1.—12 a.

A. J. TOOGOOD.]

19

24. The Chairman.] If you adopted a proposal such as I indicated at your mill at Longbush, would not the water get back into the creek straight away, if you had a drain below the enclosure? —The pulp would be retained, and the water would be running over dead matter. At present it runs straight in, and it is much sweeter while it is fresh. Stock will drink it. They would not drink the water under your plan. 25. You had objections from the settlers below you when, at the commencement of your milling operations at Longbush, you allowed all the pulp to go straight away down the stream? — Yes, that is so. 26. Have you had any objections since you changed your method to what it is now?—We have only adopted the present method for about a month. I might say that I had in mind those objections when I mentioned how a farmer below might possibly ruin a man above, because I do not think they were very solid objections. Charles Collis, Chairman of Kairanga Dairy Company, examined. (No. 10.) 1. Mr. Nathan.] Your company are working a factory with two creameries? —Yes. 2. And the factory drainage goes into an old drain? —Yes. 3. And eventually finds its way into the Manawatu River? —Yes. I may state that we are just above the Longburn Freezing-works. 4. Is that the reason you give why you have received no complaints from the settlers on the Mangaone? —I do not think we have created any trouble. We have never had any complaint. But that would be one reason. 5. At the Fitzherbert Creamery you drain into a small creek? —Yes. 6. And that creek passes through two settlers' land before reaching the river? —Yes. 7. And if they protested they could stop the work of that creamery? —Yes. 8. Although the nuisance really is not great?— No. 9. At the Kairanga Creamery you drain into the road-drain? —Yes. 10. The people facing that road-drain are the suppliers of your company?— Yes. 11. If they were not and were antagonistic to your company they could practically stop your working that creamery?— They could shut us up. 12. Up to the present you have had no trouble at all in the working of your factory or your creameries? —None whatever. 13. If it should happen that you have trouble, would you be willing, on behalf of the industry that you are representing here, to submit to any regulations that the Health Department or the Agricultural Department might frame for the regulation of the drainage of dairy factories? —Yes; in fact, I consider that essential. 14. That is to say, you do not want to shirk your responsibilities; you are prepared to face them? —That is so. 15. But ycu do not want an injunction granted against you? You are prepared to pay damages if you create injury? —Yes. 16. And you are prepared to mitigate the nuisance, as laid down by the Department?— Yes, the Health Department. I should like to say a word or two here, as Chairman of the Kairanga Dairy Company. I look upon the dairying industry as one of the greatest assets the settlers and the country have, and I do think it would be a step in the wrong direction to attempt to put a stop in the way of the industry. I look upon it as essential, however, that there should be some inspection of these dairies and creameries, and the directors of each of them, should submit to the decision of the Health Department, because I do not think the Health Department would ask us to do anything that would be detrimental to the well-being of the farmer and the country. 17. Mr. Buick.] You have heard of the judgment that has been given in the Oroua River case? —I have. 18. Do you consider from that judgment that any settler living below you on the Mangaone could stop you from draining into the Mangaone?—l do. 19. You do not Jhink the Health Department would make any objection?—l think they would be rational. 20. Mr. Sykes.] You have had no complaints from the settlers below your butter-factory, have you?—No, we have never had a complaint at all. We have been in existence five years. 21. You take every precaution to see that only the polluted water —or discoloured, shall I say? —gets into the stream? —Yes, and I am very particular with our dairymen not to put much of that into the drains. I find that we can get the farmers to take home a very great deal of it. 22. I believe the washings of all butter-factories now are collected in tanks and removed from the premises, and they do not go into the stream at all? —Well, very little. You cannot avoid a little going in, unless you have a septic tank. 23. And a septic tank is of no use —that has been tried?—l do not think it is. 24. The Chairman.] The Kairanga Factory discharges its washings into the road-drain?— In one place the creamery does—not the factory. 25. What is the distance from the creamery to the river ?—I should think it would be five miles. The drainage from that creamery goes into the road, and travels for about half a mile, and then diverts and goes into the Tanui Swamp. 26. It spreads about in the swamp?—No, there is nothing to spread. 27. Where does the water finally discharge, then? —Into the Manawatu. 28. Is there no smell in the summer-time? —No; I have never heard any one complain. 29. The milk of about how many cows comes into the Kairanga Creamery?— Possibly seven hundred cows. 30. Is there any other means of getting rid of your washings than by that drain?—No, I do not think there is any other means. If you close that you will close the creamery.