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other ?—I believe this line would be credited with them. The transaction is not complete, so that the transfer has not been made. The stoppage in the shipping has stopped the wagons being sent, as they would have been. 2260. Would they be wholly unsuitable for this place ? Could they not have been used for storage?—l do not know that we could use them for that. 2261. The running gear has all been utilised for the hopper-wagons?— Yes. 2262. The cash revenue is remitted straight to Wellington ?—lt is put in the bank here to the credit of the Public Account. 2263. And then a transfer is made of the net profits to the Harbour Board?— Yes. 2264. You are a member of the Harbour Board ?—Yes. 2265. You have nothing to do with the accounts of the Harbour Board ?—No. 2266. In the event of fresh works being entered upon is there special authority got for this from Wellington, or does the Harbour Board decide on them ? —lt is got from Wellington by special authority—generally by Order in Council for special works. 2267. Even when these have to be paid for out of the Board's revenue?— Yes. 2268. Then, do you make a recommendation to Wellington that it is desirable certain work should be undertaken?—Eecently there has been nothing w 7 e could do in that respect. Mr. Martin, as Engineer, generally deals with those matters. 2269. Mr. Brown] In the extra storage you have mentioned, do you take into account the other mines ?—Only the present mines. 2270. In connection with these bins you speak of, was your view directed to one large bin for storage, or several ?—I should think it would be better to divide them into bins of from 300 to 400 tons each. 2271. And you suggest their being erected by the miners?— Yes. 2272. The Chairman.] Not erected by the mine-owners absolutely—they are erected by the Eailway, but the cash has to be lodged?— Yes, before the work is carried on. 2273. There w 7 ould be as many bins as there would be applicants for them?— Whatever they applied for would be put up. 2274. Mr. Moody.] They would require to put different kinds of coal in them, and there would have to be partitions?— Yes. 2275. Mr. Brown.] Or would you suggest that they should pay the cost and a rental, or simply the cost ?—Simply the cost, and have the use of it for ten years. 2276. The Chairman.] And after that a rental ?—After that some special agreement could be come to. If the bins were in good order they might grant it for a further period. 2277. Mr. Brown.] Would you suggest that the period for which they held the use of these bins should have any connection with the termination of the lease of the mine?— Yes, of course, they should not run beyond the lease; they should not overlap the lease. 2278. Mr. Moody.] Who would do the repairs?—l think the Eailway Department might keep them in ordinary repair for the first ten years. 2279. Mr. Brown.] Supposing these bins were not adopted, and you had to continue the present system, would you require any very great increase to your rolling-stock?— That is, with an increased output of coal ? 2280. Yes ?—Well, if the present output were doubled, that might require, perhaps, 25 per cent, more wagons. 2281. Would you have sufficient accommodation for them on the present wharf ?—Yes, I think so. 2282. The Chairman.] I see in the last year's accounts of the Greymouth Harbour Board, of which you are a member, it is put in Greymouth railway and wharf net earnings. That, I presume, consists of the net earnings of the revenue over expenditure on the railway, and some earnings on the wharf? —Yes. 2283. Do you know how the second portion is arrived at —the earnings on the wharf?— That does not mean more than that whatever is collected on the wharf is included in the railway earnings. 2284. That is what that entry means ?—Whatever may be collected on the wharf is considered as railway earnings. 2285. Is that done anywhere else ?—lt is the general custom where the wharves belong to the railways. 2286. And then the whole net earnings are handed over to the Harbour Board ?—Yes. 2287. That is under a special Act ?—Yes, under a special Act. 2288. So that really the Eailway Commissioners do not receive anything at all on this line?— No, nothing. 2289. In computing the earnings per mile, or the interest on the capital in the railway returns, is the whole expenditure on the railway and wharf taken as capital ?—Yes. 2290. This [referring to Parliamentary Paper 1.-6, 1889, p. 90] is the computation of the rate of interest. For instance, for the year lbß9 £6 12s. 6d. is put as the rate of interest, the capital being taken at £199,121, which is the cost of the open line, but does that include the cost of the harbour-works ?—No, not the harbour-works. It includes the cost of the works that were carried out under the Public Works Act. 2291. And the hydraulic cranes?—l am not sure whether it includes them. 2292. Mr. Moody.] And the rolling-stock ? —Well, the Harbour Board paid for the last hundred wagons. 2293. The Chairman.] I see here [referring to paper] that there is a sum on the expenditure side of rolling-stock, £1,035, that is paid out of the revenue of the Harbour Board ?—Yes. Any additional rolling-stock supplied to this railway is paid for by the Harbour Board. The Harbour Board paid for the cranes and the wharf-extension ; but I do not know if that has been included in that item or not.