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here again, I suppose, about nine years ago. I have mined at Home at iron-ore, ironstone, and copper. I have worked at the Cleveland Mines in Yorkshire ; and I have also worked in Somersetshire in the iron-ore. 739. And where have you worked at copper? —In Devonshire. 740. Which mines have you been working in at Brunnerton? —I have worked in all four. 741. Have you been working lately in the Brunner ? —Yes. 742. For how long?— Since July, 1889—about a year, as I was not working in the mine during the last three months. 743. In your experience in the mines have there been many interruptions—l mean since you came back during the past nine years?—lnterruptions to the working were not frequent until the amalgamation. 744. What do you call the amalgamation ?—I mean the amalgamation of the companies in the Grey Valley. 745. Did it take place at one time, or was it gradually done ? I understand that at first one mine, the Wallsend, became the property ?—I do not know the date, but I know that the amalgamation was in existence in 1888. 746. Some time in 1888 the whole of the mines became the property of one company? —Yes. 747. Prior to that what were the interruptions due to?— One interruption was due to the stoppage of the Wallsend Mine. 748. Mr. Moody.] What was that caused by?— The Greymouth Company had possession of it then, and they only had one shaft at that time. I suppose, too, there was not sufficient sale. 749. Do you remember the date of that ? —No, I uo not. 750. The Chairman.] Did that throw a number of men out of work at the time?— Yes. 751. How many do you think?— About forty men. 752. How long did it last ?—The interruption to that upper mine lasted until the shaft was sunk again. 753. Then, there was another shaft sunk?— Yes. 754. How long would that interruption be ?—About two years, I think. 755. Was that owing to only one shaft, or to ventilation, or to what ? —The expense of working the mine, it was said. I suppose the mine could not have paid. There was a larger amount of capital sunk in it at that time. 756. Who sunk the second shaft? Was it the same company that had stopped the mine?— It was the Westport company. 757. After the amalgamation ?—No, prior to the amalgamation. , 758. Was there any other stoppage of importance that threw the men out of work that occurs to you prior to the amalgamation ? Were there frequent stoppages for want of trucks, and not being able to get away coal ?—The stoppages were more frequent at that time on account of the bar. 759. You mean than since the amalgamation, or than at the present time?—l meant resulting from the bar-harbour, and from the harbour-works not being so useful as at present. 760. Can you give us any idea of what was the amount of broken time in the week or in the fortnight ? What was the short time deducted ?—I do not suppose the miners worked more than six days in the fortnight, sending coal out. 761. They did not fill coal more than six days a fortnight?— No. 762. And since then what has been the amount of interruptions from that cause ? —I suppose stoppages will not allow more than seven days and a half being worked in a fortnight, or at the most eight days. 763. You could not give us separately how much of the stoppages resulted from the state of the bar and shipping?— No. 764. To summarise it, all the causes in earlier years would not allow more than six days' work in a fortnight, and ah the causes now will perhaps allow of eight days being worked ?—That is about it. 765. What are the stoppages you include in this last lot ?—First, the state of the bar. The next principal cause I should say was the state of the mines. 766. Has the railway had anything to do with it?—No; I amnot aware that the railway is any cause of stoppage. 767. Has the want of shipping?— There have been times when the want of shipping has caused a stoppage. 768. Any other causes? —There is one cause I was going to mention, but which is really not within my own knowledge—that is, the action of the management in stopping one mine and putting more men into another, or it may be a partial stoppage of one mine. It is, of course, something in the business of the company. 769. Mr. Moody.] Was there any interruption through the company putting more men on the works than there was room for at the time?—l do not know of any interruptions on that account, though I do not quite understand what you mean. 770. Supposing the work there was to do demanded the employment of, say, a hundred men, and there were 120 to 150 men available on the place, the whole of the men could not get constant employment ?—There are no men that would come to Brunnerton unless they were actually employed. They would not come there and remain on the place and consider themselves employes unless they had been employed. 771. The Chairman.] Were there more men at Brunnerton than could actually find employment ?—At times there are a number out of work, and again at times they are all employed. 772. Mr. Brown.] Has there been any partial stoppage of tho working from any cause since the amalgamation ?—The first stoppage was by the Tyneside.