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the coal field. There are 2,950 acres in another block, which the Westport Company propose to lease in what is called the Granity Creek Basin, near the Ngakawau Eiver. 49. Mr. Wright] Will you indicate the course the tram \vay ( takes to carry the coal to the port ?— (Witness explained on the map.) 50. Is this tinted portion accessible without passing through other blocks ?—No, but there is power to go through any of the blocks by ths Act of 1877, (witness read the section). No lessee has power to block another from access to any part of the coal field. 51. Are there any other areas in the basin held under lease? —Ye3, there is an area of coal which was taken up under'Fisher's lease that has now been abandoned. 80-he's lease is going to be cancelled. That is just opposite to where the Wellington Company's lease is. 52. I want to know if there are any areas of coal not held under lease. I understood Mr. McKerrow to say that the Westport Company and the Koranui Company held all the areas of coal in that basin ?— Mi*. McKerrow must have misunderstood your queries. What those companies hold is only a very small portion of what the Geological Department consider to be the co;il area in this district. 53. Yes, I see by this mip that the area of the field is about twice as great as that comprised in the leases. There are about 5,G00 acres in round numbers not leased. There is a large area at Mokihinui under provisional applications at present for leases not shown on the map—-that would be all brought in. Mr. Blackett, Engineer in Charge, North Island, and Marine Engineer, New Zealand. 54. The Chairman.] The object of the Committee is to find out in what manner large vessels can be got into the Port of Westport, and to what extent Government would be justified ingoing to expenditure for that purpose. We want to find out, for instance, for what amount cf money vessels drawing 16 feet or Id \ feet, can be got in ?—My most obvious reply is to refer the Committee to Sir John Coode's report. 55. But Sir John Coode's plan is of such an extensive character that it is generally acknowledged it cannot be entirely carried out at once. The object is to find out what lesser sum than the half million, he estimates might effect material improvement. 56. Mr. Wright] The Secretary of the Company has stated that you have said that the works required could be carried out for a sum the interest on which would be met by a charge of a fraction of a penny per ton on the coal in the Company's lease (statement read)? —I have no recollection of having said such a thing. It must have been some other wi ness. I never said it. 57. Then the Secretary had no warrant for making that assertion?—l have no recollection of ever saying anything like it. 58. Have you formed any opinion or estimate of the amount required to obtain sufficient water on the Westport Bar to admit vessels drawing 16 feet ?—The full amount of works proposed by Sir J. Coode would not admit vessels of 16 feet. He says 15 feet. 59. The Chairman.] Sir John estimates there would be 23 feet 4 inches at high-water spring tides, and 15 feet and a fraction at neap tides ?—Yes; but you must allow something under the vessel's bottom. Sir John says you should allow 6 feet for " send " —that is, the rise and fall of the swell—and 3 feet under the vessel's bottom, making together 9 feet, which leaves only 14 feet at spring tides. 60. Mr. Hutchison.] Is there a safe bottom, supposing a vessel should ground at the wharves inside ?— The bottom is composed mainly of sand, shingle, and snags, mixed up. 61. But the snags could be taken out?—Yes. Any large harbour works would necessitate that operation. 62. Mr. Wright.] Then you agree with Sir J. Coode, that the total expenditure he states to be necessary would only admit vessels drawing 15 feet during an on-shore gale. He says that during heavy weather there must be 3 feet under the keel, and 6 feet allowed for " scend" that would reduce it to 14 feet during an on-shore gale. But in calm weather you could do with less margin ? —Yes; but you could not always make sure of fine, smooth weather. The masters of vessels would want to get in when they arrived, whether the weather was fine or not. 63. But the works Sir John Coode contemplates would probably admit vessels drawing 16 or 17 feet, if they got offshore weather or smooth water?—Yes ; if you could be sure of fine weather, but the West Coast bars are not generally smocth. 64. Mr. Hutchison.] Could you not do a less work than Sir John Coode proposes ?—Yes ; but if you spent less money you would get less result. 65. The Chairman.] What lesser sum than that proposed by Sir John Coode might be recommended to be spent year by year ?—The great thing to be looked for is not only deepening the bar, but also to keep the channel permanently in one place. It is lively that £100,000 or £120,000 might be usefully spent, but you would not get the results which Sir John Coode estimates for. By carrying on portions of all the works he recommends—-to finish, for instance, the eastern training-wall he recommends, according to his plan—part of the western training-wall, possibly one-third of the western breakwater, and, also part of the eastern breakwater, all as laid down on Sir John's plan—-at a very rough estimate I should think £120,000 would do that amount of work. That is not the result of actual calculations, you must understand. 66. Mr. Wright] What would be the permanent result, in your opinion, from that expenditure ?— I think it is very likely it would deepen the bar to the extent of 18 inches, and that it might be expected to keep the channel in one place. 67. But without the assistance of any training-walls or breakwaters it does not appear that the channel has any great tendency to shift. Captain Leech has stated in evidence that for a period of three and a half years, from January, 1873 to July, 1876, the depth at high-water spring tides had averaged 16 feet, so that the contemplated expenditure of half a million would not, it would appear, effect a very great improvement over *rt hat was the natural condition of the bar for a very long period ?—You will find that Sir John Coode says that to produce a small result, you will require a comparatively large expenditure on account of the formation of the beach, and from my own experience I can state that the position. «f the channel is subject to very large and sudden changes, after heavy land floods.
Mr. Muchly.
14th June, 1882.
Mr. Blackett
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