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

~·homasBrunton, 49463. What is the clifference in this colony, as far as expense is concerned, between the flour
slli:";i~'sa. dressed by this patent machinery and t.he course flour that we have seen to~day ?-The cost is simply interest
upon the money-upon the outlay addecl and the duty added. Take the interest say at 10 per cent.
49464. What price do they ch>wge per ton difference upon this flour?-We do not rmtke any flour of
that class.
49465. Have you any of this patent machinery that Mr. Gibson has ?-Yes.
49466. This Hungarian machinery ?-No. We have everything he has got, I think, except the
rollers.
4946 7. If the duty were taken off this machinery, do you think it would be imported ?-Yes, I think
so. You are bouml to. We must improve the colour of our flour to be able to compete, even in Sydney, bnt it is
singular how fashion changes. Now the bakers there and the public are far more particular to have a white
loaf' than they are here. The same applies to London and the West of England. The bread in Glasgow, to
look at, is worth 2d. a loaf more t.lum the bread in Edinburgh, consequently as a manufacturer you have to
manufacture what will suit your customers.
4!J468. Can the machinery you nse in yonr factory he made in this country?-Yes, I think so.
At any rate all except the disc mill (I have got no rollers) that I have got. The disc mill is a clifterent
process of reducing wheat to small proportions. It is upon the same principle as the rollers.
49469. Then what reasons could this Commission give to the general public, who at present believe
in protection, for doing awny with the duties if the article can be manufactured in this country ?-I should
say to the mill machinists here-" Show me a machine equnl to that, or show me that you can make one,"
and that woulrl be enough. But they say, "I cannot do that, I have not the materi11l."
49470. Suppose a machine cost a certain sum of money, what would be the difference in the percentage,
as far as value is concerned, between the colonial~made article and the English-made article of a similar
sort of machinery ?-They say a purifier costs here £140 made by BQ(ldington ; they could be got, I should
sav, for £70 or £80.
" 49471. By llfr. Jl{clntyre.-An equal machine ?-Yes, I think so. There are two machines; I have
one that would do the same work.
49472. By .11fr. Zoil~.-Are we to understand you that an article that would cost you £140 here, if
it could be importecl from England duty free, it could be laid clown here for £70 ?-£70 or £80-that is not
taking the duty, you know.
. 49473. No, taking freight and insurance and the price of the article itself without duty ?-Yes.
49474. And there would be a difference in your opinion, between 60 and 70 per cent. now, or nearly
100 per cent. difference?-Yes, I should think that in certain machinery.
49475. Do you use many bags in your business ?-Yes, we do.
49476. Do you use many of the colonially manufactured article ?-When they are cheaper than the.
others we do.
49477. Are they ever cheaper ?-I have seen them cheaper.
49478. Do you think that without the duty upon bags the colonial manufacturer could compete
with those from India and other places ?-No, I always thought it a mistake. I may say it is my opinion
that it is a mistake to put a protective duty upon anything where the raw material is not native to the
country.
49479. How many bags, colonial made, are nsed to those imported, that is what is the percentage of
the one to the other ?-I should say not cent. of what are used are colonial made.
49480. Is the quality as good I think so.
49481. By lvfr. Bosisto.-Have you had any experience with reference to the quality of the wheat
grown from year tD year on the same lancl, as to t.he quality of the flour derived therefrom ?-Am I to
understand that question---
4~)482. You are aware that in many parts of this country farmers are growing wheat upon the same
piece of land year nfter year ?-Yes.
49483. Have you any evidence to give us positively as to whether the wheat grown in such a way is
not becoming more or less deteriorated in value ?-Yes, I think it is ; it loses its glutinous prope1iies after
long cultivation.
49484. Do you find that wheat grown in districts where fanners have been growing wheat every
year, has deteriorated in its vnlue for flour'?-Yes.
49485. You do ?-I do decidedly.
4!1486. Have you had any ex:pe1ience in reference to wheat grown upon land where there has been a
rotation of crops, at all that more applies to Kyneton and the old settled districts. .
41J487. It has not come under your notice as to whether, then, it continues in its level full value?­
No.
49488 .Are you of opinion that the way in which m:1ny of our farmers are growing their wheat crops
is really detriment:1l to themselves and to the flour trade '?-Yes, I think so. We all desire to "et wheat
from new l:1ml that has never been cultivated before. That is always the strongest wheat, grad11:J:ly it goes
clown and deteriorates in value; that, eoupled with dirt, barley and wild oats that are mixed with it. The
districts vary too. The districts around Dookie and Yarrawonga, the lime country, produce very good
wheat ; but that from the Goulburn valley and the flat country is very poor, it is all starch and water. Most
of our country has just been taken up recently.
49489. You are aW!tre that in some places the farmers are really devoting their attention to the
rotation of crops, while in others they are exhausting the soil by growing wheat perpetually?-Yes, that
is the general practice, I believe, round about Kyneton, and near town ; farming is carried on as a science.
19490. 'fake the Wimmera, where wheat is grown year after year for five or six years, is the wheat
deteriorating in its flour value ?-The VVimmera