Minutes of Evidence p.1401-1509 - Parliament of Victoria

1431
Gillman Goodrich Pearce sworn and examined.
48415. By the Chainnan.-What are you ?-I am a manufucturer of cheese upon the factory system.
I am the manager. of two companies: cheese making and condensed milk making.
·· 48416. Have you heard the evidence o:f Mr. Turner in relation to the condensed milk business?-
Partially. I was out when he commenced.
48417. Mr. Turner's evidence goes to the effect of
milk, .in order to seek a market against the prejudice-does
opinion we ought to have it in order to get a start here.
article equally good it is very hard to get it going.
for a duty of 2d. a pound upon condensed
agree with your experience ?-In my
I find difficulty in starting, and selling an
48418. Are you manager for this company that Mr. Turner represents ?-I am.
48419. And manager :for some other compapy ?-I am manager of the Victoria Cheese and Butter
Factory, also of Myrniong and Bacchus l\:Iarsh. .
48420. How long have you been making condensed milk in the colony ?-Since last November.
48421. Not before that at all ?-Not before that at all.
48422. Are you aware that there used to be a duty on condensed milk ?-I am not.
48423. Some years ago there was a duty on, and it was taken off?-I was not aware of that.
48424. Have you anything to add to the evidence Mr. Turner has given us ?-As regards the price
we have sold our milk for, the rate has been 6s. 6d. with 10 per cent. off, and it has been very hard to sell
at that price. People will take the Swiss milk in preference to ours, although everyone who tries it pronounces
ours the best, because it is fresher and newer-not that it is better made, but the imported is
neioessai·ily older when it gets here and is stale.
Have you had any analysis made by experts?-We have not had any analysis made at all.
4H4.26. Would not that be a good way to give it a stn.rt ?-We did not think so; we considered the
matter and concluded that people that used it would judge of its quality themselves.
48427. But to get people to use it in the first instance, if they have an analysis by experts ?­
I have bought milk here made by another company and analysed by two experts, chemists here, with their
names upou the label, recommending it as a superior article, and it was the worst milk I ever opened, and
that was one reason we did not analyse.
4tl428. Have you anything further to add ?-I do not think of ... mnnmo- more. But I do think we
are entitled to protection for many reasons. It is the policy of the
protect home industries,
and especially new industries, I think we should have help to start. When we get on our legs all right, we
can do without it.
[The witness opened and exhibited samples qf imported condensed mill!. and the article manufactured
by the Company.]
The witness withdrew.
Adjourned to to-morrow, at Two o'clock.
G, G. Pea.rce,
1st May 1883.
WEDNESDAY, 2ND MAY, 1883.
Present:
JAMES MIRAMs, Esq., M.L.A., in the Chair;
The Hon. G. Meares, }I.L.C., -~ F. S. Grimwade, Esq.,
D. Muuro, Esq., J. Mcintyre, Esq., M.L.A.
E. L. Zox, M.L.A.,
Samuel Capper sworn and examined.
48429. By the Chairman.-What are you ?-Manufacturer of oilmen's stores, &c. samueiCappe 1
.-
48430. The particular item upon which you wish to give evidence just now is condensed milk, I 2nd May 1883.'
believe ?-Yes.
48431. Have you been long a manufacturer of condensed milk ?-No, we have not got as far as
erecting a plant. I do not know the manufacturing part of it, that is as far as the machinery part goes; I
know the manual, and the other, theoretically.
48432. Have you got any machinery erected ?-No.
48433. Then you have not got into it yet; you only intend to do so ?-I have gone into it manually
and proved it practicable, but have not worked the machinery practically. ,
4.8434.. What do you desire to say to the Commission ?-I do not know exactly what information is
required.
48435. You know what you wish in the matter ?-In reference to the 2d. a pound duty which was
taken off three or four years ago, that should be put on again.
48436. You did not hear the evidence given yesterday ?-No, I was not here.
4.8437. Have you read it in this morning's papers ?-I just casually glanced over it; but what I say
now I made up my mind to two years , .
48438. That is what they for-you endorse that request ?-Decidedly, for as it is now the
outlet is so small that unless there is a differential duty of 2d. there would be no profit in the manufacture.
48439. Have you made calculation of what the probable trade in the article would be?-
I have no idea except from the return.
48440. What is the amount consumed ?-In 1881 I believe it was something like 250,000 llb. tins
in a year, and I should say that has
increased since then. ,I should~say about 300,000 tins per
annum.
484.4.1. Is that all you have to say upon the condensed milk question ?-Yes, I think that is all, the
2d. duty is the most important item.
484.42. 400,000 was the quantity last year ?-It might have been 1880 that I referred to, I have
not looked lately.