E. R. ELLIS.J

53

D.—4.

22. You will have a connection when the line is through to Kaikohe and the construction com pleted to Kawakawa?—l grant that; but it will not he a paying line unless ii takes the course I indicate. 23. You think tin , country is of such v fertile nature that the building of a branch line from the Mangakahia to Opua would be justified .'—Yes. 24. In addition to the communication you already have with Kaikohe? —Yes. 2.">. Is it not possible to work the State finest by floating the logs down the riversj Yes. I have had a great deal of experience in timber, and 1 know that the timber you cut and cart from the forest, is worth Is. 6d. per hundred more than the timber you have to depend on the floodwaters to carry dowti. '2i). For what reason!— For the reason that there is no chance of loMtig the timber, ami tinsap is not damaged. 27. Have you considered the freight from the bush to the mill;— Yes: my opinion is a mill should be put in the bush, where the timber should Ik? out. The timber oould then be sent in all directions where it is required by the settlers. For shipment it would Ik- railed to the Wairoa and shipped from Kaipaia Harbour. 28. Where would you get your produce from in the event of this line being made?— From Auckland, via the Main Trunk. 29. Would you get your groceries, such as flour and sugar and everything required, by rail from Auckland? —Yes, anything within a reasonable radius of the railway. The cheap freights from the south now depend on the timber industry, which is a diminishing one, so naturally we shall have to rely on the rail from Auckland. 30. Then later on, when the timber supplies are exhausted in the district, there will be no cheap return freights from the South Island?—l suppose so. 31. Mr. SteMworthy.] What is the bush you speak of at I'atakai an .' — It is a climatic reserve. 32. You know that locality: if the timber were available, would it l>e sent out by the eastern or western route?— The natural course of that timber would l>e towards the western route, but if taken out by the water it would go by the eastern route. 33. What is your idea as to connecting the Dargaville-Kaihu line with the Main Trunk? — It will be absolutely necessary in the near future. 34. Can you give us any idea as to the best course for the development of the country?— The best course would be to go from the Awakino and connect with Pokeno, which is the best part of tin Mangakahia district. By connecting with the Pokeno on the western side of the Tutamoe Range you traverse good country, and connect with the line at the head of the Mangakahia. It would then Ix , an everlasting life for the railway, and not a timber life only. ■ !•"). How would yon bring the Waipoua Forest in connection with the main line?—By continuing the present line from Kaihu. 36. Mr. Steadnitin.\ Where were you residing as a settler 1 — Behind laita, up Tutamoe. 37. What title had you?— Freehold. 38. And the same land i> in the market now at £3 pel , acre/ —1 sold three years ago. .'ill. In describing this route you started at Mauiigataperc, but I would like you to start at .VlcCarrolFs Gap and tell us if the land fo Mareretu is the same class of land as that at Maungatapere? —I told you 1 was not conversant with the land there: hut the 'eastern portion of Wai kiekie is poor land. 40. What is the land like at Tauraroa? —Good land. 41. What is the quality of the land at Eluarangi) —lt is all good land about the proposed deviation. 42. I am asking you about the eastern route: do you know the Iwo routes/—Yes. 43. Do you know the Parish of liuarangi I What is the quality of the soil? —I have told you about the portions I know, but I am not familiar with the names of each particular locality. 44. Do you know Maungakaramea? —It is good land —clay country. 45. Is not a great portion of it volcanic? —Yes. 46. What about the Tangihuas?—Good grazing-country, also day country. 47. Now go on to Poroti and Whatitiri?-It is good land. 48. Is it not good volcanic soil?— Yes. 49. Do you know what land has been sold at there recently?— No. r>o. Would it surprise you to know thai it has fetched .£l2 per acre?— No. 51. Taking the eastern route, what about the land on the banks of the Mangakahia Valley? There is a stretch of good country there occupied by Mr. Rawnsley, who has a large farm at Poroti. 52. Is it good land at Kaitaia / —Yes. 53. Do you know how far Ruatangata is from the eastern line?— No. 54. What is the quality of the land there? —Fair, but not good. .■").">. What is the land between Ruatangata and the eastern line like.' Mixed country —good and bad. I have not been over that piece of country. 56. Do you know Manoia's place.' I do not know the individual settlers. 57. Do you know I. Finlayson's place)— No. 58. You made a statement about the freights: have you not left smnet li mi: out of your calculation in that matter? —No. .">'.). Have not you omitted the cost of carriage from the water to tin , settler's homestead .' Certainly not, because they would have to connect with the railway just the same. 60. If the eastern line went through Maungatapere they would not haw very much carting, would they I The settlers are not going to use the railway when it costs them twice as much as by carting.