the State: the farmer has no direct benefit by co-operation and bonuses.

9408. By Mr. VENN: During one season we have a half-penny a lb. bonus on all butter fat supplied?- It would be doing the farmer a good turn if we could go into the wheat belt areas and induce him to put capital into dairying, but until a district produces enough to support a factory the farmer would lose his capital and would have no extra return by bonuses. We are paying a high price for fats. We want to stimulate the industry. I would like to bring under notice the position in regard to eggs, especially this year, when some relief must be afforded the industry in the coming spring. The egg industry is in rather a bad way. It was affected last year by the pulp eggs from South Australia. During last year the whole of the bakers and pastry cooks here were supplied with pulped eggs from Adelaide.

This affects our local producer in that he loses our market, and it affects the price. I have advocated that poultrymen should this year co-operate by handling into the pulping agent so much of their output every week, and then they could go to the pastrycooks and say, "We will supply you at Adelaide prices plus the charges of bringing it here," and if there is a surplus then the poultrymen can put the pulp eggs into the store, or can sell to the pastrycook, who can put them into cold storage. The owner of the pulp could go to the Minister and get an advance against the eggs in pulp.

9409. You advocate that a certain percentage should be put away every week ? - During the glut period, they could be pulped and put into cold storage.

9410. The essence of your suggestion is that the producer could put the eggs into cold storage and the Government would advance against them? - Yes; the idea being to hold the price of the shell eggs. Last year no pastrycook or baker came on the market at all, and the shell eggs went down to a low figure. There were more eggs than would supply the daily requirements. Some were put into cold store in shell and others were preserved. But the price was so low that the poultry farmer was running his business during the glut at a loss. At this time of the year the poultry farmer generally looks to make something.

9411. By Mr. CLARKSON: That is a poor outlook, then, for the soldiers poultry scheme? - It is a wild idea.

9412. By the CHAIRMAN: Would you be prepared to pulp? - Yes.

9413. If you pulp would there be any necessity to go to the Government at all; would not the banks advance on it? - I am prepared to give what services I can to make the industry work out all right.

9414. By Mr. PAYNTER: Do you know anything about pulping? - Yes; and in addition I went to South Australia and Victoria and saw what they were doing there. I do not like the machinery method; I like the handling.

9415. Do you think the hand work would pay? - Yes; they told me it is just as cheap.

9416. Could they not put the eggs in cold storage just as well? - No; there is a flavour when they are put in cold storage, and the white gets very hard. The pastrycooks do not like it, and a chef will discover the flavour at once and will not take the eggs.

9417. Could not kerosene tins be used for pulping? - They prefer new tins; it prevents the blowing, which is a kind of fermentation.

9418. By Mr. VENN: In what form does the pulp come out of the freezer? - In a hard block. There would have to be a central place for handling the eggs.

9419. It could not be done at the farm ? - No; only preserved eggs can be dealt with on the farm, but that reduces the quality and the value.

9420. Passing from eggs to bacon, do you handle any local bacon? - A little, not much.

9421. What is your opinion of the quality of the local bacon? - There is a great possibility for the local bacon, but it is not up to standard yet. Supposing I was asked to quote standard, I would not include. It may be satisfactory in winter time but it will not stand the summer strain.

9422. What is about the range of difference between the local bacon and the imported? - It is too thin; the flank is too thin and will not cut a proper rasher. Of course that can be overcome by breeding the proper class pig, and by feeding.

9423. What would be the average price of the local bacon and the imported ? - I was buying some from Watson the other day, and he cures very well, and the sides run from very large to light. I buy his bacon at 1s. while for Hutton's, Farmer's, and Rex I pay 1s. 1½d. Of course there are culls.

9424. Is there any other bacon made here? - There is some cured at Northam, but I have not seen it yet.

9425. By Mr. VENN: Has any bacon come in from the farmers cured by themselves ? - No, not recently, but I have seen some very good cures. I had some bacon from Mr. Light, the Engineer for Existing Lines, from his Denmark place. It was very good curing, but there was something wrong in the smoking. The flavour was very pronounced, and would not be accepted as a breakfast bacon. I think it was something in the wood used for the smoking. The great thing is to produce the right class of pig, which will produce the right class of bacon to stand against the standard brands. If a farmer who is producing pigs thinks he is going to get the price that the standard brands fetch and he does not get it, it is because he has not the right class of pig. This appears to be Mr. Connor's work. If he would go and help the farmers, or appoint inspectors to put the farmers on the right track, good would be done.

9426. By Mr. PAYNTER: Do you think there is any possibility of an export trade in poultry and eggs ? - I am sanguine about poultry but not eggs. I would like to arrange an export for poultry, and I do not know if I will not get a line through with the Indian Government. There is an officer here who is looking after this matter, and who thinks that with the prices offering here he would get a really good bargain, and poultry is now cheaper than meat. Today in Melbourne and Sydney and here the value of poultry is 6d. a lb. live weight. These birds are not matured yet, and will not mature until July. At the present moment there is a glut in turkeys, and if the farmers could send away a few hundred it would be a good thing.

9427. By the CHAIRMAN: What would 6d. a lb. live weight work out when dressed? - You have to allow one-third in the dressing.