Gr—2

Taumarunui Borough Council during the currency of a loan of £6,000 for river-protection works. In 1931 the charge was 3d. per cubic yard and the Taumarunui County Council was allowed to take 10,000 yards for a royalty of £5. In 1934, 3d. per cubic yard was. charged excluding that supplied to the Public Works Department and the Taumarunui County Council. Since 1940 the following compilation from records in the Lands and Survey District Office, Wellington, shows payments received : (1) Payments received in respect of rights in existence in 1940 and extended thereafter. These were collected by the Taumarunui Borough Council and half the proceeds paid to Lands and Survey Department in accordance with an agreement between the Wanganui River Trust and the Taumarunui Borough Council, dated 27th July, 1939. Amount of royalty in these cases was : 3d. per cubic yard for gravel supplied to local bodies. 6d. per cubic yard for gravel supplied to others. Amount Received by Lands and Survey Department. Nan®, (Half Share). £ s. d. Spencer and Smith, Taumarunui .. .. .. 92 19 7 R. F. Beautrais, Taumarunui .. . . .. 59 8 0 Lajrkold Ltd. .. .. .. . - . . .. 22 17 6 K. Kallil, Taumarunui .. .. . . . . . . 30 10 0 £205 15 1 No figures as to the quantities held by Lands and Survey Department. (2) Payments received under rights granted by Wellington Land Board since 1940 on terms similar to (1). Amount Received by Lands and Survey Department Name. (Half Share). £ s. d. J. W. Rudzits, Taumarunui .. .. .. ..31166 No figures as to quantities held by Lands and Survey Department. (3) Payments received in respect of rights granted by Wellington Land Board since 1940 other than (2). Royalty in these cases was 6d. per cubic yard and whole payment was made to Lands and Survey Department. Amount Quantity. Name. Received. £ s. d. Cubic Yards. Metal Supplies, Taumarunui, Ltd. .. .. .. 85 19 9 3,443 L. G. Spencer, Taumarunui .. .. .. 171 0 9 6,841|Rudzits Bros., Taumarunui .. .. .. 189 19 5 7,600 £447 0 0 Summary of amounts received • £ s. d. 1 .. .. .. .. 205 15 1 2 .. .. .. 36 16 6 3 .. .. .. .. 447 0 0 £689 11 7 In addition to these statements, evidence was also given to the effect that the District Engineer for Wanganui (Railway Department) on being asked for information concerning gravel obtained from the Wanganui River, had stated that there was at present a contract which had been let to a private firm, Rudzits and Co., for 25,000 yards of gravel for each of the next three years, and that at the expiration of that period further tenders would be called for for a similar contract and so on from period to period. That information was given on the Ist May of this year. Mr. Oxley, who is employed by the Ministry of Works as a highways overseer for the Wanganui River road, deposed that he has been engaged as an overseer of that road since 1935. The river road was started about 1931. It is a clay road and has to be metalled. The bulk of the metal—about 95 per cent.—came from the Wanganui River. There are two crushing-plants in his area under the control of the Ministry of Works.

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