W. OBAWPOBD.I

81

D.-4

18. You want a connection with Auckland and Whangarei before the settlers in the north get any communication at all ?—How long have the settlers of Maungakaramea ploughed through the mud without any roads at all. 19. Is the whole country west of Tangihua on the road to the river ? —Most of the settlers are. 20. Do you know anything as to the freights to your property on the Northern Wairoa ?—I am not quite clear on the subject. 21. Do you know where they take grass-seed by steamer to ?— Dargaville. 22. How is it conveyed from Dargaville ? —lt is carted on to the sections, a distance of six or seven miles. 23. You have no idea as to the cost ? —I have not. 24. Mr. Becrojt.'] You made a comparison between this district and the Pukekohe district for agricultural purposes: could you give the Commission an idea of the capabilities of this district as a producer ? —I have seen over 60 bushels of wheat grown to the acre and 16 tons of potatoes to the acre. We never thresh the oats : it is cut into chaff. 25. Does this district grow enough vegetables for its own consumption ? —Yes. 26. Do any potatoes come in ? —Yes, but none are being imported at the present time. 27. Are any exported ? —They have all been sent out by now. 28. Is any chaff imported ? —Not at present, I think. I have some to sell, and I think they will come to me rather than go to Auckland for it. 29. Are you aware that Pukekohe exported thirty thousand pounds' worth of potatoes this year ? —I understand they sent away somewhere about five hundred thousand pounds' worth of produce from within six miles of Pukekohe Station. 30. You think that this district will compare favourably with the Pukekohe district when the railway is connected ?—Yes. 31. Supposing this connection with Whangarei were made, which port would you make use of most, Whangarei or Auckland ? —What was for the Auckland market would go over the line to Auckland. Whangarei is not much of a market for us, and what we send there generally goes on to Auckland. 32. The Chairman.] You say you have sales here every month : who are the buyers ? —Whangarei buyers. 33. Where do they take the cattle to ? —I cannot say ; sometimes to Whangarei. 34. What stock are you carrying on your 510 acres to-day ?—Sixty head of cattle, of which between thirty and forty are milkers ; about two hundred sheep ; and ten of twelve horses. I might say that I sold eighty head of cattle about two months ago. 35. This is your winter carrying-capacity you have there now ? —Yes. 36. How much of your land is unimproved ?—lt has been improved once, but a good part of it has gone back to nature since. 37. Into tea-tree ? —Yes. 38. The grass has run out ?—.Yes. 39. In advocating that the Main Trunk, when it reaches Maungakaramea, should then go into Whangarei you had in your mind's eye, I presume, the connecting-up of those two places ? —Yes. 40. The line from McCarroll's Gap running through Maungakaramea and then branching off to Whangarei would give railway communication to those various places you have mentioned ?—I do not know whether it could do so to all of them, but the Main Trunk would benefit them all. 41. The Main Trunk to Maungakaramea and then branching to Whangarei would benefit them nil ?—Yes. The Main Trunk would have to go farther than Maungakaramea to serve Maungatapere. 42. Does not the Parish of Maungatapere run from Whatitiri to the sea ? —Yes. 43. Would not the line from Maungakaramea to Whangarei go through Maungatapere Parish ?— It would go through it, but would not touch the good land. 44. Would it not bring the whole of the parish within four or five miles of the railway ?—Probably it would. 45. How far is Whatitiri from here ?—Four or five miles. 46. Then, if the line went from here in a north-easterly direction to Whangarei, would it not bring Whatitiri within four or five miles of that line also ? —I do not think so. 47. How far from Whatitiri are you here ? —As the crow flies four or five miles. 48. If the line came here, would it not be within four or five miles of Whatitiri J —You must take the length of the road. 49. Is not Whatitiri in a northerly direction fronf here ?—Yes. 50. Would not the line be northerly ?—Yes. 51. Would not that bring it nearer Whatitiri than Maungakaramea is ? —I do not think so. 52. At all events, it is four or five miles from here. What other districts would the Main Trunk line serve other than those you have mentioned if it was taken to Maungakaramea and from there on to Whangarei ? —I am not acquainted with the other districts further out. It would go into the lower end of Mangakahia. Leslie Peers Adams examined. (No. 48.) J. The Chairman.] Where do you reside?—At Mauugakaramea. I farm 115 acres, and have been twenty-eight years in the district. 2. Will 3'ou make a statement to tho Commission about the matter we are inquiring into?— I am a strong advocate of the railway connection from McCarroll's Gap to Whangarei, as such a line will pass through the most payable country in the northern peninsula. Ninety per cent, of the land on that route is agricultural land. Kaikohe should also be connected with Auckland 11—D. 4.