Wheat (2)

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the trucks could be slowly hauled by means of cables would be the quickest way of poisoning the pest? — No. It would be necessary in the first place to clear out all the journals , the boxes, and oil and all such fittings before passing the truck through the dip. I understand the idea is to spray the truck on a skeleton viaduct, so that both sides of the truck and the underneath and inside portions of it shall be got at. That is thought to be the most effective and least costly method. 7814. By the CHAIRMAN : Are experiments now being made? — I understand that Mr.Newman is reporting to his chief. I think that Mr. Pearse is dealing with the matter from the point of view of the Public Works Department. If the South Australian experiments are successful we shall not have more trouble with the weevil. ( The witness retired) FREDERICK CHAS. KEYS, General Manager of Wheat Marketing Scheme , further examined: 7815. By the CHAIRMAN : From letters which have been submitted to the Commission by Mr. Ockerby , it would appear that the Scheme are trying to make arrangement for further gristing agreements , and have made offers to the millers , while the millers have made counter offers to the Scheme. Do not you think it would have been an act of courtesy on the part of the Scheme to let the Commission know of these negotiations?The Commission are giving their time, and a good deal of their time, to the investigation of the matter; and do not you think they ought to have been advised? — That they should have been notified? 7816. Yes? — I do not know that you were officially notified , but I thought you knew that the negotiations were taking place. We deferred them as long as we could , for various reasons. 7817. We knew that negotiations had to take place, but the first intimation we received that any negotiations were actually taking place was this letter to Mr. Ockerby? Perhaps you are right. I have no recollection of anything official being sent along. 7818. You are aware that the Commission found it necessary, some two weeks ago, to subpoena the Scheme secretary and require him to submit to the Commission some files and minute books, as, on account of the confidential nature of the matter, he would not produce them without such action being taken by the Commission? — That is what I had in mind. I thought you were aware that we were about to negotiate. 7819. The files and the minute book produced did not in any way disclose that negotiations were taking place?— Possibly at that date negotiations had not been entered into. 7820. The only way in which we could be made aware of negotiations having been entered into would be through the action of the Scheme? — That is so. It is only quite recently that negotiations were commenced. 7821. Do not you think it would have been much better that we as a Commission should have been notified by the Scheme that these negotiations were taking place, instead of our being notified by persons interested in milling? — Quite so; but I was under the impression that , though you had not been officially notified, you were informed, at the time Mr.Hall was asked to give evidence, that the reason for his disinclination to give evidence was that negotiations were about to be initiated with the millers. 7822. Personally I am of opinion that either the Scheme or the Minister, I do not know which, is not too free in giving the commission information that would assist the commission in concluding their labours , and that we are compelled to delve into matters in order to drag out information? — I do not think, Mr.Chairman, you can say that so far as I am concerned. When called before the commission, I made long statements, complete as far as I could render them, on every subject of importance dealt with by the Scheme. 7823. It appears to me , and to one or two other Commissions as well, that the position is as I have stated.. We have given, and are giving, a lot of out time, and we feel that in the matter of information we are not treated fairly? — You must appreciate our point of view, too, that the Commission are sitting at a very awkward time for us, a time when negotiations have to be entered into. In neither case were negotiations commenced a minute before it was absolutely necessary. We did not, either on account of the Commission sitting, or for any other reason, start our negotiations at an earlier date than we need have. 7824. From our interim report you knew that the Commission were dealing with the gristing question. Had you informed us that these negotiations were to be entered into, you would have saved us a lot of time, and also saved the trouble and expense involved in calling witness. It is the general opinion of the Commission that we appear to be giving our time to no purpose. If we cannot assist the sooner we close down the better? — It was not the intention of the Scheme to ignore the Commission in any way. As regards your interim report dealing with gristing, I was certainly under the impression that you intended to go into the last gristing agreement with the millers. 7825. A new matter has cropped up in Mr. Ockerby's evidence dealing with grading of mills, with differentiation in the prices paid to the various mills for gristing. Have you some reason for that? — Yes, the reason that it is obviously not fair to pay an all-round rate to the mills. For instance, the mill with small capacity has, naturally, a high cost. A mill of large capacity has a low cost relatively . If we paid the same rate to all millers that rate must be fixed so as to enable the small mill to make a profit; and if the small mill is able to make a profit on the fixed rate, the large mill will be making an extravagant profit. 7826. That is the reason for the differentiation rates ? — Yes. 7827. Does not that depend principally upon whether you require the whole of the mills gristing or not? — I have no doubt it would pay the Scheme to say to three or four of the largest mills, " We will employ you, and we will not employ the other mills". If it was purely a matter of business, possibly that would have been the best course to adopt. 7828. The gristing of the Imperial wheat order is drawing to a close? — Yes: Unless a further sale is made, as far as this State is concerned, it will run out in a few months. 7829. After that, so far as you are aware, except for local consumption and export trade, no gristing will be required? — We may continue gristing and keep the flour in preference to holding wheat. 7830. That depends on how the wheat is keeping?— Yes. 7831. The small mills , so far as the Scheme are concerned , represent a financial loss to the Scheme ? — In my opinion , the whole of the gristing agreement represents a loss to the Scheme. 7832. You told us that previously ? — Yes. On the smaller mills the loss is greater than on the larger mills. 7833. If it were not compulsory to grist on account of the weevil , and for the protection of the wheat , and if you were doing this business yourself, you would employ the mills that would give you the most for a bushel of wheat ? — That is so. 7834. Mr, Ockerby to-day complained about a letter which he has received from the Scheme denying him any more wheat at Kellerberrin for gristing purposes after what he has in stock? — As far as the gristing agreement continuous. 7835. The Scheme's letter also refuse to allow Mr.Ockerby to purchase any further wheat unless he pays the full railage rate right from the depots to the mills? — Possibly so, after the wheat has been taken out of the districts. 7836. How it be possible, then, for our country millers to compete with the Eastern Sates mills in supplying oversea orders? — I do not know that Kellerberrin mill does much milling for oversea orders. We have plenty of wheat in the district, but I have to take it away. Mr. Ockerby definitely informed me that he would not continue the gristing agreement on the current rates, and that he preferred to purchase wheat. If he wants to purchase wheat now , I have wheat in the district that I can sell him. 7837. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Has he written you to that effect? — There was a conversation , which I afterwards confirmed in writing . Mr.Ockerby is a gentle,man whom it is necessary to get promptly down in writing in matters of that kind , so as to avoid disputes later.