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they show a split at the back wall ?—They would show nothing at all, because they would be all away. 1122. If they were pulled lin. away from the back wall, would it show ?—Yes, if one wall remained stationary, and the other was drawn away, it would be bound to show. 1123. Would you assume that the back wall moved uphill ?—No. 1124. You say that the settlement would give certain cracks of Jin. at each end of the corridor. Suppose we find that the under part of the wall altogether was out about 2in., how do you account for that ?—I could not say that. 1125. Suppose we find a bulge in the wall 2in. ?—I could not account for it. 1126. Would you account for it by pressure coming in diagonally from the north ? —When a building moves bodily forward you cannot tell where the strain will come. 1127. You stated that you did not take the clay into consideration in giving an opinion as to the carrying-capacity of the wall ?—No. 1128. If you were designing a building, and found the foundation defective, would not you put in more foundation ?—I should put them in sufficient. 1129. Would you consider the clay under these circumstances?—lf I got upon a soft formation I should see what it would carry, and suit my foundation to the superstructure. 1130. If the foundation was specified to go down 4ft. 6in., and the foundation was only put down 3ft., would the one bear as much as the other? —It depends on the nature of the ground. 1131. In soft ground would one bear as much as the other? —The same area? 1132. No, of different areas. Say one foundation was to go down 4ft. 6in., and had footings 9in., and instead of that it was put down 3ft. and no footings, would the latter one carry as much on soft ground as the original one ? —lf the area of the footing was the same it would carry the same. 1133. I am saying that the area is less ? —lf the area is less it would carry less. 1134. Then would not it carry less, even if the area was not reduced, if it did not go down deep enough ?—lf the area was not reduced, and it did not go deep enough, if the clay was of the same nature it would carry the same. 1135. Take ordinary clay : if, instead of going down Gft., you cut off at 4ft., is the superstructure as safe as if held by 6ft. ?—Just the same if the clay will support the same. 1136. Why go down for foundations?— There is no necessity to go down for foundations if you get the same bearing-power. 1137. Is clay at the surface not subject to effects from rain and from other causes^ —atmospheric causes? —It would depend greatly upon the nature of the clay. 1138. Is there no rule acknowledged in the profession by which a minimum depth must be gone to in order to get out of atmospheric and meteorological influences ?—No. It depends upon the nature of the material. 1139. Then you allow nothing whatever for friction in the bearing-surface in a very deep foundation. You allow nothing for friction against the sides ?—No, nothing whatever. 1140. Is that an invariable practice amongst architects ? —I do not know what the invariable practice is—it is what I do myself. 1141. Mr. Gore.] You have a plan showing some of the buttresses supposed to strengthen the foundation. You stated that if the back wall comes forward you would expect all three walls to go together ?—Yes. 1142. If you were told that this concrete floor had been forced bodily over, and had overlapped, would that lead you to believe that the back wall had gone forward and not the front one ? — 1143. If the back wall was moving forward from pressure of the earth or water at the back, and a large buttress was put here, as shown there, and afterwards you were told this wall had stopped moving, what conclusion would you come to ?—The conclusion I would come to is that this buttress had stopped the pressure at the back. 1144. Would that buttress, as built there, take the weight off that wall ? —lt would not take the vertical weight, but the pressure from behind. 1145. It would not stop vertical settlement ?—No ; it would rather increase it, because you have extra weight cast upon the footing. 1146. In putting the concrete in casing, as Mr. Blair put it, or in boxing, do you leave the boxing on the ground, supposing you put it underneath the ground ? —No. 1147. Then, if any was found in the ground it would be simply for the reason that it could not be got at?— Yes, or not worth while to take it out. 1148. In putting in stone packing do you consider 7in. or 9in. apart too near or too far ? —I generally specify 4in. 1149. You say you took Mr. Brindley's measurement for the foundations. Do you mean that you did that in his office, or that you went round the building with him ?—I went round the building with him. We went and measured part of it together, where I was not certain of the foundations. 1150. The Chairman.'] I think the witness stated that he did not measure the depth or width. He may have measured the length ?—There were some I took myself, and Mr. Brindley went all through, and whatever was wrong we eliminated from the quantities. They are all shown here. 1151. Then I understand you went "round with Mr. Brindley, and where you could measure it you did, and where you could not you took his figures ?—Yes. 1152. Mr. Laioson.] May I ask him a question ? Dr. Hector's report The Chairman : It is not put in. 1153. Mr. Laioson.] Well, I will formally give in a copy. [Copy of Dr. Hector's report put in, and marked " 16. "] Bead from No. 3 forwards ?—Yes. 1154. It says, "The north end of the building and part of the foundations of the central