Wheat (1) - Part 4

Image 344
image 45 of 50

This transcription is complete

FRIDAY, 13th SEPTEMBER, 1918.

(At Perth.)

Present: Hon. W. C. Angwin, M.L.A. (Chairman).

Hon. J. F. Allen, M.L.C. T. H. Harrison, Esq., M.L.A.

Hon. R. G. Ardagh, M.L.C. S. M. Brown, Esq., M.L.A.

LEWIS RICHARD MACGREGOR, Chief of the Wheat Staff, Westralian Farmers, Ltd., further examined:

7261A. WITNESS: I wish to apologise for encroaching upon the time of the Commission, but having had an opportunity of perusing the evidence given by Mr. Keys in connection with the question of skeleton sheds, I feel constrained not to let his evidence pass without pointing out a few of the inaccuracies in the figures submitted by him. The Commission will remember that I made an estimate of the cost to the Pool in respect of the extra freight occasioned through double haulage. Mr. Keys, after indicating that he made special arrangements with the railways in regard to this matter, states (in No. 7146) that the extra rail freight under the compromised basis equals 2½d. per bag. 2,500,000 bags at 2½d. per bag equals £26,041, to which is to be added increase in freight through alteration of zones referred to by him, £2,195; total, £28,235. The above figure being the cost accrued to the Pool under last season's system in comparison with the system of 1916-17 season. In submitting estimate of £25,000 under this heading last week I purposely understated the figures which I had worked out, reckoning on the probability of the Scheme having made some arrangement with the Railways. Yet, from the figure given above, it will be seen that my estimate as stated to the Commission is very near the mark. In reference to Mr. Keys' assurance to the Commission that a compromise had been effected by him with the Railways, whereby the through freight, plus 2s. 6d. per ton, was to be charged to the Pool. I understand that up till the beginning of this week the Chief Traffic Manager's department was entirely in ignorance of such an arrangement, and in fact railway accounts showing double haulage on an ordinary basis have been rendered by the Railways to the Scheme, and have been paid by the latter. I herewith submit here only


A FEW INSTANCES EXCERPTED FROM RAILWAY ACCOUNTS.

                                                                                                                                                        £    s    d.

Truck Ge 6901, 20-5-18, Kauring-Spencer's Brook—9 tons 4cwt, 1qr., at 5s. 1d. ... ... 2 6 10

Do. 25-5-18, Spencer's Brook-North Fremantle—9 tons 4cwt, 1qr., at 7s. 9d. ... 3 11 5

Wharf haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 4 7

                                                                                                                                                    ___________

Charged by Railways and paid by Scheme ... £6 2 10

                                                                                                                                                    ___________

Do. If consigned direct—Kauring-North Fremantle—9 tons 4cwt. 1qr., at 9s. 3d... 4 5 3 Wharf haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 4 7

                                                                                                                                                    ___________
                                                                                                                                                      £4    9    10
                                                                                                                                                    ___________

Difference ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... £1 13 0

                                                                                                                                                    ___________

Truck Ge 8583, 26-5-18, Morowa-Spencer's Brook—9 tons 18cwt, 3qrs., at 12s. 5d. ... ... 6 3 5

Do. 1-6-18, Spencer's Brook-North Fremantle—9 tons 18cwt, 3qrs., at 7s. 9d. ... 3 17 0

Wharf haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 4 11

                                                                                                                                                      ___________

Charged by Railways and paid by Scheme £10 5 4

                                                                                                                                                      ___________


Do. If consigned direct, Morowa-North Fremantle, 9 tons 18cwt. 3qrs., at 16s. 1d... 7 19 10


Wharf haulage            ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...       ...     0    4    11    
                                                                                                                                                      ___________
                                                                                                                                                         8     4     9
                                                                                                                                                      ___________

Difference ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... £2 0 7

                                                                                                                                                      ___________


                                                                                                                                                          £      s.    d'

Truck 8583.—If consigned to Geraldton as in 1916-17 season, Morowa-Geraldton,

9 tons 18cwt. 3qrs., at 9s. 10d ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 4 17 9

Haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 0

                                                                                                                                                      ___________
                                                                                                                                                       £4    19     9
                                                                                                                                                      ___________



                                                                                                      Reconsigned by Tambellup  
                                                                                                     tns.  cwt.  qrs.    to Katanning Mill.

Truck H 2270, 25-5-18, Nippering—Tambellup 5 16 2 30-5-18

,, Gb 8682, 24-5-18, ,, ,, 9 13 1 29-5-18

,, Gb 6986 ,, ,, ,, 8 19 1. ,,

,, Gb 7362, ,, ,, ,, 9 14 2 ,,

,, R 1636, 25-5-18, ,, ,, 17 10 0 30-5-18

,, Ra 6212, ,, ,, ,, 16 19 0 ,,

,, G 4019, ,, ,, ,, 6 16 1 ,,

,, Ge 7111, ,, ,, ,, 7 5 0 ,,

,, R 3454, 28-5-18, ,, ,, 17 6 1 31-5-18

,, R 1759, ,, ,, ,, 17 8 2 ,,

,, Gb 6710 ,, ,, ,, 9 16 1

                                                                          ______________
                                                                            127     4    3
                                                                          ______________

= 127 tons 4cwt. 3 qrs. at 8s. 1d. per ton = £51 8s. 6d.


                                                                                                                                                             £       s.     d. 

The same trucks, Tambellup—Katanning Mill, 127 tons 4cwt, 3 qrs., at 4s. 8d. per ton ... ... = 29 13 9

                                                                                                                                                         ____________

_ Charged by Railways and paid by Scheme ... £81 2 3

                                                                                                                                                         _____________

If consigned direct, Nippering—Katanning, 127 tons 4cwt, 3 qrs., at 6s. 7d. per ton ... ... = 41 17 8

                                                                                                                                                         _____________

Difference ... ... ... ... £39 4 7

                                                                                                                                                         _____________



                                                                                                                                                              £    s.    d.

Truck G 2622, 5-6-18, Nokanning—Midland Junction, 4 tons 7cwt, 3 qrs., at 11s. 2d. ... ... 2 9 0

,, 10-6-18, Midland Junction—Perth, 4 tons 7cwt, 3 qrs., at 2s. 6d. ... ... 0 11 0

,, 17-6-18, Perth—North Fremantle, 4 tons 7cwt, 3 qrs., at 2s. 10d. ... ... 0 12 5

Haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 2

                                                                                                                                                          ___________

Charged by Railways and paid by Scheme £3 14 7

                                                                                                                                                          ___________


If consigned Nokanning—North Fremantle, 4 tons 7cwt, 3 qrs., at 11s. 9d. per ton. ... ... 2 11 7


Haulage ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 0 2 2

                                                                                                                                                          ___________
                                                                                                                                                             2    13     9
                                                                                                                                                         _____________

Difference ... ... ... ... £1 0 10

                                                                                                                                                         _____________


These are only a few instances at random. If, therefore, the alleged arrangement is an established fact, it is time the Scheme got to work, and got a refund of the sums that they appear to have overpaid in this connection. In comparing cost of screening at skeleton sheds with the cost of screening at depôts. I have gone carefully into this matter, and find that on the basis of the size of the sheds erected at the depôts last season, additional screening required had skeleton sheds been erected would have been one-fourth more, not double