£247,000 more on our goods, and compared with Victoria, over £180,000. Instead of being £250,000 to the bad now, had we anything like the same population per mile over our railways that they had, we could not only have reduced our rates, but if we had carried a lot of the lower class traffic, grain, manures, coal, and so on, for nothing, we would still have been better off than we are now. Until we get a greater population to deal with, the outlook, from a railway point of view, is rather black. Mr. Bickford, one of the witnesses who came before the Commission, said that the department had refused to carry machinery parts by express. He said that this refusal was a great injustice to the farmers who required machinery parts in harvesting season, and whose harvesting operations were not infrequently brought to a standstill owing to the absence of duplicate parts.I should like to refute that statement. In our passenger rate books special provision is made for agricultural machinery parts going by express. I ascertained from the parcels office, when I saw this evidence in the newspapers, that from one firm alone we were consigning eight or ten consignments by express every day. This sort of thing is common with a great many firms. Furthermore, they are only charged the ordinary rates, and the only limitation we impose is that we take goods for any place at which the express stops.The Commissioner has had special applications in regard to mining machinery. In one case we arranged for something like four or five tons of machinery to go by express to the goldfields because something important on a mine had broken down. Our interests are bound up with those of the farmers because we are dependent on them for our traffic. So far from trying to block people in any way the Commissioner is desirous of helping them. I do not know of any reasonable request which has been put forward and been refused. The complaints that arise may be due to people asking some junior officer and being refused, but our office is open all day and if people come up they will get a fair deal. If we cannot meet them they will receive an explanation for our not doing so. If the Commissioner only knew of the troubles which are said to arise, he could easily give instructions which would minimise if not remove them. We very often do not know of these troubles until there is a Commission appointed, when people come forward with a whole lot of grievances about which they have not taken the trouble to acquaint the department. Never a complaint comes into the Commissioner which is not sent forward for an inquiry to be made, and which does not come back to him to see what can be done about it. Mr. Ainslie gave evidence before the Commission in regard to a truck of timber out of which a quantity had been lost, and upon which his firm had, he said, to pay freight. I have looked into the file dealing with that consignment, and I think there would be no doubt in the minds of anyone seeing that file that the timber had not been lost to the department. This was the case of a truck of timber for the North Fremantle yard, and it was weighed at North Fremantle immediately before going into the yard. Judging by the quantities as seen from the invoices, I think it is fairly well proved that the timber was delivered as we got it. I do not think Mr. Ainslie would wilfully mislead anyone. The Commission also had evidence in regard to the live stock rates. Our live stock rates, as compared with those in the Eastern States, are absurdly low. Taking a four-wheeled truck and 200 miles as a basis, we charge for sheep and cattle 72s. 2d. per truck; New South Wales, 125s., Victoria 120s., South Australia 104s., and Queensland 113s. for cattle and 100s. for sheep.Over 300 miles in Western Australia we charge 112s. 6d., New South Wales 156s. 7d., Victoria 178s. 6d., South Australia 137s. 6d., and Queensland 148s. for cattle and 124s. for sheep.

10201. By Mr. CLARKSON: Are the weighbridges in the country cleaned and adjusted frequently?—We have what we call a scale adjuster, who is provided with a truck fitted up for him,whose business it is to travel round the country, look after the machines and see that they are properly cleaned and adjusted. I do not remember a complaint for a long time. With regards to yards and races at unattended sidings, I think all we want is sufficient notice that a travelling race is required so that it may be on hand when wanted. There is a scheme in hand to provide a lot of these country placed with proper yards, but until we get the money we cannot go on with it. The Commissioner has been accused of not having sufficient tarpaulins. We are making tarpaulins now out of canvas ordered in June,1913. It was simply an act of grace that we got any canvas at all. In the case of machinery which has to be sent into a town for repairs and returned to the owner when repaired, I have no doubt that if the owner asked the Commissioner for a reduction in the ordinary rate, it would be granted to him. In the past, in the case of machinery and iron, which has been left in some Goldfields town, rather than it should be allowed to go to waste, the Commissioner has given a special rate for it so that it may be made use of by the owner in some agricultural district. We have had instances brought before us in which the station officials have been arbitrary, but where these instances have been brought to the knowledge of the Commissioner, these men have been told not to offend again. Explicit instructions have been given to officials that they are not to hold themselves down to certain hours at country stations.

10202. What is the objection, on the part of the department, to having telephones along the railway lines used by the public?—It is not a matter with which I have had much to do. I will, however,endeavour to get the information for the Commission.

(The witness retired.)

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JAMES ALBERT MILES, Senior Inspector of Schools, Education Department, sworn and examined:

10203. By Mr. CLARKSON: What steps are taken to instruct the children of the State schools in agriculture?—I cannot give you any information that will be of much value, because I cannot speak with authority. The only person who can speak with authority is the director. I can only speak for my own districts, the metropolitan and sub-metropolitan.

10204. Which officer of the department could be called to supply us with the information?—The director is the only one who can speak with authority.

10205. Will you tell us what you are doing in your district?—I can answer that best by saying