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Edmond Clifton examined. (No. 9.) 1. The Chairman.'] What is your position ? —Director of Fields and Experimental Stations in the Department of Agriculture. 2. Are you acquainted with the land which is covered by the petition of the Taupo Totara Timber Company ? —I know the land fairly well throughout the greater part of the Taupo country : but [do not know that I am familiar with the particular piece. 3. You see the map there [pointed out] ? —Yes. I am fairly well acquainted with the part coloured green, exec])! perhaps that part which is at the end of the Taupo Totara Company's railway. That was Imsh when 1 knew the country. 4. Would it be suitable to you if we asked you questions—would you prefer that ?—Yes. 5. Mr. Newman.'] What is the character of this country ?—The whole of the country is, of course, affected by volcanic action. It is all practically pumice country. As a general view of it, one would say that the country was poorer in tin , immediate vicinity of the lake, and improving as the distance from the lake itself increases, that especially applying to the eastern side of the lake. 6. Does it carry any vegetation now ? —The vegetation is principally the ordinary tussock—the so-called silver-tussock principally—that is, vegetation in the foim of anything like grasses. The usual tea-tree and the scrub, usually called the black scrub of Taupo (Dracophyllum) are found on the plateau and plains. The hills, or many of them, are bush-clad. 7. Is bush land better land after it is cleared ? —The bush land is undoubtedly the best, and the hills are better than the plateau. The principal work going on at Taupo in the way of improvement applies more to the swamp lands than to the plateau country. 8. What sized holdings do you think that land could be cut up into ? —As it is now ? 9. Yes, with the railway ? —Very large holdings : with the railway they would be lessened ; but in fairly large ones, in any case. 10. Is it not a fact that if you wish to improve it you must tread it down, and you must have small holdings ?•—I do not know that that follows. I think the country must be fairly well subdivided into small paddocks. It is certainly pastoral country in the first instance, and not arable land. 11. Does it grow good roots ? —So far, the roots have been principally grown on the swampy land : but a great part will grow roots. 12. With or without manure ? —Absolutely with manure. That applies to the greater part of the North. Manure has to be applied quite liberally. Ido not think Taupo is different in that respect from many other parts of New Zealand. 13. You have had experience of that sort of thing : do you think manuring in that pumice land has the lasting effect that it has in other parts of the country ?—The usual thing in light land everywhere is that the lasting effects are not great. The manure is used up <|uiekly. On that light land the manure is very available to plants. But the manure from the stock no doubt disappears on land with such an open formation underneath : it is pumice. 14. Is it pumice on the top and a sort of rock underneath ? —Not usually. There are great variations in the soil. One would exclude those areas that are of pure pumice : they would come in later. It is pumice mixed on the surface with a certain amount of soil. In places it is a brownish to lightcoloured clay, while in other places the pumice is very much in evidence ; but in few cases do you find the rock close to the surface. In fact, I hardly know any country in this district where the rock would affect calculation. 15. Have you seen the settlements on the Murimotu Plains, near Waioru ?—Not very much. except by passing through on the railway. 16. You take a hopeful view of this country ? —Decidedly. 17. And think it is amenable to treatment ? —Yes. It is on that account that I have induced the Department to make experiments. It is only now several experimental plots are being completed throughout this district. 18. How does fruit, grow there ?■ -Very well indeed. 1 , .1. Without manure? —Fruits may grow without manure, but all orchards are fertilized. L'D. Are there any large sftamp lands in that district ?—The whole area of swampy land would be fairly large, but no one swamp is of any extent. 21. Do you think that swamps are good ?—They are certainly useful, and usually easily drained. 22. It is not peaty ? —No. The drainage is not usually expensive. 23. Taking it all over, you think-the land would improve very much by occupation I — l think two-thirds in the course of some years will be useful land for settlers. 24. Mr. Need.] Do you know the class of land that the proposed route passes through at the preseni linn , '. —1 know it to a certain distance south of the Waikato Kiver —not the last twenty miles of it. 25. Do you know the class of land between Rotorua and Taupo ? —Very well. 26. Which is the better land, that on the proposed railway route, or the other —is there any material difference ?—ln quality I do not think there is very much difference, but on the coach line tin- country is broken and hilly. The other road, via Waiotapu would be easier. ■21. 1 was speaking with regard to the nature of the country ? —Some parts are very broken indeed. 28. Mr. Forbes.] Do you think from your knowledge of this country it is very necessary that there should be a railway through it before it is profitably settled ?—I do not think profitable setltement is pnss ; lilr until better communication is provided. 29. Do you think a reasonable amount of settlement can be effected along this comparatively poor country if they have communication ?—Yes, the better part of it immediately, and almost all for pastoral purposes,