Wheat (2)

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had seen in the other States, that jarrah silos would be very efficient in this State; but in view of later information which I obtained over here from representatives of Metcalf & Co., I came to the conclusion that jarrah silos were not as suitable as concrete silos. On the other hand, steel silos, I understand, have their objections. I have read about the objectionable features of steel silos, but I am not able to say just now what they are.

8573. Have you ever known in any part of the world of silos being erected and then having to be removed or abandoned because of want of wheat?—I have not known of that.

8574. Do you think that might be possible in Western Australia?—It is possible.

8575. If that occurred, the break-down value of a concrete silo would be absolutely nil?—It would; but while it is possible that the silo would have to be abandoned or removed, as you suggest, we would take extreme care, before erecting silos, that it should not be probable.

8576. If a silo necessary for the farmer at every siding, is it not likely that some of the sidings would not have wheat in years to come?—In the first place, I do not think it is necessary to have a silo at every siding, and at sidings where silos would be erected it would be inadvisable to erect them if we had any doubt regarding the future stability of the district as a wheat producing centre. When compiling that list which the Commission have before them, this phase was taken into consideration. Some of the centres are now producing a larger amount of wheat than the capacity of the silos to be erected there would indicate; the number of silos was reduced because it was thought in the future additional railways would reduce the amount of wheat located at that particular siding. For instance, at the present time there is a good deal of wheat coming in to Bungulla or Tammin. If there is a railway constructed to serve the Yorkrakine district the same amount will not come into those sidings.

8577. You say that from the farm to the railway no bags will be needed?—No. I have in my mind that the farmers may use bags from the farm to the railway and then tip them at the railway.

8578. If that is so, the farmer would have to use enough bags to get his crop off to put it in bags to take it to the railway?—If I were a farmer and the bulk system were in vogue I would not buy a bag nor do I think it would be necessary to have any.

8579. What would you do when the wheat reached the railway?—I would put it into the elevator located at the siding or if there were no elevator into the trucks provided there to take it away.

8580. As you have 317 sidings at which wheat was received last year, you would require to have 317 storages to receive the wheat when there were no trucks there?—I do not think it is necessary to put storage bins at all these sidings.

8581. How would the wheat get away?—It would have to be loaded direct into trucks as is done in Canada. The farmers would require to have loading platforms. It would then be sent to the sea board or to the nearest elevator.

8582. By the CHAIRMAN: Would it pay to put it in a silo and take it out of the silo again?—I believe it would.

8583. Did you ever discuss that with Mr. Durham?—I cannot say that I did, but it is likely.

8584. My reason for asking that is that Mr. Drew discussed the matter with Mr. Durham who said it would not do at all?—That is not the impression I have. The impression I have from conversations with Mr. Durham and Mr. Carter is that extra handling in connection with bulk handling is so cheaply performed that one extra handling makes very little difference.

8585. By Mr. BROWN: Suppose 20 or 30 farmers nearer the siding had to cart three or four miles with-out bags, would they have to arrange with the Railway Department to have the trucks there on the arrival of the wheat?—Something like that would have to be done.

8586. And if the Railway Department could not provide those facilities they would have to do something else with their wheat?—Yes.

8587. In regard to bulk handling in the Eastern States, have they the Metcalf system there?—The Metcalf people have designed the bulk storage silos.

8588. How many silos have they put in?—I do not know.

8589. Do you know when they will be using those as a complete scheme?—I cannot say. I understand some are in operation now.

8590. Would you advise that before we accepted the principle of bulk handling an expert body should be sent to the Eastern States to examine into the success or otherwise of the New South Wales Scheme?—I do not think it is necessary.

8591. Do you think we have sufficient expert information in this State already?—I think we have sufficient information to know that the bulk handling system is suitable for our conditions and therefore we only need expert advice as to how to instal it.

8592. Would our bulk handling system have to be more or less dependent on the railway system?—The two must work together.

8593. Have you given serious consideration to the railway part of the bulk handling system?—Yes, so far as it has been possible for me to do so. I discussed it with the railway officials and also with the Commissioner.

8594. Have any reports been made with regard to those discussions?—The effect of our discussion was embodied in the Advisory Board's report in 1912 or 1913.

8595. So that nothing has eventuated in the last six years with regard to improvements or alterations?—I do not know that there has been any change in the attitude except that the railway people in New south Wales have now agreed that the open truck is suitable for carrying wheat in bulk.

8596. Is it not likely that a downpour of rain would saturate a whole truckful of uncovered wheat?—It would require to be a very heavy downpour and I do not know that is has ever been contemplated that the trucks would go uncovered.

8597. It will be an important point in bulk handling that that feature be discussed?—I do not know that it will, because in the summer I doubt whether the percentage of wheat that would be wet would be great and with modern silos I understand that wheat wet would be quickly treated and the damage minimised.

8598. Generally Australian wheat from the farm to the ship takes about 100 days?—The bulk of it has been sent away in that time but that does not mean that the wheat which leaves, say, Doodlakine, on the 12th December is not delivered at the ship until 90 days afterwards.

8599. But you must study the weather conditions for four months of the year?—That is so.

8600. By Mr. HARRISON: Have you considered the methods of harvesting in Canada as compared with the methods of harvesting here?—Yes, they have been considered.

8601. Have you also considered the policy of the Government towards the man who is likely to be up to 12½ miles from a siding? How much would a man fare with a bulk handling system as against bags?—He would be better off even if he had to cart his wheat to the sidings in bags. At the present time this man leaves his bags at the siding and he lets them go to a port on the other side of the world. Under the bulk handling system he would take the bags back again.

8602. It would necessitate proper facilities at each centre for the handling in bulk?—Yes, but those proper facilities do not necessarily mean silos at each siding.

8603. Suppose individual farmers preferred to deliver in bulk; how would you receive that wheat?—If the siding was of sufficient importance an elevator would be erected. If this were not done the wheat would be delivered into a railway truck.

8604. If there did not happen to be a truck?—They would have to wait until the truck came.

8605. Would you advocate the erection of the necessary conveniences for bulk handling under present conditions?—I would have advocated it when the matter was prominently before us. Since the signing of the armistice I have not given the matter any thought.

8606. Just now it would mean a much greater outlay to get the same storage capacity?—I never expected the storage capacity to be provided at less than 1s. 2d.

8607. To be a payable proposition your storage capacity must be occupied several times during the season?—We estimated at least three times.