B. C. ASTON.]

31

I.—lo.

12. How many years would you expect its effect to last in the soil? —It is impossible to say how long —practically for ever. So long as you keep the soil-covering the effect will be prolonged indefinitely. 13. Will it not wash out? —No, phosphates do not wasli out; it is only nitrates that wash out. The phosphates becomes less available in certain cases. 14. Do you consider this land suitable for growing roots especially] —Yes, certainly. 15. Rather than grain ?—Roots are suitable in places where there is enough humus to keep the moisture —for instance, in swamp areas which have been drained, and in swamp lands near Rotorua where there is a fair amount of humus in the soil. 16. You are favourably impressed with the possibilities of this land? —Oh, certainly. 17. Mr. Guthrie.] In the event of fertilizing the soil and putting grass on it, do I understand that it would be permanent as long as the grass remained on it? —I said the effect of the superphosphate would be permanent. 18. Would the grass remain on it?— That is another matter. There are other factors that come into the matter which you must inquire of the biologists and people dealing with the grasses, such as Mr. Cockayne. 19. You said that a dressing of from 3 cwt. to 5 cwt. would be required?— Yes. 20. What length of time would that one dressing keep the vegetation there?—l would not say definitely on that point without a plot experiment. Of course, we have experiments in other parts in which we know how long the superphosphates have lasted, but they are not applicable to this case; they arc in different soil. 21. You think this land is capable of being brought into productiveness?—l am certain of it. 22. This country is not all level?— No. 23. What is your opinion of the lasting productiveness of these hilly portions?—lt depends largely on the slope. On some of the hill portions it would be very difficult to say. For instance, the Kaimanawa Range is very broken land and very steep; but where the slope was gradual I should think it would be quite possible to establish some leguminous plants. 24. Will the surface dressing on the broken country require redressing?— Could you give me an instance of the type of country? 25. Say such as this [map referred to]? —A re-dressing of superphosphate would have the effect of increasing its fertility. 26. The soil could be regrassed?—Yes, I think so. 27. Mr. Mac Donald.] You have stated that you are satisfied this pumice land is capable of growing root crops?— Yes. 28. Is it not also capable of producing fruit? —It would produce fruit, no doubt, in places where there is sufficient humus and the other factors wore favourable —that is, the wind, shelter, and so on. 29. Are there any other crops it is capable of bearing in addition to root crops?— Yes, cereals such as oats and maize. I have recommended maize in this country where the humus is in an insufficient amount, and I think maize would be successful there. 30. Having regard to the fact that the land requires manuring and a large amount of work to bring it into cultivation, do you not consider it is advisable to work it in small areas?—lt is certainly suitable for small areas —that is, cutting it up and planting live hedges and windshelters on it. That is the only way in which it can be woiked.

Friday, 13th October. 1911. H. J. H. Blow, Under-Secretary for Public Works, examined. (No. 8.) 1. The Chairman.'] Tho Committee has asked you to attend before it so that we may secure some information, if you possess it, regarding the railway-line at present owned by the Taupo Totara Timber Company, its state of efficiency for carrying passengers, freight, &c. Perhaps it would be better for you to make a statement with regard to it ?—Yes. The line was not authorized as a railway. It was authorized as a tramway, and it so so called in the Order ; and all the correspondence relating to it speaks of it as the Taupo Totara Timber Company's tramway, so that the Department would not look at the work quite so closely as it would have done had it been authorized as a railway intended for the public conveyance of passengers. I have been over the line, but it was some years ago. and, of course. I cannot say whether it is in the same condition to-day as it was then. When I went over it its condition as to maintenance was very good for a tramway in connection with a timber-mill. There are many curves, and they are of very short radius. 2. Do you know what the radius is ? — The majority are 1£ chains. Tho line is worked at present with special rolling-stock. They have an engine built by the Heisler Company —a geared engine— and the maximum speed of it is twelve miles, but it practically never makes that speed, so that it takes about eight hours to run from one end of this line to the other. Of course, that could be got over by using a different engine. The present engine is incapable of travelling faster, I think. The line is not authorized for the public conveyance of passengers. There is a clause in the Order in Council which states that in the event of the company using the tramway for the conveyance of passengers suitable vehicles shall be provided, and it shall not be used until passed as safe and fit for traffic by the Minister of Public Works. The Department realized that the line was scarcely in such good order as'tojearry passenger traffic, and that provision was inserted-—that it should not be used for passenger traffic until it had been passed as fit for such traffic.