H.—7
72
was coming into the reservoir from the west side, as nearly as I could make out as to the position of the reservoir from the bush, and ran under the front embankment. 1831. With reference to this ground here [indicating on plan], your tramway-line came up a gully here [indicated], in front of Block 1 (north), did it not?—lt turned at right angles where it passed Block 2 (north). ."•W3.81382. Did your tram-line pass up this gully [indicated on plan], or the northern corner of Block 2 (north) ?—lt skirted the edge of that gully. 1333. Did you ever notice any slip on the line of the tramway?— There was always a slip halfway down the line. 1334. Had you ever to move any of your rails, or to shift them constantly, on account of this slip ?—Yes. - 1335. Were you at Seacliff when the wall was put into the northern ambulatory of Block 2?— Yes. 1336. Do you remember any rubbish being packed into that wall ?—Decidedly not. 1337. Do you think it possible that it could have been done without your seeing it ?—Certainly not. 1338. You have heard Mr. Hunter's evidence to the effect that the hole there was bricked up on each side, and covered with a board : did you notice anything of that kind ?—Mr. Brindley put in a drain there, and did it by day-labour, but I did not take any particular notice of it. I expect that it is a temporary drain that Mr. Brindley put in to drain water while he was getting in his permanent drain. 1339. Do you think it was worth your while to make a hole 2ft. by lft., as Mr. Ussher's letter states, for the purpose of saving expense ?—lt was scarcely worth while. 1340. Then it was of no advantage to the contractor?—lt would be otherwise. He would lose time and money in putting in rubbish instead of concrete. 1341. While you were at Seacliff did anything occur to the floor of Block 2 (north) ? —That is the crack that I have already told you of, which occurred in the centre of the northern airing-court, and which showed up through the concrete floor. If I recollect rightly it is a fracture across northward and eastward. The northern side of the fracture sailed across the south side of it, overlapping it, as it were. Mr. Brindley and I took particular notice of it, and commented upon what a peculiar thing it was. 1342. Did you interfere with that floor afterwards ? —No. 1343. You do not know what was done to it afterwards ? —No. 1344. Were you up there lately ?—Yes ; on last Tuesday week. 1345. Can you say if anything has been done since it was finished? Has the floor been relaid ?—Yes; it has been torn up in lots of places, and shows very bad cracks all over, from the time that I had seen it previously, and behind Block No. 2 (north). 1346. Do you remember putting in trenches in the ambulatory of Block No. 1 (north) ?—Yes. The water was always coming in from the back as fast as we baled it out. We got clean, fresh water out of it. In fact, it was so clean that you could drink it. 1347. Can you speak of your own knowledge if the contractor took every care, or ordinary care, to put these foundations in in a good and substantial manner ?—Yes; I consider that they were well put in. 1348. Did you attempt anywhere to " slum" these foundations?— Not in the slightest. 1349. In any part of them?— Not in any part of them. 1350. Who gave you instructions in regard to the thickness and depth? —I took my instructions from Mr. Brindley as to the depth and thickness of the foundations. As a matter of fact he and I set out the foundations together. 1351. You declare that you and Mr. Brindley set them out?— Yes. 1352. We have a plan here showing the foundations of the ambulatory-piers, the dotted lines indicating them as on the plan : do these coloured lines show the foundations as they exist ? — Certainly not. 1353. In what way are they different?— The foundations are brought up the whole width of the scarcement, being built 3ft. by 3ft. 1354. No other concrete foundations were put in as that indicates?—No; the foundations of the back wall are not built with scarcements as shown. 1355. Did you experience much trouble in getting this wall in here at the back [indicating on plan] ? Did the ground slip with you at all ? —Part of it came away. As far as my recollection goes, that wall in the recess of the centre gable was boxed on both sides to a certain height, on account of the ground being naturally lower on the top level. It had to be filled up afterwards. 1356. Having given you this plan of the ambulatory-piers [produced], and having called your attention to the fact that the coloured portion shows them as they were put in, and the dotted lines the foundations as they were designed, I ask you if you could take any quantities from that plan ? —If asked to take the quantities of the foundations off the dotted lines, I should take them all round here [indicating on plan]— i.e., the dotted portion ; and if I had to take off the foundations, as this plan shows them done, I should most decidedly take them off the portion which is coloured. 1357. Could you, from this plan, calculate the bearing-strain of the foundation—could you calculate what amount of weight the foundation would carry, supposing that it was built that way ? —No. 1358. That plan, you see, shows only one side of the foundation ; the other is not shown ? — Then you could not calculate it. You have nothing to calculate it on. 1359. You heard Mr. Hay give his evidence? —Yes. J. 360. Do you know how he arrived at his calculation ?—I do not. 1361. You think it is simply impossible to calculate it?— Yes. 1362. Then you do not think that Mr. Hay's calculations would be correct ? —Of course, he
Use your Papers Past website account to correct newspaper text.
By creating and using this account you agree to our terms of use.
Your session has expired.