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8. Hon. Sir J. Hall.] Peripatetic dairies ?—Not exactly peripatetic dairies, but by peripatetic instructors and inspectors. I think one matter that requires serious consideration is the guarding of our reputation by means of competent legislation in the direction indicated in apart of this paper which I have drafted. [Paper produced.] I say this particularly with reference to the fictitious branding which is now going on with the dairy-produce. The cheese-factories, or, rather, several of them, have now a tendency to resort to what I think is the baneful practice of extracting a portion of the cream from the milk, and then manufacturing same milk into cheese, which is known to the trade as " three-quarter skim-milk cheese," " half skim-milk cheese," " quarter skim-milk cheese," or " full skim-milk cheese," according to the amount of butter-fat taken from the milk. Necessarily this cheese ought to leave the colony branded what it really is—three-quarter skim, half skim, quarter skim, or full skim cheese, as the case may be. In several instances, however, it has gone out from the colony under a false brand as to quality, with a brand indicating New Zealand "full cream factory cheese," or New Zealand "factory cheddar cheese." In the case of butter, much of it leaves the colony branded New Zealand finest " factory " or " creamery " butter, although only dairy butter, or, what is worse, butter collected from the farmers, and mixed by storekeepers and merchants dealing in the line. This is palmed off upon a confiding public, and is damaging to those factories turning out honest and pure goods, being desirous of earning for themselves and the colony a good reputation. Unless promptly checkmated, as the trade becomes more stable and profitable, so will such undesirable tricks be resorted to. I think, what you want to do in respect to this is to make it compulsory by competent legislation for all cheeseand butter-manufacturers to have registered brands, and to compel such to be used, before the articles leave the factories, on both ends of every cheese, and on both ends of every package containing such cheese, and on two sides of every package containing such butter, with the words "New Zealand full cream factory cheese," or "New Zealand factory" or " creamery butter," as the case may be, with the name of the manufactory where manufactured. At the same time I think it ought to be compellable for all owners of cheeseand butter-manufactories to invoice the same, and clear the same through the Customs as " New Zealand full cream factory cheese," or "New Zealand factory or creamery butter," as the case may be. In the event of the manufacturers making what is known to the trade as graded cheese, or half skim-milk cheese, or pure skim-milk cheese, I think it ought to be compulsory for them to brand this cheese as such. I would also make it a contravention of the Act for any other manufacturers of cheese or butter not the legitimate products of a cheese- or butter-manufactory, or not made exclusively from milk supplied to a cheese- or butter-manufactory, to use such brand, or to use the word "factory" or "creamery" on the cheese or butter, or packages containing the same. I think, also, as a means of encouraging the establishment of the factory system throughout the colony, that it would be well for the department to furnish plans and specifications of suitable buildings, with a detailed list of plant and estimated cost, and other information regarding the business basis, such as the issue of by-laws specifying the conditions of purchase of milk or of cream, as the case may be, and hints to milk-suppliers regarding the feeding and breeding of cows for the special purpose of milk-production. Then, there are the transit facilities from the factories to the port of shipment, and increased precautions against damage from temperature on the way and at the port of embarkation, requiring your attention. The clause as printed is very indicative of what I think ought to be clone in this matter. I know that our butter product is seriously damaged in many cases going to the port of shipment through exposure to a high temperature. 9. Mr. Lawry.] That is, through bad temperature ?—Through a high temperature. Necessarily you would require to see what would be best to be done to obviate that as far as possible. Then, again, I think economy of charges ought to be seen to, both by railway and shipping, which are too high at present. Another matter I would like you to consider are the benefits which would result from the formation of dairy associations for mutual instruction and assistance, and for solving to a considerable extent the question of direct Government intervention. These are the principal items which I think require your immediate and careful consideration. 10. Mr. Pinkerton.] What do you think of the desirability of establishing freezing-works at the different ports of shipment by the Government ? There have been a good many complaints from dairy manufacturers relative to the freezing conditions. There have been complaints from Burnside (Dunedin) as to the terms, and as to its being almost impossibe to get butter into the freezingchambers ?—I think that will involve the necessity for providing cool-storage at the principal ports of shipment; at least, I cannot see how you are going to obviate many of the causes of deterioration that are now going on unless something of that kind is done. lam in favour of cool-storage being provided at the principal ports of shipment. 11. The Chairman.] In your reports do you deal fully with the causes of the deterioration of butter on the journey ?—No, I cannot say that I do. The conditions as far as they go are very good to insure a good product if sent from the factory and put on board; but there are the different ways in which the packing is done. Then, there is the injury through temperature and other causes on board ship. 12. Do you deal with all these subjects in your report ?■—No, I do not deal fully with them. 13. Why not ?—I have dealt with them in previous reports. In my first annual report, and also in the report I furnished the last Committee that sat here on the dairy industry, 1 laid my views pretty fully before them on these subjects. A great deal of trouble arose in regard to the packages, but that difficulty has during the past two years been greatly overcome, and now, comparatively speaking, scarcely anything is used but square boxes, lined with vegetable-parchment paper. 14. Mr. Does that material require a certain class of wood to be used ? —No, it does not. A light wood is preferred for the purpose of reducing weight, and so transit-charges. They use white-pine now. They do not require to use totara or other hard and costly woods. All that is now required is simply common white-pine, well dried, and the boxes lined with vegetable-parch-ment paper.