H.—7

146

2895. If the back wall of the ambulatory was built straight, how do you explain the variation in the width of the concrete floor? It is 12ft. wide at No. 4 pillar from the south end of the colonnades, and lift. 9in. at No. 5 pillar?— That is going into things as they now stand. When I left them I can affirm they were parallel. 2896. Do you know they were parallel when you left ?—I should say they were when I left. 2897. And how do you explain this difference in the width in the concrete now ?—lt has happened since I left. I cannot explain that unless I give my own opinion of it. It is asking a question as to something that occurred after I left. 2898. You have been asked several questions about the slip. How do you explain the tilting of the partitions away from the back concrete-wall ? —I submit it is not fair to ask me things that happened since I left. I cannot answer them. 2899. You say you do not know and cannot explain ?—I cannot explain. Anyhow, the building, as I saw it the other day, is not the same as I left it. 2900. The Chairman.'] Not in the same state ? —No, a long way from it. 2901. Mr. Blair. .] Can you explain how the back wall in the north recess at the back can be cracked by a slip when the concrete-wall is sound below ?—That is going into expert evidence. Since I left the building I have had no communication about it till I came down. Mr. Laivson : No, you never had. 2902. Mr. Blair.] You told us that you had set out this wall straight —the ambulatory from the central block northwards :is that so ?—Yes ; that was set out straight. The brickwork of this block went on for a considerable time ; but I think I explained that before. We continued our lino along here as near as wo could get it, and set these things, what I call the " dead men," on this wall here, so that it would be straight. 2903. I gather from you that No. 2 block was set out from No. 1 ?—The brick wall on the top of the concrete was set out in continuation here, so that we should have a point to start from to have a straight line. 2904. You believed these two blocks were quite straight ?—To the best of my belief they were perfectly straight. 2905. Do you believe that these blocks were in line with the southern blocks?— That I could not say. As I said, I did not understand a theodolite, and there was no sight taken. 2906. Then it is only from the central block northwards you speak of as true ?—Yes. 2907. You are not positive as to this northern block being in line with the southern block ? —I take it that they would be. I know certainly as near as we could check it. When we measured it on the line given here, we found it was about 3in. down in the length ; from there the line struck on the walls here. 2908. There was a difference of 3in. in the southern end?— Yes, it was not a very definite thing the way it was checked. 2909. And have you any proof that there was not 3in. or more in the northern wing ?—I have no proof of it other than that we set these things. 2910. You did not use the theodolite ?—No. 2911. I think there was a question asked you about the levels by one of the Commissioners, about one of the window-sills being 4-Jan. out: did you believe that those were correct originally?— Yes, they were pretty near correct —I would not say to -Jin. 2912. But you believe they were not 4-Jin. out?— They could not be 4-|in. out. 2913. Then if you find that the central projection in the northern ambulatory is 4Jin. lower— that is, the window-sill —than the window-sill in cell No. 11, we will say, what would you attribute that to, settlement or movement ? —That is going on this thing again. It was not built that way. 2914. It was built level ?—lt was built level to the best of my belief. I would not say for -Jin. or so, but not for an amount like that; it could not have been built so. 2915. I merely wish to show the uncertainty of these levels. If it is shown that there is a drop of ljin. in the window sills between cell 11 and cell 16, would you still think that it was built level ?—lt was not built that way. 2916. And so on with all the other levels ? —I know this for a fact, that I stood here when the scaffolds were up. There are certain bands of stone at the level of the floor, round the floor line, for instance; these bands here run right round the building at one level and one place; that you could stand here and drop the eye down and check them, and that they would "bone" in the distance with the eye almost level. With the levels I used they boned pretty level. For all practical purposes it was level to the length of the building. 2917. I have a note that you suggested a drain in the back wall at this block 2, seeing that a similar drain had been put in the central block?— That is along here. An e^tra was allowed for filling in along here with loose stones so as to form a drain. 2918. And you suggested that the same thing should be done at the northern block ?—I believe it was suggested. I fancy there was something taken through here.. 2919. But it was not put in ? —There was nothing put in behind; the only thing was that these weeping-holes were put in. I think they show now. 2920. You were asked a question by Mr. Gore as to whether the concrete was going on in different parts of the building at the same time, in the trenches. Was there any other work that required your attendance going on at the same time as the concrete ?—The whole of the work was going on in different blocks—going on together at different times. There was inside and outside work, for instance. The concrete might be going on here, and they would be doing brickwork over here in this part. I cannot say what were going on at any particular time, but I know that other works were going on besides the concrete. 2921. There was something said about a blind creek: would you kindly describe where that blind creek came ?—Are you referring to the old site ? 2922. No, to this site?—lt was here, the front of the intermediate wing, north portion. That