10152A. It has been brought to our notice that very often louvred vans go into the country loaded and come back empty, possibly by reason of the fact that the public are not aware that they will be coming back. Is it not possible to arrange to send louvred vans on certain scheduled trains so that the people possessing perishable produce along the lines might know that they can send them by those trains? We arrange to put out louvred vans to meet that business in a general way. We provide certain depots for certain trains. At Bridgetown, for instance, we endeavour to provide such vans. A number of them is also engaged in the meat trade, and there is a number loaded in the City to the outlying centres such as Meekatharra, Sandstone, and Laverton in connection with perishable traffic. Our louvred vans operate in those centres from which the perishable traffic springs. There is no perishable traffic to speak of springing from the loop lines. Such vans would only be of use in the summer time. At the present time there is no produce being produced in the areas served by the loop line which calls for the use of special vans. At this time of year the settlers might have a little milk to send, but as soon as the hot winds come along the feed goes off and the dairying comes to an end. It is a question of whether louvred vans are much more successful than covered vans. Some of our expert customers will not use them. The biggest despatcher of perishable goods that we have out of Perth would not use them if he could get covered vans, and this man sends his produce between the Goldfields and Perth. He considers that there is no ventilation in the louvred vans. If you take a louvred van and fill it chock and block with bags of vegetables, there is no ventilation from the centre. In the matter of fruit cases, these are practically air-tight, and in addition to the case being air-tight the fruit is wrapped in paper. Despatchers then ask us to put these cases into louvred vans in order to improve their condition, but I do not think it would have that effect. In the case of hanging beef in louvred vans, it is of course, possible to get a current of air right through. In America they go in for the cool storage car, in which train loads of freight are carried across the continent. We have cool storage vans in use here, but there is practically no demand for them. Some of them do not turn a wheel for a month at a time. There is really no need for them here so far as I can see. The only occasion when we get any use for them is in the summer time in sending butter to the goldfields. Of course, despatchers have to pay a higher rate for a cool storage van. The bulk of the butter is sent away wrapped in wet bags and put into covered vans. I have seen butter treated like that arrive in Kalgoorlie in hot weather in good condition.

10153. Have you ever considered the advisability of running a light service on some of our lines? Take lines which possibly only have one service a week, and over which there is only occasionally heavy freight to carry?—I have mentioned it to the Chief Traffic Manager in discussing with him way and means of operating the lines. I have never made any special report in connection with the matter. What you suggest, however, might be worked with success. There is some such light service used by the Karri Timber Co. at Barrabup. I think such a system would give a better passenger service than at present exists. The branch lines of this State are in an awkward position in regard to the passenger service. It would be difficult, however, to determine what patronage we would get from the institution of such a system as is suggested.

10154. Is your supply of tarpaulins sufficient for the traffic?—Not at the present time. We are making every endeavour to get all that we can but there is a difficulty in getting canvas on account of the war. We have had the matter under consideration for a very long time, but our difficulty has been to get the necessary canvas. In pre-war time we were all right in this respect. At certain times of the year there is a heavy demand upon our tarpaulins, but we were never badly pushed before the war. The life of a tarpaulin varies, indeed it is almost an unknown quantity.

10155. Who is responsible for the sealing and unsealing of trucks?—The sealing should be done by some man appointed at the despatching station to do that particular work. At a big depot such as the Perth Goods Sheds, there would be a certain man, whose duty it would be to seal the wagons. At a small station that duty would devolve upon the station-master. It is also the guard's duty to see that wagons are sealed before they are coupled on to the train. In the event of a truck going out unsealed, the station-master, for despatching them unsealed, and the guard for taking them unsealed, would be held responsible by the department. The breaking of seals is done at a small place by the station-master, and at a large depot by the head porter. At an unattended siding whoever came first would break the seal. We have no responsibility in that respect. The question of taking the responsibility in the case of a shortage of stock at an attended siding depends on the count. As a rule, in regard to small quantities, the department do take the responsibility, but not in the case of stock in bulk. All claims are, however, dealt with on their merits. The whole of the facts are reviewed and the liability of the Commissioner is then determined. If a wagon arrives with a broken seal it should be reported by the guard. Each station has its number on the seal. It is a leaden seal and has the number pressed upon it. With regard to the initialing of receipts, the fact that they may in some cases only be initialed instead of containing the full signature is due to slackness on the part of the man giving the receipt. They should give a full signature on each receipt and the department instructs the men to do so.

10156. What is the reason for the reconsignment rate in the case of the journey of a consignment of stock being broken? Why should consignors have to pay a reconsignment rate which would be heavier than the through rate?—Our first contract is to take the stock from one point to another point. The rate is governed by the mileage. If consignors want to enter into a contract to go to another point the mileage again comes into the question. Sometimes the applicant would request a through rate, and there are occasions when a through rate would be granted. Everything depends on the circumstances. Again, there are the shunting expenses to be taken into account. We have, for instance, an order for freightage from Mullewa to Northam, and we have accepted another order to load these wagons at Northam on their arrival. On their arrival at Northam, however, the owner of the stock might say he wanted to send them on to Kellerberrin, I then have to turn round