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Henry Douglas Morpeth examined. (No. 49.) 1 M, MeVeagh.] You are Town Clerk of the Borough of Waihi ?—Yes. 2 The Chairman.] You gave evidence before the Mines Committee.—Yes, on pages 31 to 41. ;; Mr MeVeagh.] The Borough of Waihi was incorporated, when .' Ist March, IJLU. l' And you have been Town Clerk and Borough Treasurer during the whole period?— Yes. :,'. What is the population al the present time?-] estimate it a, about six thousand (j Duri ng wha period has the place grown to that population/-! shou d say it did no .„„„„„. lo very much' until about twelve years ago. The growth is principally with,,, the last "] ' Iblw'long have you known the town .-I have known it intimately for eight years. I was is the character of the buildings in Waihi I X«. ..rally, in aocoriauTwS the requirements of the population, which is almost entirely a working-man population, and the character of the buildings is very small <i U-e they constructed with a view to permanence .—No; rather the other way. |,l ,',,„,; \,„ir 1 wledge Of the population of the borough, what percentage would you saj helones to the working-class of the community?—l should say, So per cent. Tl Tin chairnaui.] What do you mean by " working-class " I The men engaged in manual labour in the mines M iiiing is the only industry there. iV Do v^consider a clerk ■ working-man?-! refer to manual labourers ~, the mines. 3 1 ■• McV , I W'l a is he class of their dwellings/- Very small, and of not much value. „ Bt ands to reason thlt men receiving such wag,, as they do Bs. to 10s. at the very outside - n , afford a very big house, and they cannot borrow money On .heir property. ,4 W'L,, is the natu, f the titles all over the borough?-AH the titles are under the Mining Act —residence licenses. ~,. . ~ l 8 That is a title that endures from year to year on the payment Ol os. /-Tin ,s so but a a ,„ attcl . of fact most Of the residence-sites are secured by the payment of a rent ot 10s. „ year. It is a lease for forty-two years with a right of renewal. ~ | think a large portion of the population of ffiaih. live in boardinghouses?-There is a considerable elemi ,„ young unmarried men-who live in boardinghouses. 17. Is then v industry in the place save gold-mining ,-Practically none. l 8 | think .here is u„ such thing as a farming industry round about Wad,,/ No, in the I , :; ; ' , ;\;!:;r!;';;;''r'i'si.ppose. ~,a, *. P ia Cc i.... , a,, oi *—«. «* .*. there is any difficult; in obtaining money on the secuntv ol such titles?-Yes, I can sa 3 <-T, ::;::'!:::::: m .:::".;:' Tr: , —.. , * - - „. i, d . ; 1,.,,.,,. 626,226 ~. ~.,.: i '"j.,,^.;:.";„,;;.;,;,;,,..', ~-„v cr, i„f , «i„>,, .„ im,m. accounts for the same years [Exhibit No. 36]:— Borough Council. 1910. „ j Expenditure. £ - s - <•■ 20 473 5 4 Road, and footpaths .. -• M« 18 10 Gold duty .. ... •• •' i'7so 12.i Ohinemuri County .. •■ •• M£»! Per Court .. ■• •• '• l Administration and other charges .. 1,704 b 5 Bates •■ •• £1 I.? Hospital and charitable aid .. .. 1.676 0 0 Other sources •• ■"» 4 4 7 Waterworks .. .. •• SflS ili ' Street-lighting and other public utilities .. 786 111 Expenditure in public institutions .. ?. Recreation-ground and reserves.. •• «"'» Waihi Technical School • • • • *" " " Inquiry Main Road .. • • " 1072 0 0 Bank interest • • • • • ■ ' .. .„ g Miscellaneous.. • • • • • • — i £16,672 18 5 £23,688 2 5 1 - H. D. MoKPBTH, Town Clerk.