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1011. Mr. Ormond.] "Where will lie require those two men ?—ln the Accountant's office. 1012. Where ?—ln Christchurch. 1013. What are the extra men required for ?—They are wanted for the weekly returns. The work is done four times over. 1014. You say he will require two men; I suppose you mean for preparing the summary ?—Yes, for checking or audit. The stations prepare the summaries. 1015. But do you not prepare a general summary at the head office ?—Yes, but that is not a large return ; that in not two hours' work. 1016. There are six other men to be accounted for ?—Two in Christchurch, and four in Lyttelton, in the preparation of returns rendered necessary under the new system. 1017. Let us have it clearly. With regard to Christchurch you said four, what will be their wor k ? —There are four in the goods department, and four in the Accountant's. 1018. You say there will be two extra wanted in each department ?—ln the Accountant's or Head Office. 1019. And four where ? —Four at Christchurch, in the goods department. 1020. And what will be their duty ?—Preparing weekly returns. 1021. And in Lyttelton ?—Four on account of the weekly system, and two more during the busy season. Of course we would have to provide for the busy season. 1022. And that is your own opinion of what is wanted? —Well, I cannot say. 1023. Whose opinion is it, then?— Those who are in charge of these departments. 1024. The Stationmastcr at Lyttelton?—He says he will require four extra hands. 1025. At Christchurch?—Four. 102 G. Is that your opinion, or whose opinion? —I cannot say ; I have not gone into it. They are their representatives. f 1027. Yes, but whose?—Mr. Tippetts, the Goods Manager at Christchurch (I have his written statement here) ; Mr. Bradley at Lyttelton ; and Mr. Fife, the Accountant. I will read you what Mr. Fife, the Accountant, says: "The new weekly system presses severely on this office, aud since it came into force it has been one series of late hours for all concerned." 1028. When was that written ?—That was written on the 27th of this month. 1029. Have they got actually clear of the last year's accounts ? —They have. 1030. In talking of the busy season in the up-country districts, you said that in the busy season the Stationmaster would have to be engaged on accounts when he ought to be at his other work ? — Yes. 1031. Just explain? —"Well, I may explain in this way. They are a class of men who do not know much about accounts, and it is a great labour for them to prepare balance-sheets and summaries. For three-fourths of the year they could do it without inconvenience; but duiing the busy season they would be engaged on that work when they should be over at the grain shed tallying, &c. That is the only difficulty I see with regard to the up-country stations. 1032. It applies to the grain season? —Yes. 1033. Now, with regard to the general management, you were asked a question on this subject, aud, as I understood in your evidence, it was unnecessary for the Manager to be a civil engineer. You were talking generally of railways ? —Yes, I said that. 1034. Now, I would ask you whether Mr. Conycrs being a civil engineer is not of great advantage to the railway ? —Undoubtedly ; but he has the necessary additional qualifications. 1035. Would it be necessary to have an officer who was also qualified as a civil engineer ?—I do not think so. The Locomotive Superintendent and Permanent-way Engineer, it appears to me, is all that is required. 103 G. Would there have to be any General Manager in charge of locomotives and permanent way if he were not an engineer? —In a large mileage it would be necessary to have an officer for each of those departments in my opinion. 1037. But if he were only Traffic Manager, should we require another officer to manage the permanent way and the locomotives ? —Yes, we should. 1038. You were asked questions in reference to the rules. Ought such rules to be provided for the railways or not? —Yes, undoubtedly they should be. 1039. What was the practice of the Canterbury railways iintil lately ? Were the men furnished with rules and regulations ?—They were some years ago, but a great many of them were without those regulations for the last eighteen months. It was expected that new rules applicable to all the lines would be required when the General Government took the railways over, and the printing of new ones was deferred. 1040. In the case of the accidents that have lately happened on the Canterbury railways, have any of those arisen from the fact of the men not being furnished with proper regulations and rules ? —Certainly not. 1041. With regard to the appointment of the ticket clerks that were talked of the other day—the clerks that were appointed on instructions —at the time of the appointment of these men were there any men travelling with the trains besides the guards ? —Not regularly. 1042. Any men travelling to the stations to perform the business of porters, unloading ? — The Lyttelton-Christchurch line, and the North aud South line, as far as Amberley and Ashburton, required additional assistance on Saturdays. 1043. But I do not mean that; I mean men travelling for the purpose of unloading and loading trains ?—That would apply to the White Cliffs and Eyreton branches, but it did not apply to the line generally. 1044. You did not have men travelling on other lines ?—No; only the extra guards. 1045. During the exceptional times ? —Yes. 1046. What is your opinion about the advisability of having a second man to assist ?—I am strongly of opinion that it is an unnecessary expense on the Canterbury lines.

Mr. Lawson,

31st Aug., 1777.