155

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0152. Did you approve of that ?—I think so. 3153. Then you recommended it ? —Yes. 3154. And with regard to the central portion of the building where the walla were strengthened by iron rails being put in and tied back? —I came down to town specially to see Mr. Lawson about that. The specification was very vague in regard to bond ties. 3155. Mr. Lawson.] Does it specify that iron bonds and ties are required throughout the building ?—Yes. 315 G. Mr. Skinner.) When this turret was drawn out, before it was constructed, were you of opinion that it was strong enough—was tied back enough into the work from its position? —Well, I made the best I could of it. 3157. Was this the drawing [produced] which was w Torked to?— Yes. 3158. But I ask you at the time that it was constructed were you of opinion that the pillars were strong enough to carry the weight of the overhang ?—I was not. 3159. Did you call Mr. Lawson's attention to that?— Yes; that is why I suggested to bring it in. 3160. He brought in the turret afterwards. I noticed that they did not project so much ?— They were brought in afterwards. 3161. Mr. Lawson.] Did you never see a turret built like that before ? —Yes; I have seen specimens of them. 3162. Mr. Mountfort.] After Mr. Lawson had told you that great power rested in your discretion, did you think that you had full authority to make any structural alterations without reference to Mr. Lawson?—Most decidedly not. 3163. The Chairman.] Then you thought all along that you were acting for Mr. Lawson ?—Yes. 3164. Mr. Mountfort.] Did you ever look on yourself as acting independently of Mr. Lawson? —No. 3165. Did you ever look on Mr. Blair as being your superior officer? —Most decidedly not. 3166. If anything went wrong constructionally, you did not think that you were responsible ?— I did not. 3167. Of course I mean that you were following orders?— Exactly. Me. James Goke's Statement. Mr. Gore : At the commencement of this inquiry it was with a very considerable amount of diffidence that I expressed a desire to review the evidence at its close; but now that all the evidence has been taken, I find that my task is a very easy one. I do not need to go outside of Mr. Blair's witnesses—by that I mean, of course, the witnesses of the Public Works Department—in order to clear myself of all the charges that have been brought against mo. Lot me, at the outset, state briefly what I take to be my position in regard to this inquiry. In the House of Eopresentatives, on the 17th December last, the Hon. Mr. Mitchelson, in replying to a question that had been put to him, used the words: —" .... The drawings of the engineer sent down to report on the building showed very clearly that the specifications had not been carried out. He had the plans in front of him, and any honourable member might see that there was a very large discrepancy throughout the whole of the foundations. It was his intention to cause an inquiry to be made, and if it was found that the Contractor was legally liable to make the work good, the Government would take action. The stability of the building was endangered by the foundations having been laid so badly. An inquiry would be made at once." I may say that on reading that I felt a little indignant, and I wrote to the Evening Star a letter on the subject of the Soacliff building. That is the first and only letter I have written about it, and it was signed with my own name. In that letter I stated that one of two things must have occurred : either Mr. Mitchelson must have given his answer in reply to the manner in which the question was put, or his reply was inspired by the Public Works Department; there can be no doubt now that the answer was inspired by the Public Works Department; for we have heard from Mr. Blair himself that, so far as this inquiry is concerned, he is the Public Works Department; so I naturally look on it that that answer was inspired by himself. From the reply which the Minister gave, and from the evidence which has been taken here, it appears to mo that the charges brought against me are these : First, that I have scamped the foundations ; second, that I have reduced the quantity of concrete in the foundations in order to benefit myself; and, third, that by these means damage has been caused to the building; for which I am to be held responsible. Before this Commission sat, I had no knowledge whatever that any specific charges were to be brought against me. I did not know it, in fact, until after Mr. Blair had given his evidence —if it can be called evidence ; for, at best, it amounted to nothing more than hearsay statements, of which he personally could not know anything about. No doubt Mr. Blair was guided by what his witnesses told him that they could prove, and, therefore, I quite exonerate him from wilfully wishing to mislead this Commission. I have known him for a great many years, and I do not think that he would do such a thing: but what a difference is there between his statement of what he professed to bring witnesses to prove and what he has actually proved ! I say that he has failed most lamentably in proving what he undertook to prove. He said on oath : " This piece was bared afresh for the inspection of the Commissioners; so also was the adjoining window, which had never been opened before, and I might perhaps be permitted to say that it would be difficult to find a more flagrant example of scamping." When I hoard that statement I was] very much astonished ; indeed I began to doubt my identity—to doubt whether I was the James Gore who had built this lunatic asylum; whether, in fact, I had ever seen the building on which I had passed so many anxious weeks and months in endeavouring to carry out my contract faithfully, and with satisfaction to all concerned —for I was virtually told that I am a-swindler; as that is what in plain English it amounts to. And that is said of me, who has lived in this city of Dunedin for twenty-five years; who has during twelve years of that time occupied public positions, lived in good repute with my fellow-men, and believed to be an honest and honourable man. I am to be told that I