I.—B.

20

J. J. WALKLATE.

inspection of the cars is concerned, they employ a Traffic Inspector to inspect them periodically — in fact, from day to day. 1 need not say anything, 1 think, as to the wording of this clause, because Mr. Myers has already dealt with that from the legal point of view. As regards clause 3, licensing, the carriages and the men are licensed by the Auckland City Council. Subsection (c) provides for the number of passengers, and that is dealt with by the Auckland City Council in the licenses; and 1 think subsection (el) is also dealt with. Subsections (c) and (/), of course, contain new provisions. As regards subsection (2) of clause 3, there is standing out very clearly the difficulty that Mr. Myers mentioned of the conflicting conditions that might be set up between the conditions called for by the Minister under this Act and the conditions of the deed of delegation between the company and the City Council, which are based upon the Order in Council. 1 think those are the main points in regard to the Bill, as near as I can understand it. 4. Mr. Myers.] What is your experience as a tramway engineer?— From 1887 1 have been connected with tramways —steam, cable, and horse tramways —and from 1889 with electric tramways. 5. So that you have had twenty years' electrical-tramway experience?-—Yes. 6. Where? —In the United Kingdom, in America, and, in fact, in tramway construction and working in a good many places in Europe, and in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. 7. And do you feel yourself competent to speak with confidence upon the questions of equipment, including brake-equipment, on cars? —Yes. 8. Now, what do you say about the efficiency of the brakes in Auckland, assuming that they are properly handled by the men? —1 consider they are quite an efficient system of brakes. 9. You have got the hand-brake?- -Yes, and the slipper track brake and the emergency brake. 10. That is the electric brake?— Yes. 11. Now, when a car is going down-hill, what brakes are used, and when are they first used? On steep gradients the universal practice and regulation is for the slipper brake to be put on at the top of the hill. That is, the brake upon the track, and it has to remain on going down the hill, the speed being regulated by the hand-brake, and any stops that are required being made by the hand-brake. 12. Once the track brake is let down at the top ot the hill, does it require to be kept down by any force, or does it remain down?—lt remains down. 13. It does not act instantly? —No; it requires some little time to bring it into operation. 14. Now, with regard to your hand-brake, I think that also requires some energy, does it not? —Yes, some energy, and, in a lesser degree, some time, to bring it into operation. 15. Now, the men have asked for the air brake, have they not? —The majority of the men in giving their evidence before the Commission favoured the air brake. 16. That is, the air brake in place of the hand-brake? —That is so. 17. That would leave the track brake ami the electric brake?— Yes. 18. Now, so far as the efficiency goes, is there any difference, and, if so, what, between the present hand-brake and the air brake that is asked for by the majority of the men?. —The only difference would be the quicker application. 19. But is there any difference in the principle of the working so far as the action of the brake is concerned ?—No; the action of the brake on the mechanism of the car is the same. 20. But it could be worked instantly ? —lt is worked by air-power instead of by human power. 21. Is it reliable?— Yes. 22. And your company is prepared to install that if the Department approves?— That is so; yes. 23. When was it that you had the conversation with the Government engineers from which you gathered that the air brake would not be approved? I cannot fix the date, but it was three or four months ago —when Mr. Holmes was last in Auckland. 24. He was the engineer?— Yes. 25. You have not been written to?— No. 26. At that time you had tested two air brakes?— Yes. 27. Were you satisfied with them yourself? —Yes. 28. And at that time had you received intimation from Home of other similar brakes coming out?— Yes. 29. And you stopped them ?—Yes. 30. Now, so far as this Freund brake is concerned, do you yourself know whether or not it is a reliable brake or whether you are getting them out simply to test?—No; they have been working for some two or throe years on a tramway in Yorkshire. The engineer of that company was out in Auckland a year ago, and he spoke very highly of them, and that is the reason that we are intending to try them, coupled with the fact that they were tested by the Brakes Commission in the United Kingdom. 31. At all events, you do not know whether it is reliable or not until you have tested it?— Personally I do not. 32. The magnetic brake you eliminate from consideration?— Yes. 33. Is there any other brake of which you know - except the air brake that you could install in lieu of your present system?—l do not know of any that would be more suitable. 34. I think that in some of your Orders in Council there is provision, is there not, that you have got to submit full details and drawings of all rolling-stock intended to be used, and braking appliances intended to be fitted to such rolling-stock?— Yes, in all of them, and I think it is always done. 35. And about when were the last of your cars approved of? —Within the last few months half a dozen cars were approved.