7006. Have you insured any of the wheat stacks ? — No, but we have insured the stocks at the various mills.

7007. What is the amount of the overdraft in Western Australia ? — I cannot say offhand; I will let you have it .

7007a. Who controls the stevedoring of wheat ? — At present Geo. Wills & Co. They are the agents for the Imperial Government. The Scheme has nothing to do with it.

7008. Have you any temporary stacks in the country now? — Of the 1917-18 seasons, yes.

7009. Any prior to that ? — There are permanent stacks prior to that. I have had a list prepared as on the 11th July.

7010. They are under temporary roofs?— When you say temporary roofs, they are not sheds. There is the same roofing as was used in 1915-16 it is tied down with wire.

7011. I notice that the Board have decided to send two officers to Melbourne to make further inquiries in regard to weevil? - The Board have made a recommendation to the Minister to that effect.

7012. They propose to send an engineer and a wheat expert. Have the Board ever considered that probably the only departmental officer qualified for inquiring into the question of weevil is the entymologist ? — Mr. Newman is going to Geraldton on Thursday with the Board in connection with the weevil there.

7013. We have endeavoured to assist Mr. Newman by bringing back bottles of specimens from the various stacks for him to examine. Can you tell us why Mr. Newman has not earlier been called in to advise the Board?— He advised the Board two years ago in connection with the weevil at Fremantle.

7014. Mr. Newman has told us that , not being consulted by the Board, he has made examinations for himself?— If at that time the board had specially asked for his services, they would probably have had to pay special remuneration either to the department or Mr. Newman. If they could get that in the ordinary course of Government business , which they did , it was better to have it so.

7015. But not until lately did the Scheme ever ask that he should make investigation?— That is so.

7016. The Scheme though it better to send an engineer rather than a specialist to inquire into the question of weevil?— Do you mean as to the nature of the weevil or as to combating the weevil?

7017. Who is better qualified to deal with the destruction of insect life than the man who has made it a life study?— There should not be any better man. But has anyone here or elsewhere made it a life study?

7018. It has to do with insect life?— If Mr. Newman has made a life study of the treatment of weevil, it is strange that we have not had the benefit of his advise before now.

7019. Is it not more strange that the Board should never have tried to secure his services? — It depends on the Board's estimate of the value of Mr. Newman's services.

7020. A prophet has no honour in his own country? — I cannot say what is in the minds of the members of the Board .

7021. To revert. The Board have decided to send two officers East. There were present at the meeting of the Board Messrs. Baxter, Sutton, Field , Pearse, and Paynter. Do these officers vote to send themselves a trip to Melbourne at Cup time? — You are assuming something that has happened.

7022. According to the files it has previously happened. The Wheat Marketing Conference was arranged at Melbourne Cup season. The precedent is there. Does it not look as if the same thing is going to happen again this year? — No, because the wheat expert mentioned at the board meeting is not a member of the board. He is Mr. Inspector Pearse. He has not yet had a " picnic."

7023. I hope the Government will be wise and keep them both at home. I note that the Board have changed their line of action in regard to the acquiring of 1918-19 wheat. Can you give any reason for that? — Minute No. 6 of the board meeting of 29th August sets out pretty clearly what was done and why.

7024. According to the minutes the Board decided that the proper thing to do in respect to the handling of the next harvest was to ask for quotations?— They certainly asked that quotations should be obtained from various agents with a view to comparison and not necessarily with a view to employing those agents.

7025. Is that an honest method of securing information when they have decided that one party should have the contract? — I am not aware that had already decided that one party should have it. They may have , on the receipt of quotations, thought fit to employ any one firm.

7026. By Mr. Brown: Why was the farmer's Mercantile Union included in last list of tenderers, seeing that they were turned down in previous seasons?— Because the Board thought everyone should have an opportunity of tendering.

7027. Were there any other firms which might have had an opportunity for tendering had they known the desire of the board? — The arrangement was that those generally dealing with wheat should have an opportunity of tendering.

7028. By the CHAIRMAN: Or should have an opportunity of putting in a price to enable the Board to check the price of some other firm?— No, I think the determination of the Board was made in all good faith.

7029. By Hon. J. F. ALLEN: That is to say, if the tender of an acquiring agent other than that employed last year had been better, it would have been generally considered by the Board?— In conjunction with other things, yes. It might have been that the Board should decide that the Scheme should do its own handling.

7030. By the CHAIRMAN: I notice at a meeting held on the 29th August, there being present Messrs. Baxter, Sutton, Field, Pearse, and Paynter, with officers Keys, manager, and Hall, secretary, this resolution was carried — — — ?— Might I point out that the whole of the minute book is regarded as confidential .

7031. It is not confidential when it comes here. There has been altogether too much secrecy over these matters already. The resolution carried was as follows: — " In view of the express policy of the Government that the Westralian Farmer's and their co-operative societies be given the acquiring agency of the 1918-19 wheat crop at reasonable rates, it was decided to recommend to the Minister that if a letter was submitted by the company in terms of draft shown on W. M. S. file No. 518/18, practically agreeing to perform similar services and at the same rates as last year under conditions already fixed by the Advisory Board such offer to be accepted." Was that policy laid before the board by the Minister at that meeting?— Yes.

7032. And the Minister asked the Board to carry the resolution that the agreement should be drawn up in the same terms as last year, knowing that the evidence before this Commission severely criticised the conditions which obtained last year?— No. First of all the Minister did not ask them to do anything, and secondly what they did recommend was that the conditions should be decided by the Advisory Board at a previous meeting, which were quite different from the terms and conditions ruling last year.

7033. Of course, Messrs . Sutton and Pearse were bound to vote for the motion. You realise the awkward position in which the officers are placed when dealing with a motion advised by the Minister?— I did not say Minister advised it. Of , I realise the difficulty of the officers.

7034. So far as the Commission are concerned and the acquiring of wheat for 1918-19, there is no necessity for us to make any further recommendation and our business can cease at once?— I thing Cabinet are anxious to have the recommendations of the Royal Commission. They desired to have them by the end of last month so that they could not be held up as to any of the rates and terms by any particular agent.

7035. The Board is aware of the fact that the Commission have sat almost daily and nightly in their endeavour to finalise the position so as to put some advise before the Government?— Yes.

7036. Seeing that the Commission definitely promised to give an interim report for this purpose, do you not think it would have been wise for the Board to have stayed their hands ? — The Advisory Board only makes recommendations. They cannot decide matters , for decisions are in the hands of the Minister and Cabinet.