G. JAMESON.]

9

I.—lo,

246. But after you were in charge did any of the members of your association sit on that committee ? —Yes ; some of them did for a short time, and then resigned. 247. Were any of those millers when they sat there members of your directorate? —Very likely ; I believe Mr. H. Wood was one. 248. Mr. Rutherford.] At the present time do you supply any baker with flour who offers you cash for it ?—Yes. 249. For how long past have you done that ?—For about a year. If he is in a position to pay for it we do not always ask for cash. 250. Mr. Duthie.] With regard to the Auckland competition, you have a standard price, and you explained to us that to meet the competition at Auckland you reduced your price : how do you adjust that loss or difference of price—who bears it, is it the individual millers, or does the whole trust share it among them ?—lndividual millers sometimes bear the loss, and in other cases they share it amongst them. 251. It was the same in that case in Dunedin—the difference would be shared by the trust ?— They did share the loss in one case in Auckland, but it has been done once only. 252. But it may recur?—l do not know what might happen. 253. From your experience in the past what would you expect to happen in such a case ?—I cannot say what the directorate would do, but I suppose they would, as in an ordinary business, adapt their policy to the conditions of the trade. 254. But you are the manager, what would you expect to happen ?—lt would rest with the directors to say whether the association or the individual miller lost. 255. But in this particular case what would you think would happen ?—I think the individual miller would bear the loss. 256. The Chairman.] Can you tell us what the total output of all the mills is ?—No. 257. Have the Auckland millers sold flour cheaper than the Millers' Association ?—Yes. 258. Do you know how much?—l could not tell you. 259. Was the ss. less than Steven's quotation charged at the mill, or in Dunedin?—lt is the Dunedin charge delivered to the bakers, except where it comes very long distances from town. 260. Could you supply to us a statement, showing wheat with the relative price it bears to flour, since the formation of the association and antecedent to the formation of the association ?—Yes ; I can go back five or six years, and you can then pick out the dates you like. 261. Can you tell me whether the aggregate output of all the mills in the association is greater than the total output of the free mills ?—That I could not tell you; Ido not know how many hours a day the free mills work. 262. Under normal conditions how many hours a day should a mill work ? —The Government fixes eight hours as a day's work, but I do not know what would be the practice in tbe case of a mill.

Wednesday, 7th October, 1903. George Jameson recalled. (No. la.) 1. The Chairman.] You desire to.make a statement ?—Yes. I Was asked yesterday whether Mr. Heslop was a member of the Flour-millers' Association, and I said " No." I say so now—he never has joined the association. He certainly sells his flour through the association, and I think it occurred about the time that Mr. Williams says he had a contract with Mr. Heslop. Mr. Heslop came to me one day and said he had not been a member of the association and had had a great deal of difficulty in getting in money for the flour he had sold, and he asked whether the association would sell his flour in the same way as we sold it for other members of the association, and guarantee him the money. That is what we have done so far. He never has joined the association, and has never signed a document of any kind. 2. The Chairman.] You act as his agent ? —Yes, and no more. 3. Mr. Taylor.] Did you have any conversation with Mr. Heslop in connection with the Christchurch Working-men's Co-operative Society's orders ? —I do not remember any. Ido not think so. 4. Was it the first communication you had with him when he came and asked you to sell flour for him ?—No. 5. What was the previous communication ? —lt was some months previous, when I asked him to become a member of the association, and he declined. 6. Had you, directly or indirectly, any other communication with him ? —I do not recollect any. 7. Had any of your officers any communication with him ?—I do not know. Ido not think it is likely. 8. Did you deliver E. Evans's flour on account of an order that Williams had booked with Heslop ? —-I do not recollect the exact details, but I understood that Williams had a contract with Heslop to deliver to him a certain quantity of flour. Mr. Heslop came to me and asked if we could supply the flour, as he had not got the wheat. I told him if he liked to take Eichard Evans's flour at Kaiapoi, we would deliver it for him. 9. But you did something more for Mr. Heslop than simply to sell the flour ?—No. 10. You sold E. Evans's flour on account of Mr. Heslop ? —We sold it to Mr. Heslop. He was unable to fulfil his contract with Mr. Williams because he could not get the wheat, and we arranged to fulfil the contract with Evans's flour. 11. Did you apportion Evans's flour on a sack basis? —No. 2—l. 10.