Part 9

Page 686
image 51 of 100

This transcription is complete

bourne, but you cannot send a case of them to Albany, not even if the price was £25 a case.

9971. By Mr. CLARKSON : That regulation is inimical to the growers in other parts of the State and is not justified. That is what you mean?-Yes, it would be hard for Adelaide or Melbourne to understand the reason. We are giving ourselves a bad name in the Eastern States. They think there is something wrong.

9972. What proportion of the orange production comes from Harvey?-Two thirds of the States oranges are grown at Harvey.

9973. That would be a certain amount of the justification for the restriction. They are protecting a larger proportion of the area, although they are hurting one-third?- But no oranges are grown in the Albany district.

9974. By Mr. VENN : But Albany can get the oranges from Harvey?-Yes, from a combination.

9975. By Mr. CLARKSON : If your statement is correct, that two-thirds of the production come from Harvey and Harvey is clean, other portions of the State only represent one-third: that restriction protects two-thirds of the production of the State, and to that extent it would be justified?- I cannot see that.

9976. By Mr. VENN : It is important to keep one end of the State clean?- Yes, but do you keep it clean?

9977. By Mr. CLARKSON : The officials say it is?- But is it not. People are not planting oranges at Harvey now, but they are at Chittering Brook.

9978. By Mr. PAYNTER : Your is that they are not giving the people outside the Harvey district any encouraqement not to grow oranges?-Yes

(The witness retired)

JOHN TYLER, Market Gardener and Distrubutor, Stirling Street Market, sworn and examined:

9979. By Mr. CLARKSON : How many years have you been in business in Western Australia?- For 23 years. Before that I was engaged as a producer in Victoria.

9980. Are you of opinion that the time has come for central markets?- Yes. Ever since I have been here I have advocated the establishment of open markets.

9981. What would be the best site for such markets?- I should say that the resumed land at West Perth would be the best place for metropolitan and suburban producers, and also for the housewife in the residential areas. At the present time housewives are not catered for in the way of open markets, as they are catered for in Victoria. In the Victorian markets a woman would come along with her perambulator and load it up with vegetables purchased direct form the producer and take them home herself. There are no facilities for that sort of thing, but only auction rooms where people would have to stand up and bid, and where it takes them a long time of delivery of what they buy.

9982. Are you conversant with the private treaty system?- I was engaged in that system for a matter of 16 years in Victoria. I prefer it to the auction system. An ordinary market gardener situated within a radius of five miles of Perth could by that system treat direct with the consumer, whereas he is taxed to the extent of five per cent. or 7½ per cent. on all that he produces, because he has to pay commission for the sale of his goods. A market gardener, with 10 acres of land, would produce about £1,500 worth of vegetables in the year. If he paid five per cent. on that he would be paying out 30s. by way of commission.

9983. Over what radius is it practicable for a man to bring in his own stuff?- A radius of about 15 miles. Nearly all the grapes that are sold in Perth come from within that radius. Vegetables nearly all come from Wanneroo, Osborne Park, Canning, and Queens Park. About 75 per cent of perishable vegetables would come in from that radius. I am not including potatoes in those figures.

9984. Do you have much to do with the railways?- Only so far as truck loads of potatoes are concerned. We do consign a large number of parcels to the wheatbelt and the goldfields, and some delay is occasioned in that respect. I have not had much experience in the matter of receiving goods by rail except in respect of truck loads, when some delays occasionally occur. I understand that the auctioneers have difficulty in obtaining delivery.

9985. Are you obliged to prepay the freight when consigning parcels to the country?- Only in cases where there is no officer in charge at the point of destination.

9986. Are the freights reasonable?- By goods train the rates on perishable goods are reasonable but by passenger train they are practically prohibitive.

9987. Do you deal much in fruit?- I am not a large dealer. I but from the auctions and distribute in case lots. My business consists mostly of dealing in potatoes and vegetables.

9988. Do you think the present cool storage facilities are sufficient for requirements?-They are no use at all. From November to March it is difficult to keep potatoes without the grubs getting into them, and it is therefore necessary to put them in the cool store in order to avoid the grub pest. I put 50 tons of potatoes away in the cool stores in Pier Street, and when I went to remove them found that 75 per cent had rotted owing to the dripping of the water from the pipes. This did not affect the potatoes, but I was obliged to re-bag 75 per cent. of the quantity. In property constructed ice chambers this re-bagging should not be necessary.

9989. Is there sufficient fruit in the State to warrant the establishment of jam factories?- Factories have been a failure up to date, but I think if we could get sugar at a reasonable price there would be enough if such fruits such as plums, apricots, peaches, apples, and pears to warrant the establishment of such factories. I understand however, that we have no raspberries or blackberries.

9990. Would that be a fatal bar of the establishment of jar factories?- I do not think so. Sugar is the main trouble.

9991. By Mr. VENN : From what source to you draw your main supply of potatoes?- We are using local potatoes at present. Last week I booked some potatoes f.o.b Melbourne from Main & Co. There are plenty of local potatoes, but the local article is