H.—lB

CXVI

C. Fish. Sanford, A., Fishmonger, Auckland (20/6/12 ; p. 228)— Buys wholesale from fishermen—Fish increased in price 50 per cent.—Surplus fish frozen—Trawling in Hauraki Gulf stopped—Mostly line fishing done—Fish bundles 2s. to 2s. 6d.—Prices fixed by fishermen—Retail competition keen—Delivery or distribution charges very high—lid. out of Is.—Delivery advanced at least 50 per cent, to cost—Railway service inadequate—No proper facilities provided. Fernandos, N., Fish-merchant, Wellington (3/7/12 ; p. 377) — Be fish bought from fishermen at established prices—Trawling does not pay—Retail prices—Surplus fish smoked and put into freezer—Prices unusually high at present — Be fish auction—Open to public—Freights on railway too high—Rents and rates on shop very high. Newman, E. J., Fish-salesman, Christchurch (11/6/12; p. 90)- — Be wholesale fish merchant and auctioneer—Where fish are bought from—Prices vary tremendously—-No ring among fishermen—Groper sold mainly 1 Jd. to Bd. per pound wholesale—Railway facilities inadequate Prices of flounders and fish sold by cash—Auctioneers will sell single fish—Fish destroyed, 15 cwt. in twelve months—Wellington and Christchurch prices similar. Sullivan, F. J., Fish-merchant, Dunedin (4/6/12; p. 7) — Be fish—Wholesale and retail—Distribution—Fish in public demand. Alward, R. S., Manager New Zealand Trawling Company, Wellington (8/7/12 ; p. 440)- — Be wholesale and retail dealers—Company selling at a loss—Balance-sheet produced ; loss £414 in Wellington —No combination or understanding as to prices. Strahan, T., Fishmonger, Christchurch (13/6/12 ; p. 124)— Re prices of fish increased owing to smali and irregular catches—Market open—Auctioneers buy surplus and freeze it—How local fish are obtained—-Freezing steadies prices—Difference between retail and wholesale prices about 25 per cent. Buchan, J., Fish-curer, Dunedin (7/6/12; p. 58) — Be railway freights on fish—Complains that they are excessive. MoCutcheon, T. J., Fish-hawker, Dunedin (7/6/12; p. 57)— Be fishermen limiting catch so as to raise prices—Hawkers buy at auction—Rabbits and retail prices. Gallagher, J., Fisherman, Auckland (27/6/12 ; p. 336) — Owner of oil-launch—Fish sold to dealers —-Auctioning not favoured—Retailers profits small— Be trawler fishing—Cause of recent strike ef fishermen—Better prices of fish secured by exporting to Australia— Government regulations and inspection harassing. Garnaut, M., Fisherman, Auckland (28/6/12 ; p. 356)— Be retail prices of fish increased 200 per cent.—Fish scarcer and fishermen's expenses greater—Fishermen fix wholesale prices—Competition among retailers keen—Prices (quoted) secured by fishermen—Government regulations restrictive. Nixon, Adam, Engineer, Auckland (29/6/12; p. 362)— Be trawler fishing—Fishermen control prices— Be stoppage of trawling by Government. D'Orridant, W. A., Fisherman, Christchurch (14/6/12 ; p. 155) — Be Christchurch being practically a private market—Sales restricted to few buyers—Auctioneers buy and freeze fish—Methods explained—For five months average return to fishermen fd. a pound—Retail prices 3d. and 4d. a pound—Auctioneers should sell to public and not be allowed to purchase fish themselves — Re train facilities—Should be extended. Keenan, F., Fisherman, Dunedin (5/6/12 ; p. 17) — Be launch fishermen—Catch restricted—Commission charges 10 per cent.—Freights too high. Allport, G., Secretary Marine Department, Wellington (11/7/12 ; p. 473) — Re regulations governing trawling and fishing generally—Advocates Municipal fish-markets—Tables showing quantity of fish exported 1909-10-11—-Fish destroyed to keep up prices—Better statistics re fish under consideration. Casey, M. J., Chief Clerk, City Engineer's Office, WellingtonJll/7/12 ; p. 484)— Be fish destroyed and sent to destructor—Last year 257 tons"stale fish sent—Fruit destroyed average about 1.00 tons a year. Reid, J. T., Printer's Broker, Auckland (24/6/12; p. 278)— Be Scotch herring industry—Customs duties 10s. per hundredweight—Duty exceeds value of fish—Urges reduction to 3s. a barrel. D. Flour. Virtue, P., Flour-miller, Auckland (21/6/12 ; p. 243)— Be flour-milling industry—No monopoly—lmportance of industry emphasized—Danger of removing industry —Commonwealth's tariff quoted—New Zealand could not compete in world's market with wheat— —Profits of millers very low—Present wheat prices—Encouragement given to industries in AustraliaCompetition with Southern Millers' Association. Simpson, G. F., Flour-miller, Christchurch (12/6/12; p. 116)— Not a member of the association—Present prices of wheat-products—No profits at present—Australian flour preferred. Hampton, C. E., Flour-salesman, Christchurch (15/6/12 ; p. 162)— No knowledge of Flour Trust—Bakers work on small profits. Gardner, Wm. R., Flour-miller, Christchurch (12/6/12 ; p. 102)— Home and foreign stock-jobbers cause prices of wheat to rise and fall mainly—Local conditions, e.g., area under crop, &c., affect prices first, then foreign influences—Wheat-areas in New Zealand, 1910, 1911. and 1912—Decreased area in 1912 due dearth of labour—No combination between miller and baker re Flour-prices— Re increased cost of milling—Higher wages and shorter hours not counterbalanced by improved machinery— Re Flourmillers' Association and prices—Prices of wheat and flour from 1903 to 1912 inclusive—Profits over eighteen years never less than £1 per ton clear, now it is 4s. Bd.—Association regulates prices and output—Railway charges on flour—Bad debts average J per cent, on association's turnover of approximately £750,000 — Be maintaining the association and means of breaking up a monopoly