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660. Do you know the most easterly gold-working in Block 75 ?—There is a place at Wilson's Creek—at the junction of the creek running into that again, called Owen's Look-out. It is there the most easterly workings are. It is not marked on this map. It is at the junction of Wilson's Creek and the main spur of the creek —the spur being about a mile above. 661. You say that east of that there has been no working?— Yes. 662. Why did you not bring your line down there instead of three-quarters of a mile further east ? —lt was thought that would be the most convenient place to bring the line. Some of our people thought it might be well to allow a large block in case of possible gold-workings. I pointed out, however, the high elevation. 663. Are there any mining privileges saving the one marked on the map—the Government race ■ —in that block ? —No ; the Government race is the only mining privilege. 664. Are any of these hatched places required for the timber industry ?—The reserves already made contain an ample supply of timber. The bulk of the gold-mining lands in 74 and 75 you say have been rightly reserved ?—The whole of it. 665. But you say there has been a large field ? —There has been a very large field. Speaking from the evidence of the workings and from the past history of the place, I should say that the field must have carried a population of from 1,800 to 2,000 men. 666. How much is it reduced now ?—I think there are 189 men on all the four blocks. 667. Can you tell me if there has been any material alteration, either increase or decrease, in the population and prosperity of those blocks since 1891 ?—Yes; there has been a decided decrease. 668. In all of them ? —As to 79 I cannot speak definitely, but in the others there has been a decrease. 669. I will put it this way : Do you think there would have been any difficulty for the Government to have marked off the reserves in a similar manner to what you have done ? —Not in the least. 670. Do you think they could have marked off since 1891 reserves in the same way without interfering in any way with the mining, present or,future? —Not the slightest difficulty about it. 671. At any time since 1891 ? —No difficulty. ' 672. At the present moment the main features of the mining district have not altered since 1891, except in regard to a decrease in the population?— Except the decrease in the population. 673. Do you know that ground which you have hatched on the northern corner of Block 74 ?— Yes. 674. Would a water-race from Hochstetter, if extended, be able to command that ground ? —A portion of it—not the whole of it. 675. Do you know where the present race is running above Try Again?— Yes. 676. Do you know how high that is above Old-man Bottom, which you hear them talking of: is it above the altitude of the race ?—The present race is about 400 ft. above the creek. The spur, I suppose, would be probably from 100 ft. to 150 ft. above the race. 677. In order to make that water-race available, would you have to make it a greater altitude of 150 ft. in order to command those terraces? —Yes. 678. Would it be possible to get the water from Hochstetter?—l think they lost about 100 ft. in bringing the water from Hochstetter. I dare say, if a new race were to be constructed, they could pick up about 100 ft. If it was brought to the Ahaura it would command the lower levels. 679. I am talking of the higher levels? —It could not be brought on to the high levels. 680. Even if they did bring water from the Nelson Creek Water-race, would this land which you have marked off not be required for tailing-sites, and work of that kind.?— The land is higher than the water-level itself. 681. The fall of the country is from Lake Hochstetter, and any tailings would be directly fed into streams running into the main creeks, and full provision is made here for tailings [indicating on the map]. 682. Are you also aware, of your own knowledge, that the bed of Nelson Creek and tributaries of that character are declared under the Mining Act sludge-channels to receive debris and tailings ? —Yes, I know that. 683. Therefore, I suppose, I may take it that the land on which the tailings would fall is already reserved for the mining industry ?—Yes. [Exhibit 92 was here produced.] 684. We will take 70 and 71 together. Have you inspected those two blocks ?—I think it might be well to take 69, 70, and 71 together. 685. We will deal with them in that way. We will start at 70, at the south-eastern corner ?—ln the hatched portions there are no mining operations of any kind ; it consists of flat plains. There are large reserves for agricultural and other purposes connected with pastoral pursuits, but there is no mining of any kind. There are four men, I think, engaged on the banks of the Ahaura, but they are rather below the block. They are certainly not in the hatched portion. 686. In Block 70, has any portion of Orwell Creek been mined ?—No. 687. And Kaka Creek; has any portion of that block at the very head of it been worked for gold?— Yes. 688. Are they now working there ?—No ; it was worked out years ago. 689. As to Hatter's Creek?— Hatter's Creek is wrongly marked here. The creek called Brandy Jack's should be Hatter's, and Teviot should be Brandy Jack's. Teviot is a small creek running here [indicating on the map]. There is a small mistake in the tracing of the map. 690. Are there any creeks in that portion of the block hatched which contain gold?— None at all.