16

A. .1. TIIOHI , .

C—l 4.

27. You had a Hood, 1 think, too, in 1907/—Yes, a summer flood. 28. That was a general flood all over the province? —Yes 29. It Hooded the Upper Waihou as well as the Ohinemuri? —Yes, a general flood. 30. This last flood of a few weeks ago did not flood the Waihou River? —There was \t:vy little water in it. 31. The Chairman.] Is any portion of your property drained to the Waihou/—No. ■ VI. The boundary is pretty close, is it not?— About a mile and a half away. .'i-'i. Mr. Flatman.] Have you lost any cattle since the slime has come over the paddocks? — I have not had experience of any. lam told it is detrimental to cattle. 34. Do you think it would affect the milk of a cow?—l have no doubt it would.

Paeroa, ToEsnAT, 24th Mat, 1910. Jakob BbrtelSEN examined. (Xo. 0.) 1. Mr. Mueller.] Your name is Jakob Bertelsen, and you have a leasehold interest in the Piraurahi No. 10 Block, with an area of 240 acres?— Yes. 2. How much of thai is affected by the floods/—The whole of it. •'!. Is there a silt-deposit upon your land? —Yes. I. What depth?—At the present time it varies a good deal. It runs from 2ft. down to 6 in. Some! imes there is 4 ft. 5. Where does that silt come from /—From the Ohinemuri Itiver. 0. How long have you been in occupation of that land?— About eleven years. 7. During that time have you noticed that the fl Is have become, more frequent recently?— Yes. in the last six years they have become pretty bad. 8. Whereabouts on the Ohinemuri River is your property situated /—About a mile down the river. ~ . 0. The Chairman.] You have no frontage on the river?— None in that block. 10 How many chains back from the river are you/ —About six. 11. Mr. Mueller.] What is the state of the river-bed/--I have not examined the river-bed. 12. Is there any silt in it?—Oh, yes! , 13. Is it navigable?— Yes; small steamers and barges go up there. It there is a flood the " Waimarie " and the " Taniwha " get up there easy enough. 14. Do you recognize this photograph as a photograph of your property?— Yes. | Inhibit No. 7, Auckland Weekly Graphic] 15 Have you suffered damage on account of the silt?—l have, very much. 16. How many cows did you milk, say, four years ago?— Four of five years ago I used to milk fifty cows. 17. What did they bring in?—A couple of pounds a day. 18 How many cows can you milk now? —1 could not milk any. 10 Mr Flatman.] Is there any other stock running on your place?—No, it is covered witu silt There is no grass on the farm.' I have a cow or two ami a horse for household P«rP oses . "'" 1 feed them on hard feed. I have another block that is not so subject to the Hoods. H 1 had not put the horses in there they would have died of the silt if they got too much of it. 20. Mr. Mueller.] Years ago did you crop this land?— Yes, with all sorts ot crops. 21. What special crops did you get off it?— Oats and hay. 22. You are unable to crop it now ?—I would not try. 23 For how long have you been unable to crop the land /-For the last three years—probabh more. It is about three years since 1 had to dispose of all the cattle there. 24. Have you lost any- cattle through their being drowned or killed ?-Yes. In the last f.esh we lost two brood mares with foal and ten head of cattle , . . , . 25 The Chairman.] How were they lost-drowned / -Yes, drowned, but not on this block, 1„ion a block that adjoins Mr. Thorp's property—the Manuka Blocks .\,,s. 2 and 6. 26 Mr.MueUerl You have jus. leased the Manuka Block / -Yes. It is about 80 acres ,n area. 27. When were the cattle lost?—At the end of March. 28 What loss was that to you in money?— About £100. 29. Div you lose any other goods or chattels?— Fifty or sixty fowls, and a lot of timber was BWeP 3<TJtfr. Mitchelson.] Fencing?-Yes, all the fencing is levelled to the ground. All the posts are knocked & consiflorable amounl „ f improvement ?- Yes. it was practically in its natural state when I took it over. 32. Did you fence it ?-Yes; fenced, drained, and stumped part „f ,t. Inew wen buildings on it. v 33. You brought this land into a state of cultivation (—Yes. 34. Erected buildings?— Yes. 35. That meant several years' work?-Yes, a good many years work- h .-10. What have you got for that time, labour, and money!-I have a lot of silt Ding on land 37. Are any of the improvements you put on the land of any use or value at the present time? -No, except the house I an, living in. I an, only killing time. I is no goodl to me 38. The Chairman.] Are you still paving your rent?-les, the landlord is still his rent in the usual form