402. Mr. Child had to act on the information obtained by Mr.Berkeley in the Eastern States? — Yes , to a certain extent. In addition , one of Mr. Berkeley's main missions was to clear up accountancy matters. There was some difficulty over the Pools , and he had to clear up some of the matters in regard to the wheat Board accounts.

403.That was in regard to payment for wheat sold? — I cannot say from memory , but there were some difficulties. That information could be obtained from the accountant.

404. Mr. Hammond was somewhat concerned over this change, because Mr.Child was doing work which was very necessary. He pointed out instances in which millers had refused to show their gristing books. I believe this was necessary to enable proper accounts to be rendered? — Yes.

405. Can you give us any information as to why they refused to show their gristing books? — I would not like to do so from memory. I know there was a difficulty which existed for some weeks.

406. By shifting Mr. Child from this work , which it appears from the minutes may have been the most difficult job you had to contend with so far as Western Australia was concerned , do you not think it had a tendency to interfere with it?— No, because Mr.Child was still the head accountant with control.

407. You do not think it would have affected it in any way ? — Not in the slightest.

408. Can you give us any information as to your attention being drawn to the increases in charges by the Fremantle Harbour Trust from £ 500 to £ 1,000 ? — That is a big matter , and I would have to refresh my memory upon it. we have had no end of difficulty in regard to what I call these exorbitant charges. They are compelling us to clear the wharves of the wheat.

409.Do you think it is advisable to procure that information from them ? — You could get the information either from Mr. Hall or from the accountant.

410. Mr . Hammond said they were making a profit of 2s 9d per ton after paying interest , sinking fund , and other charges , in regard to the sheds which had been used? — I cannot say.

411. You agree that if this is so it is a heavy charge upon the Scheme ? — Yes.

412. I notice from the minutes that there was a period of about three months when the committee did not meet. No minutes were recorded during that time. Did the committee meet at any time during these three months? — I cannot say , but I do not think there was a lapse of three months. There was some difficulty in regard to the appointment of the new committee. The minute books will show that there was a new committee appointed.

413. The minute book shows that there was a meeting on Friday , the 28th September , when there were present Mr. Field in the chair , Mr. Hammond , and Mr. Bickford , as well as the general manager and the secretary. The next meeting recorded is one on Thursday , the 22nd of December, 1917?— The September meeting was probably the last meeting of the old committee.

414. The Scheme was carried on by the department without an advisory committee during that period? — I think there is something wrong with regard to that , and that there were meetings in between . The secretary will be able to give the best information on that point.

415.I regard this as an important matter. This is the time when your actions were being criticised very freely in regard to fixing up the acquiring agents contracts between September and December. My reason for asking you this question is to find out whether the committee were consulted in the matter during that time? — They were certainly consulted on the matter of appointing acquring agents.

416. So far as you know there was no committee at all during these three months?— I do not think there was a lapse of three months without a committee.

417 There is no record of it? — Mr.Hall could better explain why that is so. I do not think that length of time lapsed between committee meetings.

418-419. I see when you appointed the new committee you altered the name? — In what way?

420. You made it not only committee for the Wheat Scheme but also committee for bulk handling . What was the idea of that ? — There was a bulk handling committee in existence , and it was very necessary to have the one body controlling both matters.

421. What bulk handling committee was in existence prior to that ? — I think the members were Mr. Stevens, Mr.Lord , Mr.Pearse , Mr. Sutton — I believe there were five members.

422. Was not their work completed and their report presented some years ago? — No . The committee were still in existence , though I do not know what work they were doing . The committee may have been disbanded , but i do not think that is so.

423. You thought it was necessary that the bulk handling scheme should be a part of the Wheat Pool Scheme ? — Yes.

424. What was your reason for placing both together?— Otherwise one would have the two bodies clashing. If we go ahead with the erection of bulk storage , and if we have one body of men handling the bulk storage and another handling the wheat , it would be a very difficult proposition.

425. But is it not a fact that all expenses incurred in connection with the Wheat Pool , dealing with the handling of wheat , had to be paid by the farmer out of the Pool? — Yes.

426. Do not you think that the erection of silos and other works for bulk handling is a matter devolving entirely upon the Government , similarly to the construction of railways ? — That may be so; but does that in your opinion affect the position?

427. I am coming to that. Now I am asking you. That may be so ? — Yes.

428. I notice you sent Mr. Pearse to Melbourne in regard to this matter , and that he was away for some considerable time. Who paid the expenses of his time in Melbourne? — That is a matter which we have not definitely arranged yet. In fact , I was dealing with it this morning.

429. Is there any intention of charging the cost to the wheat Pool?— I could not answer that question at the present time. The question has come before me this morning for the first time.

430. Do not you think that the bulk handling scheme , a matter which was under consideration prior to the war and prior to the starting of the Pool , is a work with the cost of which the farmers should only be charged when they are making use of it? — The object I had in view was to save storage of the farmers wheat which we are holding at the present time , and which we shall be storing in the near future. The bulk storage , not bulk handling is a cheap system of storage we are working on for the protection of that wheat.

431. You appointed the new committee by altering its name. Would not that have a tendency to make the farmers pay initial expenses , which should be borne by the State as a whole? — Not necessarily so. The amount of money required to cover the bulk storage was being advanced by the Federal Government.

432. They advanced money for building railways , too ? — Not yet for this State , have they ?

433. Not under the same conditions , but the way of loan? — That is what I say. This is money advanced for a special purpose. In appointing the committee I had in view continuity of purpose; if the State did agree to bulk handling afterwards , the one body was to carry the work right through. In appointing the bulk handling committee as an advisory board , I had not in view only the fact the they were the advisory committee for wheat marketing , but also their qualifications for advising on bulk handling and controlling.

433A. If money was available and could be used to the best advantage— I am not reflecting on the administration but am dealing with the extra cost — would silos be better than sheds for the storage of wheat? — Certainly.

434. Then, so far as that was concerned , it was not necessary to get an opinion from the advisory committee on the matter? — I looked to them not for an opinion only but for the working.

435. The advisory committee had work put on to them by the Minister which would bring about an expenditure of money that would be charged to the Pool ,but that ought to be charged to the ordinary expenditure of the State? — No . In the first place , there is no payment to any member of the advisory committee ; and in what other way would you suggest that the wheat scheme would be debited with the cost of the bulk storage?

436. That comes back to what I suggested just now; That the farmer should not be charged in regard to this matter until he made use of the storage , in the same