fertilisers. I was appointed a fertiliser inspector in 1913. Since then I think I have had close upon 50 prosecutions. These prosecutions have only been for technical breaches of the Act, and have not been for any deficiency in the analysis or anything of that kind. I consider that manufacturers and importers only should be allowed to register manures. There are many agents who sell manures, and in many cases they sell the same manures as the manufacturer and importer. All the proceedings taken are against the vendor and not against the manufacturer or the importer. If the manufacturers and the importers only were allowed to register, it would simplify matters and save a lot of office work. I produce a copy of the Act and the regulations under the Fertilisers Act. (Copies handed in.) There are no less than 11 registrations in connection with Thomas's phosphate, and almost in every case the analysis differed, although it was one and the same article. The same thing applies to Shirley's No. 5, and in scarcely any two cases do the analyses agree. If the manufacturers and the importers registered those it would save a lot of confusion. Another matter requiring attention is, I consider, that a bulletin should be issue for the use of settlers, giving them an epitome of the Act and regulations; also giving some idea as to what fertilisers are required to grow various produce upon various kinds of soils and under the various climatic conditions, and the effect of such fertilisers on each crop. In the early part of this year I prosecuted a firm. Two fruitgrowers ordered a certain class of manure and it was represented to them by this firm that another brand was a far better manure than the one they required for the purpose of growing potatoes. It is recognised that for potatoes you must have nitrogen , potash, phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid in the form in which the manure was to this individual was in a form that it was not available while the plant was growing. A grower might just as well throw his money away as use that manure. In any amendment of the Act it should be provided that the misrepresentation of a manure would be an offence. The Act as it stands at the present time is just a protection for the manufacturer and not for the man on the land. The Act says that a certificate must be supplied until weeks after, when it had to be written for. The man had used the manure before he found it was no good to him. In a batch of 16 prosecutions, in two cases penalties of £20 were inflicted, and in the others the fines were 40s. The total of the penalties and the costs was £87 10s. In 1914 I took action against a number of merchants at Albany and penalties of only 2s. 6d. were imposed. The Act is so framed that a magistrate has the power to inflict the nominal penalty of 1s. I think a minimum should be provided for. I believe the question of amending the Act is under consideration at the present time. If an inspector is appointed under the Act he should be allowed to carry on his work unencumbered in any way, and if he find that an offence has been committed he should have the power to take proceedings. As things are now he has to report to the department.

10242. Can you tell us why action was not always take?—I cannot; the file would disclose the facts. Other offences are also committed. I have had a case in which manure was sold in unbranded bags, and another case in which it was sold in the bags of another manufacturer. All these offences appear to be regarded lightly by the magistrates. In these cases the fines imposed were only 20s.

10243. I notice you state in regard to feeding stuffs that the Act does not provide for the registration of them, although it provides for a warranty that the article is suitable for feeding purposes?—That is so.

10244. The point you wish to make, I take it, is that to merely provide that it is an article suitable for feeding purposes is too wide a term?—Yes. All these things are provided for in the other States. There is a large number of poultry foods on the market at the present time. These foods are made up of dry blood and refuse from slaughter house floors and the same stuff is sold as blood manure by the manufacturers at £6 or £7 per ton. It is even sold by them wholesale at £10 a ton and retailed to the public at £20 a ton. If a man pays £20 a ton for feeding stuffs he should have a guarantee as to what these feeding stuffs contain. There are no penalties provided in our legislation to meet this kind of thing. The multiplicity of feeding stuffs put up requires some provision so as to secure protection for the public. There are no inspections, and no samples have ever been taken.

10245. By Mr. VENN: Are there any regulations?—None so far as feeding stuffs are concerned. There is only a regulation showing the form of certificate that has to be given. There is another important matter I would like to refer to, and that is lime. Notwithstanding the fact that it is brought under the Fertilisers Act it would not be possible to obtain a conviction against any dealer for selling agricultural lime, for the reason that he will not sell it as agricultural lime, he sells it as builder's lime. There are numerous registrations such as shell-grit, ground lime and burned lime. Consequently the regulation is a dead letter. I suggest that the department should have power to reject the registration of any manure that is not suitable for the produce it is represented it should be used for.

(The witness retired.)

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HAROLD HEBDEN BRODRIBB, Accountant, Department of Works and Trading Concerns, sworn and examined:

10246. By Mr. CLARKSON: What lines of farming machinery are dealt with at your works?—Ploughs, cultivators, harrows, drills, picklers, rakes, chaffcutters, windmills, sprinklers, harvesters, strippers, winnowers, and we are now going in for some orchard machinery, which is not yet on the market.

10247. Has your trade increased largely?—Last year there was a decrease.

10248. To what do you principally attribute that?—In some respects it was caused by shortage of raw material. The greatest falling off was in harvester machinery. I cannot give any reason for that, for we had supplies in hand from the previous year.

10249. How do your prices compare with those of others competing with you?—As far as we know ours are below others in every line. In harvesters we