9818. To Mr. PAYNTER: I go out to work, if only for the reason that I am too isolated when on my block.

9819. BY Mr. CLARKSON: Have you any suggestions to make for the betterment of the industry? —I would like to see the Western railway built from here to Bridgetown. Very few of us out in my locality can expect to go ahead until we get that railway. More school facilities should be afforded. Our district is badly off for schools.

9820. To Mr. VENN: There are sufficient children for a school, but some of the parents will not allow their children to attend. It is the fault of the settlers themselves.

(The witness retired.)

The Commission adjourned.

TUESDAY, 19th JUNE, 1917.

(At Mt. Barker.)

Present: B. L. Clarkson, Esq. (in the Chair.) F. H. Paynter, Esq. | F. E. Venn, Esq.

WILLIAM HENRY CRANE (accompanied by Thos. Kearsley), a sub-Committee from the W.A. Fruit Growers' Association, sworn and examined:

9821. To Mr. CLARKSON: I have been here 10 years. I hold 6,000 acres of land. I am using it for grazing sheep. I have one acre in orchard.

9822. By. Mr. CLARKSON: You wish to make a statement? —The President and the Secretary of the Fruitgrowers' Association are absent in Perth. I have here a letter from the secretary of the Association, dated 16th June, 1917, as follows: — Sirs, — I am extremely sorry that urgent business has called me to Perth, as we should much have liked to give evidence before you. I trust you will allow me to make a short report on our industry. A great difficulty our fruitgrowers' have to face is the excessive cost of putting their produce on the market, which in proportion to the average amount received is far greater than any other produce. At present it costs 3s. 6d. to 3s. 9d. to place a case of fruit on the Perth or Kalgoorlie markets from the growers shed, which does not include anything for growing the fruit, manuring, picking, carting and incidentals. Thousands of cases have been sold this season at a dead loss to the grower. It is difficult to definitely say what should be done to reduce costs, but first, cases are far too dear. Previous to the war we could import Swedish cases and sell at 9s. 3d. per dozen after paying a very heavy duty and several middlemen's profits. At that time local cases were sold at about the same price to compete. Since it has been impossible to obtain white wood, the price has been gradually increased until 12s. per dozen delivered at Mt. Barker has been reached and it has been fixed at 11s. 2s. per dozen for next season. Freight, of course, from the mills accounts for about 2s. of this. We contend that cases can be cut cheaper, as we have a private man in this district with a single bench who can deliver at 9s. 6d., and until the other mills raised their price did well at 8s. 6d. We suggest that a small mill should be started in this district by the Government, or the railway freight considerably reduced on empty cases. In other States I believe they are carried for nothing, as it is a certainty that the railway will carry them when full. All imported packing material should be duty free until such time that it can be produced in Australia at a reasonable price. Heavy duties are imposed and local manufacturers charge accordingly. The freight on fruit for the market is also heavy, being higher than for any produce off the land. A four ton truck of wheat to Perth would cost 21s. 10d. per ton, chaff the same, but fruit is 28s. 10d. The latter is only if the truck is from our consignor to our consignee, which of course, is impossible with fruit, and the grower, therefore, has to pay 43s. 8d. per ton. Now to Kalgoorlie, this is not necessary, and as long as there are four tons in the truck each grower obtains the minimum freight, 43s. 6d. per ton. It, therefore, costs 2d. per ton more to send to Perth, 302 miles, than to Kalgoorlie, 483 miles. The Railway Department do nothing extra for this extra charge, beyond the additional number of invoices. The Railway Department do not appear to do their utmost to assist the man on the land,