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D.—lo

would show that twelve million sheep would go down every year.] Thinks Mr. Orbell's evidence is incorrect. The road is used by a large number of Upper Pareora Eiding settlers. In numbers, more of them than of Levels settlers use this road, but there are only about three settlers in Mackenzie County who use it. Ec-examined by Mr. Kinnerney.-—A Levels driver stated there were six or seven thousand sheep. James Hall sworn.—ls a farmer at Pareora. Lives three or four miles from Brassell's ford. Comes that way. Heard the evidence of Mr. Lisle and Mr. Evans. Has seen the figure, and has heard that about 1,300 tons are carted by the Otipua Eoad, but does not know how much is carted. Thinks the statement is reasonable. Carts all his produce to St. Andrew's. Knows that Parish, Cox, and Sidey cart theirs to St. Andrew's. Knows the special settlement near the Pareora Eoad. Has seen them cart to St. Andrew's. Attends sales at St. Andrew's. Heard the names read out. They are correct. Has seen these people at the sales. Cross-examined by Mr. Moore. —Cannot swear these people come by rail, but the biggest part come in traps. Hugh Ritchie Bush sworn. —Is Stationmaster at St. Andrew's. Eeturns given in are correct. (See Exhibit 24). This traffic goes to Timaru. If the trucks were available last year, McEwan Bros.' produce would have gone by rail. Do not remember any others. The railage on grain was previously 3s. 9d. per ton ;it is now reduced to 2s. 6d. The grain traffic from St. Andrew's side goes to Timaru. Knows the Springbrook Special Settlement; their produce is carted to St. Andrew's and railed to Timaru. Get wool and skins from Hansen in Levels County. Very little is railed from Normanby to Timaru, as the station is not used. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—Hansen brings his wool to St. Andrew's. Cannot say where he gets his wool. Springbrook settlers grow grain. They do not ship small lots of roots by the railway. Ec-examined by Mr. Hamilton. —Practically all the settlers' produce at Springbank comes by railway. The traffic from Makakahi and from Studholme goes north. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—As to sheep, people near St. Andrew's send half their sheep by rail and half by road. The statement of areas under crop in Waimate County was, subject to objections by Mr. Eaymond, put in. Charles Ackivorth sworn. —Is Town Clerk to Waimate. These are the statements prepared by me (see exhibits 25, 26, and 27). The Clerk of the Waimate County made out these statements, and both sides agreed to them. John William Freeman sworn.—Has kept a livery-stable at Waimate for many years. Can form a good idea of the traffic between Levels and Waimate. There are on an average only two traps a week from Timaru to Waimate Borough. The traps come to my stable, and they contain Levels or Timaru people. Knows of some carting that was done a month or six w T eeks ago from Timaru. One lorry came from Timaru to Waimate and made three or four trips in a month; was down four times. In the last six weeks or two months -has been down four times. Also a big express with a lorry twice. Very often drags come through with footballers and picnic parties. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond.—The bulk of the residents from Waimate and Timaru go by train, but lorries were taken, also football teams have come both ways. Teams often come. There were six or seven from Timaru last season. The four-horse lorry is only an occasional thing. It conveyed luggage for residents and business people moving. This goes on now and then, but never knew of any coming from Waimate to Timaru. Sheehan brought some from Timaru to Waimate, also a dentist moved down, and is now a Waimate resident. Duncan Scott sworn. —Is a farmer at Pareora. Lives near Brassell's ford. Heard the witnesses this morning as to cartage, and agrees with them as to the amount being reasonable. Cross-examined by Mr. Eaymond. —His son and himself hold 1,300 acres. They do all their carting over the Otipua Eoad. Does not know Wake. G. Scott used to come to Timaru over Jeffcoat's ford. The whole of the Lower Pareora Eiding comes over the bridge or Brassell's ford to Timaru, and the bulk of the sheep come north. Robert Rhodes sworn. —Is a sheep-farmer, and was brought up in this district. We are very old residents. Owns land in the Upper Pareora Eiding—namely, 14,000 acres of leasehold, and my wife and myself hold 5,000 acres of freehold. They also hold land in the Otaio Eiding—over 8,000 acres. As to sheep traffic, knows how the sheep near Waimate go. Is not conversant with the Main South Eoad. The bulk of sheep go from Waimate to persons in Levels. They are bought by northern dealers. The effect of the Port of Timaru on Levels lands and the fact of being a port means a congestion of people, and this enhances the value of land near that centre. That gives rise to traffic, and the traffic from Waimate helps to advance the value of land near Timaru in a greater proportion than in the case of land further back. As an instance, Government purchased Pareora No. 2. The lands on each side of the river are about the same value, but the highest rental obtained from Pareora No. 2is at lis. 6d. per acre at the most. Knows that Downlands, near Timaru, is let at £1 an acre. Thinks the land he referred to is a little better, but not in the same proportion. In the same neighbourhood land is let for 18s. an acre, and if it were a longer distance off they could not pay that rent. Does not know of any land in Waimate let at the same rent. Has 90 acres of land near Saltwater Creek. It is very rank, sour, and cold, with gorse, and we get from 10s. 6d. to lis. an acre for it. It is the same price as obtained for best land at Pareora. It is close to Timaru. Knows the Bill as to the incorporation of the Upper and Lower Pareora Eidings in Levels County. The Waimate County Council passed a resolution objecting to these ridings going over, but the Council made no active opposition. It was opposed by certain ratepayers in the Upper Pareora Eiding. The Bill was opposed because it included both Pareoras, and the petition signed by the Upper Pareora ratepayers against going over made no reference to the Lower Pareora Eidings. The report of the debate in the House shows that the parties might come to some under-