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28. Was that a considerable quantity?— Thousands of tons. 29. Would it be taken away as easily as the tailings would be taken away/ —1 do not suppose it would. The rough material would not go away anything like tailings. 30. The question has been raised about stacking the tailings at Karangahake: is that a practicable scheme? —I should say not. 31. Why?—l do not know where you would put them. 32. The Rotokohu Swamp was mentioned?—ll is over a hill, three miles away. 33. What height is it over the mountain/ —Six or seven hundred feet high. 34. Thai means lifting the tailings 500 ft. or 600 ft. and carrying them three miles?— Yes. 35. In the summer-time what quantity of water is there in the Ohinemuri and Waitawheta Streams?—lt takes the batteries all their time to carry on in summer. You can walk across them, stepping on an odd stone, in most places. 36. Supposing it were practicable to lifi ihe tailings, what would you do with the mullock and all the other debris —where would you put it?—] have no idea. We are right in between mountains, with high cliffs each side. There is one outlet, and that is the river. 37. You know the place thoroughly well/--Yes. 38. There is no place further up where the debris could go?—] do not know of any. 39. Supposing il was put into the Kolokohu Swamp, where could the stuff all go?— 1 do not know. 40. Are there any farms about it?—l think there are one or two. 41. I think the biggest percentage of your members are married men?— Yes. 42. Are you a married man? —Yes. with a family of eight, six of whom are dependent on me. 43. I think a great number of your men have little homes of their own?— Most miners have (heir little homesteads there —the majority have their own place. 44. Supposing you were- thrown out of work to-morrow, what means of livelihood could you lake up, supposing you could not go on with mining operations for a year or so?—I should have io take navvying. 45. Miners cannot save a great deal out of their wages?— They cannot. It is just a living. 46. Mr. Cotter.] I am speaking to you now as representing your union : Have you considered in any way as to who ought in fairness to pay the cost of the removal of the tailings and the amelioration of the present conditions? —The Government. 47. The Chan-mau.] Is that by resolution of the union?— That is my personal opinion. 48. You were asked as the representative of the union /—That question has never been considered by the union. 49. But, having a knowledge of the individual opinions of the men, your opinion is that if it were put to them it would be unanimously indorsed/ -Yes. My reason for thai is simply this: The river was proclaimed a sludge-channel in the first place, and all machinery has lieen put into that level to gel the material away as cheaply as possible. Now, if the companies had to alter their plants it would throw both them and us to a big disadvantage. 50. Mr. Cutter.] You have given certain reasons ; were these the whole of the reasons you wish to give? —I think that is enough. 51. .1//. MrVeayli.] Can you give the Commission any information as to the number of people engaged in mining interests in Waihi and the number dependent on them? —No; it is a long time since I was there. Mining is the only thing they have to go on, and if the population is between live and six thousand I should say the whole of them are dependent on the mines—storekeepers and all. 52. Are you aware that large numbers of the miners in Waihi have small holdings of their own /—Certainly. 5:',. Mr. Mueller.] In regard to the conference that took place at Karangahake between the Miners' Union and Silting Association, do you not know that the association on the evening before that conference had decided to object to the public battery unless there was a condition put in?— We did not know anything about it until 1 saw it appear in the Paeroa paper. 54. Was (hat not just before the conference that you mention? —It was not. 55. Was it not at that conference that the public battery was mentioned? —No, it was never mentioned. 56. And did not the association agree to make no protest against this battery provided you people did not go on with your petition? —No; the petition was to be held over until we got the expert evidence. There was no mention of the battery at all. 57. In that petition you stated there were about six holders of land on the banks of the Ohinemuri? —Yes, but you know I cannot swear to all that is in that petition. 58. You do not support that?—Y"es, I do. 59. The Chairman.] You signed it yourself?— Yes. 60. And therefore you agreed to everything in it / Yes, although I cannot say as to how man} settlers were there at the time. 61. The petition states thai a: the time of the issue of the Proclamation then- were only six farmers resident on the banks of the Ohinemuri? —That is so. 62. Mr. Mueller.] Do you not know of your own knowledge lhat you could name a dozen or twenty of them easily on the banks of the Ohinemuri/ —You may or you may not. 63. If the mines were prevented from putting their stuff into the river you do not think they would shut down to morrow?—l do not know about shutting down. They would have to stop stamping, and if they stopped stamping we should be out ~f employment. 64. They said they would have to alter their plants, and you said it would take a year or two?— Yes. 65. And it would est a good deal of money?— Yes.