802 Agricultural Journal of Victoria. 



This year (1908-4) will also sliow a considerable deficit from 

 exactly the opposite reason, viz. : maintaining charges at a high rate, 

 under which private firms could easily cut and secure the small 

 amount of meat export business offering, although had the chambers 

 been occupied we might have been earning a greater proportion of the 

 rent. That these stores can be made to pay, and that they ought to 

 pay in an average season, is of the utmost importance to the agricul- 

 tural community. Heavy losses will be one of the chief arguments 

 raised by competitors for urging upon the Government and Parliament 

 the advisability of leaving the whole question of freezing in the hands 

 of private firms. It is in the worst interests of the producer that this 

 should be the case. A " combine " of freezing companies could take 

 any profit they pleased out of perishable produce. In fact the farmer 

 in a good season would be entirely at the mercy of these companies, 

 and would have to pay any charges demanded. Take for example a 

 glut in the lamb market. If there are more lambs in the market 

 than the Government Cool Stores can deal with the price immediately 

 falls and owners of private works buy on their own account, making- 

 profits far in excess of charges for freezing, however exorbitant these 

 might be. 



This profit all conies out of the producer. The De})artment of 

 Agriculture has realised that it is its duty to assist the producer 

 further by providing additional storage space. This would save 

 unnecessary loss, but the great difficulty up to the present has been 

 that while extra accommodation could have been got from the 

 Melbourne Corporation, the rent of the additional storage would 

 have to be paid for a whole year, though it would only be required 

 for three months at most, thus incurring a certain loss. 



After over one year's negotiations I am glad to be able to tell 

 you that at last a satisfactory arrangement as regards additional cool 

 storage space has been come to by which there will be no loss what- 

 ever. Cool stores with nearly one-third the capacity of the Govern- 

 ment Cool Stores will be put at the dis})osal of the Agricultural 

 Department in any season during the next five years by our giving a 

 week's notice, and at a rental calculated at 25 per cent, less than 

 what is paid for the present Government Freezing Works. I have 

 not the least doubt but that this will prevent any serious drop in fat 

 sheep and lambs through a glut in the market when a good season 

 conies, and will save the producers thousands of pounds per annum. 



Stock Branch. 



The fact that the officers of this Branch are not veterinary 

 surgeons has been severely criticised in some quarters. So far as the 

 men now employed are concerned I would advise no change, but 

 consider the time has come when better salaries ought to be offered 

 for stock inspection — thus inducing young veterinary surgeons to 

 offer their services. If a boy has been country bred and afterwards 

 passes through a veterinary college he is surely better qualified than 

 a man, although a good stockman, who has never had the advantage 



