Where we have such a long distance to go on the water it is very necessary that the boats should remain here as short a time as possible. 970. How about the length of time that the wheat would be in the ship?—Some years ago we approached the grain trace section of the Chamber of Commerce to know whether we should conduct an experiment in connection with sailing ships. A firm offered me a cargo of wheat loaded in bulk in order to carry out this experiment. The Minister, however, decided that before conducting this experiment we should consult the grain trade section of the Chamber of Commerce. They advised us that it was unnecessary to do this and that the day of the sailing ship was practically over, that so far as other boats were concerned, there seemed to be no reasonable doubt that they would carry wheat in bulk because they had already had two experiences, one with the "Suevic" and the other with the "Persic," one having carried a load to London and the other to Liverpool. The "Persic" loaded 1,100 tons of bulk wheat and a number of tons of bag wheat that was taken to Liverpool and sold, and the report was that the bulk wheat was in perfect order and quite as good as the bagged wheat. The bagged wheat brought in about ¾d. a bushel more than the bulk wheat, but the bags had already cost a good deal more than that. 971. Have you read the report of the Victorian Royal Commission in regard to bulk handling?—Probably. 972. The difficulty there was in regard to shipping. Outside the German firms there were very few ships that would take bulk wheat?—That was written some time ago, when the experiment in regard to the "Persic" had not been carried out. There seems to be no difficulty now. If there is any doubt the Government should settle the question beyond dispute. The value of bulk handling to the farmer is so important that it should be settled. 973. You agree that it should be settled beyond dispute before we go in for the terminal business?—I think it has been found out already. If we did not send a bushel of wheat away in bulk it would pay is to handle it in bulk in the State. 974. In regard to the first trip of the "Kangaroo," was it not intended to send one cargo of bulk wheat in her?—I believe it was. 975. Why was that turned down?—Because we were anxious to get the wheat away from Geraldton. 976. I mean on the first occasion?—I believe that Mr Stevens would have sent it away in bulk but we had no control over that, that was the Australian Wheat Board. We did not know where the wheat was going. There may not have been bulk handling plants at the port of destination, and under war conditions the wheat might have to go to some outside harbour. 977. Under war conditions it would be useless to send the wheat in bulk?—Unless it is going to some place where there are bulk handling appliances. 978. I note that the committee recommended in February last that all orders for steel required in the erection of wheat silos should be placed at the earliest possible moment, as every week's delay would considerably increase the cost. Do you remember that?—That probably appears in the minutes. It is the sort of attitude we would take up. 979. Do you know whether any orders were placed?—I do not know. That is our recommendation to the Minister. From conversations with one of the engineers, Mr Pearse, I know that options were obtained. 980. I also notice that you as a committee sent Mr Pearse to Melbourne, or advised his going to Melbourne, in regard the installation of this system as so important that it was desirable, if it were going to be approved by Parliament, that it should be erected in time 981. 982. 983. 984. 985. 986. 987. 988. 989. 990. 991. 992. 993. 994. 995. 996. 997. 998. 999.