[f. bark as.

H.—29.

66

131. How long would it be necessary to leave the thermometer in? —With a fine thermometer it would take a minute or a minute and a half. 132. Then there would be no advantage in leaving it in for two or three hours? —None at all, because if the temperature has not risen in transit down to the shed, it would not show much rise in an hour or two in the shed. 133. The trouble is that there is some difficulty in getting into a dumped bale by that method?—lt is difficult. 134. In a pressed bale they drive it in with an axe-head? —It is very difficult with the way the wool is pressed at the station now. It is pressed so hard before dumping down at all that it is exceedingly difficult to drive a wedge in or a steel tube. 135. Supposing it was possible when pressing to leave an iron tube in and press it with the wool, would that be of any advantage ?—That would be very difficult. Ido not think you will find that a very practical matter. 136. They have already had hollow tubes with a thermometer attached in use by the Harbour Board, but they found the tubes would not stand it—they bent ?—The pressure is very great. The method they have with them is to open up a certain number of bales to examine, and I should say a fair thing would be to open two out of ten bales at random, and that would minimise the risk very largely. 137. The tendency of that would be to break up the fleeces in repacking?—An expert would not break them up much. Thousands of bales go through the local sales without depreciation. It would minimise the risks very much. If an unscrupulous wool-grower, to save a day or two, did not get his fleeces as dry as they ought to be, he would know the risk he runs of having charges thrown upon him if a wet bale were detected. 138. Would-you recommend, as representing the shippers, the levying of a rate per bale for the purpose of examinations? —No; 1 should not like to go so far as that. I think that very much the simplest plan is to include that examination along with your insurance risk, as it was done previous to this trouble with Lloyd's. I think it would be a much more satisfactory way. The insurance company is quite as much interested as the shipper, and it is easier to pay the premium on the insurance and cover the cost with the insurance. The machinery is much easier than adding another special item for collection. 139. And in any case the purchaser has to pay? —Yes. 140. And if the insurance people included the cost in the insurance premium, the purchaser would have to pay all the same?—Yes, but it is a very small amount. If the insurance companies combined in this work, the amount per bale would be so infinitesimally small that it would hardly be noticed, whereas if a separate charge had to be collected they would have to make it a farthing or one-eighth, and it then becomes perceptible. 141. Unless you make a charge per bale?—As a portion of the wharfage, branding, &c. ? 142. Yes?—That could be done if it was a statutory charge at the port; but my own impression is that it is best for the insurance companies, who are distinctly interested in safeguarding the wool in transit, to consider the matter. 143. If legislation is brought to bear to make an examination compulsory, how are you going to make the insurance companies pay unless you levy it on the bale: how could you make a foreign company come in? —Of course, and then there are others who ship without insurance. It would have to be on the bale as part of the port charge. 144. And you would consider it quite a proper thing that this class of cargo, if found to be liable to fire owing to circumstances, should bear its own cost of inspection?—l think so — services rendered for the good of society. It would have to be paid, whether through the shipper or not. 145. If it is compelled by law to levy a charge, it is distinguishing it from any other class of cargo? —Yes. That depends on what the finding of your Commission is—whether it is a specially dangerous article or not, and whether there are some other circumstances or conditions which we have not yet found out. 146. Captain Have you ever heard of wool heating apart from damp?—Never heard of it. Of course, one knows that slipes and scoured wool are quite as liable to heat when damp as fleeces. 147. Have any of your shipments been affected by these fires?—ln the "Pitcairn Island" losses were paid and settled for, and one other lot was smoke-stained on the " Waimate " —very small damage. 148. Did you have any wool in the "Gothic"? —None. We apparently had some in the " Rimutaka," but I have not got any reports yet, D'Aroy Chaytor sworn and examined. (No. 25.) 149. The Chairman] What is your name?—D'Arcy Chaytor. 150. You are a flax and wool expert?—l am interested in both businesses. 151. And you reside in Marlborough?—Yes. 152. The Commission thought that, you would be able to give some information specially with regard to wool and flax firing?—Of course, I do not see, either with wool or flax, so much as manv people do—only what I see till its gets off the place ; although, of course, we hear in what condition it arrives at the other end, where we are shipping ourselves, which we often do. 153. It is a particularly excellent brand? —It is one of the best brands We have never had a complaint yet from any consumers that we have been consigning to direct, either of dampness, discoloration, or heat, and, of course, we always take good care that it is in good order before it is sent away. We have not shipped anything direct ourselves further away than to Australia; but, of course, if it was inclined to heat in that time it would arrive there in a heated condition, a condition that would be complained of by the people who get it, but as we have never had any complaint whatever we assume that nothing has ever occurred,