I.—B.

32

[a. bosser.

23. Are you aware of any runaways on the Auckland system? —Yes, Lowe's is one case. We have had several in Wellesley Street, and the line is conducted right across Queen Street and up over Wellesley Street. We have had cars that have come down Wellesley Street East and have gone up to Fuller's Opera House before they have recovered. 24. What distance would they go up the hill?— This one went up above Elliott Street—l suppose 200 ft. or 300 ft. 25. What would be the grade that it would run up?— About the start of that it is lin 17. It is easier there, and we have had them go the opposite way up to the Art Gallery. 26. And the car would have some passengers on, no doubt? —Yes, I spoke to one of the passengers. 27. Do your motormen ever report to you about runaways of that kind—l mean slight ones that the public never know about?— Yes. 28. Do they report them to the management also?— Yes. The switchman would report if they did not. There is a switchman there whose duty is to switch them into the curve. 29. I do not mean Queen Street only —I mean Parnell and Kyber Pass routes as well?— Yes, it is their duty to report them. 30. It is tlie opinion of the motormen that runaways are fairly common there, is it not?— Not lately. The brakes have been better adjusted lately. 31. There have been a number of employees injured through the hand-brakes?— Yes. 32. Do you know whether the Sydney tram system once had the Newell magnetic brake installed, and afterwards abolished it and replaced it with the air brake?— Yes. I only know from an expert who was in the service. They have withdrawn 150 sets of the magnetic brake and replaced them with air brakes. ' There is an expert in the Auckland company who was for many years with the Sydney company, and he gave me that information. 33. There are a number of your motormen getting strained in different ways? —Yes. One man named Rockland, wdio is now an inspector, Avas struck on the bone of the arm and disabled, and an inspector had to take his car for two trips. His arm was paralysed for a time. 34. Have you got any idea what it would cost the Auckland Tramway Company to install the magnetic brake or air brake? —No, none whatever. 35. You made some reference to the licensing of cars. Are the Auckland cars limited to any number of passengers they can carry now?— Yes. 36. All of them?— Yes. Some of them have seating accommodation for fifty-two, and fourteen standing, and others eight, ten, and twelve standing. 37. That is as many as will fill them comfortably?— Yes. 38. Are the passengers on the cars separate from the motormen in Auckland?— Yes, except on the combination cars. They sit in the front just behind the motorman. 39. You have not got the seats on tin' cars for all the motormen yet? —Yes, they are all in, but not, the glass fronts. 40. Nobody can stand between the seat and the motorman?—No, that platform is kept clear —it is what we call the outer platform. 41. A large percentage of the accidents that occur in connection with the Auckland trams occur to the public on the streets, do they not?— Yes. 42. And do you think that is the result of the brakes not being sufficiently powerful to stop the cars quick enough?—l do not think they can make a quick-enough stop. 43. Do you think those accidents are caused through the brakes not being sufficiently powerful?— Yes; but it may happen that a man may come in on the blind side of the car, and no brake would stop that. 44. It is your opinion that some of the accidents would be prevented by more powerful brakes? —Yes, quicker-action brakes. 45. Something has been said in regard to the switchman in Wellesley Street being done away with?- -The switchmen were never done away with, but the points-boys were done away with. 46. What for?—To save wages. The boys were getting £1 ss. a week, and, instead of the points being left open as they were formerly and as they are now, so that a runaway car could dash away and run up alongside the Art Gallery, the company gave orders to fix the points so as to turn the cars round the point. I wrote to the paper, and started a correspondence, showing that if the points were leading into Queen Street a runaway car would go into the shops on the opposite side ; and the points were replaced in their former position, and the boys also replaced. 47. Was there any correspondence between you and Mr. Walklate in reference to putting more powerful brakes on the cars?— Yes, we had a correspondence—that was the start of it. 48. Did you have any personal interviews with Mr. Walklate on behalf of the company?— Yes, but I cannot call to mind any specific case except the later ones, and when we asked him when the brakes would be out. 49. And what answer did Mr. Walklate give yon? —He told us that, so far as he knew, they were ordered, and that, as far as he knew, they were not on the way out. He had had no advice of their being shipped. 50. How long ago was this?—l think it was in November. lam speaking of the Freund brake. 51. When did you communicate with Mr. Walklate first in regard to the brakes—how long after the Royal Commission reported?—A good while after. I could not give the date of it from memory. 52. Would it be six months ago?—Oh, yes! 53. More than six months ago?—I would not be sure. T think it was done by deputation. 54. You were present with the deputation of motormen who interviewed me from Auckland recently? Yes.