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[j. W. FOREMAN.

5. We have had evidence that factory-managers have been discharged for sending back the chairman's milk?—I have never heard of it. 6. In regard to the Appeal Board, who should pay the expenses?—l should think the Department. 7. The same as the Arbitration Court, out of the fees they get?— Yes. 8. Mr. Rhodes.'] You think the regulations should be as definite as possible. Do you think they should be denned and enforced as printed, or the Inspector given discretionary power?—l spoke of thd wood paving. From that point of view you must give discretionary power to the Inspector; it would be very difficult to define in every case. 9. You would give discretionary power?— Yes; you must in some cases. Not in reference to wood; they must use wood in some parts. There should be no misunderstanding on the matter. 10. Where there is no gravel would you allow anything else to be used?—Yes, wood should be accepted then. 11. "Mr. Bollard.] Do you believe in giving the inspectors discretionary power? In reference to the difficulty of getting material for concrete, would you give them discretionary power to authorise the use of wood or other material?— Yes. 12. And in the case of dispute as to whether it was reasonable to use concrete or not would you refer it to an Appeal Board?—Yes. I was asked a few years ago by the Taranaki Agricultural Association to act as judge in a dairy-farm competition. I visited a number of farms which had entered. The prize was won by a farm the shed of which had a wooden floor. And I am quite certain that if properly put down it can be maintained in a perfectly clean condition. Mind you, Ido not defend them. I think the concrete is preferable. 13. Supposing a case is taken to a Court of Appeal, and it is decided that the farmer is greatly to blame, do you think the Government should bear the expense in that case?— That is a matter for you to consider. 14. Mr. Lang.] What is your opinion of the result of the regulations if they were enforced as printed?—lt would spell disaster right away. 15. With regard to the regulation that the floor shall be of concrete or other material, would you understand by this that the dairyman should put down a concrete floor?— Distinctly not. Statement by the Hon. Mr. McNab: Proposed Amendment of Regulations. I may assist the examination if I inform the Committee what clauses I intend to strike out. I am only dealing with the larger ones. The first big amendment will be that the conditions of section 8, regarding the requirements of structural conditions of cowsheds, will only apply to new cowsheds after the regulations come into operation. Then I'propose to ask the Committee to strike out the whole of the following sections: 11, 18, 20, 24, 30, and 31 ; also all references in the clauses to the " satisfaction of the Inspector," wherever they occur, or " approval of the Inspector," and strike out clause 33, as the references which are grounds for dispute have been withdrawn. These are the larger questions.

Tuesday, 29th Septembbe, 1908. Jambs George Brechin, Dairy-farmer, Scarborough, examined. (No. 24.) Witness: With Mr. McFarlane, 1 represent a very large dairying district, and one which will appeal to you particularly, as a number of the farmers within the district are on leasehold lands held by the Government Crown tenants. These men feel quite alarmed at the turn of things in the industry. Some of them have such small places that they are unable to buy a vehicle for the conveyance of their milk to the factory, and have to pay their neighbours to take it for them. When the regulations were distributed in our district, meetings of indignation were held, but I venture ta say that had we known that a Committee such as "this was meeting and discussing the whole matter we should not have held the meetings. We should have recognised that the Government was doing its very best to put the industry on a better basis than it at present is. We did not know so much interest was being taken by the Government in what the Stock Department was doing, and so we were alarmed. You will have noticed that it was stated a very indignant meeting was held in my district, and we were indignant. I wish to remove any impression that we were indigljiint at all with the Stock Department and the Dairy Industry Act which is at present on the statute-book. What the Minister has said simply cuts from under our feet our grounds of protest. We are quite prepared to have the Stock Department make a thorough inspection ; we believe in that. We believe in the moderation of the Inspector in our district. He has been a real educator. He has come round like a man who understands his business, an educator of the dairy-farmer. My manager says his visits have been quite beneficial. My farm is a milking-machine farm, and lam not speaking with any degree of authority. At the same time I trust you will in your considerations remember that our district, as well as many others, will have to be leniently dealt with in order to prevent people leaving the industry. There are many in a small way thait if the regulations were drastic would have to give up dairying. One regulation I would like to draw your attention to is that dealing with milking-machines and the washing of the rubber parts. It is quite impossible to scald rubber as the Department desires, as if so it would be completely ruined. The Dunlop people say the best way to deal with rubber is to allow it to soak in lime-water. In regard to milk from newly calved cows, it should be delivered at the factory in less than a week after the cow is in. I am quite sure, after what Mr. McNab has said, that my people will be satisfied.