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.1. -I. WALKLATJi

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224. Not until such times as certain pressure was brought to bear on the company by the Corporation, or until the company was threatened with proceedings? —No, 1 would not admit that. There is always pressure not only by the Auckland City Council, but by every other Council, to run a greater service than is warranted, and then by a process of negotiations we came to a compromise and ran an agreed service. 225. Of course, it is perhaps impossible to run a perfect system at a particular period of the day—say, between 5 and 6 o'clock —but is it not a fact that the Council had to compel the company to put on additional cars for the convenience of the travelling public of Auckland? —-I do not think the Council compelled the company. There was an action commenced by the Council against the company on the question of the service generally, but it was stopped by mutual arrangement. 226. Do you know of any runaway cases down Wellesley Street West, where the car took charge on account of the defective brakes, and ran down nearly to the Art Gallery? —No, I am not aware of a car doing that. There was some mention at the Brakes Commission, as 1 have stated before, of a car running away down Wellesley Street West, and going across the road, and a car's length up the other way just across the road. The suggestion was that it went a car's length beyond the centre of Queen Street, but we failed to find any reports of that. It was before my time. 227. Is it a fact that at one Christmas a car coming down Pitt Street, driven by a motorman Lowe, ran into a vehicle, and be was prosecuted for furious driving, and he said he was compelled to keep to his time-table, and the cars were run at a furious speed in Auckland?— That is the case Mr. Poole has just mentioned. There was such a case, in which motorman Lowe was travelling along Pitt Street and ran into some vehicle, and some time afterwards proceedings were taken against him by the police. I think the charge was dismissed, but on what grounds it was dismissed lam not sure*. Whether any mention of the brakes was made I cannot be quite sure. 228. You have seen the great pressure the men have to put on their brakes coming down the hills, more particularly on Constitution Hill from Parnell, and do you think the brakes are safe enough so far as that particular declivity is concerned? —A great number of cars come down Par nell Rise, and lam not aware of any getting away. I think the one on Constitution Hill ran backwards. The only knowledge 1 have of that is some statements made at the Brakes Commission. Whether that was due to the man losing control of the brakes, or whether it was due to the brakes or not, I cannot say. 229. Is it not a fact that in the case against Mr. Lowe the Magistrate stated that the motorman did all in his power with the brakes he had at his disposal to avert the accident?— With all due respect to the Magistrate, I do not think he is able to judge what the motorman was doing with his brakes. 230. But from the evidence adduced, do you not think it was sufficient to enable the Magisirate to give a satisfactory judgment? —But the Magistrate would not understand that the fact of the man putting extra pressure on his brakes would put him into the trouble he got into, and that, I think, is what happened in Lowe's case —that he put too much on, and skidded the wheels. 231. Is it not a fact that the motormen are compelled by instructions from the company to keep to the time-table, and that the cars run at a greater speed in Auckland than they do in any other part of the Dominion? —The motormen are not compelled to keep to the time-table, because we have no power to make them keep to it. On many occasions I have told them they have to observe the regulations, no matter what happens to the time-table. Large deputations from the union have been told the same thing. 232. Mr. Poole.] You had occasion to dismiss your switchman at one time at the foot of Wellesley Street in order to cut down expenses?— No. It was a question of boys. We originally had a switchman and a switch-boy, and, as is always the case, the boys become men, and there was not enough work for two men, so we transferred the man to another job, and put on assistant boys. 233. But prior to putting on these boys had you not a very representative deputation from the motormen and conductors, who refused to go down Wellesley Street with the points fastened in Queen Street? —No. They made representations, but I do not think the direct question came in. I think it was more a 'sentimental question, because they thought the boys were being put out of a job. As far as 1 recollect, the matter ended at that, when they knew the boys were not going to be put off. 234. But they were off the job because the points were fixed at the bottom? — I do not think so. 235. The men said they were not prepared to take the risk of the points being fixed? —Yes. 236. And you put other boys on?— Yes. 237. Mr. Luke.] You stated that in your opinion the air brake was preferable to the magnetic brake? —Yes. 238. Well, does the air brake operate on the wheels or on the track? —On the wheels. 239. Is it not a fact that the air-brake would not put on any more power than the handbrake, but it would lie more quickly applied? —It does not necessarily follow that it would not put on any more power. It might put considerably more power on. That is a question I can answer either way. 240. You could not say authoritatively that it would put more power on?— You could make it put. any power on. You could block the wheels, and the wheels would skid. 241. And the wheels skidding would not provide the same adhesive power as the slipper brake? — No, but the hand-brake will skid the wheels if put, on hard enough. 242. Does it not come back to this : that the slipper brake would be far more effective than the air brake? —I do not think so. 243. Hon. Mr. B. McKenzie.] Is it not a fact that in connection with the air brake there is .an indicator in front of the motorman showing the pressure he puts on the wheels?— Yes.