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pany—about 600 acres—are all who use this road from Levels. Knows Mackenzie ratepayers who use it. These principally include our company. Their frontage is practically the whole frontage on Mackenzie side ; also one man, Graham, who has 10 or 12 acres of land near Cave Railwaystation ; also Mr. Burnett, one mile and a half from Cave. These are the only three people who use the road. The land company is the chief holder on the Mackenzie side. Mr. Burnett runs back. He has nearly the same area we have. In Mackenzie the company has possibly 2,600 acres for which the road is used. It is principally grazing. Do not cart our wool down there. We drive our sheep by that road. We have carted timber from bush in Waimate side. The bush belongs to the company. The timber is principally carted for use in Mackenzie County on the part of the land above referred to, and also on Cave to Albury portion. Carts about twenty loads per annum. This is the only use we put the road to. For seven or eight years we have not carted grain on this road. There is about 300 acres of grain in this year. It was about six years ago since we cropped there before. The settlers on Waimate side (Table E) grow very little grain. Do not think they grow any to cart to the railway. Mr. Burnett uses the country almost entirely for sheep. Graham has only 10 or 12 acres. Be Table F.: This land is not used for grain that is taken away, or only very little. Sometimes Mr. Acton grows a little. McPherson does not grow any. Waimate people in Table F use the road. By Commissioner.—Waimate people more largely use this road than do ratepayers in Mackenzie or Levels. Thinks Waimate County has more traffic on this road than either Mackenzie or Levels, or fully as much. Waimate traffic is bigger than the other two separately. Cross-examined by Mr. Kinnerney. —Road is on the boundary of Levels County. Counties contribute half each. Ritchie and Winter are the greatest carters. The traffic of the others is not very considerable, but in the past a good deal of traffic was caused by them. Nicholson carts a good deal. Does not say it is wool. Witness says it is bush traffic. His firewood is traffic. He has carted double what New Zealand and Australian Land Company has done. It is carted to the railway-station and sold. Does not know whom it was sold to. New Zealand and Australian Land Company's carting is not done by Rowe. We cart for ourselves for years past. Our cartage would not amount to 81 tons. We bring eighteen to twenty loads at \\ to If tons at a time, and it is not very heavy on the road. Burnett's land runs back to two or two and a half miles. The depth of our land varies. We only hold 2,600 acres in Mackenzie that come on to this road. Mr. Kinnerney having referred to Mr. Orbell's evidence in the other case— Mr. Orbell: It does not come along Cave-to-Cannington Road. The sheep in Levels County from 600 or 700 acres are driven along the road. Sometimes a little grain may be grown. Be Main South Road: Council has received a grant for this road. We do not know why it was given. We got £250, I think. Does not think there is another sum of £250, but it was mentioned in the Council that we should get £240 from the Government. Does not remember what he said at Council meeting on the Ist May. Be newspaper report, Timaru Herald, 9th January, 1902 :As far as he remembers it was intended that we should include Upper and Lower Pareora bridges. It refers to Opihi bridges. There was a resolutions of County Council's, 6th February, 1901, to report on renewing as well as repairing. These roads want repairing. A good bit is spent on the Main South Road, Brassell's, and Otipua Roads. I have not inspected the roads. Be Upper and Lower Pareora Bridges : The lower one is under our control by the proclamation of the Governor. The Upper Pareora Bridge is under the control of the Waimate County, and each pays half. Remembers the Bill to incorporate Pareora Ridings in Levels County. The Levels County took an active part at the request of the ratepayers in Waimate County on petition from them. We took steps to get the Bill introduced, but the Bill was not passed. If the Bill were passed these ridings would have come into Levels County, and then the claim would not have been made. We would maintain these roads if we got their rates. Cannot say what will be done about the Bill. Council has passed no resolution dropping the Bill. Cannot say if it will be introduced next session. Re-examined by Mr. Raymond.— Be grant from Government: It was allocated for putting up bridges. Government intended it for that purpose—viz., bridges on the road. There is no ground for believing that grant is an annual one. It was given us after the Pareora Settlement was cut up. We have not enough for the maintenance of the road permanently by reason of extra traffic. In his time of office a good deal of money has been spent on these roads. A large amount of metal was put on two or three years ago to the road up to the bridge. Otipua Riding is always behind in its finance on account of the upkeep of these roads. When the estimate was made up thinks the £250 had been granted by Government and spent. Got balance in February or March, and thinks the work was done. The Engineer's estimate is exclusive of what Government granted. (See letter to C. E. Roads, R. 2640/7, 23rd November, 1901.) The Bill was gone on with on account of the action of the Upper and Lower Pareora Ridings. The Lower Riding was unanimous, and the Upper was largely so. These proceedings are not taken on account of the Bill having been blocked by Waimate. We commenced them before that, and held them over until we saw if the Bill passed. Waimate opposed it, and our county asked Waimate to meet us. The incorporation of these two ridings would be a fair solution of the difficulty re this converging traffic. We have a large and genuine grievance, and it has been so for some time, and it will increase as settlement increases. What presses on us is the amount of money required to be spent on these main roads. The county has not directed what shall be done about the Bill. We should have to ascertain the feelings of the ratepayers in the two ridings. Re-examined by Mr. Kinnerney.—When Lower Pareora Bridge was repaired some time since we got a grant, but do not remember the amount. Herbert Elworthy sworn. —Is a sheep-farmer at Pareora. Manages the Pareora Estate. Has done so for two months. Has lived on the property all his life. In 1901 we carted over Pareora Bridge and Otipua Road 167 tons, 200 tons of wheat on bridge and road, also about 20 tons of mixed goods to Timaru. Carted as back loading about 75 tons manure, also about 35 tons stores