Fremantle Government Feeding Charges: Cattle -1s 1d per head per day. This charge was reduced from the commencement of this year's cattle season from 1s 4d. per head per day. The following fees are charged at the Midland Junction Abattoirs: Slaughtering Fees. Cattle - 3s. 9d. Sheep - 0s 6d. Pigs - 2s 0d. Calves - 2s 6d. Midland Scale "A" under which the Abattoirs retain all the offal. The gross revenue from the Midland Junction Abattoirs and Sale Yards for year ending 1928/29 was £28,246 4s 6d., and expenditure £17,821 8s 4d. After allowing for Depreciation, £5,667 8s 1d., and Interest, £5,276 11s 8d., in addition to the expenditure mentioned, a loss of £519 3s 7d. was shown for the year. For the following year, viz., 1929/30, the gross revenue was £31,551 2s., and expenditure £19,617 19s 1d. After allowing for Depreciation £5,943 3s 3d., and Interest £5,839 15s 3d., a profit of £150 4s 5d. was shown for the year. Could not these charges and fees be reviewed and a reduction made? Flour Millers: It is quite evident Western Australia is over-milled. The local price of flour is loaded to compensate for the loses incurred on flour exported overseas, but such loses could be minimised if the Railway Department granted what is known as a "through the mill" concession, as is done in the Eastern States, but such concession, if granted, must be reflected in the local price of flour. In view of your Commissioners' recommendation that a flour tax should be instituted on flour consumed locally, they are of the opinion that the price of flour could be reduced to the extent of from 10s. to 15s. per ton, if all local sales were made through one office, thus eliminating as much as possible agents' commission and saving cross railages from on mill's natural zone to another. Your Commissioners cannot agree that the disparity between prices of bran and pollard in Western Australia and the Eastern States is justified.

Underdeveloped Holdings Adjacent to Railways:

It has been suggested to the Commission by various witnesses that there are large holdings adjacent to railways which are not used to the fullest extent, thus reducing the profits which should be earned by the railways. Your Commissioners suggest that a report be obtained from the proper officers on the matter, so that if such large areas do exist, then, when times become normal, some action may be taken to compel the holders of such properties, if any, to bring the area held by them into production.

PART 7.

RECOMMENDATIONS.

The Plan:

The Legislature should forthwith introduce and pass the necessary legislation to bring into operation the Plan recommended. It is suggested that the legislation be incorporated with, and made a division or, the Farmers Debts Adjustment Act.

Tariff and Taxation:

Your Commissioners cannot do better then adopt the words of a resolution passed at a meeting of the Graziers' Association in Melbourne, viz. :-

". . . That the attention of the Commonwealth Government be directed to the impossibility of growers continuing to produce wheat and wool under present costs, and they be warned that unless urgent action is taken by revision of the tariff and lowering of taxation, a serious falling off of production must result." 

Wheat Handling at Sidings and Terminals:

The evidence received by your Commissioners proves that the unanimous opinion, apart from wheat merchants, is that considerable savings would be made by appointment of sole handling agents for the State for the purpose of receiving wheat at sidings and delivering same to terminals by one organisation. Your Commissioners recommend that such appointment be made and that the present Wheat Pool Trustees be so appointed for a term of five years, with the addition to their number of a representative of the Agricultural Bank. The present agreement between the Trustees of the Wheat Pool and the Westralian Farmers' Limited, in regard to the handling of wheat, has been examined, and your Commissioners consider there is room for reduction in the rates and recommend that the handling be conducted entirely by the Trustees so appointed and that they shall conduct their own organisation and not delegate any handling and holding powers which may be vested in them.

Your Commissioners recognise there are consideration difficulties to be overcome before this proposal can be put into successful operation.

Consideration must be given by the Trustees to relieve the present wheat merchants, including Westralian Farmers, Limited, of their plant at sidings and terminals. In the interests of a reduction in handling costs, these difficulties should be capable of adjustment.

Your Commissioners understand that the Trustees of the Wheat Pool are considering the adoption of a scheme for the bulk handling of wheat, and in our opinion the Trustees, whom it is suggested shall be appointed a Sole Handling Authority, would be the proper body to have control of any bulk handling scheme that may be introduced, and that the Legislature when granting them powers of such handling agency should also grant them powers to inaugurate and control any bulk handling scheme, which may be authorised by the Legislature.