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

1473
49786. Oats have not yet reached that stage, have they ?-No.
49787. Consequently we may assume that the farmer does get the benefit of the duty upon oats to
some extent, does he not '?-He gets the benefit of the duty, but he has to pay it in ocher ways.
49788. In what other ?-In the other duties he has to pay.
49789. That is another altogether. I want to get at now. ii'I
your business would be improved br removing the dnty from oacs ?-IIz:cau:;e l l "' · ·
and we should have a larger quantity to bundle.
49790. You think you wouhl do a larger business, but it would be mol·e in importee[ oats than in
home-grown oats I could not actually say that. 1 believe our business would be large'!', because we
should have both.
49791. Now, as to the question of barley, what have you to say about the duty upon that ?-I think
the barley duty shouid be removed.
49792. On what ground ?-Because I do not think we grow more barley than we actually want for
our own use.
49793. We do not grow so much ?-It is ::tbout ; opinions differ as to that, but it is said to
be about enough ; the erop this year is said to be enough.
49794. If it were all of suitable kinds, I suppose, and kept here for particular purposefJ ?-Yes.
49795. Would there be any harm done to the grain merchants or the farmers if we allowed this
question of removing the duty upon barley to wait for a year or two, until the supply of barley had reached
the same positiem that the supply of wheat has done-till the time when our farmers have grown BO much
barley that there will be no question about having a surplus for export ?-I would not like to say exactly as
to that ; I do not know.
49796. Do you deal in malt? -No.
'±9797. Any other article that you deal in do you wish to speak about ?-No, I have no remarks to
make.
49798. How about the duty upon maize? -I think the mttize duty Bhonld he removed.
49799. HEtVe you any knowledge of the qualities of maize ?-I can tell good maize if I see it ; I have
a certain knowledge.
49800 . .Have you had any experience in the different kinds of maize-our Victorian nmize, and
New South Wales maize, and Queensland m~tize; can you BlJGak as to the different qualities of those
different kinds of grain for feed purposes ?-Yes, I think so.
49801. Which is the best quality of the tlnee ?-The Queensland and the New South Wales maize
are about the same, ttncl they are better than our own maize.
49802. Are you comparing it with the maize grown in Gippsland ?-Yes.
49803. In what respects is the imported or foreign maize better than our own say that it is
easier crushed. ·
49804. You have no personal experience in that?-\Ve do not crush, we are merely the first hands.
'i9805. You have no knowledge of their relative qualities yourself ?-I have no actual practical
knowledge myself. I have only the knowledge that I learn from my customers.
49806. Which fetches the higher price ?-Last year, I think, they were somewhere about the same ;
but in previous years the 90 days maize-that is the Gippsland m~tize-used to fetch rather more than the
imported article, because it was used for seed or something of that kind ; but a very small quantity was
grown.
49807. Would not that argue that it was better th2,n the imported rather than worse?-No, because
when it commenced to be largely grown it dropped beneath the imported maize.
49808. It was bought for seed because of its peculiar character then 7-Yes.
49809. Have you anything further to !Kld ?-No, I do not wish to say anything further.
49810. By Mr. ilfclntyre.-As a merchant, do you deal in imported gTain ?-Yes.
49811. What is the price of the imported article iu oats at present as compared with the colonial?-
Oats in bond are worth 2s. 6d. and 2s. 7cl. or perhaps 2s. 8d. per bushel to-clay.
49812. And the local article ?-3s. 4d.
49813. Then, if the duty were taken off, would the local article sell cheaper ?-Certainly it would.
49814. Then the farmer wouhl suffer to that extent ?-Yes, he would.
49815. There is a difference then of lOLl. a bushel at present between the bonded article and the
local article ?-Yes, very nearly 10d.
49816. Is the local article as good as the imported ?-:No, it is not.
49817. Then the community is suffering to th&t extent--the general consumer suffers to that extent
and gets an inferior article ?-Yes, I agree with the gentleman who went before me to that extent.
49818. The importation of oats has very largely fttllen off?-Yes, to some extent certainly it has.
49819. Yon think the farruers could turn their attention to producing articles more suitable to the
soil than oats, as this reduction took place ?-I know nothing about farming, but my partner, Mr. Kyd,
expresses that opinion, and other farmers I have heard say that it is not an oat-growing country. You
cannot grow oats here as you can in New Zealand.
49820. By the Hon. 1111'. Lori·mer.-Supposing the duties c::tnnot be repe~led, would a reduction to
1s. a cental give you greater f::tcilities ?·-I think it would.
49821. Sixpence a bushel ?-Yes, ls. a cental would be ,'5d. a bushel.
49822. Then you would prefer going back to the olcl duty ?-I would prefer its entire removal.
49823. And if you cannot get the entire removt~l you would have a reLluction ?-Yes, whatever you
can. I should say that we deal largely in corn sacks ::mcl bran bags and all kinds of sacks, so perhaps you
may want to ask me a question in relation to that.
49824. What do you recommend in relation to that ?-The removal of the duty.
49825. Would the public get the advantage of that ?-The farmers would of course.
49826. The farmer would get the advantage of the removal of tlie duty?-Yes, I think so.
49827. HaYe you any experience of the market in sacks for the last few years ?-Yes, for a number
of years.
49828. Has not the establishment of the manufactlU'e here had the effect of steadying the market,
as it is termed, in relation to this matter ?-I do not think the local factory has ha~l the slightest effect upon
the market. 'I'he marlwt has had an effect upon the local factory, I think.
TARIFF.
9 A
c. W. Del'lHtm,
continued,
Sth ll:Iay 1883.