Part 8

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9482. Do you think that inspection is absolutely secure; would it be possible for diseased meat to come to Perth?—It has all to be inspected and branded before I sell it.

9483. Is there any inspection of eggs?—There is of poultry. If we get eggs that are off we ring up the Health people to come and have a look at them. We do that to protect ourselves.

9484. By Mr. CLARKSON: What are the most distant places from which you get butter ?— Pingelly, Popanyinning and Capel. None comes from the Eastern Goldfields line. We get poultry and eggs from all around the place.


Friday, 1st June, 1917 (At Perth.) ——— Present: J.O. Giles, Esq. (Chairman.) B.L. Clarkson, Esq., H.H. Paynter, Esq., F.E. Venn, Esq.

RICHARD A. HAMILTON, representing Dalgety & Coy., WILLIAM P. HAYMAN, representing C. H. Fielding Ltd., and JOHN E. GRAY, representing Elder Shenton & Coy., Ltd sworn and examined: 

9529. Mr. CLARKSON: We desire to get from you some information with regard to stock transit and market facilities, as affecting the sale of farmer's stock.

9530. Mr. HAYMAN: The most important thing about the railway is the charges on stock now as compared to what they were formerly. In my opinion the rates are altogether too high . Under the old rate two bogeys coming from a distance of 150 miles from Midland Junction market used to be £11 17s. 6d. and are now £12 10s. Eight bogeys used to cost £75 and now cost £93 15s. over the same distance. That is on fats and stores and for either sheep or cattle. I think the ordinary rates , which were quite high enough, ought to be reverted to. These rate have been in force from 18 month to two years from now.

9531. Mr. CLARKSON: Is there any reason for the rise in the freights ?

9532. Mr. HAYMAN: I think it is largely due to the increase in the wages. The railways were not paying, and had to put on an extra bit in order to counteract the loss. At the same time this is very hard upon the stock people.

9533. Mr. CLARKSON: How do you find the facilities for delivery?

9534. Mr. HAYMAN: In most cases the railways do not handle the thing badly. There are cases however, in which the railways should bring the stock in on the mixed passenger trains. Sometimes stock arrived at Midland Junction as late as eleven o'clock in the morning, when the sales start at ten o'clock. It happens, too, that a man is often unable to put up his stock until the afternoon. Most of the stock is brought up on goods trains, but from some of the outlying districts the passenger trains could well be utilised in this connection. There is a difference between the Midland line and the Government line. The midland line is only a short one, and the management will bring the stock down on the fast mail trains at night. It is, however, difficult to induce the government to do that. Particularly in the case of fat lambs it is necessary that that stock should be brought in early. 9535. Mr. CLARKSON: Do you have any complaints from growers with regard to the way in which the stock arrives by rail?

9536. Mr. HAYMAN: We have not had many complaints from that quarter. Farmers think that it is merely bad luck if their stock does not arrive in time. They say they have to rely upon the railways, and that it is no good arguing the point with them.

9537. Mr VENN: Is there any difficulty in getting delivery of the stock upon arrival ?

9538. MR HAYMAN: The railway people are very good at midland Junction. Directly the stock