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necessary to make a short piece of cross wall at an angle of about forty-five degrees to the permanent line before the permanent wall itself is begun. £2000 was allocated for running out a portion . of the wall ; in order to make the most of it, we are running it in the direction just described, that is the work we have now in hand, we have spent nearly half the money. 157. That is, yo.ihave spent £1,000 ?—Yes. 158. What length of wall have you constructed for that ?—About three chains. 159. Mr. Macandrew] Is it done by contract ?—No. We have a contract for the supply of stone. 160. What is the cost per yard or chain ?—About £330 per chain, and we are only just beginning it. 161. The cost for the stone deposited has been about 6s per ton, there is practically about a cubic yard in a ton when the stone is loose. 162. Is the work now commenced of the same nature as it would be if carried out to the extremity ?— It is the same class of work, but if you went out into the surf, it would require to be much heavier, so that the cost now is no criterion. I think the best criterion of cost, would be the cost of the Grey, we have had large works in operation there for a long time. They cost 2s lOd per ton. 163. You are acquainted personally with these places, I suppose?—Yes; ] have been there several times. 164. What, in your opinion, would it cost to give another 2 feet of water on the bar, making it say 16 2 feet ?—lt is a very difficult thing to say. 165. Would £50,000 do it, do you think I —Speaking off-hand, I do not think it would, considering that the whole thing is estimated to cost nearly half a million. With double £50,000 you might do something; we have spent nearly £100,000 on the Grey works. I think £100,000 might do some good at the Buller, supposing we ran out portioni of the two walls, to concentrate the current, and send it clearacross the bar, to confine it from spreading. I believe, at the Buller, in floods, instead of making deep channels, the bar simply spreads it considerably, perhaps a foot or two is taken off over a wide area instead of a deep channel being made in one place. 166. The Chairman] What does the Grey cost per chain I —The average of the work done last year is about £750, but the cost is increasing rapidly as we go out. 167. Do you not think the work could be done cheaper by contract?—-We have really not made a start, if we were going to do the whole work, it would be advisable to contract for it, or else make arrangements on a large scale to carry it out in the most economical manner. At the Grey the work was first done by contract, but we are now doing it ourselves much cheaper; I think at two-thirds of the contract price, although the lead is longer. 168. Mr. Allwright] With an expenditure of £100,000 you think you could improve the bar ?—I think it would do something. It is difficult to say what the effect would be in extra depth. The walls would undoubtedly concentrate the current as it went across the bar. 169. Then there is no guarantee that that expenditure would improve the bar?—There is no guarantee in any of these works. 170. Would there be if the whole amount Sir John Coode recommends were spent?—After getting out a certain distance I have no doubt that the effect would be permanent and marked, and that it would increase with every yard you went out. 171. How niuch do you think these walls would cost?—l think about £100,000. Perhaps more That is to the point where they would begin to have a beneficial effect. 172. Do you think if Sir John Coode's plans were carried out entirely there would be an absolute guarantee of sucocss ?—I believe the chances would be very greatly in its favor; but you can never be sure what the precise action of water will be when flowing in an open channel. Mr. G. M. Bare, examined. 173. The Chairman] You are a civil engineer, and have charge of the harbour works at Dunedin and Wanganui ?—Yes. 174. You have visited Westport ?—Yes; I was there for about five or six weeks at a stretch at one time. 175. Do you know the conditions of the harbour improvement works going on there ?—I do not know what has been done within the last year or two, the works, as far as the ships were concerned, had only been carried as far as the coal staiths at the time I was there. 176. The object of the Committee is to ascertain what expense would be necessary to deepen the barso as to admit vessels drawing 16 or 17 feet of water, and, as you are a professional man, and are acquainted with Westport, we want your opinion ?—Well, of course the principle for improving these, bars in a permanent manner is to concentrate the scour upon it, that when an accumulation is made by the action of the ocean, there should be a scour running out so that the action of the ocean may be neutralised as far as possible by artificial works. I may say that I have read Srr John Coode's reports, and I should be inclined to adhere to his line of design as regards the outer breakwaters. Of course, bearing in mind that there will not be as much money available as would carry out the whole design, 1 would devote the first attention to concentrating a scour on the bar, which is really the most urgent work ; and, therefore, I would make the outer breakwaters before I carried out the internal works. I would make these breakwaters in the first place to half-tide height—that is, to half the height between high and low water—or a little more. My reason for that would be this—that in all tidal waters the principal effect of the scour is in the second half of the ebb. The first half produces comparatively little effect in the scour, because the swiftest current of the water runs over the surface, whereas the deeper down tire water sinks the more effect it has. It is keeping that in mind that I would spend the money in going over the whole length, and carrying the walls to a partial height rather than making a short length to the full height. I have made an estimate, and I find that to carry out the two breakwaters to the full length and to half-tide height would cost £168,000—the two walls together. Of course, if it was found advisable when money was available to carry the works to a greater height—if it was found the

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Mr. Ulair

21st June, 1882.

Mr. G. M. /?«»»-.