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S. J. LAUGHLIN.j

C—l 4

43. Do you know whether that has any effect upon the cattle eating the grass/—1 should say ii would not improve them. 11. You know the Puke ferry?— Yes, I cross it three or four times a week. 15. Has there been any shelving of the banks there/ Yes, it is an annual cost to the Council to keep it open. They have had to extend the approaches 9 ft., particularly on the western side. 40. You are a member of the Ohinemuri County Council?— Yes. 47. This flood in 1907 took a long time to subside?— Yes, I think it must have run over Netherton for about three weeks. 48. In any previous flood had you any similar experience?— No. 49. In the earlier floods did the water remain on the land for any length of time?—No, the ground would be wet after a fresh came over it, but it seemed to get away fairly well. 50. The Chairman.] This January flood that came over from the back—did it carry silt with it, or was it water fairly clear? —1 cannot say that it did bring silt. I did not notice any silt on my property. 51. In that flood theie was none came over the river-bank; it all came from the back?—l could scarcely answer that question. 52. It did not pour over in the front?—No, it could not have done, because the water was pretty clear. 53. Mr. Mueller.] Do you know Mr. Chamberlin? —Yes. 51. Do you know where he put in a pump to get river-water for his cattle? —Yes. He lives at the Junction. As near as I can remember, there is a bank of tailings 15 ft. between his pump and the river. 55. The Chairman.] He put his pump directly into the river?— Yes, and now there is a bank of tailings 15 ft. between the pump and the river. 50. Is the mouth of the Komata Creek blocked up with silt/—lt is pretty bad. 57. Where do you think those tailings came from at the mouth of that creek : did any of them come down the Waihou?—l should think that a good deal came from the Komata mines. 58. Do you think any of them came down the Waihou? —They may have. 511. This would be slightly above where the drains go into the Waihou/ — Yes. 00. Do you know the time when the mouth of that creek was navigable enough to get barges and punts up it?—l have heard that you could once get a punt up there; but you could not do so now. 01. You know the Waihou River above the Junction?— Yes. 02. What have you got to show the Commission as regards your suggestions as to the Waihou River above the Junction/ —The Waihou River having been declared a sludge-channel, and not being used by the mines that J am aware of, 1 think it would be a wise thing to try and remove the Proclamation, to save any trouble that may arise in time to conic. 03. You know what has been referred to as slimes/- Yes. 64. Have you got any samples of slimes.'—Yes; they have just been taken from the bottom of the river. [Samples produced.] This is a sample that 1 took out of the river about 2 chains below the Railway Wharf at Paeroa. I do not call it slimes. 65. Did you take it out of the middle of the river? —No, below the water-line. I call it very finely powdered tailings. 66. Were there other similar deposits?— There was one, but I did not take the sample myself. 1 have nothing to say about it, because I did not take it myself. 07. Mr. Tunks.] You said something about the Waihou River being declared a sludge-channel and not being used as a sludge-channel, and that it should be closed as a sludge-channel: what pari do you refer to?—-From the Junction up to Te Aroha. OS. Do you suggest closing the Ohinemuri River up to Waihi ?— 1 should suggest that they do not put any more tailings in it. 00. Do the steamers not sometimes stop at your place on their way up? —The steamer stopped once about seventeen v lbs ago. 70. And never since / No. 71. lias there been any occasion for them to do 80?— Not that lam aware of. 72. You cannot say whether or not they could stop there/ —Certainly they could stop. 73. Was not there a big flood that was known as the " Old Man Flood " I Yes. about 1897. 74. Was your land under water then?— Yes. 75. for how long?— About live days, I should say. round the house, 70. What caused that Hood!—I suppose the water or the rainfall. 77. Had the silting of the river anything to do with that?—l consider it had. From the length of time it was on the ground I think it was partly due to the Waihou River being silted up. 78. Being silted up with mining tailings .'—Mining debris. 79. You say that all these floods have been entirely due to the Ohinemuri River backing up the Waihou River?—The tl Is over Netherton. SO. Take the 1897 flood: what exactly was that due lo! In my opinion, if the Junction had been cleared of debris it would not have taken one-half the time to get off. If the Junction is ,-hokod up it takes longer to get away. Hence the overflow some three miles up the river from Netherton. 81. This water came from the Waihou towards the back of you /—lt traverses from the Waihmt straight over Netherton. and joins the Thames or Waihou River at the creamery. 82. The Chairman.] I want to 1h- perfectly clear on that point : which flood are you referring lo' I am referring to the Hood three years ago. known as the "Old Man Flood." 83. Mr. Mueller.] The "Old Man Flood " was in 1897?— I know very little about that flood. St. You told us that in 1897 your house was surrounded for nine days, and in 1909 for five da vs. What about 1907?— I withdraw that.