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Hugh Gillabd examined. (No. 19.) 1. Mr. MueUer.] Your name is Hugh Cillard, and you are a farmer residing at Netherton? Yes. 2. You own 96 acres of leasehold land? —Yes. 3. It is close to Arthur Wight's property / -Yes : my place is on the north side of the road, on the water front. I. Is your property affected by the floods/—Yes. 5. Did you notice a deposit of slime on the grass/ Yes, after a flood. ti Does that cause injury to the feed and to the cows/—Yes. a g 1 deal. 7. How long have you been there/ -1 have been on thai place eighteen months, but I have been in this district ten years. 8. Have you know,, Mr. Wight's property for the last ten years/- Yes. 9. And you know the river opposite thai properly/ -Yes. 10. Have you seen cattle walking across the river to Mr. Wight s property?— Yes. II Last summer/ Yes: 1 have had mv own cattle cross to his place also. 12. Have you uoliced a difference in Ihe b01t,,,,, of the river, whether It has become solid ?- Duringthe last' two years the river has filled up a good deal. 13 Can you lake your horses right to the water's edge?—l could not a. one time, but 1 can take them down now. ' In previous years the banks were so soft that animals would not attempt to go down to the water's edge, but now it is hard, and the animals walk across. II Is the deep channel as wide as il was years ago/ No. I.V Is there anything by which you can state that for certain?--I have taken measurements "'■"''lll. Have you had .„ extend your fences further into the river?— Yes; to prevent my cattle wandering on to other people's land. " 17 \s the sill has extended the banks of the river, you have had to extend your fence?- Yes. 1.8. How far from the river bank have you seen a deposit of actual stutl on the ground? -Halt Ch T9!' Have you suffered loss through the loss of crops -grass, oats, and p,,tat„es-and also the 1088 '•)o ll Hav7vou'see„ the cattle and horses cross the rive, on more than one occasion?— Yes. 21' How much of your land does the water extend over?— Over the whole of it. "»■>' Mr Mitchelson.] What was the thickness of the deposit halt a chain from the r.ver?-lt was not a great thickness. Of course there was a sort of slime all oven; the place. 23 Mr Tunks.] You have been in the district some ten years?— Yes. •J|. You remember the big flood of 1907/— At Waihi. 25 You knew the extent of that flood?— Yes. 26 You knew when you took this property that, it was subject to flooding/ -Yes. 27 . Can you tell us when you took your las, measurement of the r,ver?-About two months ago, just before the fresh. 28 Which one was that /—At the end of March. •><>' When were your previous measurements made / - About two months before that. 30 Ml your measurements have been made within the las, four ,„on,hs?-Yes '; • What length of lease have you go, of this property?-! would rather no, say. £ £■ "Tulk?] else. » * been there to-day. . .. •U, l on noose you have drains on your property j—ies. 5?" To what extent? -Four drains right through my property, and one right round. £ wi,: t ,he size of your largest drain / -It runs from ft to 3 ft. at the back. 39 Mr MeVeagh.] You knew of the previous flood of 1907 - -Yes 'ill' You took that into consideration when you were fixing the rentt—Yes. ■; , right 43 hr Tnfposition is this: When you took up the land you knew you were taking up land liable to flooding/-It would no, do so if the river was clear. | 1 It was not cleared at the time, and you knew that?— Yes. ft,:::; t:: i »?*»« .-* —-"» 'iT Yet you had sufficient faith to take up that land?— Yes. IS. How'long has your lease CO run ?—I decline to say. f9 Have you a lease in writing?— Yes. • the present time, and I saw a horse crossing a few weeks ago. V> What was the state of the tide? -Low tide. 53. J!- Miller.] Do you know the person who previously occupied that land where you are? —Yes, Styles. .".I. Do you know why he left that land?— No.