2nd Progress Report - Part 1

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This transcription is complete

of the trees. I do not consider that this pest has received the consideration at the hands of the department that it should have done. Six years ago I suggested that a State orchard should be started in this district, for the purpose of carrying out experiments. I was advised by Mr. Bath, the then Minister, that they had no money. At Brunswick they started an experimental orchard on land that Mr. Moody advised was unsuitable for orchard purposes, but no experiments have been carried out even there.

10872. To Mr. VENN: You came here without any experience of this country. Are you satisfied with your position?—Unquestionably, and there is room for a lot more settlement. I find that any sort of labour is difficult to get.

10873. Do you find sheep profitable?—Yes, sheep are a very good line.

10874. By Mr. PAYNTER: Have you anything to say on the question of fruit cases.—Yes, I consider the prices fixed by the State sawmills and Millar's, is too high. We were paying 7s 6d. a dozen, and we had a row with Mr. George the Minister for Works in regard to the matter on account of delays in delivery. The cases were ordered from the Public Works Department in August, and it was not until the 12th December, that the Manager of the State Sawmills advised that if our estimate for the coming season was correct, he regretted being unable to supply cases by the time named. I went out to the mill and found the manager was away and things were hopeless. I then went to Perth, but meanwhile, on account of the delay, we had to let our trained orchard men go. I approached Mr. George on the matter, but got no satisfaction. They used to use waste timber for fruit cases, but now, on account of the big demand, they have to cut logs. Another thing, they will send fruit cases to Kalamunda for the same price that we have to pay for them here. I do not think we are getting a fair deal. In Tasmania they advise us that they are charging 6s. 6d. for cases, yet with the jarrah and karri country at hand, we cannot get them under 10s. 6d. a dozen.

10875. What is your opinion of the use of the second-hand cases?—It would be a considerable difficulty for a man to get his own cases back and I think apart form the risk would load to a lot of trouble. If the cases were dipped form a point of danger of their carrying diseases or pests I do not think much trouble would result. there is a matter of £80,000 per annum wasted by cases not being used over again.

10876. In regard to nurserymen's stocks and trees supplied, are they true to name?—Yes, they are usually true to name, but nevertheless I consider that legislation is advisable in order to ensure this being the case.

10877. In regard to the transport question in the past?—We have had trouble in getting soft fruit away in time for the market, but I am afraid that soft fruit growing in these parts will hardly pay as the people nearer to Perth can supply enough stone fruit to satisfy the local demand. Personally, I am cutting out the stone fruit. In regard to the marketing of this season's crop , this is going to be developed by a new body. The Associated Fruit Growers and the Westralian Farmers, Ltd., are, through their 65 co-operative branches, going to assist and we shall be able to place fruit by private treaty in districts which have been unable to get it before. I do not consider that the auction system can be dispensed with in Perth. Private treaty is not satisfactory with stuff by rail.

10878. By Mr. VENN: What is your opinion of the district for dairying?—I think in a district like this that some of the swamp land should be ultilised for the production of artificial crops, but dairying will only pay where you can get labour and closer settlement. The only people who are dairying now are those who are breeding cattle on a large scale and milk their cows until the season is so far advanced as to make it unprofitable. These people usually have their families to help them. Men here working on these lines are getting as much as £50 a week for their cream. Our society purchased a Babcock tester which was made available to farmers, but they are not making use of it. I consider, of course, that the test is absolutely necessary if it is intended to carry on dairying on satisfactory lines. In regard to the shipment of fruit, the P. & O. Co. When they were taking fruit from Fremantle wanted to make it a condition that the chief officer of the ship should be the sole judge as to the condition of the fruit. He turned down a shipment of Rome Beauties as being over ripe. These were put into cool store at Fremantle. On the 2nd October they were exhibited at the Claremont Show when they were pronounced to be in excellent condition. In fact, it was considered that they had been picked under ripe. There is a case on now with the shipping people in connection with the vessel the "Suffolk." She had many mishaps on the voyage which delayed her and the fruit arrived in a bad condition. The company advise that the chief officer had marked his log that the fruit was over ripe. The fruit has been declared by growers as not being over ripe when shipped. The assessor of claims under the Board of Trade in England finally decided to recognise the shipper's claim in regard to the apples shipped but not the pears. We consider that there should be a Government official, not a ship's officer, who should pronounce the condition of the fruit on shipment. It is inspected here and again on arrival at Fremantle. This last inspection is unnecessary and the extra handling damages the fruit. In regard to shipments for the Eastern States owing to our having had fruit fly here five years ago, no fruit would be accepted unless it was from an orchard in which no fly had existed for five years. Owing to the action of the late Fruit Industries Commissioner, these regulations were relaxed, and there is no trouble now in shipping to the Eastern States.

(The witness retired.)

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JOHN MORIARTY, the Basin, Bridgetown, sworn and examined:

10879. To Mr. PAYNTER: I have been in this district for 30 years. I have about 900 acres. Half of it is freehold and the balance conditional purchase. I have two properties. One is 3 1/2 miles form the town and the other place is four miles from the railway siding. All the land is fenced and I have 100 acres cleared for the plough. I have two acres of orchard, sufficient buildings and the necessary home. I have 500 sheep which is the carrying