government runs, and the thirds and fourths have accumulated. We are allowed to expend these with consent of owners of the runs. The county rate struck is still to the credit of the riding. The average quantity of seed per acre required is 2 bushels of oats, 2 of barley, 1J to If of wheat. The average horse-feeds required to be kept are 4 bags oats per week for four-horse team : 7 lb. per day per horse is much below the average. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—Thirds and fourths accumulated in Upper Pareora Eiding. In other ridings that have runs there is the same surplus. There is a large accumulation in Upper Pareora Eiding. Robert Jolm McEwan sworn.—ls a farmer at Pareora, near Ford. Has a farm with his brother—67o acres. Carts produce to St. Andrew's. It is cheaper than carting it to Timaru. Could take two trips to St. Andrew's, but only one a day to Timaru. During the last four years