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Re-examined by His Honour the Superintendent:

Q. Have you been much experienced in railways?
A. I have had practical acquaintance with the whole of the in-door work of railways. I was engaged six months on the Lynn and Ely railways, in designing and executing stations. Subsequently, I was engaged for more than four years on the Great Northern Railway, where I was occupied in every kind of engineering work, from the first preparation of schemes for Parliament to the final completion and furnishing for the opening for traffic; during that time the whole of the estimates passed through my hands, including supply of materials.

Q. Am I right, therefore, in assuming that from your experience you can speak positively as to the works to be done on this railway?
A. Certainly.

The witness then left the Council Chamber.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 1861.

His Honour the Superintendent called upon Mr. Morgan Architect and Builder, of Picton, to give evidence.

Q. What do you consider the amount of sawn timber used in this place?
A. I am not the only consumer; I use about 780,000 feet of timber, and about 620,000 shingles a year.

Q. Can you give any idea as to what may be used by other parties?
A. Something like 25,000 feet of sawn timber.

Q. In the assumed traffic in parcels, do you think it is over or under estimated in this statement?
A. Certainly not over.

Q. It is stated that passengers will be 60 per day. Do you think there will be so many?
A. I can only say that a calculation was made in the Pelorus, showing 16 travelling each way through that district to and from Nelson, making 32 per day. I believe 60 under the mark.

Q. As a man of business here, is it your opinion that a railway would be of material benefit to the province at large?
A. Certainly, a very great benefit.

Cross-examined by Mr. Seymour:

Q. What do you estimate the amount of timber likely to be sent to the Wairau?
A. I imagine it would be larger than the amount consumed in Picton.

Re-examined by His Honour the Superintendent:

Q. What is the cost from halfway for delivery of timber each way at present?
A. From Strachan's, which is about halfway, here, would be £2 per 1,000 feet, and to the Wairau £2 10s.

Q. Do you know what is the fare for passengers between here and Blenheim?
A. When a vehicle has occasionally been sent from here, passengers with a return ticket have been charged 10s. each.

The witness then left the Council Chamber.

Mr. William Akersten examined by His Honour the Superintendent:

Q. What is your business or calling?
A. I was a ship's husband and stevedore for a period of some three and a half or four years to Martin and Scott; I was also six and a quarter years at Messrs. Dewitt and Mores, as stevedore; I also did Messrs. Willis's work for about three years; since then I have been master and owner of three vessels. I have also been ship's husband and attorney to James Henry, of Melbourne. Since then I have been a contractor of public works, chiefly wharfs.

Q. I may assume, then, you have a good knowledge of goods traffic?
A. I was in the Hall yesterday, and took some notes concerning the statements there made.

Q. I will ask you about the wool traffic; you have here a statement of 4s. per bale; do you consider that a high or low price?
A. I consider it a low price over fifteen miles of country.

Q. The next item of goods at £1 per ton. Do you consider that a fair price?
A. I consider it a fair price. Certainly not high.

Q. Assuming the population at 2,500, what do you presume the amount of goods traffic to supply that population?
A. I do not consider, at first, one ton a head sufficient, I should rather say 30 cwt. to each person.

Q. Do you consider it a fair assumption that that population would require 1,800 thousand feet of sawn timber?
A. I consider that about what it would be.

Q. Can you tell me the price of delivering sawn timber for a similar distance in Nelson?
A. I consider the price much underrated. Mr. Humphries charged me 5s. 6d. per 100 feet for delivery over eleven miles from Wakapuaka.

Q. Do you consider £1 per 1,000 feet by rail a fair price?
A. I should rather consider £2 per 1,000 a fair price.

Q. Can you form an estimate as to the amount of fencing likely to be required in this province?
A. I am not in a position to say.