their roofing owing to the fact that many of them were located on bad sites. On the 2nd March we forwarded a list of stacks to be added to those that should be roofed. On the 4th March the Scheme wrote to us intimating that in view of the termination of the Collie coal strike more trucks would now be available and asking us to give preference to wheat on the ground. This we acknowledged on the 6th March, pointing out that our agents were relying on trucks to keep their staffs employed. On the 7th March we received from the Scheme a letter in which it was stated "It is not our intention at present to roof any of the stacks, but if further strikes should occur, it may be necessary that we go into the position later on." There were no strikes after the 7th March. On the 27th March we again wrote to the Scheme again urging upon them the advisability of roofing stacks at country sidings. 3178. By the CHAIRMAN : How many letters on the subject of roofing passed between you and the Scheme between the 2nd March and the 27th March?—Four. The one of great importance is that of the 7th March in which Mr Keys states that it is not their intention to roof any of the stacks, but that if further strikes occur it may be necessary to go into the position later on. 3179. By Mr HARRISON : What was the first date you got any roofing material?—We had some on hand, but we could not get instructions or permission to roof. 3180. Was that the material you offered to the Government at a price which was not accepted?—It may have been. It was stuff we had had in previous stacks. On the 9th April after all these letters from September to the 7th April we got this:— Referring to the near approach of the winter season, on account of the wheat not coming into our depots as promptly as we wish, we will probably put temporary roofing on the stacks on enclosed list. We will be pleased to discuss the matter with one of your representatives; meantime we will be obliged if you will instruct your agents at these places—when railing to do it so as to leave stacks as square and as handy for roofing as possible. That is to say, perhaps there might be awkward ends on some of the stacks as regards roofing, therefore, we would like them to do all their trucking from this particular end.

3181. By the CHAIRMAN : On the 11th April they wrote you saying, "I beg to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the 6th April"?—I wrote the Meckering letter, and on the 9th they write opening up the whole thing as if it had just occurred to them. On the 9th we had written to them to say:

As you are doubtless aware, there have been heavy rain-storms throughout the Eastern area. All agents have a standing instruction to up-end top bags after heavy rain-storms. We are doubtful, however, if this will have much effect in some instances, as indications are that the wet has penetrated at least eight layers deep. We would again urge that immediate steps be taken either to roof or clean up these stacks.

Then they give is a list of the stacks; there are 21 in all. Then there is a letter of the 11th April, which told us not to roof at Baandee, and then they wrote giving the specifications of the roofing, that they did not want them screened, but I can assure you that the screening is just as important as the roofing, and we wrote on the 16th April as follows:— Have you got a letter dated the 6th April?

3182. The next letter is one to you dated the 9th April?—On the 6th April we wrote as follows:— As you are aware, we have on several occasions during the season suggested your considering the advisability of roofing the new stacks at certain sidings. As indicative of the necessity of having some definite arrangement made now in regard to how the balance of wheat remaining at country sidings is to be dealt with, we append hereto copy of a letter we have received from our agents at Meckering. We already have your instructions with regard to the Great Southern line, and also Lake Grace and Nyabing lines, but we should be pleased to have your instructions regarding the Eastern areas. As you are aware, the bulk of the wheat is located in the latter areas, and is as yet unprovided for. We would again suggest the immediate earmarking of certain stacks for roofing, and the concentration of trucks to the others. On the 9th April we wrote as follows:— As you are doubtless aware there have been heavy rain storms throughout the Eastern area. All agents have a standing instruction to up-end top bags after heavy rain-storms. We are doubtful, however, if this will have much effect in some instances, as the indications are that the wet has penetrated at least eight layers deep. We would again urge that immediate steps be taken either to roof or clean up these stacks. Re proposed roofing. Further to ours of the 10th inst., and to our interview with you, we have to advise that we have communicated with our agents at all the sidings you have named, with a view of securing particulars as to dimensions of stacks, sleepers available, etc. We have gone carefully into the matter of the method you propose to adopt. In our opinion it would be difficult to ensure that such roofing would be water-tight. The tendency would be for water pockets to result in all the stacks, occasioning very serious loss. Further, if the stacks are left unscreened during the winter, as you suggest, the bags on the outer walls would become quite perished. As a matter of fact already considerable damage has been done by the weather exposure. There have been heavy storms right through the wheat area. At one place of which we know, there were 18 inches of rain in a fortnight. Our inspectors report that the matter of the patching of bags in new season's stacks requires immediate attention. Caring for the new stacks will be a hopeless proposition unless the stacks are screened. We note you suggest weighting the roofs with sleepers. At the majority of places named in your list sleepers are not available, and same will have to be specially railed; in this connection costs will be considerable. We commend these facts to your favourable consideration and suggest that the first cost of doing the work properly would be the cheapest in the long run. In quoting a price for the work on a bushel basis, we may say that many of the stacks have not been built high, but in view of your assurances early in February that the question of roofing would not have to be considered, the stacks have been spread out. The writer, when in the country last week, noticed one stack which was only about 10 bags high. Naturally, the cost of the roofing of such stacks on a bushel basis will be greater than was the case with last year's stacks. If you are building a stack to roof you will build it up high, but if it is a temporary stack, it is built low so that you can get as many trucks as possible alongside to shift the wheat into the trucks. the letter goes on to say:— Further, you have only ear-marked a few stacks for roofing, but the inspection cost will be practically the same as if there was a roofed stack at every siding. However, we are willing to do a workmanlike job, anchoring any tying roofs on the approved system adopted last year, including the hanging and anchoring of the screens, together with the care of the stacks, patching of bags, etc., until the bags are removed (which we understand will be before the end of the winter), the whole for one-halfpenny per bushel on the quantity roofed, this to include sub-agents' costs, and our own inspection and supervision. We trust this suggestion will be acceptable to you, but if you insist on the work being done in a slip-shod manner to ensure a cheap job, we will of course carry out your instructions, but in that case will accept no responsibility. We note you wish us to exclude Baandee stack from any roofing arrangements. To this Mr Keys replied on the 17th April:— We beg to acknowledge yours of the 16th inst. quoting one halfpenny per bushel for roofing certain wheat stacks on the system adopted last year. I should be glad if you would be good enough to submit a quotation as asked for in my interview with your Mr McGregor and do it at once, as time is of the essence of this business. So that there may be no misunderstanding I enclose herewith schedule of the work required by the Scheme on which you may quote. I may point