closely to the standard weight. If a bag happens to be a shade under the standard weight, it is passed, because, although the standard is 2¼ lbs. when baled, there is sometimes shrinkage in weight as the result of the drying of the bags. If a bag goes down to 2lbs. no customs officer would pass it without reference to me. The officers take no responsibility other than to pass a bag which has only a very slight diminution in the weight. In addition to the test for weights, the bags are tested by a metal tester to show whether they conform to the standard of 8 porter 9 shot. The strands are counted by a machine, and there must be a certain number of strands to come within the scope of the machine. On several occasions, since I have been here, people have complained to members of Parliament and the Federal Government, and on each occasion the papers have been sent back to me for report, and I have managed to get into direct communication with the people themselves. So far I have not been able to get sufficient information to enable me definitely to trace any particular importation. I would suggest, as I have already suggested to others, that, where a farmer notices that he has a bad lot of bags, he should ascertain from the invoice where the bags had come from, and notify us. I would then be able to get in touch with the merchants who had imported them, and would follow up the matter so far as possible. I would also go to the merchant concerned and see if there were further stocks of the same class of goods and have these tested at once. I should be glad to know of these things. I have only my officers to rely upon, and if they fail in their duty I should be glad to have hint given to me. I am afraid that, in some instances, the farmers themselves are somewhat to blame. I understand that they wet their bags with the idea of stretching them, with the result that the bags are considerably weakened. The bags down at Fremantle have been standing wonderfully well. There are something over a million bags there at the present time, and my officers tell me that they are lasting well, and that there is little complaint respecting their quality, although they have been lying there for some time.

9890. By Mr PAYNTER; What percentage of bales of a shipment are inspected?—Roughly, 10 per cent. of the bales are inspected. If, however, the bales of a shipment are inclined to be poor, the percentage would be increased. These inspections have been going on for years. My officers have every reason to bring the faults of any shipment under my notice, because the receive some kudos from so doing.

9891. By Mr CLARKSON: You would unhesitatingly say that practically all the bags that are brought into this State are up to standard?—We pass 10 per cent. of the bales and take two or three bags from each bale. The bags that we test are within the standard which has been accepted by everyone.

9892. By Mr PAYNTER: After a farmer has given you the particulars regarding the sellers of a particular lot of bags that happen to be bad, what would be the procedure?—I would report to Melbourne and suggest that action should be taken in connection with the merchant and the goods that he held. Everything would depend upon the facts of the case. If there was clear evidence that the bales had been passed in error, action would be taken in the direction of a suggestion that they should be seized, because they had been passed and declared to be in accordance with the standard when this was not the case. If the bales had been so passes, it would also be made plain to me that the department had missed them, and that there was necessity for a still closer supervision. 9893. Would there be any redress from Calcutta in regard to bad bags?—Once the bags had been accepted and paid for, I do not know that there would be any redress. If the bags were stopped on the wharf and were not allowed to come in no doubt there would be some redress. But once the bags have been passed and have gone into consumption I do not see that there would be much redress except as between merchant and merchant.

9894. I noticed a statement in the Press recently that a farmer, by paying 2d. extra, could get a better quality of bag?—Some bags may be higher than the standard required, but so long as they are not below the standard, they are passed. We have nothing to do with a higher standard than the minimum. Bags that come below the minimum standard are not passed.

9895. By Mr CLARKSON: Have you any other information which you can furnish to the Commission?—I have a return here of flax and hemp showing the country of import and the country of origin. (Return handed in.)

(The witness retired.)

JOHN SIBBALD, General Manager, Western Australian Wheat Marketing Scheme, sworn and examined:

9896. By Mr CLARKSON: With regard tot he present wheat scheme, do you consider there is any undue waste through inefficient stacking in country districts?—There is some. This year the stacking has been very much better done. Last year there was an appreciable waste through inefficient stacking and covering in certain districts in the country. The waste from inefficient stacking is not large; that from inefficient covering was a little bit bigger last year, but I would not say that there was any large waste due to want of attention and skill in packing. We have paid more attention this year to the supervision of stacking and at the present time we have our inspector going round in company with the best representatives we could get of the acquiring agents, and they are now engaged in passing the stacks that are efficiently built, and making recommendations regarding those that are not up to the mark. Our inspector is giving three weeks' notice to the agent responsible to put the stacks in good condition before we pass them.

9897. What responsibility has the agent in connection with the wheat which has been spoilt by insufficient covering up to the time you inspect?—the agent is liable for weather damage unless it be shown that is was unavoidable.

9898. What means do you take to assess that damage?—We cannot assess it until the stack is disassembled. It is a difficult matter in any case, considering that for certain things the agent is liable, and that for certain other things the scheme is liable. For instance, the scheme is liable for any plague of