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asnore during the last three to four years. I believe he has a chronic dread of Poverty Bay, having once touched rock from anchoring in the wrong place. He always now anchors about two miles off, in the most exposed situations. [Shown telegram stating evidence given by Captain Sinclair, and reads same.] His statements are wild and loose, and are made without knowledge. I cannot understand a man in his position making statements so rashly and carelessly. My statements already made hereon, I think, completely answer his. His are anything but reliable. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue oi the provisions of " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882."—Thomas Chrip. Declared at Gisborne this 31st day of July, 1888, before me, W. Sievwright, notary public. Evidence of Archibald McGiven.—l, Archibald McGiven, diver, Gisborne, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows : — 1. I am employed as diver for the Gisborne Harbour Board at the harbour-works now being constructed, and I have been engaged in like work at Home for six years, and during the past nine years in New Zealand. 2. In the ordinary course of my work at Gisborne Harbour works last week I had to examine the site of the works 80ft. ahead of where the breakwater now reaches. I find that the riverchannel is clear of sand to the rock at the end of the works built, and some 18ft. beyond. At end of 18ft. I found about 9in. of mud on the line of the inner side of the work, with 6in. of sand on the top of it. I can say positively that the channel of the river along the inner side of the breakwater is deeper than when works were begun. The sand is scoured out down to the rock, which is now bare. It is plain that there is a clearing-out of the sand to a considerable extent ahead and in line of the works. Out as far as the 80ft. I went the scour appears to carry the sand away. The deepest part at the 80ft. which I got was 15in. of mud and sand. 3. What amount of scour do you find in the channel?—Besides the ordinary weight of 2101b., I have had to be weighted from 301b. to 341b. extra to enable me to keep on my legs in the channel in the line of the works : the scour is very strong. There has now been finished about 360ft. of the breakwater, and the sand has all scoured out to that distance and beyond, so that the rock is bare along the inner or river side of the works. 4. Is the river-bar deepening or becoming shallower?—The bar is certainly deepening, and, in point of fact, vessels are now able to take the bar at a lower state of the tide than they used to before the works were out so far. The extension of the works has had the effect of deepening the bar. As a matter of fact, instead of the bar following the works outward, there is more water on wdiat is commonly called the bar than there is some distance up the river. 5. How do you find the sea in the bay affect your work as diver as compared with other places of which you have had experience ? —I have had a long experience of diving, and there has been loss interruption at Gisborne than at any other place I have w 7orked on at a breakwater. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly of New Zealand intituled "The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882." —Archibald McGiven. Declared at Gisborne this 31st day of July, before me, W. Sievwright, notary public. Evidence of Captain Skinner.—l, John Henry Skinner, of Auckland, shipmaster, solemnly and sincerely declare as follows : — 1. I am master of the schooner " Gisborne," and trade regularly from Auckland to Gisborne. I have been so engaged during the last twelve years. The " Gisborne " carries a hundred tons, and I always take her over the Turanganui Biver bar to the town wharf. 2. lam intimately acquainted, from experience, w 7ith the Turanganui Biver and the bar. I know the breakwater now being built. It is now about in line with the river-bar, and I have frequently observed and examined it. I believe I am competent to form a sound opinion as to the effect of the breakwater on the bar and the river. 3. Is the river-channel along the line of breakwater, so far as that has gone, shallower or deeper than it was before the w 7orks were commenced? —It is deeper about Ift., and it is gradually deepening. It is certainly not a fact that the bar is worse now than before the works were commenced. 4. Suppose the breakwater extended to, say, I,looft. —that is, to 13-Mt. depth to the sand— what effect would that have on the bar? —It would deepen the bar, or clear it out. That is the effect already, and I have every reason to think like results would follow from extending—only greater. It is absolutely certain that the bar is already deepening. If the breakwater were extended as mentioned, and if the groin authorised from Waikanae Beach were built, then, in my judgment, the cause or causes of sand accumulating and forming a bar w7ould be, I think, completely removed. 5. Will breakwater I,looft. out be Of use for loading and discharging steamers like the " Ohau " and " Omapere " and smaller vessels? —Yes, in ordinary weather; but not with a south-east wind and sea. The prevailing wind is about north-west, and the bay is then smooth, and vessels could easily be worked alongside. That would be the case 275 days at least in the year. I think such a breakwater would be a boon to the shipping of the port. And I make this solemn declaration conscientiously believing the same to be true, and by virtue of the provisions of an Act of the General Assembly intituled " The Justices of the Peace Act, 1882."—John H. Skinner. Declared at Gisborne aforesaid this 31st day of July, 1888, before me, W. Sievwright, notary public. Gisborne, 31st July, 1888. William Sievwright, Chairman. [Approximate Cost of Paper.— Preparation, nil; printing (1,375 copies), £21 Bs. 6d.]

Authority; Geoboe Didsbuey, Government Printer, Wellington.—lBBB.