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-J. E. WAT BON.

1.—12 a

Clause 5. Very harassing to retail trade. Impossible for retailers to issue a certificate with each small parcel of seeds. The minimum quantity should be 5 cwt. instead of 51b. Certificate need not be given unless asked for. Certificate to be embodied on face of the invoice in such manner us may be convenient to each merchant. Clause (/.) Locality and country should be struck out, as impossible as a rule to give the information. Clause ((/.) Strike out the second paragraphs after the first line. In transactions in seeds mixed by the vendor for convenience of farmer, the buyer must have the samples drawn before mixing if he wishes for them "to be tested or analysed. Clause 6. (1.) Samples should be drawn before the seed leaves the premises of the vendor, otherwise the trader -will be absolutely at the mercy of the buyer. No method of drawing samples after delivery can be fair to the seller. (2.) (c.) Each sample must be drawn, divided into three equal parts, and scaled in the presence of the vendor or his agent—one for the vendor, one for the buyer, and one delivered (or forwarded by registered post) to the Biologist. Clause 7. .Either side should have the right of appeal from the decisions oi Biologist to the decision of two experts to be ohoses one by each side, with an umpire to be mutually agreed upon. In all cases of appeal to experts the costs must be paid by the losing side. Does the Bill preclude the sale of fog, sweet-vernal, chicory, rib-grass or plantain, vetches when sold as such? These are sold more or less for sowing. Clause 9. A monstrous clause. Surely it will be sufficient punishment if the vendor is prosecuted and. perhaps, fined. Clause 10. A buyer of gorse-seed must produce the written permission of the Minister or the local Stock Inspector. The onus of obtaining the permission should not be on the vendor. Clause 11. In all cases the grower will sow the seed submitted to the Biologist at his own risk, and no claim in respect of the crop can be made against the vendor. Charles Howard Hewlett examined. (No. 3.) 1. Tlie Chairman.] What are you?— Manager of the Canterbury Seed Company. Christchurch. 2. You want, to make a statement about the sealing of bags?— One of the members of the Committee asked a question in regard to that. It is generally done by the ends of strings being fastened together with a leaden seal, and the bags sewn in such a manner that the seal cannot be undone without breaking it. Neither can the bag be unsewn without the string being out or the seal broken. There is another suggestion I should like to make, and that is that in drawing samples the agent who draws them should see that the seeds are put on the truck and despatched. There is one question in regard to percentages, and that is that the machinery can practically take everything necessary out of the seed, but it is very difficult to take rib-grass out of red clover. With regard to the certificates, one firm in Christchurch on Saturday morning last sent out nearly three hundred orders. About two hundred of the orders would be for 51b. and upwards, and that would mean a certificate for each parcel according to the Bill. That would mean a tremendous amount of time and labour to make up all those particulars, because all the details would have to be given with such a number of varieties of seed, and I think it should be sufficient if the safeguard were provided that the certificate should be supplied only if demanded. .'i. linn. Mr. T. Mackenzie.] 1 have here i certificate which is used in America. Do you think an enormous amount of labour would be required to fill that up. and we do not go nearly so far as that in this Bill?— There would lie a good deal of labour in that, because you would have to analyse the whole thing and net the names of the different weeds. 4. You would know what was ill your bulk .'■- Hut you wotdd have to analyst' cvvry one. 5. Do you not think it would be simplified if the bulk was analysed and you got a certificate for the bulk? —Yes. 6. You would get one certificate for, say, "> tons, and serve it out?— Yes. 7. That would prevent each farmer having to get it through the Biologist and check it .' Yes. 8. You would get just sent down, I presume? —Yes. !). I should think if you gave a guarantee that it had been through the Biologist's tests that would be quite sufficient? —That would be sufficient for the honest trader, but not the fraudulent trader, who might have a sample examined and use something else in the' shape of bulk. 10. I do not think you will be troubled much in connection with the certificates for farmers?— That is why I say that they should get it if demanded. 11. Mr. Witty.] Is it not a fact now I hat a great many seeds which come out from Home are already scaled —such as turnip-seeds I—Yes.1 —Yes. 12. And also rye-grass? —Some. 13. So 'hat there would be no difficulty in doing it here any more than sending it from Home?—No.

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