D.-4.

90

H. HILFOBD.

12. Do you not think they would require railway connection?— Yes. 13. East or west doss not affect you as regards distance?—A large part of the district lies to the west. 14. Ihe centre of the district lies between the forks? —I think in the part of the country I am acquainted with the railway would serve the greatest area if it went to the wsst. la. Do you not think that Waipu should have some consideration?— The railway will not make much difference to them going out by Millbrook. 1 think the Waipu settlers would come in hers. 16. Do you not know that, they are hoping to make a connection with the railway by the eastern route? —Not so far north as this, I think. 17. Do you think they should go all the extra distance from Mareretu to Waikiekie?—l think they would be served best by the railway naarer Maungaturoto. 18. Do you know there is a range of hills in between?— There is a road through between the Gorge Road and Waipu. 19. Is it a driving road? —I cannot say. 20. Do you attribute the lack of settlement on the west solely to not having communication by railway?—l do not think I could account for it altogether in that way. 21. They have a good line of communication by the Wairoa River?-—lt is a long way to the Wairoa River, and not a very good road. It would lie twenty miles from here by road. 22. How far would it be from Omano to the Wairoa River ?—I cannot say. 23. Is not the whole of that estate within six miles of the river?—l cannot say. 24. Would-you be surprised to know it is not four miles? —I have not studied it at all. Michael Henry Mason examined. (No. 56.) 1. The Chairman.'] What is your position?—l am a settler at Waikiekie, where I have resided for forty-four years. I hold about 500 acres of land, consisting of Crown lease and school reserve and freehold. 2. Will you make a statement to the Commission relating to the matters we are considering? —I advocate the western route. I desire to speak on the subject of ballast. My place is a very short way from a proposed station on the western route. On my property there is a very great ballast-deposit of limestone. You can get a 15 ft. face by 2 chains wide to start with. It rises very sharply, nnd spreads a quarter of a mile by half a mile, and I think it is all solid rock. 3. How far is this pit from the nearest part of the railway mi the proposed western route?— Half a mile over a river-flat. 4. Mr. Stallworthy.] When you speak of a river-flat, what river are you referring to?— The Waiwakangaro River. 5. Have you ever travelled from this district to Wairoa?—No. 6. Is there not a road from Omano to the Wairoa River? —Not that I know of. 7. When people desire to deal with the liver, do they prefer to go a long way up or to go down? —We generally go right across to the river. 8. A connection between the Wairoa River and Omano would not serve you any purpose? —No. 9. Mr. Steadman.] How long have you held your land?—l have held the freehold for about twenty-two ysars. I have about 220 acres of freehold. 10. What stock do you carry? —I have fort3'-two head of cattle at present and six or seven horses. 11. How much of it is in grass?— About 200 acres. 12. Is it good limestone land?— Most of it is limestone formation; a little of it is sandstone. 13. What is the area of your leasehold?—l47 acres of school reserve and 33 acres of Crown lease. I have had the Crown lease for two years, and the other for twelve years. 14. What is on the Crown lease? —Half of it is in grass, and I have the same cattle there as I have on the freehold. 15. You are connected with the dairy factory here, I believe: what is the greatest number of suppliers the factory has had?—We nsver had more than twenty-four until this last year, when we got three or four additional suppliers. 16. The Chairman.} How many cows did the factory start with?—l think, about 700. 17. You are dairying with your cows?— Yes. Robert Taylor examined. (No. 57.) 1. The Chairman.} What is your position? —I am a dairy-farmer, residing at Mareretu. I have been in the north for twenty years. I hold 180 acres, of which 66 acres are occupation with right of purchase, 38 acres freehold, and 76 acres education reserve. 2. Will you make a statement to the Commission ?—I am in favour of the western route, as I consider it will benefit Waikiekie or the immediate neighbourhood as a whole. The reason I advocate the western route is that the quality of the land on it is superior to that on the eastern route, and would carry a larger population if opened up by the railway. I consider the district is not going ahead because of the lack of proper roads. The cost of bringing goods in is so great that it takes all the profit away from what one is working at. A previous witness was asked a question about the road from Mareretu to Waipu. From the proposed Mareretu Station on the main line below the Gap to Waipu central there is a good graded road, which would connect