3. PARLANE.]

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58. In the event of the Inspector requiring substantial improvements to the milking-shed and the yards, and the occupier being a tenant, who do you think should stand the cost of the improvements, and what proportion do you think the tenant should bear compared with his length of tenancy?—lt is a very difficult matter to give a decision on. It depends on the length of tenure. If the man has only a short tenure the whole matter should be worked out on a proportionate basis between the landlord and tenant. Then, there is another very difficult matter. Perhaps the owner might be a widow woman, or some one in rather poor circumstances, and perhaps it would entail very great hardship on them if they had to make extensive improvements. Then, they might not intend to run the farm any longer as a dairy farm. 59. There must be a very wide interpretation of the regulations to meet exceptional circumstances?— Yes. 60. Mr. Macpherson.] In respect to the conveyance of milk : Do you consider it a hardship on the dairy-farmer who supplies a factory, where he uses the ordinary dray to cart the milk to the factory and takes advantage of the cart and the work of his men to cart back to the farm material from the railway-station? —Yes. It is an entirely different thing from supplying milk to a town, when the milk is continually changed in the cart. There is no necessity for the regulation where the milk is taken to the factory and is never changed. A man should be allowed to bring back a load of barbed wire, but it would not be a good thing to bring back a load of fertiliser. 61. Take an average clean farm dray. For the purpose of utilising horses you take back a load of fertiliser? —You would have your cans to take back. I do not see any objection except in exceptional cases, provided the cart is clean. Carting skins would not be a good thing, because the man handling the skins would also be handling the milk. 62. Mr. Hogg.] Assuming you were a Dairy Inspector, and you found a good hardworking thrifty dairy-farmer with a delicate wife and a family of young children, very heavily mortgaged, unable to raise more money, deep in debt, lots of mud in his yards, badly constructed premises, no concrete, timber all burnt, no metal, extremely bad roads, and you had these requirements to enforce, what would you do?—I should be on to give my horse the spur and get past. 63. You would give him time?— Yes, in cases of great hardship I do not think it is the intention of the Department to force matters. 64. There are cases of the kind? —Oh, yes! but I think if the Inspector made representations to the Department surely they would not enforce any hardship in cases like that. 65. Then, after milking in the morning that man had to travel over those bad roads to the creamery, a distance of several miles, and it took him at least five or six hours before he could return, do you think it would be fair to require him to remove all manure within two hours?— As I have already said, in cases of suppliers to factories I do not think the regulations should be so drastic as in connection with the city milk-supply. Where there are delicate invalids and infants, and life depending almost on the supply of pure milk, I think it is necessary. I know of what appears to be really good-quality butter made in some cases from rather inferior milk. One reason why I think the regulations in connection with farms supplying factories should not be so drastic is because I notice our butter that is exported compares very favourably with Danish, and our cheese with the best Canadian. There has been no inspection in the backblocks, and education in connection with the factories is all that has been done. Our milk-supply in connection with the large towns has not improved under inspection to the same extent that the dairyfarmers have improved their products in connection with their factories. That is one reason why I think the Inspectors should be men of tact and ability, and be able to give sound advice. 66. You are not particularly acquainted with the country districts of the North Island? —No. 67. Have you seen any dairy farms where a homestead-site, owing to the nature of the country, was so limited in size that the farmer's residence and his buildings had to be almost virtually packed together?— Yes, I have. 68. Do you think that under such circumstances as that it would be possible or practicable to comply in any way with the regulations required—a race and 30 ft. between the yards and the s hed?—In the case of new buildings those sites should not be chosen; but if it is found by scientific men that it is absolutely necessary to have that distance apart it is well to provide it. But in the case of buildings in existence, provided they are kept clean, I do not think the regulations should strictly apply. 69. Is there any great harm in continuity of buildings, if strict cleanliness is observed? —No, provided there are no calves, or pigs, or poultry-houses. 70. Then, you think the regulations should be modified to suit the particular circumstances of the case?— Yes, I do. 71. Mr. Lang.] There is no appeal except in three matters. Do you think, in every case there should be right of appeal?—ln the case of where it says a man must cool his milk to 65°, and the milk is not cooled to 65°, no appeal would be possible or necessary. If the Inspector was unprincipled enough to take you to Court, the Magistrate should be given discretionary power. 72. Taking the regulations generally, you think an appeal should be heard by a Magistrate? —Yes, I certainly do. Of course, if it is purely a matter of difference of opinion about floors, it should be an appeal to the Stock Inspector; but in the case of breaches of the regulations the Magistrate should have power to give a decision on the amount of evidence brought forward. 73. Mr. Rutherford.] From your experience of Dairy Inspectors, do you question their competency to deal with all phases of inspection? —Well, I have not had experience of many Dairy Inspectors. 74. But one?— No. I should say from my experience of Inspectors that they were not competent. 75. Mr. Okey.] In regard to air-space in a shed: The regulations require 600 ft. in a wellventilated shed. Do you not think 400 ft. sufficient? The cows are not kept in?—lf cows are not

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