D.—4.

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[c. mitchelson.

67. You say that the blocks you refer to could be brought in naturally to have an opening to the railway at Nukutawhiti J —Only one section of it. 68. Where would the other section be? —About the mouth of the Hikuraiigi. One section would want a connection about midway between the Wairoa River and Hikurangi. 69. Do you know the distance between the cast and the west routes at that parti —About seven or eight miles. You go by the western side of Houto Mountain. If the route went by the eastern siil<> of the Houto Mountain the distance would not be so great. I have recently learned from Mr. Mander that the eastern route as 1 knew it and the eastern route as laid down now is quite different. There is a difference of between two and three miles in the routes. 70. In your opinion, you think the time will come, whichever way the line of the Main Trunk goes, that Whangarei will be connected by branch? —Yes. 71. From where do you think it will be connected? —I should think through Maungakaramea : but that should not be done until the Main Trunk line is completed. 72. But you think it, will in time?— Yes; but neither that connection nor the connection to Dargaville should be attempted until the Main Trunk line is through. The benefits of the line will not be felt until you get away Prom the Kaipara waters. That lias been the stumbling-block all along. 73. You do not agree that the railway should be allowed to come into competition witli water traffic? —No. 74. Do you not think it would be bad policy to bring the railway within a few miles of deep water, and to avoid it?— Not purposely to avoid it. I certainly think the line should go to deep water at Hokianga. 75. If the railway touches deep water some classes of merchandise and passengers would take the railway in preference to the water?— Passengers, certainly, who have to go over the liar. Taking the Northern Wairoa district, I question very much if the railway will ever carry a bale of wool from the Northern Wairoa as against the wator cost. Stock, of course, is perishable, and must be carried by the railway; but it is carried at a very low rate 76. The railway has to come within, we may say, easy distance of the river : do you not think it would be better for the railway to touch the river, so that it can compete with the water too?— If it is to go through the centre of the country it should go as near the centre as possible. 77. But independent of that fact, if in putting it through the centre of the country the railway can be made to touch deep water, is it not better to let it do so rather than it should not?— It would be a very good thing for the people residing in the upper district, but a bad tiling for the country. 78. You do not agree with Mr. Lamb that it would l>e ruinous to the steamers to compete with the railway? — The steamer is of very little value. I have been connected with the steamer service for forty-odd years, and during the whole of that time we have only had four dividends. The last dividend was at the rate of 5 per cent., but the previous one, three years ago", was 2| per cent, for the year. 79. The last was got at a sacrifice of half the capital?— Yes, so there is not much in that. 80. Mr. Coom.] It does not say much for the waterway! —Tt says a good deal. It is the high rate of wages. 81. Mr. Stall-worthy .] In reference to the large area of Maori-owned land you have spoken of, that all lies to the north of the junction of the western route?— Yes, with the exception of a little strip between that point and Hikurangi. The bulk of it is northward and westward of either route. 82. Taking from Parakao above the junction to the west of the Tangihuas right down to McCarroll's Gap, what Native land is there?— Very little, if any. 83. So that along the western route there is no Native land? —No. 84. It is only when you get beyond the western junction that the Native land occurs?— Have you seen the land about Kaikohe and Ohaeawai? 85. That is farther north?—l think all who have any knowledge of land at all will admit that the land there is very good. That is applicable to either line. T think it is n crying shame that that land should be allowed to remain idle so long. 86. You know something about the timber near Kirikopuni : is there any Crown block there? —Yes; it is about to be advertised for sale. 87. Do you know the extent of that? —Between 30,000,000 ft. and 40,000,000 ft. That includes kauri, totara, matai, kahikatea, and rimu. Tf you ask me what quantity of marketable timber is contained in the bush between Kirikopuni and the Government bush I could give you a very good idea. 88. There was a witness named Baldwin who told us that he has in his hands for sale 14,000,000 ft. : that would be exclusive of the timber you have already mentioned?— Certainly. I may say we have 15,000,000 ft. exclusive of that. 89. Providing the railway went up the Kirikopuni Valley, would it not tap that timber?— That timber will be all out years and years before the line gets there : it will be out in the next five years. 90. But if they make a start with the railway at Kirikopuni, and go on that way?—l hope they will do so. There would be 40,000,000 ft. or 50,000,000 ft. to come down if that were done. 91. That would go a long way towards making the railway busy?—lt would not pay to build a railway for that. Three years would see that out. 92. Mr. Becroft.] Looking at the map from a business point of view, would you advocate the construction of a line through poorer land rather than through better-class land?—Tf the snmo line would open up a large area I should say yes. 93. Of poor land? —Certainly. It is not all poor land : it is going through good land too.