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has got his own scientific knowledge of steam, and no doubt he is an expert, but not in an oilengine. 213. Then, the technical knowledge gained by a marine engineer of a steam-engine would not be applicable to an oil-engine ?—No; the scientific knowledge he had of making parts would be there if anything was broken, but there, is no part of an oil-engine likely to break except perhaps a small spring. 214. You were speaking of having a small launch?— Yes. 215. Could you from a commercial point of view continue to work the launch if you had to pay a certificated engineer ? —No; she could never go from her moorings. 216. She would be practically useless? —Entirely useless. I would have to pull the boat with my oars, as I used to do. 217. You have never heard any serious complaints from the steamship companies in consequence of your competition with them ?—No. 218. I suppose it has not diminished to any appreciable extent the amount of goods carried by the Northern Steamship Company ?—I do not think there is any apparent depreciation in our harbour. There might be further north. 219. Does it affect the freights by bringing them down ?—Yes, but of increasing the trade. 220. Mr. Symes.] I understood you to say you imported the first oil-engine to the colony ?— Yes. 221. Was that the one you sent home again?—No, that is on board the " Aotea." We imported a Hercules engine from people in San Francisco. That was not perfectly made, and we had to send it Home. 222. What was the power of the engine in the " Hercules " ?—Twenty-five. 223. Is the " Hercules " a schooner ?—Yes. 224. You heard Captain Subritzky say these engines could be started almost instantaneously ? —Yes. 225. Yet you said it took you twenty minutes?— That was on the " Aotea," on the engine of English make, not a Sintz up to date. 226. You also told us that the captain was forced to take a marine engineer on board, and that the captain had to work the engine night and day ?—Yes. 227. Can you explain how it is possible for the captain to work his own engine?— His mate would assist him in his duties. 228. You say that you had to pay £16 a month by taking a marine engineer, so that any excess in the charter party was originated by the oil-engine ?'—They were paying £8 a month. 229. And that was increased by £B?—Yes. 230. What did the driver of the "Hercules" do when he was not driving the engine?—He worked just the same as the other men. 231. Did the marine engineer do the same ?—No. 232. He did not do anything ?—No. 233. You have also said that settlement had increased since the advent of auxiliary power to these schooners ?—That is so. 234. Do you not think it was a case of supply and demand?— No. I think settlement would increase very much more rapidly if we had good roads. 235. Do you not think that settlement would have increased whether there had been oilengines used or not ?—Not so much in the North, because they could not get their produce away if they had not had the advantages in carrying it. 236. Do you use naphtha or benzine in your boats ?—Benzine and naphtha. 237. Do you know the prices of those two articles?— Yes. 238. What is about the price of benzine ?—ls. per gallon. 239. And naphtha ?—2s. 6d., I guess, or 2s. Bd. 240. I suppose what you want to convey to the Committee is that, through the schooners being of lighter draught, and the oil-engines taking less space than steam-engines, they are able to take bigger cargoes and run at cheaper freights than the steamers ?—Yes; it is not the cost so much of running the boats. 241. Do you know the difference in price of an oil-engine and an ordinary steam-engine?—l do not know the price of a steam-engine. 242. Which would you think was the cheaper ? —I think the oil-engine would be cheaper. 243. You do not know of your own knowledge?— No. 244. Mr. B. McKenzie.] How far do you run your launch? —In the harbour. 245. Where is your place ?—Whangaroa. 246. How do the mails get there ?—By steamers. 247. And you say that the freight has been reduced from £1 to 10s. —Yes. 248. Do you know whether there is a clause in the mail-contract with regard to freights ?— There is no mail-contract. 249. Do you consider that oil-engines are liable to explode ?—No. 250. They cannot possibly explode?— There is nothing to explode. The only thing is that, the same as with a steam-engine, if the driver did not put water round the water-jacket he might explode his water-jacket. That would apply equally to a steam- or any other engine. 251. That does apply to an oil-engine?— Yes. 252. The Chairman.] Would injury result to the man at hand if the explosion took place ?— The driver might suffer. 253. Mr. McKenzie.] It could not kill or injure the passengers, or injure the vessel?— No. 254. Are those oil-engines inspected by the Government officers ? —Yes, but should not be, as they know nothing about them. 6—l. lα.