FRIDAY, 6TH JULY, 1917. (At Perth.)

Present:

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

JAMES ANDREW HACKETT, Manager, Associated Fruitgrowers, Ltd., sworn and examined:

10211. By Mr. PAYNTER: What is the particular business conducted by your company?—We chiefly deal in the sale of fresh fruit, and in the sale of merchandise to fruit growers, and lately we have embarked in the jam and preserve business .We also handle from 80 to 90 per cent. of the export fruit that leaves Western Australia. We handle fruitgrowers' business only. It is not strictly a co-operative concern, yet every shareholder is a fruitgrower. Any grower can hold as many shares as he likes. We hold sales in Perth daily and at Kalgoorlie tri-weekly.

10212. What do you think of the marketing facilities at your command?—They are inadequate. We are distinctly in favour of the establishment of central markets. We favour East Perth as a site for these markets. East Perth is the natural site because it would permit of the use of the river for the grape growers and of the Guildford district and it would save the fruit from passing through heavy traffic at central station. Also it would avoid the delays in getting delivery from the Perth Goods.

10213. By Mr. VENN: Are there such delays at present?—Yes. I notice in the evidence given to the Commission on Tuesday statements were made that merchants had been able to clear by midday the produce which they received on Christmas eve. I venture to say the total produce those firms received was not more than five per cent. of what came into Perth. Christmas eve was a Saturday, and it was a quarter past one on the Saturday when we were advised by the Railway Department that the South-West Fruit was available. It took us from quarter past one till midnight on the Sunday to get that fruit from the railway into our markets. A total of some 8,000 cases came in after business hours on the Saturday, whereas it should have been available at 4 o'clock on the Saturday morning. Mr. Keane and I interviewed Mr. Lord, the Chief Traffic Manager, about this matter shortly after the holidays and Mr. Lord admitted that the facilities for fruit at the Railways were entirely inadequate and 10 years behind the times. He also informed us that the Railway Department had drawn up plans for the erection of a new fruit shed, to deal entirely with the handling of fruit in Perth, but that for financial reasons it was impossible to go on with the project. We know there were serious delays at Christmas time, which meant a considerable loss to the growers.

10214. Were you in a position to take that fruit and store it yourselves?—It was soft fruits, and could not be stored.

10215. Were you in a position to take delivery and put it under cover?—Yes, we had our markets and factory available. In order to cope with that we opened the factory on Christmas Day and worked it right through until Boxing Day.

10216. You maintain still that it was the fault of the department that caused the glut?—It was the fault of the department; I cannot say it was due to neglect, but misfortune, in that they have not proper facilities in Perth to give quick delivery.

10217. By Mr. VENN: You are aware they have plans out already for a new shed?—Yes; we interviewed Mr. Lord with the object of finding out why such a delay took place in the delivery of the fruit, and Mr. Lord admitted that it was due to the fact that the goods sheds were not suitable for the proper handling of soft fruits.

10218. By Mr. PAYNTER: They kept delivering up to 12 o'clock at night; they delivered 2,386 packages. That is the statement of Mr. Tracey, the goods agent?—Altogether on Monday we had 8,000 cases of fruit in our market.

10219. How many did you have on the Saturday?—The statement by Mr. Tracey would probably be correct.

10220. They handled 2,386 packages on the Saturday, and the next biggest was 610 packages?—The whole of that fruit should be delivered not later than eight o'clock on Saturday morning.

10221. Was it due to the late arrival of the train?—I could not say, but I know there are complaints of late arrival of the trains.

10222. Mr. Tracey says that although the trains arrive late, still the delivery is carried out punctually?—We have an arrangement with the goods agent by which our carters are available by four o'clock in the morning. We want to get all our fruit into the market not later than seven o'clock. Had we got this fruit on Saturday by that time, we could have sold a good deal of it on the Saturday morning, but being late on Saturday, and Monday and Tuesday being holidays, that fruit lost the Christmas trade and had to be dumped into the factory.

10223. Can you put your finger on where the delay occurs?—Mr. Tracey has stated that the delay is due to the late arrival of the trian, and that must be correct information. This is not a matter that comes under my direct notice, but that of Mr. Keane.

10224. You have a statement to make?—I wish to refer to some evidence given on Tuesday. We consider jam-making in Western Australia as essential to the progress of the soft fruit industry, and