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1780. You say any surplus over the restricted 16s. was dealt with by the committee ?—There are very few of that character; so few could reach the 16s. that it has never been a bugbear. 1781. They could not reach it ?• —Only in very exceptional cases. 1782. Was any surplus divided amongst those who did not reach it?—No, it went into the general fund, and it was used for the general purposes of the union. 1783. There would not, of course, be any incentive for any person to earn more ?—No ; certainly it was a hindrance in that direction while it lasted. When Mr. Kennedy began to make so much ado about it it was thought wise to give him that point.

Feiday, 24th Octobee, 1890. Mr. John Connor sworn and examined. 1784. The Chairman.] What is your position, Captain Connor?—A master mariner. lam at present Harbourmaster at Greymouth. 1785. How long have you held that post ?—For three years. 1786. Have you ever been in the position of Harbourmaster elsewhere ?—No; I have been signalman two years previous—five years in all here. 1787. Could you explain to the Commissioners what records you keep to show the changes in the state of the bar and river? —Yes. I take the barometer, wind, and everything connected with the bar, morning, noon, and evening—direction and force of wind and current, the state of sea, and depth of water. 1788. Do you take the depth of water at regular intervals?— When smooth enough. 1789. Have you a tide-gauge of any kind?—We have gauge-boards in the river. 1790. What datum-level are they reduced to?—Low 7 -water springs. 1791. You say you take the water on the bar as often as possible : how frequently is that ?— Generally about three times a week ; that will be about the average. 1792. At what time of the tide do you take it ?—Always at high water. 1793. Are these things all entered in the one book?— No. I have a tide-book as well as the soundings. They are all recorded. 1794. Do you find any sudden changes in the depth of the w 7 ater on the bar ?—Not more than about 18in. We find that frequently. 1795. You take the actual soundings on the bar ?—Yes; we do it with ordinary lead-lines. 1796. And wdien you read off a sounding do you make any deduction ?—Yes; we take off the reading on the tide-gauge. 1797. Then your soundings are really measured downwards from your zero ?—Yes ; reading the gauge at the same time. 1798. Do you think it possible that any sudden changes in the depth could escape yon ? —No: so soon as the weather moderates we go over the bar carefully again. 1799. In your experience what is the effect of the tides on the bar in fine weather ? Does the bar heap ? Does it shoal at neap-tides and springs ?—I do not know that there is much difference. 1800. How do the floods affect it ? —The floods always produce a scour. 1801. Is there always a strong outflow found at high water in floods ? —Yes ; there is always a very strong one. • 1802. How far is the bar out beyond the point ?—The bar is just about level with the south tip-head, tailing off gradually. It is quite a narrow bar. 1803. How far does it reach'over ? Does it run to the other tip-head ? —lt does go pretty near it. The bar is generally about 100 ft. wide. 1804. Has it a distinct gut in it anywhere ?—No. The bar is a bank, and the depth is regular right across upon it. 1805. So that there is no opening of the channel ?—No ; there is no channel or gut. Three years ago we had the Jubilee flood, and it piled up an island at the entrance. 1806. How far did the flood rise ?—The town was flooded at that time. 1807. Have you ever seen anything like that before ?—No; not for fifteen or sixteen years. After this flood it was found the channel had gone out along the north beach; the channel was pushed over so that it ran parallel with the north beach. 1808. How 7 long did that remain ?—About ten days, during which time the beacons had to be shifted. 1.809. How 7 did the island disappear ?—lt disappeared gradually. 1810. Is the bar frequently unworkable?— Not very often. 1811. What is the usual length of time that it ever remains unworkable ?—I think the longest period was in March, 1888 —namely, twelve days. 1812. Is that the longest you have known ?—Yes. 1813. What are the other usual periods ?—About three days is the average. 1814. Have you got your returns for the last fortnight ?—This return is up to the 30th September. I put in a table showing all the blocks since June, 1887, up to date, marked " Exhibit No. 21." 1815. What are these blocks generally due to ?—Either to heavy sea or fresh in the river. 1816. Which is the most frequent ? —Generally in bad weather when the sea breaks the fresh makes : both occur at the same time. 1817. Which sea is the most common in blocking?— The south-west sea, which follows alon» the beach. The block is caused by the break, not by the shallowness of the bar. 1818. Will vessels strike in the trough when a heavy sea is running? -No, not in fine weather. 1819. What would you say the average depth on the bar was, as a seaman?—lt may be considered a 19ft. bar. That is normal.