7893. But was any objection made to your opening the shop?-No; there could be none, because I have a lease of the place.
7894. For what length of time is your lease?-For ten years.
7895. Do you know whether there is a difficulty in getting premises for shops in other parts of the district?-I cannot say, because I never tried.
7896. What is the price of your meal just now?-The fact is, we have none.
7897. Do you not sell meal?-Yes, I sell it. My meal is 16d. a peck all through the year.
7898. Is that higher or lower than the price at the Mossbank shop?-I think it is 1d. below it.
7899. Is your meal of the same quality as the meal there?-I think so. I get my meal from Aberdeen.
7900. Is it better than the meal sold at Mossbank?-I could not say that.
7901. Do you get it from Bremner & Grant?-Yes, and sometimes I get it from Tulloch. I generally get it by the sack or boll; and if any person takes a sack or boll from me, I give it at what it cost me, adding something for freight.
7902. You sell it at 16d. per peck; how much is that per boll?- There are about 17 pecks to the boll, but you will not get a boll to weigh out 17 pecks. There should be 171/2 in it, but weighing out pecks and half pecks the boll will not weigh out so much as 17.