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Q.-Did any instance come under your notice of delay in payment for works?
A. Yes, certainly.
Q.-Could you name any work the payment for which was delayed?
A.—I remember a Commission that sat in which I gave evidence before Captain THOMSETT. I forget who the other one was. Evidence was then taken about the delay in connection with a number of bills that were held over for a long time.
Q. That was during Mr. PRICE's absence, I think?
A. Yes.
Q.--What was the reason these bills were held over?
A.-I cannot tell.
Q.-Hon. F. B. JOHNSON.-Were there more than two bills held over at that time?
A. Certainly.
Q.More than two specific cases?
A.-I cannot say exactly what bills there were. I remember a whole pile of bills. I don't know how many Contractors actually applied and raised the question. I don't know whether two came before the Commission. I certainly think more than two were delayed in payment.
Q.-Hon. A. LISTER.-During your stay in the department how long were you under Mr. PRICE? How long was he actually here during that time?
A.-I think nearly a year.
Q.-Did these delays take place under Mr. PRICE's administration?
A.-Delays in payment have always taken place in the department, owing to the system of payment.
Q. Do you know whether these delays are owing to the inoney not being voted, or is the money there if it can only be got?
A.-I expect both. Contracts have very much exceeded the vote, and therefore there has been a difficulty over the final settlement. That is how it has very often
occurred.
Q.-To go on to the question of Architects and Engineers in private practice here, how do you consider your staff of Overseers compares with those employed by the Government?
A.-I don't think we have got nearly such good Overseers, taking them all round. We are dependent upon men we can get from time to time.
Q.-How do you think Government work compares with private work?
A.-Government work is better.