117

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2070. You said you had never resiled from the original position taken up with reference to the isolating drain : can you explain the cause of your silence during the three years ? —Because there was no motion taking place, and nothing directed my attention to it; I was done with my work; I had reported to Mr. Blair, and I considered my duty was done ; it was on his shoulders then to act, not mine. 2071. Now, during the whole of that three years, as I said before, did you in any shape or form either in innuendo or insinuation, did you suggest the isolating-drain ?—I communicated with many others ; I may not have to you. I thought I gave you quite sufficient warning. 2072. Then your silence was due to the discourteous treatment received from mo ?—Did you think I was going to hunt you with letters ? I say that there has been no alteration in my position in regard to the drain, not to this hour. 2073. Are you prepared to say that this silence was not caused through an interview with Dr. Hector ?—There was no interview. 2074. Then the silence was simply in consequence of your desire not to offend me ?—To a large extent it was, and because I had previously given you plenty of warning. 2075. Will you swear that that was the reason ? —I had given you sufficient warning—that is what I say. lam not obliged to hunt you with letters. 2076. Do you swear that the fact of your not getting letters had anything to do with it ? —I do, most decidedly. 2077. Did you think it was infra dig. ? —I say that I gave you repeated warnings, and you took no notice of them. 2078. There have been other matters brought up. You have been in daily communication with me almost, or every week : was it right for you to have this rankling in your bosom, and pretending you were my friend all the time ?—There was no rankling about it. It might have turned out that there was no great need for it. 2079. Then that idea crossed your mind ?—No, not to any extent. I was always afraid of that same thing. 2080. And although it was so strong in your mind you kept it to yourself. You say I poohpoohed the whole thing?— Your report poohpoohs it very clearly. 2081. Did I poohpooh the isolatiug-drain ? —No, lam not saying so. You never mentioned it. I am saying you poohpoohed the movement as a whole. 2082. I will not ask you the question, but I do not think you ever mentioned the isolating-drain to me. Did you ever mention the drain to me for those three years?—l cannot tell you. The Chairman: Ido not know what Mr. Blair wants to elicit from the witness. Mr. Blair : If he will not answer me, how can I get it ? 2083. Mr. Blair.] Would you mind looking at that plan of the building that was put in just now, No. 2 ? That is the section of drain, the present one put in ; is that put in in accordance with your sketch ? —No. 2084. Show us the difference ? —The ground was not filled in. 2085. Did you not contemplate the possibility of its being filled in?— No. 2086. Did you not say anything about a tunnel?— Yes. 2087. How are you to keep the tunnel: with brick?— Yes ; anything you like. 2088. If you bricked this tunnel, you say it was to be left open : will you tell us how you purpose to provide for the drainage and keep the tunnel open ?—You will construct the tunnel and let the water through. 2089. How will you let the water through ? —You can have plenty of weep-holes. 2090. Is that the only difference between it and this one ? —I will not say that. 2091. Will you look at your sketch ?—lt is only a rough sketch. 2092. You state that the trench herein referred to [it is a letter to Mr. Ussher] is shown on Drawing No. 2 accompanying Mr. Ussher's late report on this matter, and headed " Cross-section at slip, Seacliff Asylum." " This work is in the direction of the main trench or drain advised by me from the first." I suppose that is correct as far as it goes?— Yes. 2093. In that same letter you still urge one deeper and further back?— Yes, as is shown here. 2094. You mean as shown in Mr. Ussher's plan ?—Which Mr. Ussher showed at the time. I only saw this plan for a very few minutes. 2095. How far did that drain go behind the building—that is, the plan that Mr. Ussher sent in his report, and which you refer to in this report ?—I do not remember. 2096. Can you tell us how far it went past the building —this one now shown on Mr. Ussher's plan : the one that has been put in ?—I could not tell you. If this is intended to be indicated by the blue line, the section is the one I recognise. Ido not know any other : it simply went further back. 2097. Does the section tell you how far the isolating-drain goes?— No. 2098. Was it intended to be taken the whole length of the building?—l do not know. 2099. How can you give an opinion if you do not know?— Because it was further back. I suppose it was to be continuously further back. I did not think it was to come near to the building. 2100. Would you kindly tell us the depth of that drain from the top?—l do not know what is the scale. 2101. Twenty feet to the inch?— The excavation would be 45ft. deep—not to the bottom, but to the solid. 2102. Did you ever calculate what the cost of that work would be ?—I do not know. 2103. You spoke about cuttings in Queen and George Streets: would this be as big as the Queen and George Street cuttings ?—lt might be ; I could not tell you. 2104. If these cracks had not appeared, would you have revived the question of the isolatingdrain ? —I do not suppose there would have been any necessity for it. No, not in that case.