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.1. H. UKNNKV.

21. Did you look at the signal then?— Yes. 22. And you are satisfied that it was still standing at " Danger " I —Quite satisfied. 23. When you stopped did you at once release your brake? —Yes 24. And rex-erse your engine? —Yes. 25. You xvere read to set back?— Yes. 26. How long xvere you standing xvaiting for a signal, do you think? —As far as 1 can recollect, betxveen three and four minutes. 27. Hoxv do you estimate that time? —It is just my own idea. I would not be certain on the point. 28. Were you standing an unusually long period there waiting for a signal? —Yes. 29. Did you ask for a signal by giving the usual "pop"? It is the practice, is it not, for a driver, after waiting any length of time, to give a " pop " to ask for a signal?—No, I did not give a " pop." 30. 'train register No. 5 at New Lynn shows that you arrived at the station at 6.44? —Yes. 31. It shows that No. 6 arrived at 6.48. As you had to take water in the interval of four minutes you could not have been standing there for four minutes, could you?— No. 32. You are not prepared to say that your estimate is right?- No, I would not be prepared to say that it is exactly right. 33. The Chairman.] You did not take the time? —No. 34. Mr. McVilly.] Did you hear No. 6 whistle when it approached?— I heard one whistle: that was up at the tank. 35. When you heard No. 6 whistle did you think that you were running any risk in standing there?—No, I did not. 36. You still considered that the " Danger " signal was sufficient protection for you? —That is to say 37. And that No. 6 would stop at that signal?— Yes. 38. What interval do you consider elapsed between the time you heard No. 6 whistle and the collision? —I should say about half a minute. 39. The Chairman.] Again you did not take the time? —No. 40. Mr. McVilly.] Do you think that No. 6 xvas on top of you so quickly that you had not time to get your train in motion?—No, I do not think so. I gax'e the engine steam before the collision came, but I could not say whether it shifted or not. 41. Your engine was standing where? —Just about on the bridge on the south side. 42. Did you have a good view of the " Danger " signal that morning—the north home signal ?—Yes. 43. Regarding the practice of pulling up, was that the usual practice at New Lynn?—Yes. 44. How long have you been running on that road? —About four or five years. 45. Did you consider that practice safe? —Yes, I did. 46. You heard Mr. McDermott speaking about tablet rule No. 4?— Yes. 47. Did you consider that New Lynn was on a grade for that purpose?— No. I consider that rule does not apply. 48. If you were running from Henderson at a speed of, say, thirty miles an hour, could you have stopped the engine at the foot of the grade before passing the home signal?— Yes. 49. With an ordinary application of the brakes? —Yes. 50. How far was the train driven back by the force of the collision ? —About 100 ft. 51. What is the distance from the foot of the grade to the home signal? —I should think, betxveen 200 and 300 yards. 52. Have you ever experienced any difficulty in approaching Nexv Lynn owing to fog or other conditions?—No, not the slightest. 53. Did you consider the fog on that morning was particularly bad? —There was a fairly heavy fog that morning. 54. But not sufficient to obscure the view of the home signal?—No, not on my side. 55. What distance away could you see that signal?— About 100 yards or more. 56. You say you saw it from the tank before you started to pull ahead ?—You could just get a faint glimpse of it. 57. You had a good view of it? —-No, not a good viexv. When I pulled ahead a little I could get a good view. 58. Did you pull ahead before you saw the signal was at " Danger." or did you see the signal at "Danger" before you pulled ahead? —The signal was at "Danger" before I pulled ahead. I went out slowly to make sure. 59. Had you any doubt about the position of that signal? —No, I had not. 60. From your experience of New Lynn can you say whether under the conditions that were prevailing that morning the fog was denser to the north side than to the south? —No, I could not say r that. 61. Can you give me any estimate of the speed train No. 6 xvas travelling at?— No. 62. Can you say whether the home south signal was alight when you passed?—l cannot remember exactly now. 63. You had no difficulty in picking it up? —No. 64. There was sufficient light?— Yes. 65. Have you ever gauged the distance it xvould take to pull up an ordinary train such as you htid that morning running at, say twenty-five or thirty miles an hour with an ordinary application of the brakes? —No. 66. What distance do you think you could pull up in xvith an ordinary application of the brakes under the conditions prevailing that morning?- About 200 yards, easy.