fl.—lB

CXXVI

Wall, James, Farmer, King-country (10/7/12 ; p. 460) — Be sheep-farming—Expenses of running farm—Cost of rearing wethers—Difficult to assess. Wilson, C. K., M.P. and Farmer, King-country (8/7/12 ; p. 434)— Be increased charges for timber—Enormous expense incurred—Living very dear in backblocks—Want of proper roads—Fruit and transit charges—Latter very high—Potatoes and blight—Meat-prices—Prosperity of meat companies—Store cattle dealer—Sheep country not increased in value to same extent as dairy land—Impossible to bring down meat-prices—Cost of rearing sheep—Stock mostly sold by private contract. Evans, E., Farmer, Kaiapoi (15/6/12 ; p. 165)— Be land-values—Near Christchurch prices have fallen—Sixty miles north land-values increase 50 per cent. . —Increase due meat and butter export—Cost of distribution too high—Labour-shortage affecting production of wheat—Cost of living not increased generally during last twenty years—Earnings of threshing-mill workers—Average 67s. 6d. per week— Be Sedgwick's scheme—Hours of farm labourers eight per day besides looking after horses. Ensor, C. H., Farmer, Cliristcliurcli (10/6/12; p. 69)— Be land-prices and increased cost of living—Christchurch City and unimproved values 1891 and 1911—Prices of rural land do not affect prices of foodstuffs—World's markets affect selling-prices meat, grain, &c.— Cost of distribution responsible increase cost of living—Town and rural population—To reduce cost of living consumers should start co-operative stores, eliminate waste, and crush out middlemen—Assistance should be given to workers to make homes in rural districts—-Prices of mutton, various periods—Farmers content with 2Jd. per pound—Acreage of crops decreasing—Labour aggregation in towns responsible —Farmers willing to give land for nothing for homes. Jones, D., Farmer, Christchurch (12/6/12 ; p. 109) — Land-prices show fair increase—Dairying-land has risen more than cropping-land—No single article increased in cost owing to rise in price of land, question of London markets solely .responsible— Be wheat-prices —Return from 40 bushels of wheat analysed (a) into flour, bran, pollard, &c., (6) into bread—Parmer does not get fair share compared with baker— Be export of wheat and cause of decreasing supply sent away —Insufficiency of labour whole problem— Be wages and savings of farm labourers— Be potato crop— —Enormous quantities destroyed owing labour-shortage— Be pigs—Bacon prices rising—Shortage boy labour responsible—Favours Sedgwick boy scheme— Be fruit-prices—Auction prices very reasonable— Causes for town workers not following farm employment discussed—Not enough accommodation—Room for a good deal of improvement—Farmers making better provision every day— Be housing problem and application of existing legislation to country districts— Be erecting such dwellings at Templeton with 2 acres of land—Would save 37J per cent, on present cost of living in cities— Be mutton prices obtained by farmers —Average a little over ljd. per pound—Distribution charges too high—Personal expenses —-Boots increased 90 per cent.—City land-prices not so high as reported—Capital obtainable on easy terms last ten years— Be taxation and methods adopted by valuers—Unimproved value cannot possibly be fixed equitably—Tax on capital value preferable— Be wheat and oat areas—Further evidence in explanation of falling-off in exports. Lill, W. T., Farmer, Ashburton County (18/6/12 ; p. 212)— Re land-values increased from 30 to 100 per cent.—Taxation increased 150 per cent.—Sheep cheaper to grow than grain—Wheat-areas decreasing through lack of labour—Wheat industry most valuable and beneficial —Effect of milking on child-labour—Unfair taxation on improvements—Farmers' mortgages taxed— Boots and clothing chief increase—Food cost not increased to farmers— Be freights and charges on imported farm-implements. Pannett, J. A., Farmer, Chairman of Directors, Farmers' Co-operative, Christchurch (14/6/12 ; p. 161) — Clothing increase 10 to 15 per cent, in fifteen years—Very little increase other lines—His association reduced cost to consumers by co-operation and good management—6,000 shareholders— Be land-values, improved methods of farming and high prices of commodities obtained abroad responsible for increase in landvalues—Be labourers' accommodation, room for improvement—Immigration suggested to meet labour shortage. Sheat, George, Farmer, Dunsandel (17/6/12 ; p. 184) — Land increased in price 300 per cent, to 450 per cent.—How land-values are fixed—-On selling-values mainly— Values of land do not affect cost of food produced— Be lambs an average price is secured—Also wool, meat, and wheat—Cross-examined re land-values—Improvements not allowed for—Shortage of labour acute— Potatoes rotting in the ground for want of digging— Be effect of increased interest—Speculation responsible for fictitious values—Practice deplored— Be workers' pay and conditions—Farmers' desire intense cultivation—Room for a thousand workers—Threshing-charges have increased— Be accommodation for farm labourers —Conditions greatly improved—Workers' homes suggested in localities where work is assured. Begg, James, Farmer, Clinton (7/6/12 ; p. 56) —■ Cost of living not increased to farmers and agricultural workers—Agricultural labourers' conditions immensely improved— Be wool-prices over twenty years—Farmers going in for more luxurious living. Clarke, John, Farmer, Clinton (7/6/12; p. 54)— Crippled by shortage of labour—Cost of living in country districts not increased—Prices obtained for stock —-Beef, mutton—Openings for agricultural workers at good wages all year round—Wages 27s. 6d. to 30s.—Land-values increased too much—Farming not so payable now as twenty years ago. Grey, William, Farmer, Milburn (7/6/12 ; p. 53)— . . Shortage of labour affecting crop-growing—Favours Sedgwick boy scheme and immigration— Be acreage under crop—Wages of farm hands—Great shortage of men—Plenty of work—Farmers would go in for dairying if labour available. Mason, W. D., Farmer, Middlemarch (7/6/12 ; p. 40)— Farmers fairly treated by stock agents— Be butter and prices of butter-fat— Be auction prices of beef. Gunson, J. H., Grain-merchant and Member Harbour Board, Auckland (27/6/12 ; p. 326): — Term " cost of living " defined—Prices of grain and produce fluctuate according to supply and demand— Prices high at present—No marked increase over fifteen years' period—General cost of living increased —Rents chief factor —Favours protection on produce—Cereals and root crops —Labour scarcity not affected potato crops—Removal of duty on butter would not affect dairy trade—Wheat freights coastal and from Australia—Coastal freights too high—Due to monopoly (Union Steamship Company)—Instabilitv of free-trade—Flour and import duty—Freight on chaff from Victoria and Lyttelton.