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Wheat (1) - Part 2
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wards put it through screens and it is taken off. To leave it there for a time, however, is another matter. 3738. By the CHAIRMAN: With regard to the various sidings, do you not think that if the sheds were made smaller, they would be of value to the State on the return of normal times, and that they would be worth more than the breaking down value?—That phase of the question has not been gone into. 3739. By Mr. HARRISON: Is the value of the sheds neutralised by putting in them wheat known to be weevilly? — There is weevil in most of them. 3740. Have you been to Spencer's Book lately?— Yes. 3741. Is it a fact that weevilly wheat has been distributed throughout the whole of that shed? —I do not think so. We went all over it last Friday and found weevil in only one shed, the shed in which they do the conditioning. That would be about 40 feet away from the others. Weevil has been discovered there. Where we do find it we rake out the wheat and disinfect it with lime. You cannot help weevil getting in. 3742. We have had evidence that wet wheat has been put in the first ten tiers from the ground?—We had a complaint that there was something similar to that being done, and we had all the wheat hauled out and found it perfectly dry. We took samples to have the moisture contents examined by Mr. Mann. 3743. The evidence which was given before us gave me the impression that ideal conditions were being created for the propagation of the weevil in a certain bay?— I could tell you the bay we pulled out and examined. 3744. By the CHAIRMAN: Which shed did you examine? — Shed B, bay 165 or 166. 3745. Is there any other information you can give us; can you tell us the estimated costs? — The 1918-19 harvest sheds £78,100, sidings £12,000, offices and outfall drains £ 700, total £90,800. 3746. By Mr. BROWN: In connection with the incoming harvest, you are not making provision for depots in other places?—We are not dealing with Geraldton; we are providing for a million bushels at Dowerin, so as to relieve Spencer's Brook. 3747. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Will not the saving in the cost of sidings increase the cost of trucking into sheds? — No; we are still working from the one side. 3748. By the CHAIRMAN: Are you experiencing any difficulty in getting iron?—No, it is all ordered. 3749. Have the Board decided to go on with the sheds right away?— Nothing has been done yet in regard to ordering materials. 3750. Is it not necessary to make an immediate start?—Yes. Instructions have been given to push on. Mr. Keys has been supplied with a list of all timber required and he has to satisfy himself that he is getting it at the minimum cost. 3751. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: Did you ever go into the question of using malthoid or other similar material instead of iron? —Yes. In South Australia the roofs of the sheds are of malthoid on sarking boards of Oregon. and they cost £3 16s 5d. per square. The adamax at Spencer's Brook with local timbers for sarking boards cost £3 per square, and the iron is going to cost £4 2s. 3d. per square. 3752. You do not object to the composition roof on the score of inadequacy as a weather protection? — No; but the board seemed to pay more attention to the residual value of iron as against composition. Last year the board did not go into the question, for the iron was ordered by the Minister and Mr. Sibbald. 3753. How many squares of roofing are there in those sheds?— Approximately there are 7,00 squares in last year's sheds, and there will be the same number in this year's shed. 3754. By Mr. BROWN: For how long would we in this State have to wait before we could hope to profit by the bulk handling experience of the other States? —New South Wales will have for this season practically 11 million bushels in the country. Their terminal elevator will take two or three years to build. 3755. Then it will be four years before it is in operation?—No; only a little over three years, I think. 3756. By the CHAIRMAN: In Victoria the tenderers had to submit their own plans?—I believe so. The information in this morning's paper which points to 1s. 0½d. per bushel does not square with my information which is that the price was 1s. 1½d., and that the contractor was not Teesdale Smith, but was R. O. Law. 3757. Whose plans did he submit for? —One on Box's, and one on Metcalf's. 3758. I suppose they will go on immediately with those? —Yes, and they will be completed within twelve months. 3759. There was not time for other tenderers? — No. First of all they called for tenders on Box's plan, and they came out from 1s. 7d. to 1s. 8d. That was turned down. Then Box cut out the 25,000 bushel bins, which were keeping up the price, and stuck to his 50,000 bushel bins, and took out all attempts at ornamentation. 3760. Is any machinery included in that? — Yes; a certain amount. Thomas Robinson & Sons are making all the New South Wales machinery, and the engines are being made by Thompson's of Castlemaine. 3761. You are convinced that concrete is cheaper than wood?— Undoubtedly so. When you go in for emergency storage you require to get the maximum storage for the unit cost. 3762. Otherwise you are loading up the storage costs?—Yes. 3763. And if the State then does not wipe off a large percentage of the capital it will be loading up the bulk handling system in the future? — Yes, if you go over a certain amount. I fixed four million as a fair thing to start with. 3764. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: When you put your handling houses in small places you increase your storage capacity? — To a certain extent, yes. Western Australia on the showing of the bulk handling authorities is in a splendid position for starting the system, because we have but a limited number of varieties which has killed bulk handling in other places. 3765. By the CHAIRMAN: Unless additional bins are erected at some of our extra sidings when bulk handling is adopted the storage system will involve two handlings?—Where a station does not warrant a turnover three or four times in the year you would not give to that station an elevator, but you would send all the stuff to the terminal elevator. That is why New South Wales has increased her terminal elevators from 3,000,000 to 6,000,000, namely, to provide for those stations at which it would not pay to have elevators. 3766. It means that the wheat will have to go direct to the port?—It would be cheaper to put it straight into the trucks, and sent to the terminal elevator, and so have only the one handling. 3767. By Mr. HARRISON: It would minimise the cost of handling to the State to have a larger bulk capacity of storage at the ports? —Australia is essentially a place for big terminal elevators on account of the intermittent shipping, and to ensure quick discharge for shipping. Australia must have big terminal elevators because she has such a number of small stations which only produce a limited quantity of wheat. 3768. By the CHAIRMAN: That applies more in this State than in the Eastern States. Yes. It applies particularly in the Geraldton district. That district is in an unfortunate position. It grow beautiful wheat, but pests seem to thrive particularly well there. 3769. By Mr. HARRISON: If you had sufficient rolling stock it would be better to have only the port storage?—I think it would be found difficult to work. It would only mean putting all the eggs in the one basket instead of distributing them round. 3770. It would minimise the cost of handling?— It would necessitate the employment of such an alarming quantity of rolling stock that it would be difficult to control the position. The great consideration in the matter of bulk handling for the farmer is that when he puts his grain into the bins he gets a certificate. He can then hand that certificate to the bank and it represents so much security for him. Unless that certificate can carry that security, bulk handling is not worth anything. In any system that is introduced care must be taken to ensure that the certificate given to the farmer carries that security. The danger must be avoided of causing the farmer to wait a long time before he gets his certificate. 3771. By the CHAIRMAN: You think the bank would advance on the certificates?—Undoubtedly, if they bear the hall mark of some recognised authority. Before introducing anything like that, be certain as to the authority endorsing the certificate. 3772. By Mr. HARRISON: With regard to storage accommodation in the country districts, if a third party assessed the value of the wheat and gave it a certificate, it would mean that a certain district growing a higher quality of wheat would get the advantage against another district? —The man in charge would
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