States ?—In New South Wales the sheds are about 65 feet wide. That probably suits their particular stacking arrangements.

3310. Is the system of flooring different here ?—The first shed here was fixed by Mr. Sibbald. He had a single layer of dunnage, and on top of that he put closely boarded planks of 6in. by 1in. This year, on the board 's recommendation, there are going to be two rows of dunnage, and there will be a double lap of flooring, so as to prevent the wheat from going through. I suggested to the Board that we should use hessian, but they considered that there was a difficulty in getting it, and a danger of its not lasting any length of time, and rotting. They therefore preferred the other method of having two layers of flooring placed so as to break joints. By that means we shall be able to keep the grain from getting through to the ground, and every grain then will be swept up and saved, except the few grains that get into the interstices of the boards.

3311. I notice the flour shed at Fremantle has only one row of dunnage underneath ?—On top of that we are laying oil paper, or building paper.

3312. That will stop the damp from coming through ?—Yes. That is the principal thing with flour, to stop the damp from coming up. This was resolved on after consulting with Mr. Love, the British Imperial Wheat Commissioner in Melbourne.

3313. I note you have gone pretty thoroughly into the question of sterilising wheat ?—Yes; putting it through heating machines. The professor said that it would probably take him a long time even if he would be at all successful, to find a parasite for the weevil, which is a very difficult gentleman to deal with. The Imperial Government realised the seriousness of the weevil problem in Australia; and that is why they sent one of the greatest entomologists in the world out here with a view to combating the weevil. He had just come from Mesopotamia, where he had reduced the death rate 66 per cent. in three weeks' time. That was just by killing the flies. The men were suffering from cholera, dysentery, and other fly-carrying diseases.

3314. What is his opinion on this matter ?—The thing was to establish mechanical means. We know that weevil cannot stand great heat, though he can stand cold, becoming dormant, but coming to life again with a temperature of about 50 or 60 degrees. But heat of 122 to 130 degrees crumples him up. The idea was to get these machines which would treat wheat quickly. In Sydney the professor got every mechanical engineer, and also any man who had an idea in his head; and these people would be handed, say, £ 100 or £ 200, to enable them to develop their ideas. In my opinion, a good deal of money was wasted in that way. I assisted the professor by culling out the things which from my mechanical knowledge I could see at a glance would not succeed. I think I have mentioned the principal machines in my report. There were hosts of others; I could give you 30 or 40 different machines, but I picked out the ones that promised a fair measure of success. Robinson 's machine was just an ordinary affair of a number of steam cylinders. The steam was outside another cylinder which was inside. In the inner cylinder there was a spiral screw, and the wheat passed slowly through this with the heater on the outside. The wheat was fed through from the top into the screw conveyors, and from there dropped into a little trough, which was then carried away to a warehouse cleaner. But the weevils were absolutely flying all over the place, and they were bagged up again with the wheat. Here I have some of the Robinson treated wheat. (Sample produced.)

3315. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN : The machine might have been effective although afterwards attacked by flying weevil ? —Yes.

3316. Does the process destroy the weevil in all its stages? —Yes. The female attacks the berry, and inside the grain she plants the eggs, and then closes up the hole with her excreta. The professor claims that as far as he has gone —he left in March —the weevil has not got back into any treated grain. The treatment forms a hard skin on the outside, which the weevil does not like.

3317. By Mr. BROWN : Does he say anything in regard to the value of this wheat for food after being milled? —The treatment does not affect the quality. That was the great thing, to get a machine which kept within 140 to 160 degrees.

3318. By the CHAIRMAN : But the machines put out only a very small quantity? —Yes. This was a very small machine, and did not compare with Poole 's machine, which was like a series of hot water heaters in a building. You have seen the Symonds ' conditioners in the mills, where they wet the wheat to get the same quantity of moisture right through it. The trouble with the machines is their small capacity, only 1,000 bushels per hour. On an eight hour day it would take three or four months to do a million bushels; and it costs 4d. per bushel to do.

3319. You state that Poole and Steele 's machine in New South Wales cost £3,000?— £3,200. There is another £200 to go on.

3320. Seeing that we have so much loss here from weevil, do not you think it would be in the interests of the Wheat Scheme to have one or two of these machines?—Personally I think we ought to put them up at Geraldton, and treat the whole of the Geraldton wheat, notwithstanding that it costs an extra 4d. per bushel. The idea of the Board is to get the whole of the Geraldton wheat down to the coast and have it put through the mills as soon as possible. If the little bull-nosed chap (Rhizopertha dominica) gets through the country it will be shocking.

3321. Does the machine have the same effect on him?—Yes; it kills him as well. It kills all insects. A lot of the insects do not affect the wheat, and can be got out by ordinary cleaning machines. There is the Calandra oryzae, which is the flying fellow, and the Calandra granaria, and the Rhizo-pertha-dominica.

3322. By Mr. HARRISON : Have we all three species here?—Yes, unfortunately.

3323. By the CHAIRMAN : In all probability our wheat will have to remain here for a year or two in the stacks?—I suppose, another two years. Of course we are getting away a lot in the shape of flour.

3324. But that is the old wheat, from 1916-17?—Yes. Our milling capacity is so large. Our mills get through six million bushels a year, working three shifts.

3325. But at the present time they are milling the Imperial Government's order?—Yes.

3326. And in all probability, when the Imperial Government 's order is gristed, they will not keep on gristing to the same extent as now?—I think that is the safest way of putting it.

3327. Do you think the flour will stand longer than the wheat?—Certainly. The only thing is the Mediterranean moth, and for that the wheat is put through the sieves.

3328. I notice from the minutes of the Australian Wheat Board that Mr. Darling, who as you know has been in the line for a number of years, states that flour will keep only about eight months, whereas wheat will keep much longer?—I do not see how he is going to keep the wheat. I think the weevil eat him out long before that.

3329. But if the wheat is put through a machine of this description, its safety will be assured?—I would not say that. Personally I think that as soon as the moisture gets into the wheat again weevil will get into it again. The professor has not proved the contrary. He had only two or three months in the hot weather here. There has been no test over periods of moisture.

3330. So, really, the process is not proved yet?—There is no doubt the machines kill the weevil for the time being. If you can keep wheat dry—and there is no doubt the machines do dry the wheat—then weevil will not attack it.

3331. I see Mr. Love is satisfied with the action of the machines?—Of course he wants to save some of the wheat.

3332. I suppose you saw his report to the Australian Wheat Board?—Yes; and I was with Mr. Love constantly while I was in Melbourne. There is another machine, the Huhn, an American machine, on which the professor is very keen. They are just erecting one now in Melbourne. I think that machine will give a greater outturn, one of about 1,500 bushels per hour.

3333. Could not the other machines be enlarged?—Only in batteries. One would require to have a number of batteries. I think the machines have got up to their maximum in size now.

3334. These machines are Australian made ?—Yes.

3335. And therefore they would be obtainable more quickly?—As far as the Huhn machines are concerned, permission would have to be obtained from the manu-