[W. BENDALL.

H.—29.

34

184. You would not allow flax to be stowed on top of wool?—No, nor near greasy wool without a partition between them. „, , 185 I rather understood from Captain Evans this morning that they did that?—That does not apply to steamers here at all times, but 1 understand they do do it; but where they are loadmg and discharging steamers, one man could not look after that sort of thing 186. You do make a recommendation not to stow flax on top of wool?—Yes. Well, they stow flax on top of wool, but they must have something on top of it. 187 They must have hurdles or wood of some sort? —Yes. 188 Do you think that there is a risk in some steamers of an accumulation of water through the ventilators in very heavy rain or bad weather?—Well, that might be so. 189 If thev neglected turning them and they were not thought of in very heavy windy weather w.ith a good deal of rain, do you think there is danger ?—There is the danger of some moisture going down on such occasions. ~, 190. A good deal might go down and lodge about the place: it could not get away very well*— No; it could not get away, but they say they always stop the ventilators m that kind of so that it cannot get down, but whether they do it Ido not know I remember a ship catching fire going Home from here from sparks from the galley, which had got down through the ventilator immediately abaft the galley, and they fell down on flax; that was the Merope. 191. And she caught fire?—Yes, she was abandoned at sea on fire. . 192. The tow, I understand, is not always covered: most of it is not?—lt is covered with scrim in some cases, but I think most of it is shipped uncovered. 193. In the steamers and in the sailers as well?--Yes. 194 Mr Foster 1 Do you know, Captain Bendall, whether it is optional with the shipper to have it covered or uncovered t-I think it is. I think they can do as they like. The underwriters moved in the direction at one time of making it compulsory to have it covered, but I do not think they & coyered Qr uncovered ?—No ;it is the expense of the covering that the shippers object to. 196 But does the ship charge any different freight J— No, Ido not think so. I think that there no difference in the insurance rate ?-No, I do not think thev have made any concession. As a matter of fact, it is not very much good, because before it is stowed away in the hold the scrim is torn off going down into the hatches. 198 Mr Foster.] And I suppose scrim is almost at inflammable as flax and vvce venal—Yes. 199'. Have you any theory, Captain Bendall, as to the probable origin of these fires °n ships'No I cannot form any theory except that if they do as I understand they do-put a lot of this fellmongered wool on board—that is very likely the cause, I should say 200 Have you been in a position to notice this last season whether country wool has been coming down wetter than in previous years?-! have noticed coast woo and a^ other wool apparently from an outside examination to come in frequently very wet on the outside 201. Did you have any indication on the outside whether it was from the insidef-No, I thmk it was from the rain. . . 202 Rain in transit?—The outside appearances are not always the worst^ 203 In what way would the wet condition be shown on the outside ?-There was a good deal of surf loaded wool and also wool exposed to rain this last season : you could not see very^muchizß trfSr^we^ttm^r^ftus season, with fine weather for surf loading. 204 The Chairman.} It depended upon the length ot the season?—Yes they kept the wool out till I returned. 206. That was before your services were dispensed with 1— lea. 907 Thev do not send for you now? —No. ISl' Have you ever known flax heat from dampness?-Oh, yes, but we have not had very is Sv required. I think that would be a desirabk recommendation, and would be the means of stopping a great deal of defective wool being shipped. the meanso: stopp ag g of . knowi Captain Bendall, whether the majority of the wet wool or i large proportion of the wool which you had to send to the scourers, came from the small places him we used to get actually heated wool that had been sent to him to be scoured,