[W. U. EMETT.

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6. Whereabouts in ihe Ohinemuri River did you get this building-sand /—You could gel i. almost anywhere, but the easiest place to get il was at the back of the present butter-factory, and about a'mile from this side of the Junction Wharf. Those were the easiest places to get down to the water's edge with a dray. 7. What was that sand used for?- Mostly brickwork. It was line sand. 8. For how main years past have you been unable to gel il I I do not think there has been any sand got out of the river during the last ten years. 9. Did you get some punt-loads of sand above the Junction in the Waihou/ Yes, within the last twelve months. Most of it came fr Maugaiti, twenty miles up ihe river, which is the easiest place to load a barge. 10. What is the nature of thai sand?—lt is inclined to be t,„, coarse. Generally the trouble is to <'et it tine enough for building purposes. It is all right for asphalt and concrete, and it is used in Paeroa streets for asphalting and concrete. Most of ii is too coarse for building purposes. 11 Did you try to get any sand close to the Junction?— Yes, one punt-load. It used to be a good place to get sand at in years gone by —just a short distance from the Junction in the Waihou | but what I got there recently the architect and builder would not accept. It was hall J^l" 1 "? 8 12. The Chairman.] Who was the architect who condemned it?—l think it was Mr. Bray, Ihe County Engineer, who condemned it. 1 had a contract to supply a butter factory with sand. and I was informed that that sand would not do at all. 13 Mr Mueller.] Why/ —It was said there was too much silt m it. While it was wet it did not appear to have any tailings in it, but when it dried it turned while. It had the feel of sharp sand. We took it at low water. 14. You know the difference between what you call Waihou sand and tailings and Silt»— ies, there is a great deal of difference. 15. Mr. Moresby.] You are used to making roads? —Yes. Hi Do you consider the stuff you took down close to the Junction would make good roads for light traffic?—l am doubtful about that. I think even with light traffic the top would keep cutting up. 17. You know the Piako side of the Waihou River?- -Yes. 18 Is there any handy metal that you can get there for making roads/—No. 19 Do you not think "this stuff would make good light roads in thai country ? Not long since a mile and a half of road was made there—a very good road too but it was not the present sand in the Waihou that was used. The sand out there is a white pumice sand, and makes a good solid road. 20. The sand in the Waihou is good coarse material/ —Yes. 21. Do you not think it would make good roads in that class of country on the other side ot .he Waihou?—l could not say. .... ~, , i> 22. You consider it is equal to the stuff on the railway-line used as ballast between I aerou and the river? —Yes. . 23. Mr. MeVeagh.] When you started as carrier here fifteen or sixteen years ago, how mail) teams did you have?— Probably two or three for a start. ' 24. You began to increase them, I suppose, very soon afterwards?— When the boom-time came along I increased them. 25. How many horses were you running then?— From twelve to sixteen. We took on can \ ing to Karangahake and other places. 26. 1 suppose you were doing eight to ten times as much work as when you started . No. 27. How much more?— About double the work. 28. That continued for some time?— Yes: it was a different class ot work. Ihe work in the town increased very little. . 29. There were more people coming here?—Of course the town was gradually increasing all the time. Ahthuk Charles Hubbard examined. (No. 27.) 1. Mr. Mueller.] You are chairman of directors of the Thames Valley Co-operative Dairy Company? —Yes. ■ 2 You are a farmer residing at Komata? —Yes. 3 I think the farm belongs to your family /—Myself and my brothers. 4 How much land have you got there /--Six hundred and sixty-five acres. 5' Did you have that property thoroughly drained?— Yes, it is fairly well drained. li. Tile "drains or open drains?— Both. I should like to mention that the Komata ( reck is being used as a sludge-channel. 7 The Chairman.] Those drams are all for the komata Creek?—No^ s;' 1/, Mueller ] There is one drain thai empties into the Komata Creek?— That portion of our land below the railway-line is low-lying, and we have tile-drained a portion of the land, and these tile drains lead into outlet drains. The open outlet dram empties into the Komata < reek 9 The Chairman.] Did you put any flood-gates on it?- No. Until about twelve months ago there was always a good outlet through the open drain. We had ,„ clean it out periodically. It the beginning of last autumn or winter, as usual. I let a contract to have it cleaned out. The ...mtractor had made a start on the work when a fresh came along am lodged a deposit of silt in the drain I think that happened about May or June. It was an ordinary fresh. I had to pa, the contractor extra to go over his work and remove this silt-deposit. 10 What did it consist of ?—Mining tailings principally 11. Fine or coarse?-All sorts. You could find some fairh coarse and some fairly tine stuff. 12. Do you think those tailings came down the Komata?—Yes.