1287. You could do that work for 1vd. per bushel ?—If I had it as a monopoly I could do the whole thing for 1d.—that is, as they are doing it to-day. If I had all the roofing to do, it would cost a little more. 1288. By Mr. HARRISON : Do you think a saving could be made to the Pool by local sales of pick-up wheat ?—Very often, yes. 1289. Have you known of any wheat going away which would scarcely pay for the cost of putting it on rails, and the freight ?—No. 1290. Have you seen any badly wetted pick-up wheat going away this year ?—Yes, but it was the wheat of the previous Pool, not of the present one. It was some flooded stuff at Badjeling. I do not know what they did with it, but it was quite black. 1291. There are cases in which damaged wheat could be better sold locally than by being sent to Perth ?—Certainly. 1292. By the CHAIRMAN : The present sub-agents are the secretaries and managers of the various co-operative societies ?—Yes. 1293. If last year's system is perpetuated, it is possible that a number of the men handling the wheat next year will be new to the game ?—Certainly. In my district they have had two different men this year, neither of whom has had any experience. 1294. Under such conditions, is there not a grave danger of wheat below standard being accepted ?—It is bound to come about. 1295. Then owing to the want of knowledge on the part of agents, the State is liable to make a loss ?—Certainly. That is to say, if the agreement absolves these people from all responsibility. 1296. The wheat is sampled at the depots ?—Yes. 1297. It is generally admitted that with one subagent at each station the wheat can be more cheaply handled ?—It all depends upon the interpretation. The bulk of the experienced men along that line have enlisted, and in consequence we have a large number of inexperienced men, some of them returned soldiers, and they are induced to accept a price which cannot pay them. I know of one returned soldier who took a contract from the co-operative company at so low a price that he lost £15 on the transaction. He was being paid exactly one half of what I used to pay my men.