I.—lo.

11. Is there a double roof to it ? —lt is all double, so as to get the interior as cool as possible. Of course it is never kept cooler than the exterior air. That could only be done by employing refrigerating-niachines or using ice. We do not think that is necessary. We think that the ventilated cars convey the produce quite safely. The important thing is not to allow the cars to stand for any length of time during the day at any station; in other words, as sooti as the produce arrives at its destination it should be placed in a cool room, or else put on board the vessel. That is the important part of it. 12. Is there a sufficient supply of these cars at the various centres throughout the colony ?— Yes, where wanted. 13. Are you adding to them ?—We are adding to them as required. They are only required principally as yet in the North Island. 14. Now, in Canterbury and probably in Otago there is a movement on foot for establishing central creameries?— Yes; at Addington. 15. What facilities would you afford?— Well, of course, we will make whatever arrangements are necessary. I may say at once that Addington is a very suitable situation for a creamery, because all our trains in Canterbury concentrate at that point. The morning trains arrive from half-past nine to ten o'clock, leaving the starting-points at from six to seven o'clock, so that the cream could come in the cool of the morning in the ordinary vans. 16. Would there be any practical difficulty, with the trains leaving the country stations very early in the morning, to have the cream of that morning delivered ?—Yes ; we could not expect to have the cream of that morning's milking, if, as in some cases, it would have to be brought over a long distance to the station. 17. In what way do you charge for the cream ; is it so much per gallon ?—Yes ; we charge so much per gallon. For a distance of fifty-five miles it costs Id. a gallon. The empty tins are returned free. 18. The Commissioners would undertake to have the ears reserved for the conveyance of cream —that is to say, you could not have other goods or other articles sent in those vans which might be liable to'taint the cream?— Well, it would be a question really of quantity; if we had a sufficient quantity we should reserve special cars. I may say the ordinary milk business we have hitherto had has been quite as well accommodated in the ordinary carriage-vans. The cream would be in large tins, properly closed. It could not be contaminated with any smell, as it could not get to it. 19. It is the most delicate produce in the world ?—I know it is. 20. Have you not had complaints? —No. 21. Are you not aware that complaint was made of fish being sent in the same van as milk?— I have not heard of it; but it would be very deleterious unless the milk was very closely kept. 22. You have not heard any complaint?— No. 23. There have been complaints ?—I have not heard of any. 24. I suppose the Commissioners will be prepared to do what they can to encourage the central creameries ?—We will do everything we possibly can to encourage them, because we recognise that it is likely to become a large business. The encouragement of this industry will be a great means of developing the country. 25. The Chairman.'] We will take another industry : perhaps the fruit industry would be the nearest to the other ?—Fruit as yet is a very small item on the railways; but the Commissioners, recognising the importance of it, have made a very low rate for freight—that is to say, we charge one and a half grain rates for fruit, and in the matter of empties we make the charge almost nominal. 26. How do the charges in Australia compare with our charges for the carriage of fruit?— They are less for long distances, but are the same for short distances. (See charges in table appended : —)

Lime (Agricultural) Rates on New Zealand Government Railways compared with Lime Rates on Australian Railways, at per Ton.

s—l. 10.

33

Miles. I New Zealand. 1892, I Queensland. 1891. New South Wales. 1891. Victoria. 1891. South Australia. 1891. 1 to XO .. 20 .. 30 .. 40 .. 50 .. 60 ., 70 .. 80 .. 90 .. 100 .. 110 .. 120 .. 130 .. 140 .. 150 .. s. d. 1 9 2 9 3 9 4 7 5 5 6 3 6 8 7 1 7 6 7 11 8 4 8 9 9 2 9 7 10 0 s. a. 2 6 S 9 5 0 6 3 7 6 8 9 10 0 11 3 12 6 13 9 14 7 15 5 1G 3 17 1 17 11 s. a. 4 6 7 10 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 10 3 10 9 11 3 11 9 12 3 s. d. 2 0 3 0 4 0 5 0 5 6 6 6 7 6 8 6 9 6 10 6 11 C 12 G 13 0 14 0 15 0 s. a. 2 0 3 4 4 10 6 1 7 4 8 2 9 0 9 10* 10 8 11 6 12 1 12 9 13 4 14 0 14 7 • Millburn to Edentfalc, 85 miles,