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12. Hon. Mr. Pitt.} Were those you omitted points that you objected to in the Bill of last year ?—Yes ; some of them were. 13. Hon. Mr. T. Kelly.] I understand that you represent all those persons that are engaged in the trade?—l do. 14. The first objection you made was to subsection (b) of clause 3. You objected to the terms in that subsection as to the full description of the fertiliser, which refers only to nitrogen, phosphoric anhydride, and dipotassic oxide, or potash. Why do you object to a full description of those articles'?—l do not say we object to a full description of those articles, but a full description of the manure might imply a great deal more. 15. You do not object to any description here ?—Not in the slightest. 10. With regard to section 5, subsection (3), you object to allow a sample of the bulk to be taken ? —Yes. 17. What is the practice of the trade ? Have you not a large proportion of manures ready for sale? —Speaking for ourselves, we have practically none ready for sale, except in branded packages. We make up orders within at most two or three days of their going away, and never have more than 20 or 30 tons in branded packages at a time. 18. Our Inspectors can get samples of the manures?—We always have 20 or 30 tons made up, and I have invited the Inspectors to send any one they like to analyse the samples. The Auckland Agricultural Society have funds which they provide for the purpose of having manures analysed, and I have invited them to come when they like and take samples of packages. 19. Have you any superphosphates in bulk which the Inspector can take ? —Yes; within certain limitations. We only keep it in bulk for the purpose of maturing. 20. In section 10—that is, where the manure has been delivered to a ship or a railway—what you wish, I understand, is that when it gets to the end of the voyage or to the port the buyer then should take the sample?— Should take the sample either at the railway-station or the wharf before delivery, or, if taken by a carrier, on delivery by the carrier. 21. Sometimes it is impossible to do that ? —ln very few cases. 22. Take my own case. I live some distance from a terminus, and it would have to lie there until a cart came to take it ?—The Act provides for the Inspector to take a sample, not the buyer. 23. Hon. Mr. Duncan.] How is it possible to comply with your provision that the owner shall be present ? How can the owner be present at the delivery place ? —He can either be preseut or be represented. We send our manures all over the province, and have representatives in almost every town in the colony. 24. You have not agents at the several sidings ?—We have in the district, and it would be for the buyers to send some one to see the sample taken. There might be twenty Or forty samples in a year taken, and it is not a very difficult matter. 25. If there is a cry made that the samples are not correct, the buyers will take many more samples?—ln that case we shall only take our share with other people. 26. With regard to the branding of packages, are you in the habit of altering a package before you send it out? —Not unless it bursts or is torn. 27. It is not fair to interfere with the bulk in preparation ?—No ; it is not in the condition in which we wish to sell it. 28. The Secretary for Agriculture states that possibly it would be more convenient if the purchaser would notify that he wished samples taken before the manure was taken away from your place? —We would be quite agreeable to that. 29. Mr. Buddo.] Do you sell more than one brand of artificial manure from your establishment? —Yes ; about a dozen. 30. Do you give a description and particulars of the brand?—ln every case ; and always have done so. 31. Have you any fixed brand of a marketable quality ?—We have no fixed brands. We have the name of the manure, and in the case of superphosphates we give the solubility in water. 32. Would you send out an analysis, to accompany the invoice, to the purchaser of your manures ?—That is done now. 33. You always send that ?—We do. 34. Hon. Mr. T. Kelly.] In the case of a special manure —say, a potato or grass manure, where it is composed of various constituents —do you give any analysis of it when asked for it by the purchaser? —Yes ; always. 35. Whether it is soluble or insoluble ?—Yes. We give the solubility at the time of making, but we add a footnote that it is impossible to guarantee the solubility after a certain time. We guarantee it at the time of mixing. 36. Mr. T. Mackenzie.] What is the percentage of soluble superphosphates ?—We have two superphosphates — (a) containing 32 per cent, soluble with ammonia 1 to 1-J-, and (b) containing 35 percent, soluble with no ammonia. 37. That you guarantee ? —Yes. 38. Hon. Mr. Boiven.] You are speaking for your own firm. Do I understand that what you say is the general custom in the trade ? —Under previous Acts it is compulsory. 39. I know that, but is it always done ?—Yes, always done. 40. Mr. Bitchie (Secretary for Agriculture).] I have a memorandum from the Gear Company in regard to section 3, subsection (2). 41. Hon. Mr. Boiven.] Supposing you got an order for a special manure from an individual, what position would you take up with regard to that ? That is what they wish to get at under this clause. How would you fulfil the requirements of the Act outside your usual brands?— That represents a difficulty. We supply a large number of manures made up to suit the farmer, but in that case we could only guarantee the total amount of ammonia and phosphates.