H. C. CAMERON.]

21

I.—loa.

that they are not up to quality. Is the system of arriving at the decision whether they are up to quality or not such as would secure justice to the New Zealand seller ? —I can scarcely follow you yet. 59. I mean is the assessment set up on lines fair to the New Zealand seller ?—-I have seen arbitration, and I have seen allowance given for quality in arbitration, which I hold was not necessary. It was not arbitration for damage covered by insurance, but arbitration for quality. 60. The whole essence of the question is, whether the court which decides the merits of the article is on such lines as will secure fair play to the man at this end ?—ln arbitration one man assesses the damage for the seller and another man for the buyer, and if they do not agree an arbitrator is appointed. I think that ought to be satisfactory. We are assuming that the assessors are honest men. 61. As a matter of fact, is not the arbitrator a butcher in Smithfield who is called upon to decide ?—Very often he is. 62. Have you heard of any case where he was not ?—There are men whose special business it is to arbitrate. Mr. Hindle Smith is a gentleman who is often called in. 63. Do you mean to say that if there is a dispute between two parties, Mr. Smith will come in as arbitrator ? —Yes, if he is agreed upon. 64. Are you aware that Smithfield has objected to him as an arbitrator ?—I have heard so. 65. Do you think it fair to the New Zealand seller that if there is a dispute between two parties they will only have a butcher interested in the trade to finally determine the claim ?—I cannot say that is the rule, but I know that very often butchers do assess the damage. 66. lam referring to quality, not to damage. Do you know of any case that was decided by any one who is not a butcher? —No, I do not know any particular case. 67. Then, if you do not know of one case being otherwise settled, do you think the system is a fair one ?—Of course, it is assuming that the men are not honest to say so. 68. Putting it on ordinary lines : If a butcher is called in from Smithfield to arbitrate to-day for his neighbour butcher the obligation might be required some other day, and the first man be called in to arbitrate in the other's case? —He might be. 69. Do you think those are fair lines of arbitration?— They are not the best, I admit. 70. What do you consider the best weights for prime lambs and sheep ? —The best weights for prime sheep are from 52 lb. to 64 lb., and for lambs from 32 lb. to 36 lb. Buyers at Home usually like lamb in quarters, and 32 lb. lambs cut into 8 lb. quarters, and 36 lb. lambs into 9 lb. quarters. 71. Mr. Hardy.] With regard to the weight of lambs, you say that from 321b. to 361b. are the best ?—Those are considered the primest weights. 72. In Canterbury they think that 361b. to 401b. are the best ?—They get a little more weight perhaps for their money when buying them alive. 73. Mr. Duthie.] In grading your quality of mutton you are ignoring the weights. You say that a 55 lb. sheep is better than, say, a 70 lb. sheep, and I do not know how you can ignore weight. The two things, weight and quality, are intermixed?—l quite agree, but there must be a comparatively wide range. Butter is graded, and first quality butter ranges from 88 to 100 points. Allowing that the freezing companies make their subdivisions, you must have a range in regard to quality. I could not divide it into twenty qualities. 74. Mutton might be first-class with a weight of from 60 lb. to 65 lb. as a limit, and then you could not label a 701b. sheep as of first quality?— There might be a first-class sheep of 701b. weight. It would be for the freezing companies to arrange that subdivision as at present. 75. This question then is of no importance ?—So far as it affects Government grading it is. 76. I understood you to say in connection with Government shops that the consumers would be guided by the tags on the carcases ? —No, by the Government brand. The tags at present used are useless for the retail trade. 77. I thought you were talking throughout of distinguishing the mutton by tags?—No, I referred more particularly to the Government branding the meat. 78. You propose to advocate some kind of Government branding ? —Yes. 79. Mr. Hardy.] Do I understand you to place eighty-eight as the first-quality butter?— Yes, eighty-eight points upwards. 80. Then why is it that graders in the colony class it differently?—lt is the Government grading in the colony that I refer to. 81. Do you mean to say that you could get the same price for a 70 lb. line of sheep as for a 55 lb. line of sheep ?—No, your sub-marks would distinguish that. 82. Ido not understand you?— Your present grading would be still in force. 83. Mr. Aitken.] Would it be possible to do this; to state a brand of mutton—Southdown, or whatever it is—and then to have one, two, or three grades for that particular class ?—That would involve so many sections that it would be impossible to have the grading done by the Government. 84. Mr. Buchanan.] Now, take the discharge of shipments; when I was at Home on two different occasions I tried hard to get people at Home to adopt the endless-chain system of unloading carcases. Can you tell us to what extent ships now discharge frozen mutton by this plan ?— About three years ago the endless-chain system was adopted by the shipping companies. A telescopic apparatus is lowered into the hold and an endless-chain with arms lifts the meat up out of the ship. It is then slid on to the wharves, where it is handled for distribution. 85. Have you seen sheep drafted in the colony by the ordinary method of a " race " ?—Yes, I have done that work often. 86. Is there any reason why an endless-chain should not convey the sheep right along into the dock company's stores, and the carcases drafted by means of a swing-gate. Two or three men, as the case might be, could be employed to draft the sheep into the various qualities indicated by the marks, thus preventing all the knocking about and handling, with the consequent damage ?—ln 4—l. 10a.