J. J. REICH.I

27

1.—12 d.

a miller an opportunity of putting before the Department the trouble which has arisen, and which led to the sending-in of this unsatisfactory hemp. 78. That is not an answer to my question. In your evidence you brought forward as an illustration some of this hemp which had been sold at a good price in London. You expressed yourself in favour of exporting "condemned" hemp?— Speaking individually, I may, but not for the firm. Mr. David Nathan, who is in London, has heard so many complaints about hemp that he is against the export of such hemp. I think that to stop such export is a very drastic step to take, and that it should be carefully considered before being adopted by the Department. 79. Mr. McLachlan.] With regard to standard bales, do you think that after dumping here, shipping, and transhipping, that the effect would not be deteriorating to such standard bales in quality or appearance?— They would not be dumped until they came to the sheds here. 80. Would they not be dumped when they come from London? —That is only an extension of the proposal that I personally advocate—that the Home merchants and buyers should also be interested in the standard bales. The conference held recently simply proposed to have standard bales selected here. It was a suggestion of my own that there should be standard bales sent from London for comparison before the standards were settled here. I do not think that travelling from London would affect them to any serious extent. 81. You do not think that the hemp would deteriorate in quality and appearance by shipping and transhipping?—No, not materially. 82. Mr. Kidd.] What is the difference in value between those different grades?— The difference iv value between " good fair " and " fair " is £2 10s. per ton here and in London. 83. Between all those different grades?—Oh, no. 84. Take from "common" to "fine"?— There is no fixed standard at all. It all depends upon what is the inquiry at the moment. There is a fixed difference here between "good fair " and " fair," and that is £2 10s. per ton. 85. I see that between " fair " and "good fair " there is a range of fourteen points. If a man only endeavours to get one point above the lowest standard he gets as much, as a man who is one point below the good standard?— The merchant very soon finds out a miller who is working that way. That is where the trouble comes in. Some of the merchants making contracts for " fair " will stipulate that the delivery shall not be below sixty-five points. They have been forced into that by complaints from buyers at the other end. 86. Is there no way of regulating it even less? —That is the suggestion of the millers. 87. If there is £2 10s. difference between two grades, is there no way of regulating that into five ten-shillings's?—No. 88. It does not seem to me to give any encouragement to attain high points when a miller can get just as much for flax graded at 61 ?—The difficulty is that it is a very onerous duty for the Grader. 89. Do you not think that the man who is grading every day would have a better idea than a sample bale could convey, supposing scutching was bad, washing fine, and so on ?—Not necessarily. 90. Yet, he would, not be carrying it to the standard of his standard bale if he did not?— There would be a certain number of points allotted for each section of the work, and the aggregate would settle the grade. He might have allotted a certain number of points for scutching, and the miller might know it was very well done, yet the Grader when he comes to the shed may decide below the miller's estimate. If the miller thinks he has not received what he is entitled to he can compare his flax with the sample bale. 91. If there were more standards made, would there not be a better margin for the manufacturer ? —Yes. 92. As it is, a mar, works up to one class, but he may not reach it in the Grader's opinion, and the result is he falls down £2 10s. in one class?— Yes. 93. A man has not at all times got an experienced man, and it is this man he has got to look to for the result?— There are five points the Grader has to look to —scutching, washing, dressing, stripping, and bleaching. 94. Taking the sample bale, do all sections of the country produce the same class?—Oh, no. 95. Then, how are you going to regulate the standard bale?— The standard bales for Auckland would be drawn from the Auckland District, and for Wellington from the Wellington District. 96. Would Manawatu be the same as Wellington?— Practically, Wellington hemp is all of the one quality. 97. Would it not be more businesslike to take a bale from one mill by (he hanks he gives you as a sample than from some other which is perhaps some hundreds of miles from where the miller is producing it?— The standards of scutching, washing, stripping, ore, cannot vary materially. 98. There is no regulation, I suppose, amongst millers and buyers as to the length now that (lax is getting cut ? The second crop must be cut much shorter than the original crop ?—That is where they are cutting it too early before the flax is properly grown. 99. Do I understand you to say that you are not in favour of the lower-grade flax not being exported?—lndividually I think it would he a mistake to prohibit it. 100. Do you not think that that would in the end tend to ruin the flax-miller? —He does not turn that quality out deliberately. 101. Would not the market regulate that? If there were no buyers it would not be sent out of the country. Why should we not allow condemned flax to be exported?—l am not opposed individually to allowing it to be exported. 102. You say that buyers buy (n grade-marks now, and not on their own judgment?— They buy on the Government grade. It would be very difficult for the Graders to grade to five points.