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present, it seems from Mr. Gore's manner, he is neither bound by time, General Conditions, details, or instructions, as he, as you know, questions every detail, and considers himself the right person to judge re materials and workmanship, details, &c, and tries to ignore any instructions I may give. This is not as it should be. I must insist on his paying a little more deference to me and to my instructions." Mr. Brindley felt so strongly over this matter that he sent an unofficial note to Mr. Ussher, with a copy of this letter. He says :" I enclose press copy of letter sent this day to Mr. Lawson. In the event of his not seeing this matter satisfactorily settled, I shall have to ask you to take the matter up, as literally Mr. Gore repudiates my authority altogether; and, as works are yet a long way from completion, the sooner Mr. Gore is brought to his senses the better. There are only two courses open to me, either to give up my office or not pass work. I have chosen the latter." Although Mr. Brindley wrote so strongly to Mr. Lawson on the sth October, he did not receive an immediate answer from him. Apparently I am not the only one who is guilty of not answering letters. On the 28th of that month he asks for an answer for three letters, especially to the one of the sth. Of course I have not got the answers to these letters, but I shall call on Mr. Lawson to produce them. Mr. Brindley, however, apparently received a letter in answer to his one of the 28th October, and the answer which he seems to have got was a request to work amicably with the Contractor. On the 2nd November, 1882, he says : "I received your letter of the 30th with reference to working amicably with contractors. I try to do so, but certainly think as Inspector I am not supposed to pass work not done as your instructions or my directions (as beforementioned concrete is not). Also it is about time some extreme measure is taken when the Contractor or his manager repudiates my instructions as in the present case; and the withholding the certificate is the only way to protect myself." Mr. Brindley evidently thought that the instructions to " work amicably with the Contractor " implied passing bad work. In that same letter Mr. Brindley says: "I have not certified for about 40 yards of concrete put in during the early part of the month, not being satisfied with the manner of its being put in and the amount of stone packing." Of course Ido not know whether that concrete was taken out or not. Mr. Gore : Mr. Blair is not giving evidence now. Mr. Lawso?i: It is another reason why Mr. Brindley should'be present. The whole thing is perfect rubbish —what he is reading; yet it is given on oath. Mr. Blair: Mr. Lawson will have an opportunity of showing that it is not true, if such is the case. Mr. Laivson : I still consider Mr. Brindley is not being rightly treated. The Chairman: This is only a statement by Mr. Blair, and it is open to you, Mr. Gore, or Mr. Brindley to controvert it. Mr. Blair: While on this subject I will read a memorandum to me by Mr. O'Connor, dated the 2nd of February, 1888, of what came under his own observation while he was Inspecting Engineer in the Middle Island. He says with reference to the concrete :" On the first of these occasions I was passing by the building with Mr. Ussher, on our way to the temporary building higher up the hill, where some work required to be done, and I noticed some of the foundationwork being put in in a manner which seemed to me to be the most slovenly and most unworkmanlike character that I had ever seen. The trenches were irregular in shape and not clear of water, and the gravel composing the concrete appeared to be muddy and unwashed, and some stones in it were much too large to be properly admitted in such a small mass of concrete. As the work was entirely in Mr. Lawson's charge, I did not of course make any comment upon it to any of his subordinates on the ground; but I made a remark to Mr. Ussher, who was with me, something I think, to the effect that if that sort of work would do for the foundations of a large building I must have been wasting people's money all my life. I also resolved to inform you about it, which I did, I think, the next morning, on my return to Dunedin." Mr. Skinner : From whom is that ? Mr. Blair : Mr. O'Connor, the present Under-Secretary for Public Works, who was Inspecting Engineer under me for the Middle Island at this time. Mr. Ussher will tell you that the Architect's attention was drawn to the fact. Mr. Lawson : This statement was made by Mr. Brindley, you say ? Mr. Blair : Mr. Ussher will say so. Mr. Lawson: That Mr. Brindley has said that ? Mr. Blair : So he informed me. Mr. Gore : It is a piece, I now see, with all the rest. The Chairman : I think you had better not interrupt. Mr. Gore : lam quite ready to give any information I can on the subject. But this is all hearsay. Mr. Blair: Mr. Ussher will give evidence in support of this memorandum of Mr. O'Connor's, and he will also show that Mr. Brindley told him that the Contractor tipped barrow-loads of dirty boulders from the excavation behind the building into the trenches, in lieu of the materials specified ; that the Architect's attention was drawn to the fact, but that the Inspector received no satisfaction from him. This is all I have to say upon the matter of the concrete, and if bears out what we have all seen for ourselves in the foundations. You have also seen that, although the contract requires the concrete to be put in in boxes or cases, there were only three or four places in which there was any appearance of casings having been used, and the foundation has been laid bare at nearly forty places. As I read it, the Commission has to investigate the condition not only of the damaged part of the building, but of any other part thereof. I shall therefore give some evidence as to the condition of several other works in the asylum, and the materials used in them. First as to the matter of bricks : There was a considerable amount of heartburning over the question of bricks. The matter came under my personal notice once or twice while on the ground and otherwise, and I communicated unofficially with Mr. Lawson—directed his attention to it, with, I believe, at the time the result of having the matter partly rectified. Mr. Brindley on the 4th