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i>. W. MCABTHUR.j

C—l 4.

154. Coming back to the Waihi Borough : we have heard from Mr. Morpeth that the main st reel was made of a permanent character. You know that numerous other streets were formed of a permanent character?— Yes, the main street is not a very pretty street. 155. Half a mile from the main street, does not the concrete channelling extend right along to the Hospital?— Yes. 156. Miles of concrete channelling? —Not miles. 157. You have spent money on a recreation-ground, including municipal swimming-baths?— \es, the only place in Waihi where anybody has a chance to wash himself. 158. And a municipal bowling-green? —Yes. 159. Did your borough not lay down grass tennis-courts?— Tennis has been played there. 160. Has not your borough contemplated laying down asphalt tennis-courts?— Most decidedly, and they are very badly wanted, too. 161. Did not your borough spend money in laying down a central cricket-pitch?—No; the cricketers spent that money. It is a pity we had not a recreation-ground three times the size it is now. 162. There is a new practice-room for the band?—The band built that themselves without any assistance whatever. 163. Has not the borough assisted the band financially?— Yes. 164. Mr. MeVeagh.] What about your own salary?—My salary was reduced during the retrenchment of the borough. 165. The Chairman.] What is the consumption of water per head of the population?— There is no meter to measure the consumption, but I managed to do it on one occasion. It was something like fifty or sixty gallons a head. There is a lot of water used by the mines for working their hydraulic lift at the battery. 166. Do they pay for that? —Ten pounds a year 167. Is thai a fair sum to pay for the quantity of water they use?—No, 1 think it is fairly small ; but they held a creek, and did not offer any objection to our taking that creek. 168. Is the water sold by meter?— Partly. 169. What do they pay per thousand gallons?— One shilling. The Grand Junction pays a considerable amount sometimes. 170. Why do you think fifty or sixty gallons of water is an insufficient supply for the township (—That is not available during the summer. The people are then restricted'to the smallest possible supply; they are requested to use the water very carefully. 1 71. Do you know of any city where that does not apply ?—Not so much as that. lam afraid we have not enough water for fire purposes. I think it is a very undesirable thing to be drinking water caught oft' the roofs of the houses. The sanitarx arrangements are not what they ought to be. 172. You, as an engineer living in the district, and seeing what a serious matter the silting is, must have studied the matter. Will you give us the benefit of your idea as to what is the remedy: first, as to the present deposits; and, secondly, what is' the remedy for further stuff lhat may come from the mines .'--I have thought of it a good deal. The problem is a very difficult one. lam in accord with what Mr. Metcalfe says in connection with embankments. My idea all along has b, en that it will 1m- neoessan sooner or "later that all the flooding waters be kept within bounds by embankments a distance out from the river—about 5 or 6 chains from each side of the river. I think thai would be quite sufficient. You would require to straighten it here and there. Cut down all the willows. Then there is that deviation at the Junction. I think if these things were attended to thoroughly there would not be any danger of mischief accruing in the future. 173. You would permit future tailings to go into the river?—Thev would form themselves into heaps on the lee side of the bends. I 74. But that must reduce the section ?—Yes. but it is a wry large section—lo chains wide. J i 5. They would have to buy 10 chains of land—the best river-flats?—Y'es. 176. And the extinguishment of the Native titles and rights on the rivers?— There is nothing else lor it. 6 177. Mr. Mitehe/son.] Who should pay for it/—The. Government should pay for it, because ihe Government gave permission to the companies to use it. 1 think that was a very good suggestion ot Mr. Breakell's—to take the sand out of the river, and use it for making an embankment right across the Piako Swamp, and also for the roads that are required there immediately It is the cheapest material that the Government could get for embankments They require the material, and there it is. Why not take it? 178. The Chairman.] That would mean dredging, I suppose?--Yes. 179. Then you think it is a wise thing to discharge the silt material into the river and lift il mi, again lower down the river: you think that is a mechanical possibiltv?—Y'es. 180. And a wise thing to do?—I think so. .oi'Ir° U Uk, k , n ° W the large drain runnin g illto the river at the Netherton creamery?— Yes 182 Would you put flood-gates on that?—lt certainly would do no harm. It is not so much required as higher up. I*3. Did you go inland from that place?— Only as far as the school, or a little beyond I did not go into the swamp beyond that. ' 184. You cannot tell me anything about the land at the back?—No; I arranged for Mr Haszard, surveyor, to investigate the whole thing and prepare plans for the Commission, and he will show you them. ' ue 185. You said there should be flood-gates on the drains at Bertelsen's land? That is where the silt came in aud deposited itself on the land.