61

W. BETTIS.

C—l 4.

II). You used to come higher up the river, as far as the Junction ?— Yes, about six years ago. 20. Why did you cease/ Because the river was getting too shallow in the neighbourhood of Mr. Kenny's, near the Junction. 21. Were there other reasons/—Not that 1 know of. 22. You say that from Te Puke downwards the river is only about (j in. shallower: do you find any increased difficulty in coming up the river/ —No, not as far as Te Puke. 23. 1 mean, do you find any greater difficulty than you found at the time when you first started with the "Waimarie"?—No. 24. Do you find any greater difficulty than you did years ago under the same conditions of tide?—No, not as far as Te Puke. 25. You have known this river and district for a great many years? —Yes. 20. Can you say anything with regard to the liability lo floods in this neighbourhood?—Wo have had floods over the banks some years ago—very high floods. 27. Did you know of high floods in this district prior to 11)07, for instance?—Oh, yes I 28. Do you know of any place near Hikutaia from which people have been in the habit of removing sand for building purposes?— Yes, opposite dyer's landing. 2!). Has there been much sand taken away from there/ —Yes, hardly a week goes past but a vessel takes sand from there. It has been going on for years. 30. I understand that there is some suggestion made that the fishing down the river has been spoilt of late years/ —We took a good number of fish from Turua before the last Court-day. Probably the people who are fishing know better than I do. 31. Is your own fish-carrying trade as great as it was? Since January, when the Warden's Court was making inquiries, we have not been carrying fish. 32. Ip to that time had there been any diminution?—No, not as a general rule. There are not many fish caught in the river. There never have been. 33. Prior to January, used you to see the people fishing, and, if so, in what neighbourhood?— Yes, at Turua. 31. Have they been fishing there since/—There have been one or two boats, but as a rule they do not fish during the winter months. 35. Apart from the little incidents you have mentioned, has your steamer stuck at all in the river?—lt is a long time since I stuck in the river besides the time you mentioned. If everything is favourable we do not stick. 36. Mr. Vickerman.] It is three years since you lost a trip?— Yes, over three years. 37. Mr. Moresby.] The suggestion was made yesterday that you stuck opposite Thomas's?— No, we did not stop. The river fell over a foot when we passed Thomas's. That did not give me much water. The tide was running out there. 38. Since you gave evidence last time there has been another flood: has that made any difference?— There has been a good deal of sand coming down on the banks below Te Puke. 39. That last flood was a pretty heavy one?— Yes. I was not here, but it must have been a bad one. Below Te Puke it i.s pretty bad. A lot of sand has accumulated along the banks down there. 40. Can you say anything about that portion of the river between Te Puke and the Junction?—No, not since my last trip. 1 have not been there even in a small boat. 41. Supposing the river at Te Puke Wharf got silted up, i.s there any other place the steamer could go t,, between Kopu and Te Puke?—No, I think not. I think if we left Te Puke we should have to go right down to Kopu. -12. The fact of the steamers coming up and down the river has the effect of keeping the channel open ?—lt has a tendency that way. Both the " Waimarie " and " Taniwha " have twin screws. 43. These two steamers were built specially for this trade?— Yes. 44. What is the freight to Paeroa and Kopu?—Gs. (Id. (~ Kopu, and Bs. (id. to Te Puke. 45. Is the Kopu freight the same as the Thames?— Yes. 4G. Is there wharfage to pay at Kopu?—Yes. 47. Mr. Clendon.] You can run to Kopu al any tide/ No; we cannot get into the mouth of the river at low water. 48. Between Kopu and Te Puke there are many places you stop at on the river-bank when required.'—Yes. 49. At Netherton is there deep water?— Yes. 50. What is the distance between Netherton, where the wharf is, and Te Puke?— About four miles. 51. Are there any other places between Netherton and Te Puke where you stop?— Yes, when ihe tide is in we sometimes go alongside the settlers' wharves. 52 In the months of February and March I think there is less fresh water in the river than in any other nths in the year/ Yes. 1 think so. 53. Since the establishment of freezing-works at the Thames I think the bulk of the fishermen take their fish to the Thames ?—Yes. 51. Of curse you come in in all weather into the river?— Yes. 55. Have you noticed the effect that a north-west blow has in bringing silt into the mouth of the river?—] would not say that il brings silt in, but it thickens the water very much. 50. Mr. Mueller.] You say that since the last big flood you have noticed tailings on the banks/ —Yew, sand : but not more than before. You can seen it right down both banks as far as Netherton. 57. Do you say that you did not see any before the last flood?— There was a small quantity. 'I here is always a certain amount of sediment on the bank. 58. As far as you can gee, this deposit of sand is in the river along the bank?—lt is right down as far as the water goes.