75

H.—7

1434. Mr. Blair.] You say that the back-wall crack appeared before the weight went on or the earth formed against it ?—ln some places it was; in others it was very solid. 1435. Did you hear one of the witnesses say that it was raggedy?—l took him to mean that the ground, being unequal in height, was irregular-on the face. 1436. Are you quite clear that when the crack appeared the full pressure of the back clay was against this wall ?—Not the total height of this portion. I have already said that to a certain height it was " boxed " both back and front. 1437. 'j-'lien we may conclude that the whole weight of the back clay was not against the wall when these cracks appeared?— Just so. 1438. You stated that there was no evidence whatever of settlement ?—There is none of vertical settlement. 1439. You swear to that ?—I do. 1440. Are the floors perfectly level ? —So far as I could see, they are. 1441. Was the first-floor level ?—lt appeared to have dragged northwards. 1442. Was it level ?—I did not try it exactly. 1443. Was there not a vertical fall ? Could you not feel it with your feet ? —I do not think you could ; neither could you have rolled a billiard-ball on it. 1444. Will you describe to me again the lay of the bad ground?—lt comes from the northern end of the temporary asylum, away to the back here [indicating on plan], through the centre of the north ambulatory by the front of Block 1 (north), inclines southward, and goes down a gully in front of the central block; then it goes away down through the doctor's greenhouse and to the railway-station. 1445. About how wide is this so-called glacier of mud?—l cannot say. We tapped it at the middle of the north ambulatory, and in front of Block No. 1 (north). 1546. Did you tap it at the north end of the ambulatory ?—We struck it here [indicating on plan]. This centre ambulatory was a dark-blue sort of mullock ; but it seemed to be lighter across the north block in a north-eastern direction. 1447. Did you have it all along the back wall of the ambulatory?— Not all along, but generally in a north-east direction. 1448. And right at the end of the ambulatory ? —Yes, but only of a lighter colour. 1449. And this bad stuff, how far did it extend ? Did this moving stuff correspond with the slip behind ?—I do not say that. The dark stuff extended from about the centre gable of the north wing to the centre of the northern recess. 1450. Your theory is that this is one moving stream of mud, slipping from the temporary asylum right down to the railway-station ? —Well, I would not like to assert that; but I^do assert that for a considerable distance behind the main building this slip is clearly traceable. 1451. Can you start to trace it from the temporary asylum ?—I can. The temporary building itself shows signs of slipping. 1452. Then you recede from the position you took up at first, that the temporary-asylum slip was the same slip as this one ? —I say that it is in line with this one. 1453. Do you advance that as an explanation of the hill-movement —that this is all one slip, and the cause of all the damage which has taken place ?—I will not say about the slip from the temporary asylum; but I have a good knowledge of the ground above the main building and down to the railway-station. 1454. Then you leave out the upper part?— But I know this ground from personal experience. I will not, however, swear that it is connected with the main slip. 1455. What evidence have you of this ?—Personal experience extending over three years, noticing the movement of the ground, my lines shifting, and the station shifting. 1456. Have you any indications between Block 2 and the doctor's paddock ; and, if so, what were those indications?— The colour of the material, and the giving-way of the tramway-line between these points. 1457. I will show you a general plan of the whole ground on a small scale. [Produced.] This plan shows all these slips plainly. Mr. Gore .- It does not show the gullies. Mr. Blair : Yes, it does. 1458. Mr. Blair.] Kindly tell me where the slips on the tramway-line took place ?—Just immediately in line with this [indicating on plan], the doctor's greenhouse. 1459. What was the slip on the tramway like ?—lt must have come away from the southwest. 1460. How big was the slip ? —I do not know. 1461. Was it in a cutting ?—Partly in the cutting—about sft. 1462. How long was it ?—About 1 or It chains. 1463. The positions, as you have described them in your examination, are these: First, it was at the temporary asylum ; next we have it at the north block ; then down to the tram-line ; next in the doctor's paddock; and next in the railway-station. And we are asked to assume that this wonderful stream of soft material comes down in a regular zig-zag ?—I will swear on oath that I can trace this slip distinctly by the doctor's greenhouse and down to the railway-station. 1464. But this slip, according to your showing, avoided this northern block?— Not at all. I never made such a suggestion. I described it as being on the northern line of that portion of the clay which has dragged. 1465. The slip is broader than that, is it not ?—I will not say anything about the width. 1466. Then you will not define the northern line of it ?—No. 1467. Do you hold that this northern block is in line with the slip as well ?— Yes; and I assert that it is being affected by the slip. 1468. Is there any evidence in the north-west corner of any forward movement of the ground ?