D.—4a

4

E E P O R r r. To His Excellency Viscount Jellicoe, Governor-General of the Dominion of New Zealand. May it please Your Excellency,— In pursuance of the Commission issued to us by Your Excellency by Warrants dated respectively the 7th day of February, 1921, the 3rd day of March, 1921, and the 14th day of April, 1921, whereby we were appointed and authorized to inquire into and report to you on the following questions, namely : — (1.) Whether the facilities now existing at Palmerston North for the conduct of the business of the Government Railways Department are sufficient and suitable for that purpose ; (2.) If such facilities are not sufficient or are not suitable for such purpose, what alterations therein (whether in respect of situation or otherwise howsoever) are necessary and desirable and best adapted to enable the business of the said Department to be carried on with the greatest degree of safety, efficiency, economy, and convenience ; (3.) Whether it is desirable and expedient, and warranted in and by the public interest, that any deviation of the Wellington-New Plymouth railway should be made between Paekakariki and Marton ; and, if so, between what points such deviation should be made : we have the honour to report that sittings of the Commission (due notice of which was given by advertisement in the newspapers) were held at Wellington and Palmerston North for the purpose of hearing evidence. Counsel appeared before us representing respectively the Railway Department, the Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce, and certain persons who were associated in opposition to the proposals of the Railway Department regarding the construction of a new railway-station and goods-yard at Palmerston North. The following witnesses were examined : — Richard William McVilly, General Manager, New Zealand Government Railways. Francis William Mac Lean, Chief Engineer, New Zealand Government Railways. Robert West Holmes, retired civil engineer, Wellington. William Thomson, retired farmer, Palmerston North. John Chrystall, Mayor of Foxton. Thomas John Rodgers, land agent, Palmerston North. William Wallace Cook, of Messrs. W. Cook and Sons (Limited), Palmerston North. * John Aitchison, manager, New Zealand Express Company, Palmerston North. John Ireland, flour-miller, Palmerston North. Albert Lonsdale Cook, of Messrs. W. Cook and Sons (Limited), Palmerston North. Christian Nicolai Clausen, timber-merchant, Palmerston North. James Alfred Nash, Mayor of Palmerston North. George Joseph Harford, Mayor of Feilding. Jack Howard Vincent, representative of the Oroua County Council. Lachlan Thomson McLean, Chairman of the Kiwitea County Council. Joseph Linklater, Chairman of the Kairanga County Council and Foxton 1.1 arbour Board. John Llewellyn Morgan, Railway Stationmaster, Palmerston North. Ernest Hugh Crabb, grain-merchant and Borough Councillor, Palmerston North. Henry Llewellyn Young, president, Palmerston North Chamber of Commerce. John Moore Johnston, secretary, Manawatu Racing Club and Manawatu Agricultural and Pastoral Society. Joseph Prime Maxwell, civil engineer, Wellington. James Edward Fulton, civil engineer, Wellington. James Burnett, civil engineer, Wellington.