1.—12 a.

20

[C. COLL IS.

31. Do you know of any factory that varies the drain or the channel by which its washings go away ?—Y r es. I am acquainted with a good many creameries, you know. 32. Would you think it a good plan if there were two channels by which the washings could be taken away, and when one channel had been used for a little while and was getting a bit soapy the other channel could be used ?—I scarcely think there is anything in that. 33. Would you be surprised to know that in a factory right in a town that method is used with great success? —Yes, I am rather surprised at it. 34. Mr. Buick.] Where your Kairanga Creamery is situated it is all level country? —Yes. 35. And you say that you drain for some chains down a road? —Yes. 36. Is that the Longburn-Campbelltown Road? —The Rongotai-Longburn Road. 37. You said that the drainage goes into a swamp. Does it not really go into the Bunny-thorpe-Kairanga Road drain? —No, it goes into what we call the reserve drain that bounds the back of my property, and after a while it goes into the Bunnythorpe-Kairanga drain. 38. It does not drain out on to the swamp —it goes into the Bunnythorpe-Kairanga drain? —Oh, yes, it goes into the main drain. 39. And empties out into the Manawatu? —Yes. 40. Mr. Baldwin.] As a matter of fact, this drain runs for several miles through Mr. Pearce's property down in the. T'anui? —That is so. 41. He has never made any complaint about that water, has he? —Never, as far as I am aware. 42. As a man keenly interested in the dairying industry, you agree that the welfare of dairy-farmers is of considerable importance?—l do. 43. And you. tell us that you think that every precaution that responsible Departments suggest should be taken to keep the water pure? —Yes. 44. Mr. Sykes.] Do these creameries of yours exercise the same care with regard to the washings as you do at the main factory?— Yes. 45. The washings are not allowed to go down the drain, are they? —Very little. I am not prepared to say that none goes down, but as small a portion as possible. 46. The Ghairman.] Do you really fear prosecution on the part of anybody? —No; but a judgment has been given by the Chief Justice against the pollution of streams by flax, and we as dairymen consider that that would apply to us : if there is pollution from the flax, the settlers may say there is pollution from the dairies. As soon as ever that happens we must close up. That is why we are here to-day —to ask you gentlemen to make some provision in your Act; in fact, the Bill that has been drafted we approve of. If you put the matter under the Health Department I do not think a dairyman will find any fault. Herbert Hunt, Chairman of the Rongotai Dairy Factory, examined. (No. 11.) 1. Mr. Nathan.] You have no creameries working?— No. 2. You have had considerable trouble in the past with the drainage of the factory?— Yes. 3. You tried septic tanks? —Yes. 4. They were a failure ? —Yes, a flat failure. . 5. They were tried under the direction and supervision of the Health Department?— Yes, at the latter end. At first we went out "on our own" —in fact, the then chairman went to Masterton to see a septic tank that was in operation there, and we practically copied that. That did not act, and then we appealed to the Health Department, and we carried out a few minor instructions that the Health Officer gave us, but it did not act then, and we were told that the necessary bacteria were not present to make it act. Consequently the thing was a failure, after we had spent a lot of money. 6. The drainage of the factory now goes down a small drain and through various settlers' properties?— That is so. 7. The first man's property that it goes through is your own, is it not? —Yes —that is, in open drain. 8. You pipe it down to a certain point, and then take it down in an open drain?— Yes. 9. And then it goes four or five miles before it empties into the main drain? —It goes 199 chains before it empties into the main drain. 10. And how far does it go in the main drain before it reaches the Oroua River? —From the main factory to the Oroua River is about seven or eight miles. 11. If your farm was sold and the person who bought it was antagonistic to the Rongotai Dairy Company he could get an injunction and restrain them from draining in that particular direction ?—I believe so. 12. Is there any other way in which they could drain? —Not that lam aware of. The only other possible way in which the Health Department advised us to drain was to put in about four miles of drain to the Oroua River, and we could not attempt that on account of the expense. 13. Before the drainage from the factory goes through the pipes you have a collection of the grease, have you not? It passes through what is called a grease-sump, which has the effect, I understand, of catching the grease?— Yes, it collects a lot of the solid matter, and prevents that from going through the drain. 14. And that solid matter is collected periodically and burnt? —Yes, or buried. 15. Have there been any complaints from settlers below you about this drainage from the factory ?—Formerly there were numerous complaints, but, like myself, those making the complaints were nearly all interested in the well-being of the factory. But for that reason I believe we should have been stopped. 16. As one interested largely in the dairying industry, have you any objection whatever to conducting your drainage-works under regulations framed by the Health Department or Stock Department ?—No.