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for twelve months, the farmer has to sell for almost the same money as he gave for them. I think in cases like this the Government should bear the loss. So far as farmers are concerned they still have the privilege under the Bill of killing stock for themselves. I think that privilege ought to be sufficient. But if they want to sell they can still take their stock to a public abattoir, and have it under public inspection. The farmers themselves—that is, speaking of a great many farmers through my own district—do not object to this clause. With regard to back sections of country, I think there should be a clause inserted to meet these extreme eases where no butcher can reach them. ,6. Is there any inspection in the Wellington District ?—No, there is no real inspection. We asked for it. 7. At the present time there is absolutely none ? —Well, only occasionally; now and again when the Stock Inspectors go through. 8. Do they take any note of the conditions of the houses ?—Yes; but only if there are any complaints. If there are, they come and inspect them. Some few years ago there were complaints made about my slaughterhouse, and they wrote me a very stiff letter. I replied and asked them to come and inspect before writing, and they did so. They said there were no grounds at all for the complaints made, as everything was perfectly clean and up to date. 9. Have you noticed any bad stinks by any other slaughterhouses ?—No. Mr. Golder takes the Hutt Boad and the country beyond Ngahauranga. 10. These places cannot be properly inspected, judging by the stenches ? —I have not travelled that road much of late. There is always a little smell, but no more than what there is at the export places or any other slaughterhouses. I think if the licensees were made to keep their slaughterhouses clean and up to the Act there would be no need for public abattoirs. With proper inspection the whole thing could be settled. 11. Is there any attempt at inspection in the country? —No; no more than what is done by the County Council. We ask for inspection, and we uphold this clause of the Bill regarding inspection. 12. Your general feeling is that if public abattoirs are established you should be entitled to compensation ? —Yes. 13. Are there many butchers, to your, knowledge, in the Wellington District who have provided accommodation?— Well, there are several. Ido not know exactly how many. 14. Does the cart-business at present interfere with butchers ?—Yes. There is the farmer, for instance. After we have looked at his stock, and find it unsuitable for our business, he sets to, kills this stock, and hawks it in the city, where people soon buy it up, when they would not take such a class of meat from our carts. 15. Can anybody hawk in the city ?—Yes, by paying a £1 killing-license. 16. What is your experience about the quantity of meat condemned ? Is it large or small ?— Well, I have had very little, but I have seen dairy-cows condemned where there was no reason for it. 17. Mr. Lawry.] I suppose the Committee must infer that you are your own inspector?— Yes. I am, to a certain extent. The Stock Inspectors go around. occasionally, but beyond that there is no more inspection. 18. As the result of your experience in selecting your cattle, you have found very few infected ? —Very few. I always buy the best of stock. You may get an odd one now and again in any lot. 19. Do you buy mostly bullocks or cows ?—Bullocks. 20. From your knowledge of the trade, do you think that disease is more common in the male than in the female animal? —I think it is more in the female —that is, in cows. 21. Do you buy sheep ?—Yes. 22. There are many diseases in sheep?— Yes ; it is mostly prevalent in ewes and young sheep, lung-worm more especially. 23. What part of the sheep is generally most diseased?— Well, you find the lights grow to the side in the majority of cases. 24. But generally you find very little disease ? —Very little. 25. Mr. Mills.] What do you mean by saying, if the inspection were carried out, we would have a great many cattle condemned?— Well, I recently saw some valuable cows tested by the tuberculin test. I saw the cattle and examined them, and I could see nothing wrong with them. At any rate, it would take a good man all his time to find anything wrong with them. These cattle were killed for tuberculosis, for they did not stand the Government test. I think, if cattle are condemned on the same grounds as they were, there would be a great many condemned in the colony. 26. Mr. Lawry.] You, as a large retail butcher, do not object to the most rigid inspection ?— No. 27. Mr. Mills.] After these beasts were slaughtered you did not see any signs of disease? —None at all. There were two doctors there who said they were slightly diseased. Let me tell you gentlemen, those cattle were put straight away into my pot—my boiling-down vat. 28. Can you, after your practical experience, offer any suggestions to the Committee as to the best way of providing inspection ? Well, I think two men could do the whole of it very easily. If it is delegated to an export company one man could not do it. I think it is impossible for any one man to examine, say, three thousand sheep, besides other stuff, and do justice to the work ; therefore, I do not think it would be any saving of Inspectors. 29. How do you suggest that they should be inspected in the smaller places ?—Well, I think the Inspectors could go from one place to the other, so long as they were not too far apart. It has been proved to be satisfactorily carried out in Auckland, where they have been inspected very strictly, and -I think the same sort of inspection could be carried out here on the same lines.