; 51. 
of elevators the grain is handled in the most rapid and economical method; and 
until such a system is introduced here, we ean never hope to compete with 
those countries that already have it. It may be said then, Why has not the 
Government done something in this way? That is a ver 
Dut before introducing such a system it is first of all necessary to sceure the 
co-operation of the grain-growers themselves. 
seized of the necessity of the economy, and they combine to express their desire 
to have it, I do not think the Minister for Railways will stand in the way of 
the introduction of the system. The initial work rests largely with the farmer. 
‘On the occasion already referred to, I made a rough estimate of the number of 
times that the bag of maize has to be handled from the time it leaves the farm 
till it reaches the consutner—gsay at Charters Towers. Tf you count the 
number of times a bag has to be stacked here and stacked there, perhaps 
fifteen or twenty times will be few enough. That adds to the cost of the maize, 
and that cost must come off the profit of the man who grows it. Until the 
grower realises this loss, he will continue to lose what would be to him a very 
liberal and wide profit. A rough explanation of the system which is 
adopted 
in Canada and similar countries may be given. In tho first place, the question 
of bags is non-existent. They are not used at all in the handling of grain. The 
sack question was a few years ago, and perkaps still is, a burning one among 
our farmers. The Canadian grain-growers have inexpensive lifts for their own. 
barns. ‘They can be put up for about from £7 10s. to £10, and they save the. 
whole of the Jabour of handling, and very often they are worked by the 
ordinary horse-power. The grain is dumped into a trough from which it is 
carried by a simple machine up to a bin on an upper floor. When it is desired 
to send it out, a trapdoor floods it into wagons, which carry it to the railroad 
platform. ‘Trucks are run underneath the platfor 
shoots. The grain is then carried to an elevator, the doors of the trucks are 
opened, and the grain pours in. It is then cleaned, graded, and put into bins. 
If it has to be shipped, it flows from the elevator i 
it is pumped out like water. I do not think I am far out in saving that the 
waste of energy in our own system is equal to a loss of from 3d. to Gd. per 
bushel. If we could devise some means by which a portion of this could be 
saved, then the association of farmers for common and mutual objects cannot 
be entirely without some result. I am speaking on this subject, because it is - 
one which is rather misunderstood in Australia, and because the prospects of 
our ever becoming a large grain-growing country depend greatly on our adopt- 
ing such an economic and time and labour saving system, in order to hold our 
own against countries which already have these advantages to aid them. In 
this connection it may be mentioned that in 18940 commission was sent from 
Victoria to America to inquire into the methods of gr 
saw their report the other day, but I was very pleased to see in it that very 
many crude ideas of my own were confirmed and enlarged by the careful inquiry 
that had been made. In the States I may say that the cost of cleaning grain 
thoroughly from all impurities, grading it into the different classes, weighing and 
loading it into ship or other railway train does not cost more than between +d. 
and 3d. per bushel. I was under the impression that the cost was lower, as I 
had been told at iort William that it was only $d. per bushel, but in the report 
of the commission it is put slightly higher. Evenif it were 1d. per bushel, what 
an enormous saving such a system would make to our people. 
The high cost of machinery in Queensland is another subject. T have 
investigated this matter a good deal, and may say at once, without wishing to 
make any special complaint, that it is a matter resting entirely with the farmers 
themselves. In the States the reaper and binder, which the Australian farmer 
has to pay from £55 to £65 apiece for, costs about £18. I am taking that. 
figure from the report I mentioned previously. Irom my own experience, in 
isolated cases, I know that by’taking the proper steps farmers can obtain 
machinery for themselves atvery much less cost than they have to pay now. 
Of course, I do not blame the machine men so much. They haye to import 
When the grain-growers are 
m, and receive the grain in 
ito the ship. From the ship 
y pertinent question; — 
ain-growing there. I only — 
