D.—No. 1b;

vessels and improving the place was my business. I had not the material necessary for the ways. I had time, if I had had the materials and a carpenter. I made no written application for a crew for the life-boat. There were a number of buoys provided for marking the inner channel of the Harbour. They were left at Oneliunga for some time. They remained there only a few days after I received instructions to lay them down. Q. Were you not told that you would not be allowed either pay or supplies until they were put down 1 * A. I was not. By the Chairman.] Supposing the ways had been in good order, could the crew have launched the life-boat t A. If they had been properly fitted they could. By Mr. J. fflfeUL] Was it usual for you to communicate with the Government in writing ? A. Y es ; still I often spoke of things verbally. By Dr. Pollen. J Were? not the requirements for the Station applied for everv year by the Superintendent ? A. Yes, and every year I furnished the requirements. I was required to send an estimate of the salaries and contingencies for the Station for the year. W. C. Daldy, Chairman. Friday, October 9th, 1863. Present: Captain Daldy, in the Chair; Mr. Harrop, Mr. J. O'Neill, Dr. Pollen, Mr. Ridings. Hugh Evans examined. By Dr. Pollen] I am a sailor. lam now acting as Assistant Pilot and Signal-man at the Manukau Station. I was appointed signal-man about five years since. I acted for three years, and then (about two years ago) I asked for leave ot absence for six weeks. Capt. Wing gave me a letter to take to the Superintendent I brought an answer back, and then I left. I duf not ask Captain Wing to write that letter. I wanted to visit Otago. I had leave for six weeks, but I remained away about twelve mouths. When I found I could not return in time, I wrote to Captain Wing. I heard at Otago that the Pilot fees were stopped, and I therefore wrote to Captain Winoto say that I could do better at Otago, but that I would come back soon. I do not write myself ■ the letter was written by a friend. I returned to Auckland about twelve months since. I did not report myself to Captain Wing, nor offer to resume my place. Captain Wing was aware that I had returned. When I left, the old code of signals was in use, but not all in good order. The flag used with the balls was in good order. We also had Marryatt's Code of Signals ; they were complete, but some of them in bad order. It was about a year or a little more after I left that the Orpheus' was wrecked. Flag signals were found of veiy little use at that Station, because the prevailing wind is from the West, blowing straight into the harbour, which caused the flags to be too much '''end on." Whilst I was there, I was always able to make the signals. By Mr. Ridings.'] I never used the flag signals. I have seen them used bv Captain Lewis. They were never used after the ball signals were adopted. By Mr. Harrop.] On the day the Orpheus was wrecked it was clear weather, and the signals could have been seen about twelve miles by vessels coming from the North. By the Chairman.] I was signal-man about three years under Captain Wing. During that time I had no private signals. There were no danger signals arranged with the Pilot to intimate to him a vessel in danger. By Dr. Pollen.] During all those three years was Marryatt's Code of Signals ever used 1 A. Never. Q. Were you at the Station when the life-boat was sent there ? A. Yes, I brought it down from Onehunga. Q. What was done with the boat ? A. It was put into a shed, about twenty feet beyond high water mark. There would have been no difliculty in making rough launch ing-ways from the shed to launch the boat. There is pleuty of timber close to the Station. The ways could have been made by Captain Wino- with the hands he had, and the boat launched easily. Before I left, I shifted the boat into a cave^ close to high water mark. I did so because the sand drifted around the shed, and caused it to rot At the time of the wreck, the boat was in the cave, bottom up. She might have been easily launched from the cave, because it is close to the water, where it is deep, and no ways are necessary. The boat had sails and oars, but they have been used for the whaleboat. By the Chairman.] I resumed my duties as Assistant Pilot and Signal-man about six months ago. It was about six weeks after the wreck of the "Orpheus." William C. Daldy, Chairman. Monday, October 12th, 1863. Present : Captain Daldy, in the Chair; Mr. Harrop, Mr. J. O'Neill, Dr. Pollen, Captain Battray, Mr. Ridings. Captain Wing examined. By the Chairman.] I wish to add a few words in explanation of my former evidence. I was appointed Pilot by Governor Browne, and Harbour Master by Mi-. Williamson. My salary was

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