H. W. WILSON 1

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301 You have in Auckland a large amount of traffic from the country, especially on marketdays?—Yes. 302. Is it not a somewhat notorious fact that people—especially people who come in from the country—are not so careful to keep out of the way of the tram-cars as they ought to be?—To my own knowledge it is some of the common carriers who are not careful men —men coming from Onehunga, for instance, who insist on driving in front of the cars. 303 Do you think it is fair to suggest that accidents, then, looking at that, are due to those who drive the tram-cars or to the tramway-proprietors? —No 304. Mr Who is the man who acts as Inspector for your Council in the examining of cars and looking after the safety of the public?— Our present Traffic Inspector is a new man, who was lately a Government Labour Department Inspector. He has the immediate control, but has at his elbow an Electrical Engineer to advise him on all special matters. 305. Does the Inspector examine the cars, the fittings, and the brakes, to see that they are in proper condition ?—That is his duty 306. Is he an electrical expert? Does he know anything about it?—He has a good general knowledge, and if it comes to expert knowledge we have an officer to advise him. 307 Has he a knowledge of the brakes being in a proper condition unless he examines them? —He has not an expert knowledge. 308. If he guesses anything is wrong he has to refer it to the Electrical Engineer?—lt is not a matter of guessing, if he has any suspicion. 309 Suppose he has suspicion, but not the knowledge of being sure, is he not likely to let it pass?—lf he did pass a thing like that, he has sufficient common-sense to find it out as soon as the car is running 310. May not an accident happen before he finds it out?—An accident may happen after he has passed a car Cars break down when they are out on the road. Humanly speaking, every care is taken by him. 311 You say your Council looks after the safety of the public? —Yes. 312. And you say that is a duty that should be carried out by the body looking after it? — Yes. 313. Now, is this Inspector thoroughly qualified to tell exactly when your brakes and fittings are in proper condition? —He is fully qualified to tell if the brakes act correctly, and has all that knowledge. 314. Where did he get that knowledge from?—By reading and training 315 Has he had any training? —Only what he got himself He obtained great kudos in the Government service for his knowledge of machinery 316. What was he in the Government service? —He was in the Labour Department. 317 Did he hold a position as Inspector of Factories? —Yes. 318. That is not the position of an electrical engineer?—No; Mr Wylie is our Electrical Engineer 319 Does Mr Wylie inspect the cars? —He is charged with looking after things, but I would not go so far as to say that he looks regularly after the cars. 320 Hon. Mr, B. McKenzie ] How long have you been Town Clerk in Auckland?— Ten years and a half 321 You were asked if you had reports of runaway cars? —I cannot remember 322. Were you an officer of the Council at the time of the Kingsland accident?— That was outside the city, and no reports would be made to us to take action. 323. Would that accident be reported to you?— Yes, in general terms. 324. Not a special report?—No, because it was in another district. 325. Do you give licenses to motormen ? —Yes. 326. Did the Auckland City Council license that motorman? —Yes. 327 Do you know how long he was driving?— Some two or three months, I believe. 328. Would you be surprised to learn that it was only a fortnight? —No, I should not be surprised. Every one has to commence. 329. Did you ever read of a runaway car going down Queen Street?—l have heard of a case of that kind, now you mention it. 330. Was it reported to the City Council? —No. 331 What precautions did you take to look after the public safety in a case of that kind? — There is a runaway provided there for such cases, just as you have in cases on the Wairarapa line. That is part of our system. 332. That is your safety-valve when it is opened?— Yes. If the car went round the corner there would be loss of life. 333. There is a very big crowd of people generally crossing at the Wellesley Street corner? — It is a main street, and there is generally a crowd of people waiting on the footpath for a car There is a fairly good traffic on it. 334. Is it a car stopping-place? —Yes. 335. Are you satisfied that this car ran away across Queen Street and up Wellesley Street — that it did so?— Yes. 336. And are you taking any precautions to prevent such a thing again? —Yes. 337 What?—We have pointsmen kept at the street in order to provide that the cars shall not round the corner and tip over When at one time the company proposed to do away with the pointsman we insisted that he should be kept there, There are two pointsmen kept there for the purpose.

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