I.—lo.

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[w. t>. s. macdonald-

9. There is no pumice in the "Garden of Eden " at Gisborne? —No, I do not think there is. 1 might say that I had knowledge of it, because twenty-two years ago I inspected on behalf of the Bank of New Zealand a large number of the Waikato properties. At that time they were doing a large amount of cultivation there. It was all sheep-farming before the estates were divided, and although from a Poverty Bay point of view the land was very poor, there was no doubt at that time that the sheep were far better than our Poverty Bay sheep. 10. Would not the name " Poverty " be more applicable to that land?—At that time we had an epidemic of disease, and unless the lambs were fed on rape a large percentage would be lost; but in the Waikato, especially the hoggets, they were splendid, and quite a contrast to our Poverty Bay sheep at that time. The Poverty Bay sheep have got over all that now. I have seen thousands of acres right throughout the Taupo country equal to the Waikato land. 11. Do you not think that cattle, on the whole, would do better on pumice country than sheep? —If you give them the feed; but, as far as I can see, except on a few of the swamps, there is no chance of cattle getting a living in the Taupo country. I might say also that at the time I visited the Waikato the cattle were not doing so well as the sheep.