85

H.—7

1782. There is 14in., 18in., 2ft. and 2ft. 6in. work?— Yes. The brickwork here [indicating on the plan] as shown is 2ft., but I think it is 2ft. 3in. as done, if I recollect rightly. 1783. How can you make the wall 2ft. thick? Can you say whether you carried out these figures, or made them thicker ? —These walls were carried 2ft. 3in., as I have mentioned, where they are shown as 2ft. 1784. That is three bricks?— Yes. 1785. Was that an extra to the contract ?—I would consider it.ought to have been, but Ido not know whether it was or not. 1786. Did you measure it as an extra ?—Well, it will be shown in these papers if I did. I do not know whether I included that as an extra, or whether it was arranged before I went down. That was how the work was set off when I went there. I recollect now observing that it was 3in. thicker than what was shown. 1787. But you do not know whether it was charged for as an extra?—l do not recollect. I had nothing to do with the final settling-up. 1788. Who gave you orders to alter the thickness of the walls from 2ft. to 2ft. 3in. ?—I do not know. The work was set off when I went there. 1789. Was any of the 2ft. portion set off?— Yes. There was one storey done. 1790. Was that 2ft. ? —Yes. All here [indicating on plan] on the side walls. 1791. The part that you made 2ft. 3in. was marked 2ft. on the plan, but was set out 2ft. 3in. when you went on the ground ? —Yes ; that was so. 1792. Mr. Mountfort.] What was the lower storey when you came on the ground?—2ft. 6in. 1793. How can you make a 2ft. 6in. wall out of that ?—I do not know. That is a projection. 1794. Mr. Lawson.] As a matter of fact, the wall that is marked on the contract-plan as 2ft. is actually 2ft. 3in. ?—Yes. 1795. And you are not aware of its being charged as an extra ? —I am not aware. Ido not recollect now if it was. 1796. To the best of your recollection, you did not measure it as an extra ?—No. If I did it will be shown in the papers I left with Mr. Gore. 1797. Do you remember particularly about the foundations of the tower ? —I did not put them in, but I noticed the foundations of the tower. 1798. What was the nature of the concrete that was put in ?—lt is one solid block right round. It is larger than what is shown in the plan. 1799. During the time that you were on the ground there was there any particular dispute between you and Mr, Brindley?—There were several. ■1800. Can you remember any of them ? —I mind a great dispute about bricks. 1801. In that dispute did I take the side of Mr. Briudley or of the contractor? —I do not know, but you came out and condemned about 200,000 bricks on us. 1802. I did?— Yes. 1803. You do not know, do you, of any instances of any kind of disputes—no matter what they were ; I do not care what they were, while you were there on the ground—in which I sided with Mr. Gore against Mr. Brindley ? —No; I do not recollect of any. 1804. I want you to be particular in answering this question. Think carefully, and try and call to your recollection, if you can, any circumstance in which a dispute arose where —I do not care how trifling the instance was —I sided with Mr. Gore against Mr. Brindley ?—No ; I cannot recollect anything except the case of the bricks. There was lime or something in the clay ;at all events, I supposed that that was the cause. Mr. Brindley objected, and condemned them all. 1805. How long were you on the ground ?—About six months. 1806. And during the whole of that time you say that you do not know of any such instance of a dispute in which I sided with Mr. Gore against Mr. Brindley ? —No, I do not. 1807. Not even about any simple or trifling thing?—No; I cannot recollect of anything in dispute which you came up about, except the matter of the bricks. 1808. Mr. Blair.] How often was Mr. Lawson on the ground during those six months ?—I cannot say how often, but he was pretty often out. 1809. You state that you do not know about Mr. Lawson siding with the contractors in the matter of disputes. As a matter of fact, do you really know anything about it ? —I really know nothing about his siding with the contractor in any dispute. I thought it was really the other way. 1810. Did you know of your own knowledge that it was the other way ?—No ; except that instance I have been referring to —the matter of the bricks. 1811. You left the works, you say, because Mr. Brindley was always finding fault with you? — Yes. 1812. Continuously finding fault?— Yes. 1813. Did Mr. Lawson back him up in these fault-findings: in every one of them?—l do not know whether he did or not. James Goke sworn and examined. Witness : I will state to you, gentlemen, what I know about the concrete. That seems to me to be the principal thing in dispute, so far as I am concerned. 1814. The Chairman.] You are the principal contractor? —lam the only contractor. I will state what I know about the concrete. As I just stated that, I presume, is the principal thing affecting me. The concrete in the foundations of this central block was put in before Mr. Dick (the foreman) went out there—that is these outside walls. I was not there the whole time, but I believe that Mr. Brindley was. He (Mr. Brindloy) set out the foundations himself, having done so as a favour to myself. I was going backwards and forwards while the foundations were being put in, but,