1337. Are you sure that this is going to make for cheaper handling charges this year?—if the farmer has a right to supervise his oen handling, he is satisfied that he can effect a saving, and that by giving a proper article to the Scheme and receiving fair and just treatment in the way of dockage, he realises that it is a good thing in the interests of the industry and the Scheme. The handling charges need not be cheaper in order that the farmer may gain. 1338. Do you think that the handling charges will be cheaper to the farmer?—Yes. 1339. In what way, as this year it is on the operative basis?—It is cheaper, because where companies are operating any profit that is made is retained by the company which is actually owned by the farmers. In this way there can be no leakage, where, as preciously, the individual received the benefit. The bare cost of handling only is charged for and anything over and above that is repaid to the farmers of the centre concerned. 1340. Are you not aware that the stacking at the depots and the care of the wheat is a matter for the Pool, apart altogether from what you are paying?—Yes. 1341. And that the farmer will have to pay a charge in addition to what he is paying to the agents?—Yes. 1342. It is really only in the matter of handling at the siding at which the wheat is delivered that you think a small saving is being made?—I claim that there is a saving at the siding. 1343. You base your experience on the quantity of wheat handled by your society in 1915-17?—I am only directly connected with one society, namely the co-operative company at Benjaberring. 1344. How many farmers are there in that district?—About 20, and to a man they are in the company. 1345. In your opinion the company has given every satisfaction to the farmers?—I know of no complaints in the district. 1346. there have been no complaints so far as officers of the Wheat Scheme are concerned?—Not levelled at us. 1347. Do you not think, seeing that an undertaking was given to the agents that business would not be interfered with, that they should not have been removed from their agencies at present?—As farmers we claim that this is a branch of our industry, namely, doing what we can to get our wheat to market. Our difficulty in the past has been that we have never had a clear road to the markets of the world. We are fighting this matter from the individual point of view rather than from the point of view of individuals. Some of us have had long years of experience in farming, and I myself have been cradled in agriculture. We know that unless we can find some method by which we can get better values for our commodities and by which we can get into closer touch with the markets, and get over the question of the middle man, we have not a great future to 1348. 1349. 1350. 1351. 1352. 1353. 1354. 1355. 1356. 1357. 1358. 1359. 1360.