I.—sb.

B. T. SHABD.j

45

28. Mr. Forbes.] The position with you is that you think the Board will clean out this Silverslieani —take the shingle out at you place. Is that the intention of the Board? —Yes, to deepen it and keep it clean. 29. is not that expensive? —Yes, 1 think they will want a dredge to do it. The wdiole stream is full up for about a mile and a half. •'SO. That is the reason why you think the top end should be included in this Board?— No. The reason why I ask that the top should be kept in is that they are responsible for it. 31. If they do that you will be satisfied? —Yes. 32. You think that at the present time they are clearly liable for that expense?— Yes. 33. Mr. Allan.] There are comparatively few people on the east side of the river who are in the Silverstream watershed of the people we represent?— There are the men right up above, because, according to the evidence, the water flowed right over the ground and travelled down towards the Owhiro and the other way as well. 34. The drainage that was done there was done by about half a dozen people, was it not? — 1 could not say who it was done by, but I know some was done in the night-time. 35. You want to include the whole of the East Taieri because, as you admit, there would not lie ;i sufficient number to pay the expense of it?—l want to include those people who have got the benefit out of the Silverstream. 36. Would you include that portion on the other side of the plain, the watershed of the Owhiro Creek, which has nothing to do with the Silverstream? —The Silverstream ran down there. 37. Do you know that as a fact?—An old map shows that. 38. Do you know that several of the early settlers of the North Taieri gave evidence before the Royal Commission that that was not so?— Yes, but it is on the map. 39. You admitted that you were against a United Board?— Yes. 40. Even after it was suggested that there might be Government nominees on it?— Yes. 41. And you said, " 1 do not favour an amalgamation of the East and West Taieri districts. Their interests are not the same. A drainage scheme that would suit the East Taieri, the West Taieri would have nothing to do with "?—Yes. Alexander Douglas examined. (No. 19.) 1. The Chairman.] What are you? —A farmer, and manager of the freezing-yvorks at Oamaru. 1 will touch a little on this Bill in regard to the Drainage Board. I may say I think it has been well considered. It is arranged first that those who derive the most benefit by the drainage will pay the largest amount, others that derive a lesser benefit will pay the second largest amount, and those that have land along the hillsides, part of which may not be drained, are put in the lower class, the proportion being 4d., 3d., and 2d. Well, I consider that very fair. Then, again, it is very fair in this respect: that those who get the most benefit have to pay as near as possible for the benefit received. Now, the Chairman of the Committee remarked about the County Council doing the drainage. In the natural course of events, had this Board not been formed, the County Council should have been compelled to take up this drainage, but things got into a normal state for about fifteen or twenty years and the thing was left to itself. Had the County Council taken it up, or should they be forced to do it now, the question would be a very serious one to those gentlemen on the other side to-day. My reason for saying that is this: that the Council does not rate upon the benefit received, but upon the value of the property in the county. Therefore my land, which is only valued at £10 per acre, would only pay one-quarter of the amount that the land valued at £44 per acre would pay, and yet I should receive the most benefit. I mention that to show that if this Board is disposed of, then the County Council must take it up. It will not be allowed to lie dormant as it has in the past. I have laud that comes under Class "C " and land under Class "A," but 1 have not objected to either of them. 2. How much land have you in the East Taieri? —I have two places in the East Taieri and one in another part. There are 403 acres through which this stream goes. I have had a lease of it for eleven years, and I bought it about four months ago. 3. Since the shingle was there? —Yes, I bought it with a view of the drainage benefiting it, and my lease would have expired in nine years. I tried to purchase it a year ago, but was not successful. I was paying a rent of 6s. 9d., and I bought it at £10 an acre, as I thought the drainage would improve it so much. When I took up this place eleven years ago the stream ran down about 25 chains through the farm, and it began filling up with gravel. About nine years ago I put on four men, who worked during the summer cleaning out this stream, at a cost of about £140 to £150. I tried to get it to run into the river, and some small floods came and I olicaned out where it had silted up, but then one large flood came and brought down so much gravel and branches that it blocked it for about 10 or 15 chains, and I did not try again. I got no help from the neighbours, and yet they were reaping the benefit. They did not help me, and I do not want to help them now. I do not want this drainage scheme, and I do not care nowmuch where it goes. Ido not care whether it is carried on by the Board, or whether it is thrown on to the County Council, or whether it is handled at all. lam in that position that I have suffered so much that Ido not care now. There are only 5 ft. of a fall from this side of the lagoon to the river, and that shows that the river-bank is 10 ft. or 15 ft. high, but from the last part of this lagoon, from what the engineers measure from, is 5 ft. At the cut there is ii fall of 1 ft. from the river right up to where the North Taieri people interfered with it, and that would be about five miles. One side of the lagoon would have been quite dry, but they did very little in the river: they ran it out on this lower part to nothing, and simply made it 3 ft, deep and rated it with the rise of the land. That is not fair to me when I pay the higher rate in Class "A " : because my land is low they drain it on to me. 4. Mr. Allan.] You know Mr. Fowler? —Yes, very well.