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The PresipENT.—Is it not the system most prevalent in the markets of the old 
country ? 
Mr. Attan.—Yes, almost entirely. Everything of that sort is sold by commission 
houses at auction. I think in Toronto the auction system would be most advantageous 
both for the buyer and the seller. 
Mr. Wetuinaton.—I think the auction system, properly conducted, is the right way 
of disposing of fruit. It would be well for fruit-growers to understand that Mr. James 
Lumbers was the gentleman who inaugurated the auction system, which he worked up 
for a younger brother, and so long as the business remained in his hands everyone who 
had any dealings with him got full and correct returns. He informs me that some of the 
{ruit-growers were themselves to blame for the ultimate failure of the system, inasmuch 
as they made contracts with storekeepers in Toronto for their crop up to a certain date, 
and sent the best of their fruit direct to the stores and the poorer fruit to auction. This 
fact, coupled with the opposition offered by the storekeepers, who were making money 
faster under the old system and did not wish for the change, was in the main the cause 
of the failure of the auction system. Another cause was the want of proper quarters, 
and of proper facilities for handling fruit direct from the railway stations and steamboat 
wharves. These drawbacks combined were, [ think, the cause of the failure of the auction 
system. In the hands of a good man I think it would eventually succeed, but in the first 
instance opposition would be encountered from the storekeepers in Toronto, who would 
do all they could to discredit the auction system in the eyes of the public. If the fruit- 
growers were to establish and support an auction system [ believe they would in the end 
obtain better results in selling their fruits. The store keeper is the one who gets the 
profit on the fruit; the growers have suffered very severely. Many times [ have seen 
strawberries sold at some of our large establishments, where they have a good class of 
custom, at twenty cents when [ knew that the average returns to the grower were not 
more than five or six cents; the shopkeeper gets fancy prices for the good fruit, and 
very fair prices for the rest. Now, to make the auction system a success, there must be 
. a combination among the growers and they must support the auctioneer, The first step 
is to get a good responsible firm or individual to handle the fruit at that auction and then 
give him hearty support and keep the fruit away from the shopkeepers ; that is, do not 
sell to them direct and then they will have to buy it at the auction and pay its value for it. 
The Secretary.—lI have noticed in shipping that a great many of these commission 
houses to whom we ship not only sell on commission but speculate on their own account, 
and of course when there is a glut in the market it is not until they have disposed of their 
ovn that they offer our fruits, and as a natural consequence we get the worst of it. I 
have had some very sorry experience of that kind with perishable fruit and got almost 
nothing at all for it, though shipped in good, sound condition, It was not until after what the 
fruit dealers had in stock was sold, at good prices, that it was offered. In one instance I 
know that they had bought on contract a large number of Bartlett pears when the mar- 
ket was high. The market rapidly went down and pears [ had sent were not sold until 
the prices were down to the very lowest notch. That is what makes me feel a little dis- 
satisfied with the present method. If we had an assurance that a house would act solely 
in our interests we would have gnore contidence in getting fair treatment, but as things 
are now we do not feel that we are being fairly dealt with. 
Mr. WELLINGTON.—That is the basis of my statement. Some pears are sold direct 
and others shipped on consignment, and the latter have to take their chances while the 
others are placed on the market when prices are high. Of course the commission men 
will take care to protect themselves first. 
Mr. Pertir —We have now what Mr. Woolverton was speaking of —agents in every 
city. I think we have six agencies in the largest towns and cities in the Dominion. 
Mr, Bucke.— What is the objection to that system. [ should think they would get 
the best returns from their own agents. 
Mr, Morroy.—I suppose public competition has an effect on the purchaser. Men 
will often pay a great deal more for an article at auction than they would by private con- 
tract. That is my experience of auction sales in other lines. 
