34 



of the bills of lading which were presented and the claims made, that he could not 

 advise us, under any circumstances, to prosecute, as we had not a leg to stand upon 

 that so long as we accepted these bills of lading we should have to bear the loss. 

 There are times when we can put up with a loss of this kind. When fruit is bringing 

 high prices, we don't mind if we lose a few dollars, but when fruit is comparatively 

 low it is a serious matter, and if it is a matter that agitation will do anything t° ^®^P 

 I should say continue the debate, and let us have a remedy if it is possible. There 

 are many other points in the addresses that were made which 1 should like to 

 discuss, and possibly I may have an opportunity at a future session ; but I shall not 

 take*ip any more time to-night. I hope to hear a reply from some person present 

 as to the question I have asked with reference to bills of lading. 



Mr. Watt. — ^I am quite free to confess I can throw very little light on the ques- 

 tion asked. The ship Jias no rights at London. She goes into port and is fastened 

 up alongside the wharf. The dock companies dischai'ge her and put the goods into 

 their own storehouses and deliver to the consignees. They charge the ship so much 

 and the shippers so much : bat we are perfectly powerless. The clause referred to 

 is put in at the instance of the receivers there. We can do business fairly well at 

 Liverpool, but at London we can only do business as the Londoners choose to do 

 it. If ships will consign to London they will be continually under these disabilities. 

 As to the payment of freight whether the ship is lost or not lost, that applies to 

 freight prepaid. If you prepay your freight, then the losses rest with the shipper. 



Mr. Stark. — We are not in the habit of prepaying our freight. 



Mr. Watt. — Then the clause is inoperative. 



Mr. Stake. — I would gather from these remarks that Mr. Watt wishes to in- 

 timate that better facilities are offered at Liverpool than London. That has not 

 been our experience, either in marketing or shipping. I am not here to stand up 

 for any port or house ; still, I am free to state that I have represented respectable 

 houses in London, and my experience has not been, as it has been hinted, that if we 

 are sending fruit to Covent Garden Market we will have to pay dear for our whistle. 



Mr. Gedd. — There is just one question asked by Mr. Allan that I would like to 

 reply to : that is, as to shipping apples to Montreal and getting a clear receipt. If 

 Mr. Allan will take out a local shipping rate and send it to any one of the steamship 

 companies, we, on receipt of it, will always be happy to give the shipper a clear bill 

 of lading for what we receive. Then we guarantee quantities. 



The President. — Have any of the shippers of dairy produce anything to say ? 



Mr. Brodie. — The rough handling the fruit gets in Montreal is between the 

 railway station and the ship. I have seen apples carted along in trucks at a rate 

 that would shake the apples to pieces. My opinion is that there is no better way 

 of carrying apples than in spring waggons. When these carts are loaded, these 

 barrels roll off sometimes, and they generally have a cooper there to fix them up. 



General Laurie. — I shall not have an opportunity of speaking again, and I 

 must ask you to pardon me if I say a few words now. I have spent a considerable 

 time in England during the last winter, and in passing around constantly among the 

 green grocers I did not see as many good-looking apples anywhere as I have seen 

 hereto-night. I do not say this to butter up the fruitgrowers, but to warn them 

 that they are not taking the means to get their apples to London properly. If it 

 pays to wrap up every orange in paper, which is afterwards sold for a half-penny 

 in London, it would pay to pat an apple in paper and sell it for four pence. To put 

 a piece of paper at the top and bottom ot a barrel is not, however, enough. 

 The apples that are exhibted in London have been addressed to shipping companies, 

 and are not acceptable because of spots and bruises. That is the fault of the 

 shippers. A more miserable lot of apples than those offered for sale in London I 

 have never seen. I grant you that they are nearly all labelled " American Apples," 

 and it is in your hands to see that all apples are delivered in London so that the 

 name of Canadian apples will rise. Have them properly marked. Nine out of ten 

 apples are bruised or spotted this year. I have been at the Army and Navy co-oper- 

 ative stores, where a very large business is done, and also at the Civil Service 



