25

I.—llb

106. Why does not the railway run passenger-trains on Saturdays ?—I cannot say how it is. 107. Do you think it would be profitable?-—I am sure it would. 108. Then, why do they not do it ? —I do not know; in the first place the line wants extending to St. Clair; that would not be possible without increased expenditure; they would want to extend the line to St. Clair, about a mile. 109. At what cost ?—lt is barely a mile :it would be very inexpensive; it is dead level. 110. Are you a shareholder ? —Yes. 111. Mr. Barron] You say this belonged originally to ?—The Ocean Beach Railway. 112. The Ocean Beach Railway went into liquidation, did it not ?—Yes. 113. And the present proprietors of the line purchased from the liquidator?— Yes. 114. Do you know whether all the conditions of the Act under which the railway was constructed were complied with, in so far that consent was got in writing from Government to the assignment?— Yes ; it was all done through the secretary. 115. So that the company is legitimately under the Act ?—Yes. 116. In the construction of this railway was St. Clair to be the terminus ?—Yes. 117. So that the line has not been completed as originally intended ?—No. 118. Do'you know that within the last few years the population of St. Clair has greatly increased ? —Yes. 119. The Chairman] Mr. Maxwell says, in reply to a question (21) put to him by the Committee, that the Ocean Beach Railway might be used as a public line, but he goes on to say, "I consider that we should work it at a loss; that has been our experience up to now." Has that been so : is it the case that the line has been worked with a loss when in connection with the Government ? —lt has only been worked on the occasion of race-days ; there has been a revenue derived from coal going over it for gasworks ; how much I cannot say. 120. Mr. Barron] But as one knowing the locality, is there a growing traffic there ?—There is a growing traffic there, and I am sure there would be immediate revenue accruing to the Government. 121. What is the price?—£ll,soo. 122. Mr. Wilson] Mr. Bastings, you stated that this company took the railway from the liquidator; do you recollect what it cost the present company to take it over ?—There are many of the present owners who were in the original company. The original company sunk over £20,000 in it. 123. What was the value put upon it when this company bought it?—l can hardly tell you that: the old shareholders took shares in the new company so as to get some of their capital back; the price that was put on it I do not remember. Mr. Barron: It would be a nominal price for the purpose of winding up the old company and making the transfer.

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