1.—(3 a.

10

[j. F. MCDEHMOTT.

29. You say that the men are not properly examined?—l do not consider they are. I consider that train No. 5 could have been properly attended to had the rules been gone into by everybody responsible. 30. You can only speak of your own experience?— Yes. 31. You think you were not properly examined I —l consider I should have been given practical demonstration's, especially of fog-signalling. 32. What authority have you for the statement that the men are not properly examined? —1 was stationed at several stations, and tlie men were examined the same as I was. 33. Can you point out where the shortage is in the examination?—No; you are merely asked a few questions, and I was at one place, Piriaka, where il took us ten minutes to get through our examination. 34. .)//■. Sidey.] What was your position in the Railways? —I joined as a labourer, but I was porter when I left the service. I joined at Auckland, but I belonged to the Thames. 36. How long were you in Auckland? —I believe, about ten months. I was classified as a labourer, but engaged on the Auckland Station. 36. Then you were transferred to New Lynn? —No, I went to the Thames, whore I met with an accident which laid me up for some months. ,"i7. How lone were you at New Lynn?—Practically six months. 38. Were you in sole charge of New Lynn? -There were two porters, and I took half shift with the other porter. 39. And your object to-day is to state the conditions that existed at the time you were there' —Yes. I have pointed out certain things in regard to Now Lynn, showing that if the requisitions for stores were produced they would show when the fog-signalling was carried Out, and also regarding the appointment of fog-signallers. 40. Are you in a position to state what the conditions were at the time of the accident?—No, I was not present. 11. You suggest that there have been considerable alterations in tho conditions since tho accident as compared with what they wore previously? —Yes. There is now a water-tank at, the south end of the yai d, . 42. You can testify to the position of the water-tank to your own knowledge?— Yes. 43. Do you know that that tank was placed there since the accident? —Yes. As far as the roads are concerned, they have not been altered as far as 1 can see, but a water-tank has been placed at the south end of the yard. 44. I suppose the general effect of your evidence would be to relieve the tablet-porter?— Yes. The trains arc brought up on the main line and then have to go and take water. The time-table is for the guidance of the staff, and if the times are not kept and the trains cannot, run to timetable it becomes a farce. I brought the train up on the main line because I feared the inevitable "blister" owing to train delays. I could not swear to it, but I believe there was a minute or so more allowed at the time I was at New Lynn for the departure of these trains. 45. Do you mean to say there has been an alteration in the time-table since the accident? — I have seen the time-table, and it can be seen by any one. 46. Mr. Sykes.] Only six minutes, you say, was allowed for tho porter to discharge all his duties? — From 6.45 to 6,51, yes. That was on tlie date of the collision. 47. The porter had to issue tickets to passengers?— Yes. That was part of my duty when I was at New Lynn, and is part of the porter's duties now. -18. What is the number of tickets that would bo issued?—l used to issue on a Monday morning between seventy and eighty workers' weekly tickets. Tho accident happened on a Wednesday morning. 49. Not a particularly busy morning? -It would be an average morning, barring Monday. 50. You have with you sworn statements to the effect that a fog prevailed on this particulni morning?— They are statements signed before a Justice of the Peace. They were given to me. 51. You stateil that there was no fog-signalman engaged a.t New Lynn prior to the accident ' —A man has ben appointed since, and I presume from that that he was not there previously. 52. No one acted in that capacity prior to this accident? —Not to my knowledge, nor in my time. 1 never knew of the regulations being carried out while I was there; I never saw them carried out. 53. If there was a .fog on that particular morning ami the engine-driver was unable to see the signal, was it not his duty to pull up the train immediately?— Yes, if he was unable to see the signal; but that would open a big question. A man might start out from Auckland ami because ho could not see the signal at Parnell tunnel he would have to stop, and be held up indefinitely, although lie knew the road. 51. In regard to these examinations, you say you are supposed to lie examined once in six months?—Oneo in twelve months, I believe —about, every June. 55. Yon said also that it took about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour? —That was at one station, Piriaka. 56. You know that it sometimes takes twelve months' study in any particular subject to enable you to answer questions which may be given to you in ten or fifteen minutes? —That is true. 57. Mr. Dickson.] When was the tank placed there on the south end-how long after the accident I —l think it must be about three weeks since I saw them starting to put up a tank, right close to the lino, near the points at the south end. Rut since then what I thought was going to be a tank has proved to be only the place where the overflow cmnes out. Tho tank has been taken back into the yard away from the rails. 58. The pipe runs across? — Yes. on a bit, of overhead work. 59. Is it according to the regulations to back a train in on the main line?—l point out that the regulations provide against it,