1.—12 a.

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!.T. PABLANE.

housed it is not necessary to have 600 ft., but where the cows are not housed I do not think the regulations apply. As long as you have sufficient room to work, it does not make any difference, provided the shed is well ventilated. Edward Thompson, Dairy-farmer, Belfast, examined. (No. 4.) Witness: I cannot do more than congratulate the Government ou the measure. 1 would like to refer to one matter. I think, in the formation of rules, an eye should be kept on the future of machinery for milking. This is progressing at such a rate and is becoming so simplified that in the near future most of the milking will be done by machinery, and I believe the system is far superior as far as cleanliness is concerned to hand-milkiug. It must modify the great need of cleanliness to a considerable extent. I think machine milking has come, and 1 believe it is necessary it should be so. I fully indorse all Mr. Parlane has said in regard to the alterations. 1. Mr. Okey.] Are you supplying the city?— Yes, only wholesale. 2. You have had no experience of supplying a factory?— Yes, in the summer, and wholesale to the city in the winter. 3. Your country is open?— Yes. 4. No experience of bush country? —No. 5. You do not know the difficulties people in new countries have to contend with? —No, I have only heard of them. 6. Do you think having a man's name on a cart has anything to do with supplying clean milk? —Yes, I think it is necessary. People may use the cart for other purposes, and defy the regulations. 7. Do you think it would help clean milk by having the name on the cart?— l do not think there should be any objection to it. 8. As to the appeal : Do you call an appeal to the Chief Inspector a wise appeal, considering lie is the head of the Dairy Inspector?— Yes; my answer to that is that the Stock Inspector should be a qualified dairy-farmer. I believe in the Stock Inspector in another form. Both sides should be represented. Ido not think it should be entirely left to the Stock Inspector. 9. What is your opinion about air-space where the cows are not kept in? The regulations say that there must be 600 ft. ?-—I have never worked the matter out. 600 ft. is not a very large space when measured out. Hon. Mr. McNab pointed out that the regulations only applied to sheds in which the cows were kept overnight. 10. Mr. Okey.] Have you had experience of large dairies?— Yes, fairly large. I have been over thirty years among cattle. 11. Wliat-sized herds? —The most I have seen milked at once was fifty. 12. Is it wise to crush cows in the yard?—No, especially not with horned cattle. If dehorned you can herd them up like sheep. Cattle with horns want more space, and that is one reason against the race. I use a race myself, and I often have to go to their relief. 13. You see no objection to the yard adjoining the shed?—No objection, provided it is a closed-in shed. The 6 ft. fence Mr. Parlane referred to would be quite sufficient. The height of the front of the shed is seldom more than 6 ft., and with such a fence it would practically mean a closed-in shed. 14. Mr. Witty.} What would be a fair number of cows per bail? Do you think three would be sufficient? —Yes, that would be a fair number. 15. Would it not be a hardship on the tenant on a short lease to make the improvements required? —I think it would be better for him to clear out than make the alterations. I know a case where a man was asked to make improvements, and it would have been better for him to have gone out of the business than make the alterations. 16. Do you think discretion should be given the Inspector?— Yes, he should have power to allow a man to stop to the end of his lease, provided the place was kept clean. 17. What about the place where the stockyard is within 30 ft.?—ln a closed shed I think it would be a hardship to ask a man to remove it. 18. In the case of a new shed? —No. 19. It would be no hardship then? —It would be very necessary to have the house away. 20. Could any improvement be made in the methods of Inspectors?—lnspectors should have a periodical round. I would prefer to see them like the School Inspector. Once a year you knew he was coming, and once a j'ear you did not know. Some Inspectors had only a year's experience, which makes me think the discretionary power of the Inspector should be watched. 21. You think twice a year would be sufficient? —Yes: that is, once when you were looking out for him, and once when you were not. Once when he came to instruct, and once when he came to see if you had followed out his instructions. I think he should inspect a dairy once every year, and at a time when it was known. 22. You object to the race?—l believe you would be better without it. 23. As regards the gutters, is not 6ft. from the back of the cow much too far? —Certainly it is. I consider it almost useless. 24. What about the even floor? Is it possible to have an even floor, and get the cows in without risk of injury? —Cattle are apt to slip on a smooth concrete floor. Concrete requires to be. roughened. There 'is a lot of turning about in a bail, and a really level or smooth floor is dangerous.