[g. ooley.

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in many cases of fire in flax, it is due to cigarettes. 1 had over a thousand bales of flax in Foxton for over eighteen months, and none of that ever took fire, i had to store it there on account of Paterson and Co., and it was in a stack, and there was never any sign of heating. 220. Captain Blackburne] Was it exposed to the weather? —No, stacked inside. 221. Was it damp?—lt was not supposed to be. It was prepared ready for shipment. 222. Mr. Foster. You know the method they have of grading. They open one bale in ten, and draw hanks from one bale in three: do you think that is sufficient to test the condition of the bales for damp ?—I think so. __ 223. From your experience you say that flax, in itself, is absolutely safe, even if wet? —lhat is my opinion. Ido not think there is any danger. I think it will go to a certain degree of heat, and it will cool down again, and will go to rot like a bale of straw. 224. Do you think the temperature would also fall in the same way if it were stowed in a ship's hold? —1 could not say, it may be different in a ship's hold; but 1 suppose a certain amount of air could pass round it. George Seipert sworn and examined. (No. 29.) 225. The Chairman] What are you, Mr. Seifert?—l am a flax-miller, residing at and carrying on business at Tokomaru. 226. What experience have you had in the business? —1 have had about ten years working on my own account, and prior to that 1 was for about six or seven years working in mills. I have had about fifteen or sixteen years' experience. 227. Perhaps you can assist the Commission in forming some definite idea as to the possibility or otherwise of heating in flax ?—Well, what I do know of the flax is that since the grading system has been inaugurated, the flax which is sent forward is fully 40 per cent, drier than it was before the grading system was brought in. When you consider that it costs us about £1 10s. per ton to dry it, and we have to pay the same amount to dry it in the paddocks, we do not like to lose the additional amount of £1 10s. which would be charged to us if we sent our flax forward in a damp condition, or in the event of its getting wet between the mills and the grading-sheds. Of course, as to tow 1 cannot say, for it is not graded; but I believe there is a lot of tow sent forward in a damp condition. We have been agitating for the Government grading of tow as well as the flax. , . , , . 228 Mr Foster] You heard the evidence of the previous witnesses to-day: is there anything you can add to that given by Mr. Coley or Mr. Wakeley ?—No more than that the flax will not fire of its own accord. 1 have stacked it damp, and if it is left in that condition for long we should find when we bring it in to the scutcher that it was rotten in the middle. 229 So far as your process of packing and treatment is concerned, you do not think it will heat sufficient to burn ?—No, Ido not, Another point is that it is much drier than it used to be shipped, and if there was any danger how is it that we never had any fires when it was damper than it is now? , , T , . , . 230 The Chairman] Did they not blame the flax as well as the wool? It would appear that any stick was sufficient to beat a flax-miller with?—What I mean is that they never discovered any fire in the fibre. I reckon that the system of grading as carried out now could not be improved upon for giving you a good test as to the presence of damp. 231 You think the svstem affords excellent protection ?—The millers know that their flax must be dry, and they do it to protect the trade. If any fibre was shipped damp we know it would be bad for the manufacturer. We all endeavour to raise the standard of the fibre, and, if there is any danger as to the tow being damp, the grading of tow, if that could also be inaugurated by the Government, would afford an ample amount of protection. ~ , • u- j 232. Captain Blackburne] But you do not think there is any danger through its being shipped damp?—l could not say as to its being in the boat. - 233 The Chairman] By grading you think there is a better chance of your getting a better Dr ice?—Yes, that is what we are working for. We are willing to pay the cost of the grading of the tow at the same ratio as we are charged for the grading of the flax at the present time, iou see the Government loses nothing by the grading, and we are willing to pay for the grading of the tow on the same scale. , . T , . . „ 234. Mr. Foster] Are you forwarding any tow to the port just now?—l think some of mine was in a few days ago. .„'.,.» t-j , ,i- i 235 Did you send some away that was very full of dust I— l do not think so. 236! One bale of a quantity consigned to Mr. Scales was so full of dirt that it had evidently been through a flood?—I believe some of mine was in the flood. . 23? Do you imagine there would be any danger through that?—l do not think there would be any danger; it was probably the silt in it. There were three or four tons that was mixed with the other, and the fibre was best fair grade, and the tow went through with the other fibre. Ido not think the silt in it would make any difference. 238 Captain Blackburne] Have you ever found flax so heated that you could not bear your hand in'it?—Yes, 1 saw that at Blenheim in some tow. It was stacked tip outside the shed, and it became so heated that the miller became frightened, and he had it shifted away from the shed. It never fired, although it became very heated. , 239 Mr Foster] Did vou break it down to cool it?—No, we merely carted it away. At that time there was no sale for the towj and it was simply stacked outside the shed in a heap year after year 240 You say the miller was frightened it might fire?—He did not know, but he did not like it being so near the" shed. It heated just like manure would. 241. He relieved it from pressure?—There was no special pressure, it was stacked in a heap, but it may not have been tight.